Skip to content
Tenkai
Romaji on
For true beginners
Log in
EN
日本語
Browse
Quiz
Review
Exam
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
Theme:
All themes
Animal
198
Body
462
Nature
244
Food
106
Emotion
100
Money
58
Time
77
Number
592
Color
85
Search
ツケが回る
つけがまわる
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)
ツケを払う
つけをはらう
to pay the price (for one's actions); to face the consequences; to suffer the repercussions
ツーカーの仲
ツーカーのなか
relationship based on intuitive understanding of each other
トカゲの尻尾切り
とかげのしっぽぎり
evading blame by pinning it on a subordinate and abandoning them; a skink lizard's shedding of its tail
トサカに来る
とさかにくる
to get mad
トップに立つ
トップにたつ
to lead; to take the lead; to be in a top position
トップランナー
Previous
Page 3 / 28
Next
vanguard (of a person); front line; cutting edge
トンネルの先に光
トンネルのさきにひかり
light at the end of the tunnel
ドツボにはまる
to find oneself in deep trouble; to be deep in the shit
ドブに捨てる
どぶにすてる
to throw down the drain; to waste
ノミの心臓
のみのしんぞう
timidity; cowardice; courage of a flea
ハードルを上げる
ハードルをあげる
to raise the bar
ハードルを下げる
ハードルをさげる
to lower the bar
バスに乗り遅れる
バスにのりおくれる
to fall behind the times; to miss out (on an opportunity); to miss the boat; to miss the bus
バトンを渡す
バトンをわたす
to pass the baton; to hand on the torch
ババを引く
ばばをひく
to get the short end of the stick; to get the bad side of a bargain; to draw the joker (when playing Old Maid)
パンドラの箱を開ける
パンドラのはこをあける
to open (up) a Pandora's box
ビン底メガネ
ビンぞこメガネ
thick glasses; bottle bottom glasses
ピリオドを打つ
ピリオドをうつ
to put an end (to); to bring to an end; to close the books (on); to put a period (at the end of a sentence)
フットライトを浴びる
フットライトをあびる
to appear on the stage; to be in the limelight
フットワークが軽い
フットワークがかるい
quickly adaptable; pro-active
ブレーキを掛ける
ブレーキをかける
to put a stop to
ベンチを温める
ベンチをあたためる
to warm the bench; to stay on the bench (as a substitute)
ボタンを掛け違える
ボタンをかけちがえる
to bungle up the order
ミイラ取りがミイラになる
ミイラとりがミイラになる
intending to persuade someone and instead being persuaded oneself; going for wool and coming home shorn; the biter bit; the mummy hunter himself becomes a mummy
メスを入れる
メスをいれる
to take drastic measures to get to the bottom of something; to make a searching inquiry; to put something under the microscope
メリハリを付ける
メリハリをつける
to add balance (to one's work, life, etc.); to balance work and play; to pace oneself
ヤキが回る
やきがまわる
to become senile; to show signs of decline; to lose one's edge; to lose one's touch; to lose one's astuteness
ヤキモチ焼く
やきもちやく
to be jealous
ヤマが当たる
やまがあたる
to have one's predictions turn out exactly right; to have a speculation turn out well
ヤマを踏む
やまをふむ
to commit a crime
ラットレース
rat race
ルビコン川を渡る
ルビコンがわをわたる
to cross the Rubicon; to pass a point of no return
レッテルを貼る
レッテルをはる
to label (someone as)
一から十まで
いちからじゅうまで
from A to Z; in every particular; all without exception; in everything; through and through; from one to ten
一を聞いて十を知る
いちをきいてじゅうをしる
to understand everything from only one part; to be perceptive; to be quick to understand; to be quick on the uptake
一丁目一番地
いっちょうめいちばんち
first and foremost; most important thing to do first; top priority; plot 1, block 1
一世を風靡する
いっせいをふうびする
take the world by storm; to hold sway over the minds of the people
一分の隙もない
いちぶのすきもない
without any weak spot; watertight (e.g. reasoning); impeccable
一寸刻み
いっすんきざみ
(at a) snail's pace; inch by (painful) inch
一日一歩
いちにちいっぽ
one step each day
一本やり
いっぽんやり
sticking to one thing (method, principle, objective, etc.); never deviating from; persisting with; focusing solely on; devotion to; single spear
一本取る
いっぽんとる
to one-up (someone); to defeat (in an argument); to score (against someone)
一条の光
いちじょうのひかり
ray of light
一枚噛む
いちまいかむ
to participate in (as a member); to get involved in
一歩下がる
いっぽさがる
to step back (i.e. to re-think something); to distance oneself (from); to take a back seat; to behave humbly; to budge (a little); to make one concession
一泡吹かせる
ひとあわふかせる
to give someone a surprise; to catch off guard and fluster; to frustrate (e.g. someone's plans); to give someone a blow; to scare the hell out of
一発かます
いっぱつかます
to intimidate (someone)
一目も二目も置く
いちもくもにもくもおく
to take off one's hat to a person; to acknowledge another's superiority
一目置く
いちもくおく
to take off one's hat to a person; to acknowledge another's superiority