Proverbs & idioms

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

• 火を見るよりも明らかひをみるよりもあきらかclear as day; plain as day; patently obvious; clearer than watching a fire
• 火を見るより明らかひをみるよりあきらかclear as day; plain as day; patently obvious; clearer than watching a fire
• 焼け石に水やけいしにみずa drop in the bucket; a drop in the ocean; pointless exercise; waste of time; (something that is) too little, too late; (pouring) water on a hot stone
• 煮え湯を飲まされるにえゆをのまされるto be betrayed; to be brought to grief (by an enemy); to be given a hard time
• 猿猴が月を取るえんこうがつきをとるto try and reach above one's station and fail; a monkey catches (a reflection of) the moon (in the water)
• 猿猴月を取るえんこうつきをとるto try and reach above one's station and fail; to try and accomplish something beyond one's abilities and fail; a monkey tries to catch the moon (and drowns)