Proverbs & idioms

Japanese proverbs (ことわざ), four-character idioms (四字熟語), and idioms — from JMdict.

• 爪に火をともすつめにひをともすto lead a stingy life; to scrimp and save; to pinch pennies; to light one's (finger)nails (instead of a candle)
• 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
• 牛にひかれて善光寺参りうしにひかれてぜんこうじまいりdoing or receiving something good by accident or through the invitation of someone else; being pulled to the Zenkoji temple by a cow
• 犬に論語いぬにろんごwasting one's breath (trying to explain something); (reading) the Analects of Confucius to a dog
• 犬の川端歩きいぬのかわばたあるきwindow-shopping without any money; going out and returning without having bought or eaten anything; dog's walk on the riverbank
• 狐と狸の化かし合いきつねとたぬきのばかしあいtwo sly characters outfoxing each other; a fox and a raccoon dog fooling each other