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Proverbs & idioms
1789 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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才子佳人
さいしかじん
talented man and a beautiful woman; well-matched pair; wit and beauty
才子多病
さいしたびょう
talented people tend to be of delicate constitution; men of genius tend to be of delicate health; whom the gods love die young
才気煥発
さいきかんぱつ
quick-witted; a flash of brilliance; great wisdom
才気縦横
さいきじゅうおう
great wisdom
才色兼備
さいしょくけんび
(a woman) being gifted with both intelligence and beauty
打成一片
たじょういっぺん
intensive zazen meditation on a subject; knocking all into one
打草驚蛇
だそうきょうだ
prodding the unknown may bring about unnecessary trouble; brushing a patch of grass may startle a snake
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抜山蓋世
ばつざんがいせい
great strength and energy (of a mighty hero); Herculean strength and vitality
抜本塞源
ばっぽんそくげん
eradication of (sources of) evil; laying the ax to the root of evil
抜苦与楽
ばっくよらく
a Buddha or Bodhisattva taking away suffering and conferring peace
抱腹絶倒
ほうふくぜっとう
laughing oneself into convulsions; splitting one's sides laughing; rolling with laughter
拈華微笑
ねんげみしょう
heart-to-heart communication; thought transference; holding a flower and subtly smiling
拍手喝采
はくしゅかっさい
clapping and cheering; applause
拱手傍観
きょうしゅぼうかん
stand idly by and watch
拳々服膺
けんけんふくよう
firmly bear in mind; have something engraved on one's mind (heart)
挙国一致
きょこくいっち
national unity; unity of the whole nation
挙措進退
きょそしんたい
behavior; bearing; demeanor
捲土重来
けんどちょうらい
recouping one's strength for a renewed attack; making another attempt with redoubled efforts
採長補短
さいちょうほたん
compensating for one's shortcomings by incorporating others' strong points
換骨奪胎
かんこつだったい
adaptation (of a poem, novel, etc.); recasting; rewriting; modification; rehashing
握髪吐哺
あくはつとほ
(a statesman making) extraordinary efforts to find and employ capable persons (persons of great wisdom)
揣摩臆測
しまおくそく
conjectures and surmises; speculation; giving one's imagination full play without any ground
損者三友
そんしゃさんゆう
three kinds of harmful friends: hypocritical, sycophantic, and glib-talking ones
撞着矛盾
どうちゃくむじゅん
self-contradiction
支離滅裂
しりめつれつ
incoherent; inconsistent; illogical; disorderly; confused; nonsensical
改過自新
かいかじしん
changing one's attitude or conduct and making a new start; turning over a new leaf
放歌高吟
ほうかこうぎん
loud singing
放蕩三昧
ほうとうざんまい
being absorbed in self-indulgent pleasures; giving oneself up to debauchery and dissipation
放蕩息子
ほうとうむすこ
good-for-nothing son; profligate son
放蕩無頼
ほうとうぶらい
being dissolute and unruly; ruining oneself by leading a fast life
政教一致
せいきょういっち
unity of church and state
政教分離
せいきょうぶんり
separation of church and state
政略結婚
せいりゃくけっこん
marriage of convenience; marriage for political reasons
故事来歴
こじらいれき
origin and history; particulars
救国済民
きゅうこくさいみん
saving a nation and providing relief to the people
教唆扇動
きょうさせんどう
instigation and abetment
教外別伝
きょうげべつでん
Buddhist revelation through intuitive discernment; spiritual awakening cannot be experienced with words and letters; spiritual enlightenment can be attained only by means of communion of mind with mind
敬天愛人
けいてんあいじん
revere heaven, love people
整理整頓
せいりせいとん
keeping things tidy and in order
敵本主義
てきほんしゅぎ
diversionary tactics; concealing one's true motives until the last moment
文人墨客
ぶんじんぼっかく
writers and artists; persons who take delight in such refined pursuits as poetry, literature, painting and calligraphy
文明開化
ぶんめいかいか
civilization and enlightenment; Japan's Westernization movement during the Meiji era (Westernisation)
文武不岐
ぶんぶふき
scholarship and swordsmanship are one and the same; the literary and the military are the same path
文武両道
ぶんぶりょうどう
being accomplished in both the literary and military arts; doing well in both school and sports
文武兼備
ぶんぶけんび
well up in both literary and military (martial) arts; well skilled in wielding both the sword and the pen
文武百官
ぶんぶひゃっかん
all the officials, both military and civil
文芸復興
ぶんげいふっこう
Renaissance
文質彬彬
ぶんしつひんぴん
harmony of beauty and substance; (perfect) balance of looks and character; harmony of refinement and simplicity
斎戒沐浴
さいかいもくよく
purification; washing
斬新奇抜
ざんしんきばつ
novel; unconventional; cutting-edge