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日本語
Proverbs & idioms
1355 entries
Japanese proverbs (ことわざ), four-character idioms (四字熟語), and idioms — from JMdict.
Proverbs
Four-character idioms
Idioms
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にわか仕込み
にわかじこみ
makeshift; half-baked; cobbled together; superficial
ぬるま湯につかる
ぬるまゆにつかる
to be comfortable; to be easy; to be relaxed; to be cosseted
ねじり鉢巻きで
ねじりはちまきで
as hard as one can; with one's whole heart
ねじを巻く
ねじをまく
to give (someone) a good prodding; to make (someone) shape up
のれんを分ける
のれんをわける
to help a long-term employee to establish a branch of the same shop
はらわたが煮えくり返る
はらわたがにえくりかえる
to be furious; to seethe with anger; to have one's blood boiling
ばかりが能ではない
ばかりがのうではない
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ふさぎの虫
ふさぎのむし
case of the blues
ふんどしを締めてかかる
ふんどしをしめてかかる
to roll up one's sleeves and get to work; to buckle down
ぶら下がり
ぶらさがり
cornering someone by lying in wait, e.g. for an unexpected interview or photograph; doorstepping
へそが茶を沸かす
へそがちゃをわかす
what a joke!; don't make me laugh!; to split one's sides laughing; to be convulsed with laughter; one's navel boils water (using the heat generated by laughing)
へそで茶を沸かす
へそでちゃをわかす
what a joke!; don't make me laugh!; to split one's sides laughing; to be convulsed with laughter; to boil tea with one's navel (using the heat generated by laughing)
へそを曲げる
へそをまげる
to (go into a) sulk; to get cranky; to get cross; to become perverse
ぺんぺん草が生える
ぺんぺんぐさがはえる
to be in ruins; to be dilapidated; to be desolated
ほっぺたが落ちる
ほっぺたがおちる
to think something is delicious; to think something is scrumptious
ほとぼりが冷める
ほとぼりがさめる
the heat is off; things calm down; the excitement dies down
まな板の上の鯉
まないたのうえのこい
someone doomed to their fate; fish on the chopping board
まな板の鯉
まないたのこい
someone doomed to their fate; fish on the chopping board
みこしを据える
みこしをすえる
to ensconce oneself (e.g. in a chair); to settle oneself down; to plant oneself
みにくいアヒルの子
みにくいあひるのこ
ugly duckling
もろ肌を脱ぐ
もろはだをぬぐ
to go at with might and main
やきもちを焼く
やきもちをやく
to be jealous
よりを戻す
よりをもどす
to get back together (with a former partner)
わさびが利く
わさびがきく
to be biting (of a remark, action); to be witty
アルファでありオメガである
the Alpha and the Omega
アルファにしてオメガ
the Alpha and the Omega
イタチの最後っ屁
いたちのさいごっぺ
final emergency measure; final defence when one is cornered
ウドの大木
うどのたいぼく
big but useless person
ウマが合う
うまがあう
to get on well (with someone); to be a good match with one's horse
オブラートに包む
オブラートにつつむ
to say in a round-about way (not to upset); to cushion the blow; to sugarcoat; to wrap in wafer paper
カビが生える
カビがはえる
to get out-of-fashion
カラスの行水
からすのぎょうずい
quick bath; hurried bath
カードの切り方
カードのきりかた
how one uses one's resources or options; how one plays one's hand
カードを切る
カードをきる
to play one's trump card
ケツが青い
ケツがあおい
wet behind the ears; inexperienced; immature
ケツの穴が小さい
けつのあながちいさい
small-minded; petty; cowardly; chicken-hearted
ケツを拭く
ケツをふく
to clean up the mess (after something going wrong); to carry the can
ケリが付く
ケリがつく
to be settled; to be brought to an end
ゲンを担ぐ
げんをかつぐ
to be superstitious
コップの中の嵐
コップのなかのあらし
storm in a teacup; tempest in a teapot
コロンブスの卵
コロンブスのたまご
Columbus' egg; egg of Columbus
サザエに金平糖
サザエにこんぺいとう
two people arguing and not letting the other express their opinions
サバを読む
さばをよむ
to manipulate figures to one's advantage; to count wrongly on purpose; to inflate or deflate one's age
サバ読む
さばよむ
to manipulate figures to one's advantage; to count wrongly on purpose; to inflate or deflate one's age
シャッポを脱ぐ
シャッポをぬぐ
to concede defeat; to surrender; to take one's hat off (to someone)
スイッチが入る
スイッチがはいる
to (suddenly) get into a specific mood; to get switched on
スポットが当たる
スポットがあたる
to come into focus (of attention); to come into the spotlight
スポットを当てる
スポットをあてる
to highlight; to bring attention to
タオルを投げる
タオルをなげる
to throw in the towel
ツケが回ってくる
つけがまわってくる
to have to pay the price (for past mistakes); to have one's past catching up with one; to have the bill come due (for past actions)