Questions tagged [idioms]
慣用句・ことわざ. Phrases with fixed words used as a single unit, typically with a meaning beyond what is obvious from its constituent parts.
222
questions
0
votes
1
answer
75
views
Is "で一発だ an expression?
こりゃたまげた! あっという間に見つけちまうんだね
I'm shocked. You found the food in an instant
And his reply
ああ? 食い物なんて匂いで一発だ
From context I can gather it seems to be akin to ... I found it asap because of the smell but ...
- 863
1
vote
2
answers
198
views
Is 夜だから some kind of idiomatic expression?
In the following dialogue from a manga:
A: 漫画かよ…！
B: わははどうしたみつや、寝ぼけてた？
A: …別に、なんで泣いてんのって思って
B: うーん、あー、夜だから？
A: 何ソレ
The character wakes up and tells his friend who was crying over reading a manga &...
- 603
4
votes
2
answers
612
views
Is 「将来が期待される」 idiomatic? Why does it mean "promising future"? Why is the passive form used in the sentence at issue?
I came across the following sentence as an example sentence for the grammar point つつある in 新完全マスター文法N2:
この会社は現在発展しつつあり、将来が期待される。
My attempted translation is
As this company continues to develop, &...
- 6,541
0
votes
1
answer
120
views
Meaning of 「内容をテキストのみに適用」
In the context of a right-click drop-down menu, what does
内容をテキストのみに適用
Apply the contents only as text (?)
mean? At first I thought I thought it meant "paste as text only", but clicking ...
- 2,736
3
votes
2
answers
639
views
The origin of 首にする
I've come across an interesting idiom in the following sentence:
もしも私が社長だったら、あの人を首にすると思います。
If I were the company president, I would fire that person.
What is the origin of the idiom 首にする?
- 2,245
0
votes
2
answers
155
views
Is there any idiomatic way to express doing an activity or behaving "like an old man" or "not in a cool way", particularly in the context of skiing?
In English, "dad turns" is a slang term for a style of skiing. If you are making "dad turns", you are skiing like an old man.
I found 親父 which I believe is "pop". Is that ...
- 3
0
votes
1
answer
71
views
Why say 「いるわけ」when わけ isn't an animate object?
From the first episode of Death Note:
この世に不必要な人間を消すことのできるヤツがいるか？
いるわけがない
Why is いる used here, when わけ ("reasoning") isn't an animate object? Shouldn't this be "ある訳" instead?
- 2,736
0
votes
2
answers
116
views
Is there any Japanese saying, proverb or idiom equivalent to the meaning of the biblical parable "The Mote and the Beam"?
I think I've come across the Japanese version of this teaching in the Bible as a saying (proverb?) but I'm having a hard time recalling and searching it.
The key takeaway in the parable is:
One can ...
- 111
1
vote
1
answer
72
views
あっちゃいけない - Grammatical origin
あっちゃいけない
I can find multiple example sentences for this but no explanation :
そのための売買市場がなぜあっちゃいけないんだろうね？
私だけが特別であっちゃいけないんです
そしてその権力者に仕える指導者たちもまた権力を振りかざすのがたまらなく好きだ43いいか、おまえたちは、そうであっちゃいけない！
The meaning ...
- 45
1
vote
1
answer
76
views
What does ひと足ふた足抜け mean here?
ありがとうございます。多様性の時代をチャンスとして捉えるという意味ですよね。私も話していてすごく体感するのが、ひと足ふた足抜けてD&Iに取り組んでいらっしゃるので、本当にグローバルなイノベーションにつながると思います。真に多様性の尊重されるような組織をつくれたら、という思いに共感していますし、応援しています。
This is the conclusion of a talk about ...
- 319
1
vote
2
answers
149
views
readings of north, south, east, west?
This sentence appeared here:
https://www.asahi.com/articles/DA3S15638672.html?iref=comtop_Opinion_05
日本語【にほんご】では東西南北【とうざいなんぼく】だが、中国語【ちゅうごくご】では東南西北【とうなんせいほく】と書【か】く。一方【いっぽう】で、英語【えいご】では北南東西【きたなんとうにし】の順【...
- 1,818
1
vote
1
answer
81
views
「売り言葉に買い言葉」について
In this anime at second 0:38 the main character is justifying why he accepted a fight.
https://animelon.com/video/57a81215b9de7414d1ea082d
In the context of the situation it sounds like he is saying ...
- 235
1
vote
2
answers
650
views
What does とおす mean in the sentence 「声を落とせ。既に目は通してある。」？
I am not sure what the word 通す means in the context of 「声を落とせ。既に目は通してある。」(Lower your voice. I've already looked it over).
On Jisho, it says 通す means "to stick through" or "to (look, ...
- 245
4
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Addressing people in the Japanese Christian/Catholic Church
In English, in a Christian/Catholic settings, people could address each other with the term "brother" or "sister", and it does not signify any biological relationship, but a ...
- 2,595
1
vote
1
answer
123
views
Explain the meaning of “いくら...とはいえ”
I encounter “いくら” in combination with “とはいえ” so often that I'm fairly certain these have some kind of fixed meaning together but I can find very little about it on the internet and all I can find is ...
- 657
1
vote
1
answer
75
views
What does 馬になる mean
I tried to figure out what this could mean, is it word play? I couldn't find any info.
- 113
1
vote
1
answer
78
views
Why does 「割引がもらえる」 mean "able to receive the discount"? [duplicate]
Consider
この会社の社員だったら、あの大学で割引がもらえる。
I assume this means (in idiomatic English):
If I were an employee of this company, I could get a discount at that college.
But literally speaking, it seems to ...
- 2,736
3
votes
1
answer
448
views
Is '櫓三年に棹八年' a playful saying?
In one episode of Gabriel Dropout, after the boss of the cafe comforted her that her Japanese will get fluent, Gabriel said, '櫓三年に棹八年'. Then, the background color of the scene shot changes to black.
...
- 143
-2
votes
1
answer
77
views
What does ヤキ入れ here? [closed]
i cant find a clear translation but in the anime it is translated as "beating someone up" or something similar. any idea
- 119
0
votes
1
answer
111
views
What does 売りに mean here in this sentence?
喧嘩売りに行くんだよ
cause we are going to fight
is it like 持って来る hold + come = bring?
fight + sell = sell fight?
- 119
0
votes
1
answer
171
views
Interpretations of “〜てよかった”
I had always though “。。。〜てよかった” can both mean “I'm glad that ...” and “I wish it were that ...” depending on context but I've recently been told that my understanding is wrong and it can never mean ...
- 657
4
votes
1
answer
455
views
気が合う人 is correct but why can't I say 気が合える人？ Why is using the potential form wrong?
One day a friend of mine told me my usage of 合える人 is grammatically incorrect but when I check on the internet, I see we can use the potential form with 合う.
I want to say that I can potentially get ...
- 367
3
votes
1
answer
135
views
What is the cultural and grammatical meaning of 門を同じくして戸を異にす?
I came across the idiom 「門を同じくして戸を異にす」 recently and was wondering what it means. I tried looking it up online, but there are very few places where it is explained.
Is there a cultural meaning behind ...
- 31
0
votes
2
answers
403
views
"sounds familiar" or "it rings a bell" phrases but a Japanese version
Was practicing some conversations when I came across those two phrases. How would you answer something like:
ゲーム会社「カプコン」の名作「ヴァンパイア」シリーズを知っていますか。
with the Japanese equivalent of "it sounds ...
5
votes
1
answer
208
views
Understanding 軍服に着られた
威嚇のつもりかアサルトライフルを抱えた兵を二人も従えて、いかにも軍服に着られた貧相な士官が顎をしゃくる。どうでもいいが、後ろの兵のライフルは安全装置がかかったままで、しかも初弾が装塡されていない。それぞれの立ち位置も近すぎるから、やろうと思えば撃たせる前に全員制圧できる。意味がないのでやらないが。
86─エイティシックス─
安里アサト
Why is the bold part passive ...
- 4,161
1
vote
1
answer
377
views
Does 〜ようにする mean both 'make sure' and 'try'? (Grammar reference clarification)
On pg554 of Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar, it says that [sic] 〜ようにする (to try to ~) is an idiomatic use of 〜ように (so that ~). However, pg562 gives the meaning 〜ようにする (to make sure that ~).
It ...
- 424
0
votes
1
answer
111
views
What is the proper way to say "beating egg whites"? [closed]
I want to say "beating egg whites" (video for reference). How do you say that in Japanese ?
- 1,059
2
votes
0
answers
110
views
Is there a similar expression as "elbow grease" in Japanese?
The idiom elbow grease, and in French "huile de coude" means that the only thing that is required is putting some manual efforts into an action (scrubbing, washing, mixing...). The term ...
- 1,059
1
vote
2
answers
142
views
What does 土を付ける mean?
The context is
無配の女王にまで土を付ける
the translation is "he managed to defeat the undefeated queen"
My question is if 土を付ける can be used to mean defeat? My guess is it has something to do with ...
- 277
0
votes
1
answer
97
views
て Ending, Short Phrase, and Possibly Fake Saying
In this anime clip: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4iN2N8KgAw4
Gabriel uses poor Japanese to convey that Japanese is difficult and mentions a saying.
As for the first sentence, what is the purpose of ...
- 163
4
votes
2
answers
163
views
諺/熟語 for "paint oneself into a corner"
I am trying to find an idiom that describes someone setting hurdles for themself or putting themself in a more difficult position every step of the way, eventually trapping oneself or forcing one's ...
- 11.4k
2
votes
1
answer
80
views
諺(ことわざ): Get rid of your sickness by giving it to someone else?
A long time ago in Japanese school I was told there is a old Japanese saying/諺 that meant "You can get rid of your cold by giving it to someone else."
Does anyone know what that 諺 is?
- 609
6
votes
1
answer
547
views
Japanese equivalent for 'black ice'
I was wondering if there is a Japanese equivalent for the term 'black ice'.
I googled image searched ブラックアイス , but the overwhelming majority of the results were unrelated.
Or would you say 道の上の見えない氷?
- 1,103
3
votes
2
answers
564
views
向こうも向こうで What does this mean in this context ? (mukou mo mukou de) Is this some kind of Japanese Idiom?
Context: MC talking with 2 girls in his team. The detective (who was helping MC to clear his name from the false accusation of police and find out who is the real murderer) has left the crime ...
- 978
3
votes
1
answer
452
views
Is there a ことわざ similar to "water under the bridge" and "let bygones be bygones"?
Earlier today in a comment I tried to explain to a community member that they should put whatever happened in the past behind them. I used "water behind the bridge" and "let bygones be ...
- 11.4k
7
votes
1
answer
308
views
Understanding the も in 見るも
その日。彼女のもとに、招かれざる客が現れた。
見るも巨大な鉄の塊。長い手足の歪な人型。
そんな異形共が、彼女の領域を侵したのである。
What would be the function of the bold も?
- 4,161
3
votes
1
answer
66
views
御輿の上のあれなんだろう. Is this an idiom, perhaps?
there is a line from a soccer manga that I don't understand. I get what it means, literally, but it's so randomly placed that I wonder if this is an idiom or if I might be missing some context or ...
0
votes
1
answer
428
views
How would a butler/servant refer to his princess?
I'm looking to translate a catch-phrase into Japanese. It would belong to a servant/butler character, when he confirms a order, or announces his arrival, etc.
Basically "My Queen" / "My ...
4
votes
1
answer
585
views
idiom along the lines of "you get more relatives as you get famous"
Overheard something that sounds like "うれるど親戚 {しんせき} かくれる"(must be mistakes somewhere since there's no search result for the phrase). Kind of a sarcastic/joking idiom, saying that as a person ...
- 143
2
votes
1
answer
1k
views
「遊び倒す」の意味は、「飲み倒す」や「食べ倒す」と全然違いますか？
辞書で「遊び倒す」がこういう意味で記述されていました。
それ以上ないくらい遊びつくすこと、あるいは徹底的に遊ぶことを意味する表現。
XX倒す は「徹底的にXXこと」ということだと思っていました。
しかし、「食べ倒す」と「飲み倒す」の意味は全然違います。
この二つの意味は「店の代金を払わないこと」です。
それなら「徹底的に食べ/飲みこと」はどうやって表現するのですか？
https://...
- 123
2
votes
3
answers
278
views
What's a natural way to say "If I can do it so can you!"?
I would translate it as
わたしが出来るとあなたも出来るよ！
Could someone help explain what a more natural translation would be, or even better if there's a saying or a common idiom to express the same idea?
P.s. ...
- 913
0
votes
1
answer
106
views
What would be a natural way to say "to milk it for all it's worth"?
As an example,
A is making a speech:
"..yes, you can simulate a hurricane in a computer but does the computer really feel wetness?"
Me:
"Wow, going forward I am going to milk this analogy ...
- 429
4
votes
2
answers
279
views
In what contexts can 旗色が悪い be used?
According to コトバンク, 旗色が悪い can be used when there is some connotation of a battle, war or fight - which makes sense because it literally translates to something like the color of the national flag is ...
- 429
0
votes
1
answer
139
views
1つの嘘から始まった連鎖は meaning
1つの嘘から始まった連鎖は留まることを知らない。
I think the above sentence is an idiom. I'm just guessing that the meaning is (roughly): Once we began to tell a lie, we will try to cover our lie with more lies.
留まることを知らない ...
- 678
2
votes
1
answer
365
views
What is the difference between 音をさせる and 音がする and 音を出す/立てる?
と、士道がそんなことを思っていると、令音がおもむろに手を背中にやってパチン、という音をさせたのち、手を服の中に入れて何やらもぞもぞと蠢き、首元からブラジャーを抜き取った。
Hi. Could you please explain the difference between 音をさせる and 音がする and 音を出す/立てる? All of them seem to mean the ...
- 4,161
4
votes
1
answer
245
views
Japanese term for “cookie cutter”
I’m looking for a term in Japanese that conveys the same sense of repeated design with minimal or limited variation that is implied by the English phrase “cookie cutter”. My particular interest is in ...
- 359
1
vote
1
answer
570
views
Is there an idiom equivalent to / similar to "gut feeling"?
Is there an expression or metaphor similar to "gut feeling", as a metaphor for one's intuition or instinctive feeling about something?
- 2,751
3
votes
1
answer
676
views
Meaning of 「どどめ色」
I came across this sentence:
「あんた ホントに どどめ色の青春を過ごしてるわね」
The context is that the addressee wanted to show the speaker a new move he learned by watching the same video over and over again.
...
- 1,145
8
votes
1
answer
1k
views
What is the etymology of the phrase 隴を得て蜀を望む?
I just came across this phrase, which is listed in the dictionary as:
never being satisfied with what one gets, and always wanting more; giving someone an inch and having them take a mile; taking ...
- 2,751
1
vote
1
answer
141
views
鋭い牙が meaning in human nature
落ち着いて見えても、鋭い牙が内包されていることに変わりはない。
It was a sentence in a light novel (ようこそ実力至上主義の教室へ) that I've been reading, and I have an impression that it should be some kind of idiomatic words.
鋭い (from Jisho....
- 678