心を鬼にする >> Can anyone explain to me what is the meaning of this expression ?
I guess it's like "I've made up my mind to become ruthless (though I don't want to) "?
I'm not so sure so can anyone give me a correct understanding thanks
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1 Answer
Your guess isn't too far off the mark. A more idiomatic way of saying that in English is "to harden one's heart", generally in reference to when you need to do something that someone doesn't want you to do, but that might actually be good for that person.
As explained in my personal copy of Daijirin:
[心]{こころ}を[鬼]{おに}にする
気の毒に思いながら，その人のためを思ってやむなく厳しくする。「―＿して破門する」
Relevant entries in Kotobank (all in Japanese), and in bilingual Weblio.
answered May 19, 2021 at 21:19
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@4chanuser, there's a difference in nuance. Steel oneself sounds more like someone is doing something that they really don't want to do, that they find frightening or unnerving or anxiety-producing. I may steel myself before going bungie jumping, for instance. Meanwhile, harden one's heart sounds more like someone is doing something that affects someone else in a way that the doer of the action feels sympathy or empathy for the other person. I may harden my heart before I have to tell someone bad news that they need to hear, for instance. Commented May 24, 2021 at 15:26
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