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1789 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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羊質虎皮
ようしつこひ
sheep in a tiger's skin; gimcrack; showy without real worth; all show and no substance
羊頭狗肉
ようとうくにく
crying wine and selling vinegar; deceptive advertisement
美人薄命
びじんはくめい
beauty and fortune seldom go together; the beautiful die young
美味佳肴
びみかこう
delicacies; epicurean dishes
美酒佳肴
びしゅかこう
fine wines and prized delicacies
羞月閉花
しゅうげつへいか
the charms of a uniquely beautiful woman; (so beautiful that) the moon is abashed and flowers wilt
羞花閉月
しゅうかへいげつ
the charms of a uniquely beautiful woman; (so beautiful that) flowers are abashed and the moon hides
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群雄割拠
ぐんゆうかっきょ
rivalry of local warlords; a number of powerful (talented, influential) persons standing by themselves in a given field
義理一遍
ぎりいっぺん
perfunctory; going-through-the-motions-sort of (invitation, gift, etc.)
義理人情
ぎりにんじょう
duty and humanity; (a sense of) moral obligation and humane feelings
羽化登仙
うかとうせん
a sense of release (as if one had wings and were riding on air)
翻然大悟
ほんぜんたいご
suddenly seeing the light; it suddenly dawning upon one
翻雲覆雨
ほんうんふくう
fickle friendship
老婆心切
ろうばしんせつ
grandmotherly solicitude for another's welfare; excessive solicitude
老少不定
ろうしょうふてい
death comes to old and young alike; uncertainty of life
老成円熟
ろうせいえんじゅく
experience that comes with age
耐乏生活
たいぼうせいかつ
hard life; life of austerity
耽美主義
たんびしゅぎ
aestheticism
聖人君子
せいじんくんし
person of lofty virtue; man of noble character; perfect person; saint
職権乱用
しょっけんらんよう
abuse of authority; abuse of public office; misfeasance
肉食妻帯
にくじきさいたい
meat and matrimony (Buddhism); Buddhist priest eating meat dishes and being married
胆大心小
たんだいしんしょう
being bold and courageous, but also careful and meticulous
脚下照顧
きゃっかしょうこ
look carefully where your own footsteps fall; seek enlightenment by knowing yourself and not by watching others; know thyself
脱米入亜
だつべいにゅうあ
away from America, toward Asia (as a political policy, etc.)
腐敗堕落
ふはいだらく
debasement; corruption; degradation
腕白小僧
わんぱくこぞう
naughty boy; mischievous boy; little rascal; brat
臍下丹田
せいかたんでん
pit of the stomach
臥竜鳳雛
がりょうほうすう
gifted young person who shows much promise; unrecognized genius; great person whose talent is hidden under a bushel
臥薪嘗胆
がしんしょうたん
going through thick and thin to attain one's objective; enduring unspeakable hardships for the sake of vengeance
臨機応変
りんきおうへん
adapting oneself to the requirements of the moment; playing by ear; ad hoc approach
臨終正念
りんじゅうしょうねん
holding the proper state of mindfulness at the moment of death
自作自演
じさくじえん
performing a part in one's own play; playing a musical piece that one has written; doing everything by oneself (from preparation to execution); put-up job; charade; sock-puppeting (i.e. pretending to be more than one person on the Internet)
自分勝手
じぶんかって
selfishness; egotism; egoism; (being) self-centered; without consulting; (doing) as one pleases
自力更生
じりきこうせい
working out one's salvation by own efforts; rehabilitating oneself by one's own efforts; rectifying one's ways of life without relying on others' help
自問自答
じもんじとう
answering one's own question; wondering to oneself; soliloquizing; soliloquising
自壊作用
じかいさよう
(the act of) disintegration
自学自習
じがくじしゅう
teaching oneself; learning by oneself; self-study
自家撞着
じかどうちゃく
self-contradiction
自家薬籠
じかやくろう
(something that is) available for use at any time; (someone who is) at one's beck and call; (something over which) one has complete mastery
自己中心
じこちゅうしん
selfishness; egotism; egoism; egocentricity
自己嫌悪
じこけんお
self-hatred; self-abhorrence; self-loathing
自己弁護
じこべんご
self-justification; excuse
自己撞着
じこどうちゃく
self-contradiction; self-inconsistency
自己暗示
じこあんじ
autosuggestion; self-suggestion
自己欺瞞
じこぎまん
self-deception; self-deceit
自己満足
じこまんぞく
self-satisfaction; (self-)complacency; smugness
自己演出
じこえんしゅつ
staging oneself for effect; presenting oneself in a favorable light
自己犠牲
じこぎせい
self-sacrifice; self-renunciation
自己矛盾
じこむじゅん
self-contradiction; paradox; antinomy
自己陶酔
じことうすい
narcissism; self-absorption; self-intoxication