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Proverbs & idioms
462 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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枕を高くして寝る
まくらをたかくしてねる
to sleep in peace; to sleep without fear
枕を高くして眠る
まくらをたかくしてねむる
to sleep in peace; to sleep without fear
棚に上げる
たなにあげる
to shut one's eyes to (one's own faults, etc.); to pretend not to see; to pay no attention to; to forget; to fail to notice; to put on a shelf
楽毛
らくげ
rapid growth of hair when one is relaxed
楽髪
らくがみ
rapid growth of hair when one is relaxed
機械の心
きかいのこころ
devious mind; sinister thinking; scheming
正直の頭に神宿る
しょうじきのこうべにかみやどる
honesty is the best policy; honesty pays; God dwells in an honest heart
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歯が浮く
はがうく
to have one's teeth set on edge; to become annoyed
歯が立たない
はがたたない
unable to compete with; not able to make a dent in (e.g. a problem); not able to get a solid hit in (e.g. in a fight)
歯に衣を着せない
はにきぬをきせない
outspoken; forthright; frank; direct
歯に衣を着せぬ
はにきぬをきせぬ
outspoken; forthright; frank; direct
歯に衣着せない
はにきぬきせない
outspoken; forthright; frank; direct
歯に衣着せぬ
はにきぬきせぬ
outspoken; forthright; frank; direct
歯を食いしばる
はをくいしばる
to bear up in tragedy; to stand pain well; to hold one's temper; to put up (with something); to clench one's teeth
歯止めがかからない
はどめがかからない
unstoppable (of something bad)
歯牙にもかけない
しがにもかけない
taking no notice of; paying no attention to
歯車が狂う
はぐるまがくるう
to go wrong; to go awry; to go off track; to go out of whack
死んだ魚の目
しんださかなのめ
empty eyes; thousand-yard stare; blank glaze; expressionless look; eyes of a dead fish
水母の骨
くらげのほね
something that one would not expect to exist; something exceedingly rare; jellyfish bones
沐猴にして冠す
もっこうにしてかんす
to only look the part (but otherwise be wholly unsuited for it); a monkey wearing a crown
泣いて馬謖を斬る
ないてばしょくをきる
being just before one is generous; punishing someone you love or value to uphold the rules; shedding tears while beheading Ma Su
泣き面に蜂
なきつらにはち
making matters worse; adding insult to injury; bees to a tearful face
海のものとも山のものともつかない
うみのものともやまのものともつかない
neither fish nor fowl; hard to predict; up in the air; unclear
涙をのむ
なみだをのむ
to swallow one's tears; to choke back one's tears; to hold back one's disappointment; to suppress one's mortification
涙腺が緩む
るいせんがゆるむ
to get teary; to be moved to tears
濡れ手で粟
ぬれてであわ
easy profit
火の手
ひのて
attack; aggression
火の用心
ひのようじん
be careful about fire; watch out for fire
火を見るよりも明らか
ひをみるよりもあきらか
clear as day; plain as day; patently obvious; clearer than watching a fire
火を見るより明らか
ひをみるよりあきらか
clear as day; plain as day; patently obvious; clearer than watching a fire
火中の栗を拾う
かちゅうのくりをひろう
to take a risk for someone; to endanger oneself for someone; to gather chestnuts from the fire
烏の足跡
からすのあしあと
crow's feet (wrinkles)
無駄骨を折る
むだぼねをおる
to waste one's efforts; to work to no (useful) effect
煙を立てる
けむりをたてる
to make a living; to earn a livelihood
熱を上げる
ねつをあげる
to become enthusiastic; to have a crush (on); to lose one's head (to); to become earnest
爪の垢を煎じて飲む
つめのあかをせんじてのむ
to take a lesson from (someone serving as an example); to learn from someone's example; to boil the dirt under (someone's) fingernails and drink it
猫に小判
ねこにこばん
casting pearls before swine; (giving) a gold coin to a cat
猫の手も借りたい
ねこのてもかりたい
extremely busy; short-handed; wanting even the help of a cat
猫の目
ねこのめ
(something) fickle; (something) very changeable; (something) kaleidoscopic; (something) undergoing rapid changes
猫の額
ねこのひたい
tiny area; tiny surface; cat's forehead
王手をかける
おうてをかける
to threaten (someone's position, etc.); to close in (on someone)
琴線に触れる
きんせんにふれる
to strike a chord; to tug at one's heartstrings; to resonate
瓜二つ
うりふたつ
exactly alike (in appearance); like two peas in a pod; (practically) identical; spitting image (of); carbon copy (of)
瓢箪から駒
ひょうたんからこま
something appearing from a place one wouldn't expect; something said as a joke actually happening; a horse from a gourd; something impossible; something ridiculous
瓢箪から駒が出る
ひょうたんからこまがでる
something appearing from a place you wouldn't expect; something said as a joke actually happening; a horse comes out from a gourd; something impossible; something ridiculous
生き馬の目を抜く
いきうまのめをぬく
to be shrewd; to be sharp; to keep your wits about you; to pluck out the eye of a live horse
畑水練
はたけすいれん
useless book learning; knowing the theory but being able to put it into practice; practising swimming in a field
畳の上の水練
たたみのうえのすいれん
useless book learning; knowing the theory but being unable to put it into practice; practising swimming on a tatami mat
畳水練
たたみすいれん
useless book learning; knowing the theory but not being able to put it into practice; swim practice on a tatami mat
痛くも痒くもない
いたくもかゆくもない
of no concern at all; I couldn't care less; no skin off my nose