Proverbs & idioms

Japanese proverbs (ことわざ), four-character idioms (四字熟語), and idioms — from JMdict.

• 四神相応しじんそうおうan ideal topography for the four Taoist gods, with a river in the east, a broad avenue in the west, a basin in the south, and a hill in the north
• 四苦八苦しくはっくbeing in dire distress; being hard put to it; being hard pressed (for money); the four and eight kinds of suffering (birth, old age, disease, death, parting from loved ones, meeting disliked ones, not getting what one seeks, pains of the five skandha)
• 土崩瓦解どほうがかいcomplete collapse; (something) going to pieces (breaking up beyond repair)
• 垂涎三尺すいぜんさんじゃくavid desire; drooling over (something); watering at the mouth
• 夏炉冬扇かろとうせんsummer fires and winter fans; useless things
• 大安吉日たいあんきちじつvery auspicious day for all types of occasions (one of the six special days in the Japanese lunisolar calendar)