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1355 entries
Japanese proverbs (ことわざ), four-character idioms (四字熟語), and idioms — from JMdict.
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Four-character idioms
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度肝を抜く
どぎもをぬく
to astonish; to astound; to stupefy; to flabbergast; to strike a person dumb; to dumbfound
弁慶の泣き所
べんけいのなきどころ
Achilles heel; one's weak point; shin
弁慶の立ち往生
べんけいのたちおうじょう
situation in which one can move neither forward nor backward; Benkei's last stand
弓は袋に太刀は鞘
ゆみはふくろにたちはさや
the world is at peace; bows in bags and swords in sheaths
弓を引く
ゆみをひく
to oppose; to defy; to disobey one's superiors; to rebel
引かれ者の小唄
ひかれもののこうた
putting on a brave front; pretending one doesn't care; song of a convict on their way to prison
引きが強い
ひきがつよい
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having good luck (e.g. in drawing a card or tile in a game)
引けを取らない
ひけをとらない
not losing out (to); holding one's own (against); comparing favorably (with); being a fair match (for)
引けを取る
ひけをとる
to be outdone (by); to be in inferior (to); to compare unfavorably (with); to be behind
引導を渡す
いんどうをわたす
to give someone their final notice (e.g. when firing them); to give someone the final word
張子の虎
はりこのとら
paper tiger; someone (or something) who is all bark and no bite; man of straw
後がつかえる
あとがつかえる
to make (someone) wait; to take more time (than anticipated)
後が無い
あとがない
having one's back to the wall; having nowhere to go; having no way out; not having another chance
後ろ指を指す
うしろゆびをさす
to talk about someone behind their back; to backbite
後ろ髪を引かれる
うしろがみをひかれる
to do something with painful reluctance; to have one's hair pulled from behind
後塵を拝する
こうじんをはいする
to be left in the dust (of); to be outdone (by); to be subordinate (to); to play second fiddle (to); to take second billing (to)
後足で砂をかける
あとあしですなをかける
to do something spiteful as one leaves; to take a parting shot at; to kick sand (at someone) with one's hind legs
後釜に座る
あとがまにすわる
to succeed to someone's post; to take someone's place; to take over someone's position; to step into someone's shoes
後門の虎、前門の狼
こうもんのとら、ぜんもんのおおかみ
between the devil and the deep sea; out of the frying pan into the fire; a tiger at the back gate, a wolf at the front gate
得手に帆を揚げる
えてにほをあげる
to hoist one's sail when the wind is fair; to get one's time to shine
御髭の塵を払う
おひげのちりをはらう
to flatter a higher-up; to suck up to; to curry favour; to brush the dirt from a beard
心が溶ける
こころがとける
one's heart melts
心が躍る
こころがおどる
to be thrilled; to be excited
心が通う
こころがかよう
to understand each other well; to relate to; to strike a sympathetic chord
心が通じる
こころがつうじる
to relate to; to have one's feelings understood
心にかかる
こころにかかる
to weigh on one's mind; to trouble one
心に刺さる
こころにささる
to be hurtful; to resonate emotionally (with one)
心に突き刺さる
こころにつきささる
to resonate emotionally (with one); to strike a chord; to be gut-wrenching
心に響く
こころにひびく
to resonate emotionally (with one); to strike a chord in one's heart
心の壁
こころのかべ
emotional wall; internal barrier
心の欲する所に従えども矩を踰えず
こころのほっするところにしたがえどものりをこえず
following the desires of one's own heart without transgressing what is right
心を病む
こころをやむ
to suffer mentally; to be in emotional pain
心を痛める
こころをいためる
to worry (about); to be worried (about); to be troubled (by); to be pained (by); to be distressed (by)
心を砕く
こころをくだく
to take great pains; to make every effort; to rack one's brains; to be concerned; to worry
心を読む
こころをよむ
to read (someone's) thoughts; to guess what (someone) is thinking
心を躍らせる
こころをおどらせる
to get excited
心を開く
こころをひらく
to open up to someone else; to divulge one's true feelings; to be openhearted
心を鬼にする
こころをおににする
to harden one's heart; to steel oneself
心胆を寒からしめる
しんたんをさむからしめる
to make a person's blood run cold
心臓が止まる
しんぞうがとまる
to be shocked; to be staggered
心臓に毛が生えた
しんぞうにけがはえた
brazen-faced; completely impudent
心臓に毛が生えている
しんぞうにけがはえている
to be shameless; to have a lot of nerve; to have nerves of steel; to have hair on one's heart
心血を注ぐ
しんけつをそそぐ
to put one's heart and soul (into); to completely devote oneself (to)
心骨に刻する
しんこつにこくする
to engrave in one's heart
念には念を入れる
ねんにはねんをいれる
to be extremely cautious; to be as sure as sure can be; to make assurance doubly sure
思う壺にはまる
おもうつぼにはまる
to turn out just as one wished; to come up to one's expectations; to play into the hands (of)
怪我の功名
けがのこうみょう
fortunate error; lucky break; fluke
恨みを買う
うらみをかう
to incur someone's enmity
恩を仇で返す
おんをあだでかえす
to return evil for good; to return a favour with spite (favor)
息がかかる
いきがかかる
to have the personal support of (an influential person); to be under the patronage of