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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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蜂の巣
はちのす
something full of holes; Swiss cheese
蝉時雨
せみしぐれ
outburst of cicadas singing; chorus of cicadas
蝸牛角上の争い
かぎゅうかくじょうのあらそい
fighting over nothing; making a mountain out of a molehill
血が流れる
ちがながれる
to have the blood of ... running in one's veins (artist, warrior, etc.); to be born with particular skills, characteristics, etc.; to have something "in one's blood"
血が騒ぐ
ちがさわぐ
to get excited; to be roused (to action); to get the itch (to do)
血で血を洗う
ちでちをあらう
to engage in a bloody feud; to have a family quarrel; to quarrel with one's own flesh and blood; to wash blood for blood
血のにじむよう
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ちのにじむよう
painstaking (e.g. effort); excruciating (e.g. hard work); grueling
血の通った
ちのかよった
flesh-and-blood; human; warm; compassionate; blood-circulating
血も涙もない
ちもなみだもない
cold-blooded; unfeeling; heartless; heart of stone; inconsiderate
血肉の争い
けつにくのあらそい
family quarrel
行き大名の帰り乞食
ゆきだいみょうのかえりこじき
spending lavishly on the outward journey and having nothing left for the return; going a lord, returning a beggar
行き掛けの駄賃
いきがけのだちん
taking the opportunity to do something; doing something incidentally; doing something while (you) are at it; doing something on the way; while I'm at it
袂を分かつ
たもとをわかつ
to part (from); to part company (with); to split (with); to break off relations (with)
裏がある
うらがある
to have a catch; to have an ulterior motive; to be more (to something)
裏をかく
うらをかく
to outwit; to outsmart; to counterplot; to defeat
裸の付き合い
はだかのつきあい
completely honest relationship
裸の王様
はだかのおうさま
person of high standing, with a warped view of reality; naked emperor
裸足で逃げる
はだしでにげる
to be put to shame (of an expert); to be no match (for someone); to run away barefoot
裸足で逃げ出す
はだしでにげだす
to be put to shame (of an expert); to be no match (for someone); to run away barefoot
襟を正す
えりをただす
to straighten oneself; to straighten one's clothes and one's posture; to adopt a more serious attitude
見るに忍びない
みるにしのびない
(so miserable that it is) painful to look at; painful to watch
見る影もない
みるかげもない
mere shadow of one's former self; having no trace left (of former glories, talent, looks, etc.); unrecognizable (as the person one used to be); unrecognisable
見得を切る
みえをきる
to make a proud gesture; to put on an air of confidence; to speak boastfully
覚えてろ
おぼえてろ
You'll regret this!; I'll get you for this; Just you wait
親のすねかじり
おやのすねかじり
sponging off one's parents
親のすねをかじる
おやのすねをかじる
to depend on one's parents' (financial) support; to gnaw at one's parents' shins
親の七光り
おやのななひかり
benefiting from the fame or influence of a parent; riding a parent's coat-tails
親方思いの主倒し
おやかたおもいのしゅたおし
trying to help one's master but instead ending up hurting him
角が立つ
かどがたつ
to cause offence (offense); to create hard feelings
角を折る
つのをおる
to give in (after initially resisting); to yield; to concede; to break (one's) horn
角を矯めて牛を殺す
つのをためてうしをころす
to throw the baby out with the bath water; to strain at a gnat and swallow a camel; to obsess over insignificant details and miss the larger point; to straighten the horns and kill the cow
角を立てる
かどをたてる
to worsen (the situation); to exacerbate; to aggravate; to look with anger
触手を伸ばす
しょくしゅをのばす
to reach out (for); to extend one's reach (towards); to set one's sights (on); to work towards (getting, becoming, etc.); to put out a feeler; to extend one's tentacles
言葉に鞘がある
ことばにさやがある
to be evasive; to be not entirely truthful; to not be frank
言葉の海
ことばのうみ
large number of words; sea of words
言葉を呑む
ことばをのむ
to choke up; to be speechless; to hold one's tongue
言葉を失う
ことばをうしなう
to become speechless; to be at a loss for words
言葉を挟む
ことばをはさむ
to cut in; to butt in
言葉を濁す
ことばをにごす
to be vague; to speak ambiguously; to be evasive; to not commit oneself
証文の出し後れ
しょうもんのだしおくれ
something done too late
詰めが甘い
つめがあまい
having a poor endgame; failing at the final stage; missing at the last turn; slacking off at the end
話の腰を折る
はなしのこしをおる
to interfere; to butt in; to interrupt someone
論語読みの論語知らず
ろんごよみのろんごしらず
knowing a theory without being able to apply it
警鐘を鳴らす
けいしょうをならす
to sound a warning; to blow a whistle; to warn; to raise the alarm; to send a wake-up call
豆腐に鎹
とうふにかすがい
having no effect; waste of effort
豚に真珠
ぶたにしんじゅ
casting pearls before swine
象が踏んでも壊れない
ぞうがふんでもこわれない
extremely robust; strong enough for an elephant to step on
貝になる
かいになる
to keep one's mouth shut; to clam up; to be silent; to say nothing
負け犬の遠吠え
まけいぬのとおぼえ
backbiting of a coward; grumblings of a loser; the far-off bark of a retreating dog
賽は投げられた
さいはなげられた
the die is cast; there is no going back; alea iacta est