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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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盆と正月
ぼんとしょうがつ
two great things (happening at the same time)
盗人に追い銭
ぬすっとにおいせん
throwing good money after bad
盗人猛々しい
ぬすっとたけだけしい
brazen-faced (about one's misdeed); audacious (despite being in the wrong); shameless; impudent
目からウロコ
めからうろこ
seeing the light; being awakened to the truth; having the scales fall from one's eyes
目から鱗が落ちる
めからうろこがおちる
to see the light; to be awakened to the truth; to have the scales fall from one's eyes
目から鱗の落ちる
めからうろこのおちる
revelatory
目から鼻へ抜ける
めからはなへぬける
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to be very shrewd; to be highly intelligent; to be very smart
目が死んでいる
めがしんでいる
to look dead on the inside; to have a blank expression
目が泳ぐ
めがおよぐ
to dart around (of one's eyes); to be shifty
目が点になる
めがてんになる
to be stunned; to be surprised; one's eyes turn into dots (as in a cartoon)
目くじらを立てる
めくじらをたてる
to find fault (with trivial matters); to scold over minor things; to get angry over trifles; to raise one's eyebrows
目くじら立てる
めくじらたてる
to find fault (with trivial matters); to scold over minor things; to get angry over trifles; to raise one's eyebrows
目くそが鼻くそを笑う
めくそがはなくそをわらう
the pot calling the kettle black; the goop in the eye laughing at the snot in the nose
目くそ鼻くそを笑う
めくそはなくそをわらう
the pot calling the kettle black; the goop in the eye laughing at the snot in the nose
目にも止まらぬ
めにもとまらぬ
extremely fast; in a flash; too quick for the eye to catch
目に入れても痛くない
めにいれてもいたくない
thinking so highly of someone that you are blind to their faults; thinking the sun shines out of someone's eyes; being the apple of one's eye; loving someone dearly
目に物見せる
めにものみせる
to teach someone a lesson; to show someone a thing or two; to show someone what one can do
目に立つ
めにたつ
to be conspicuous; to stand out
目に角を立てる
めにかどをたてる
to look angrily at; to look with anger in one's eyes
目の上のこぶ
めのうえのこぶ
a thorn in one's side; a pain in the butt (often someone higher in rank, ability, etc.); nuisance; something in the way
目の中に入れても痛くない
めのなかにいれてもいたくない
thinking the sun shines out of someone's eyes; being the apple of one's eye
目の正月
めのしょうがつ
feast for one's eyes; sight as pleasing as the New Year
目の色を変える
めのいろをかえる
to be in a tizzy; to be in a frenzy; to have one's eyes light up; to have a different look in one's eyes
目の黒いうち
めのくろいうち
while alive (e.g. I won't allow ... while I'm alive); as long as one lives
目をつける
めをつける
to have an eye on; to zero in on
目を白黒させる
めをしろくろさせる
to be surprised; to be bewildered; to be confused; to be flustered; to roll one's eyes up and down
目を皿にする
めをさらにする
to open one's eyes wide
目を盗む
めをぬすむ
to do without being seen (by); to do behind (someone's) back; to do without the knowledge of (e.g. one's parents)
目を背ける
めをそむける
to disregard; to ignore; to escape (from); to turn away (from)
目を開く
めをひらく
to open one's eyes (to the truth, a new way of thinking, etc.); to awaken; to discover
目元千両口元万両
めもとせんりょうくちもとまんりょう
(woman with) beautiful eyes and mouth
目頭が熱くなる
めがしらがあつくなる
to be moved to tears
目頭を押さえる
めがしらをおさえる
to stop oneself from crying; to hold back tears
目鼻が付く
めはながつく
to complete most of something; to take a concrete shape; for the most important parts to be done; the nose and eyes are in place
盲亀の浮木
もうきのふぼく
unlikely event; rare occurrence
相場が決まっている
そうばがきまっている
to be taken for granted; to be generally accepted; to be the established wisdom; to be the (social) convention; to be the customary thing to do
相撲に勝って勝負に負ける
すもうにかってしょうぶにまける
to ultimately fail despite being in a favourable position; to fail at the last moment; to win the battle but lose the war; to have the upper hand in sumo (technique) but lose the match
眉に唾をつける
まゆにつばをつける
to keep one's wits about one; to be on one's guard; to be wary of trickery
眉に唾を塗る
まゆにつばをぬる
to keep one's wit about one; to be on one's guard; to be wary; to keep on one's toes
眉を開く
まゆをひらく
to feel relieved; to forget about one's troubles; to settle into peace of mind
眉毛を読まれる
まゆげをよまれる
to be read like an open book; to be seen through
看板を下ろす
かんばんをおろす
to close one's business
真綿で首を絞める
まわたでくびをしめる
to torment by slow degrees; to torture slowly; to drag things out; to reproach in a roundabout way; to strangle with floss silk
眼光紙背に徹す
がんこうしはいにてっす
to (be able to) read between the lines
眼光紙背に徹する
がんこうしはいにてっする
to (be able to) read between the lines
睡魔に襲われる
すいまにおそわれる
to be extremely sleepy; to be at the brink of falling asleep
矛を交える
ほこをまじえる
to fight; to cross swords; to engage in battle; to cross spears
矢面に立つ
やおもてにたつ
to be in the firing line; to bear the brunt of (an attack, criticism, etc.); to face (e.g. questioning)
知らぬは亭主ばかりなり
しらぬはていしゅばかりなり
the husband is always the last to know; everyone knows of the wife's infidelity but the cuckolded husband
石にかじりついてでも
いしにかじりついてでも
come hell or high water