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Proverbs & idioms
244 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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蛙の面に水
かえるのつらにみず
like water off a duck's back; water on a frog's face
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
血も涙もない
ちもなみだもない
cold-blooded; unfeeling; heartless; heart of stone; inconsiderate
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
言葉の海
ことばのうみ
large number of words; sea of words
足の裏の米粒
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あしのうらのこめつぶ
pointless (academic) degree; meaningless qualification; useless license; a grain of rice on the sole of the foot (must be removed, but not enough for a meal)
路頭に迷う
ろとうにまよう
to be left without means of sustenance; to be turned adrift in the streets; to be rendered homeless; to be out in the cold; to be down and out
車軸を流す
しゃじくをながす
to rain heavily; to be raining cats and dogs
連木で腹を切る
れんぎではらをきる
to do something impossible; to disembowel oneself with a pestle
金時の火事見舞い
きんときのかじみまい
going bright red (esp. after drinking)
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
関の山
せきのやま
the most one can do; the best one can do; the best one can expect
闇の女
やみのおんな
street prostitute
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
集中砲火
しゅうちゅうほうか
intense criticism
雨が降ろうが槍が降ろうが
あめがふろうがやりがふろうが
come hell or high water; no matter what happens; even if rain or spears should fall
雨が降ろうと槍が降ろうと
あめがふろうとやりがふろうと
come hell or high water; no matter what happens; even if rain or spears should fall
雨の降る日は天気が悪い
あめのふるひはてんきがわるい
water is wet; on days when it rains, the weather is bad
雪と墨
ゆきとすみ
diametric opposites; night and day; black and white; snow and ink
雲をつかむよう
くもをつかむよう
vague; unclear; elusive; hazy
雲行きが怪しい
くもゆきがあやしい
things don't look good
青天井
あおてんじょう
skyrocketing (of prices); having no limit; the sky being the limit
頭が痛い
あたまがいたい
racking one's brains; troubling over something
顔から火が出る
かおからひがでる
to be extremely embarrassed; to burn with shame
風に柳
かぜにやなぎ
without making waves; softly; (like) a willow in the wind
風の便り
かぜのたより
hearsay; rumour
風の噂
かぜのうわさ
hearsay; rumor; grapevine
風の子
かぜのこ
(lively, tireless) children; kids
風前の灯
ふうぜんのともしび
precarious situation; precarious state
飛んで火に入る
とんでひにいる
rushing to one's doom
飛んで火に入る夏の虫
とんでひにいるなつのむし
rushing to one's doom; (like a) moth flying into the flame
首が繋がる
くびがつながる
to be spared from being fired; to avoid getting the chop
首を切る
くびをきる
to fire from a job; to dismiss; to discharge
馬の耳に風
うまのみみにかぜ
preaching to the deaf; wind (blowing) into a horse's ear
馬の背を分ける
うまのせをわける
to rain on one side only (and leave the other side dry)
高嶺の花
たかねのはな
prize beyond one's reach; unattainable object; woman who is out of one's league; flower on a high peak
魔女の一撃
まじょのいちげき
strained back; lower back pain
鶏群の一鶴
けいぐんのいっかく
a swan among ducklings; a diamond among stones; a great figure among the common run of men
鼻血も出ない
はなぢもでない
not having a single penny left; drained of every last cent