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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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遠吠え
とおぼえ
backbiting; criticizing someone behind their back
選ぶところがない
えらぶところがない
being the same thing (as); being indistinguishable (from)
邪魔を入れる
じゃまをいれる
to interfere; to hinder; to obstruct
酒に飲まれる
さけにのまれる
to drink too much and lose self-control
釈迦に説法
しゃかにせっぽう
teaching your grandmother to suck eggs; teaching something to someone who knows more than you; preaching to the choir; lecturing to the Buddha
重い腰を上げる
おもいこしをあげる
to get off one's backside; to bestir oneself
重きを置く
おもきをおく
to emphasize; to attach importance to
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重箱の隅
じゅうばこのすみ
unimportant things; insignificant things; trifles
重箱の隅をつつく
じゅうばこのすみをつつく
to nitpick; to complain about trifles
重箱の隅をほじくる
じゅうばこのすみをほじくる
to nitpick; to complain about trifles
重箱の隅をようじでほじくる
じゅうばこのすみをようじでほじくる
to nitpick; to complain about trifles
金の世の中
かねのよのなか
money rules the world; rich man's world
金の卵
きんのたまご
golden child; promising young talent; gold egg; golden egg; gold mine; cash cow
金時の火事見舞い
きんときのかじみまい
going bright red (esp. after drinking)
金玉が上がったり下がったり
きんたまがあがったりさがったり
being held in suspense; being on edge; scared stiff; one's testicles going up and down
金箔が剥げる
きんぱくがはげる
to reveal one's true colors
金魚のうんこ
きんぎょのうんこ
person who just tags along; hanger-on; person who follows someone around like a shadow; clingy person; goldfish poop
金魚のフン
きんぎょのふん
person who just tags along; hanger-on; person who follows someone around like a shadow; clingy person; mindless follower; goldfish feces
釘を刺す
くぎをさす
to give a warning; to remind (a person) of; to drive in a nail
釘付け
くぎづけ
being stationary; being rooted to the spot; halting; freezing
針の穴から天を覗く
はりのあなからてんをのぞく
to have a narrow view of things; to peek at the sky through the eye of a needle
針の穴から天覗く
はりのあなからてんのぞく
to have a narrow view of things; to peek at the sky through the eye of a needle
針ほどのことを棒ほどに言う
はりほどのことをぼうほどにいう
exaggeration; making a mountain out of a molehill
錦の御旗
にしきのみはた
worthy cause
錦上花を添える
きんじょうはなをそえる
to crown beauty with even greater glory
鍵の穴から天を覗く
かぎのあなからてんをのぞく
to have a narrow view of things; to peep at the sky through a keyhole
鍵を握る
かぎをにぎる
to hold the key (to)
鎌をかける
カマをかける
to trick someone (into confirming or revealing the truth); to ask a leading question
長い目で見る
ながいめでみる
to look at the long term
門前雀羅を張る
もんぜんじゃくらをはる
to be (practically) deserted; to have no visitors; to set a sparrow net in front of the gate
開いた口がふさがらない
あいたくちがふさがらない
dumbfounded; speechless; flabbergasted; openmouthed (with surprise)
閑古鳥が鳴く
かんこどりがなく
to be quiet (due to lack of activity); to be in a slump (of a business)
間に立つ
あいだにたつ
to mediate; to intervene
関の山
せきのやま
the most one can do; the best one can do; the best one can expect
闇に鉄砲
やみにてっぽう
doing something without having decided what one's goal for it is; a rifle in the dark
闇の女
やみのおんな
street prostitute
闇夜に烏
やみよにからす
something indistinct; a crow in a pitch-black night
闇夜の烏
やみよのからす
something indistinct; a crow in a pitch-black night
闇夜の礫
やみよのつぶて
aimless attempt; crapshoot; shot in the dark
闇夜の鉄砲
やみよのてっぽう
aimless attempt; shot in the dark; crapshoot
阿吽の呼吸
あうんのこきゅう
the harmonizing, mentally and physically, of two parties engaged in an activity; singing from the same hymn-sheet; dancing to the same beat
阿呆の三杯汁
あほうのさんばいじる
only a fool with no manners asks for another helping more than once; only fools are gluttons
阿呆の話食い
あほうのはなしぐい
an idiot will swallow anything; an idiot will believe anything they hear; fools act without thinking
阿呆の足下使い
あほうのあしもとづかい
fools use people to pick up things lying at their own feet; stupidity of using people for small things
陶朱猗頓の富
とうしゅいとんのとみ
great wealth; very wealthy person
陸に上がった河童
おかにあがったかっぱ
a fish out of water; a kappa up on land
隴を得て蜀を望む
ろうをえてしょくをのぞむ
never being satisfied with what one gets, and always wanting more; giving someone an inch and having them take a mile; taking Gansu only to want Sichuan
雀の涙
すずめのなみだ
drop in the bucket; pittance; chicken feed; insignificant amount; sparrow tears
集中砲火
しゅうちゅうほうか
intense criticism
離婁の明
りろうのめい
keen eyesight; the eyesight of Lilou (character with superior eyesight in ancient Chinese folklore)