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Proverbs & idioms
592 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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手が届く
てがとどく
to be able to reach; to be within one's reach; to be able to afford; to have the means to buy; to be near (a certain age)
手に汗を握る
てにあせをにぎる
to sit on the edge of one's seat; to be in breathless suspense
手に汗握る
てにあせにぎる
to sit on the edge of one's seat; to be in breathless suspense
手のひらを返す
てのひらをかえす
to flip-flop; to do an about-face; to flip over one's hand; to do something easy
手のもの
てのもの
one's speciality; one's forte; one's strong point
手の内を見せる
てのうちをみせる
to reveal one's true intentions; to show one's cards
手の施しようがない
てのほどこしようがない
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beyond help; there's nothing that can be done
手の者
てのもの
one's subordinate
手を伸ばす
てをのばす
to try one's hand at (something new)
手を伸べる
てをのべる
to lend a hand; to give a hand; to help; to extend a helping hand
手を借りる
てをかりる
to get (someone's) help; to ask for help
手を出す
てをだす
to get involved in; to embark on; to try one's hand at; to turn one's hand to; to start a fight; to get physical with
手を切る
てをきる
to cut one's connections (with); to break off relations (with); to cut ties (with); to break away (from); to part ways (with); to cease to deal with
手を合わせる
てをあわせる
to compete against someone; to play (a game, match, etc.) against someone
手を差し伸べる
てをさしのべる
to lend a hand; to give a hand; to help; to extend a helping hand
手を抜く
てをぬく
to cut corners; to be shoddy; to slack off; to go easy (on an opponent); to hold back (in a competition, fight, etc.)
手を挙げる
てをあげる
to surrender; to become better (at something); to improve; to throw one's hat in the ring; to volunteer; to indicate one intends to participate
手を握る
てをにぎる
to join forces (with); to ally oneself (with); to hold hands
手玉に取る
てだまにとる
to lead (someone) by the nose; to twist (someone) around one's little finger
手足となる
てあしとなる
to follow loyally; to wait on someone hand and foot; to be at someone's beck and call
指をくわえる
ゆびをくわえる
to look on enviously while doing nothing; to hold a finger in one's mouth
指をさす
ゆびをさす
to talk about someone behind their back; to backbite
指切りげんまん、嘘ついたら針千本飲ます
ゆびきりげんまん、うそついたらはりせんぼんのます
cross my heart and hope to die, stick a needle in my eye; pinky promise pledge: if you're lying, I'll make you drink a thousand needles
捕らぬ狸の皮算用
とらぬたぬきのかわざんよう
counting one's chickens before they're hatched; counting raccoon dog skins before they have been caught
掌を指す
たなごころをさす
to be obvious; to be obviously correct; to point to one's palm
掌中の珠
しょうちゅうのたま
apple of one's eye; one's jewel
提灯に釣鐘
ちょうちんにつりがね
two ill-matched things; two poorly balanced things; temple bells to paper lanterns
提灯を持つ
ちょうちんをもつ
to sing someone's praises; to give someone a boost; to carry a lantern
揚げ足を取る
あげあしをとる
to jump on someone's (verbal) mistake; to trip someone up; to find fault with something someone says
揚げ足取る
あげあしとる
to jump on someone's (verbal) mistake; to trip someone up; to find fault with something someone says
故郷へ錦を飾る
こきょうへにしきをかざる
to come home in triumph; to return to one's hometown in glory
敷かれたレール
しかれたレール
path staked out for one (by someone else)
敷居が高い
しきいがたかい
having a high threshold (for entry); difficult to approach; feeling awkward to go to (of someone's home)
昔取った杵柄
むかしとったきねづか
skill learned in one's former days; using one's experience from the past
昼行灯
ひるあんどん
dunce; blockhead; inattentive person; (a) lantern at noon
暗がりから牛を引き出す
くらがりからうしをひきだす
to drive black hogs in the dark; to be unable to distinguish one thing from another; to come out from the darkness with a cow
最終兵器
さいしゅうへいき
ultimate weapon; one's final trump card
月とスッポン
つきとすっぽん
two things that are superficially similar but completely different; night and day; chalk and cheese; the Moon and a turtle
月夜に釜を抜かれる
つきよにかまをぬかれる
to make a blunder; to blunder; to have one's kettle stolen on a moonlit night
朝に夕べを謀らず
あしたにゆうべをはからず
taking things as they come (because one is too busy to plan ahead); dealing with things without thinking ahead; not planning for the evening in the morning
木に縁って魚を求む
きによってうおをもとむ
to be unable to accomplish something because one has chosen the wrong method; to ask for the impossible; to look for fish by climbing a tree
木に縁りて魚を求む
きによりてうおをもとむ
to be unable to accomplish something because one has chosen the wrong method; to ask for the impossible; to look for fish by climbing a tree
木仏金仏石仏
きぶつかなぶついしぼとけ
inflexible people; heartless people; Buddhist images of wood, metal, and stone
末席を汚す
まっせきをけがす
to have the honour of being present (at a meeting, etc.); to have the honour of being a member (of a society, etc.); to soil the lowest seat by one's presence
本腰を入れる
ほんごしをいれる
to set about in earnest; to make a strenuous effort; to put one's back into (doing)
机を並べる
つくえをならべる
to work together (in the same class, workplace, etc.); to be classmates; to sit side by side; to put (one's) desks side by side
杓子で腹を切る
しゃくしではらをきる
to do something impossible; to disembowel oneself with a ladle
杖とも柱とも頼む
つえともはしらともたのむ
to count on someone as the only support
枕を濡らす
まくらをぬらす
to cry in bed; to cry oneself to sleep; to weep secretly in bed; to moisten one's pillow (with one's tears)
株を守る
くいをまもる
to hold fast to one's ways; to be overly conservative; to not get with the times; to guard the tree stub