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592 entries
Japanese proverbs (ことわざ), four-character idioms (四字熟語), and idioms — from JMdict.
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Four-character idioms
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目を開く
めをひらく
to open one's eyes (to the truth, a new way of thinking, etc.); to awaken; to discover
目元千両口元万両
めもとせんりょうくちもとまんりょう
(woman with) beautiful eyes and mouth
目頭を押さえる
めがしらをおさえる
to stop oneself from crying; to hold back tears
目鼻が付く
めはながつく
to complete most of something; to take a concrete shape; for the most important parts to be done; the nose and eyes are in place
眉に唾をつける
まゆにつばをつける
to keep one's wits about one; to be on one's guard; to be wary of trickery
眉に唾を塗る
まゆにつばをぬる
to keep one's wit about one; to be on one's guard; to be wary; to keep on one's toes
眉を開く
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まゆをひらく
to feel relieved; to forget about one's troubles; to settle into peace of mind
看板を下ろす
かんばんをおろす
to close one's business
知らぬは亭主ばかりなり
しらぬはていしゅばかりなり
the husband is always the last to know; everyone knows of the wife's infidelity but the cuckolded husband
石に枕し流れに漱ぐ
いしにまくらしながれにくちすすぐ
to live freely in the wilderness; to sleep on a pillow of stone and rinse one's mouth with river water
石に漱ぎ流れに枕す
いしにくちすすぎながれにまくらす
to refuse stubbornly to admit one is wrong; to rinse one's mouth with a rock and rest one's head in a river
石橋を叩いて渡る
いしばしをたたいてわたる
being excessively cautious; knocking on a strong stone bridge before crossing it
磊塊
らいかい
discontent; being weighed down emotionally; heavy heart
穴を穿つ
あなをうがつ
to find someone's weak spot; to drill a hole
空振り三振
からぶりさんしん
(several) vain attempts; failing despite giving one's best
竜虎相打つ
りゅうこあいうつ
a fight between equally great opponents; dragon and tiger fighting one another
竹を割ったよう
たけをわったよう
clear-cut and straightforward; (of a person) forward-thinking; honest; upright; frank
笈を負う
きゅうをおう
to leave one's hometown to study; to carry a case of books
笛吹けども踊らず
ふえふけどもおどらず
we have piped unto you and ye have not danced; people ignoring one's invitation or effort to do something together
米百俵
こめひゃっぴょう
kome hyappyō; (ideal of) enduring pain today for the sake of a better tomorrow; hundred sacks of rice
糞も味噌も一緒
くそもみそもいっしょ
not distinguishing between what's good and bad; not knowing chalk from cheese; mixing good and bad together; shit and miso are the same
紺屋の白袴
こうやのしろばかま
the shoemaker's children go barefoot; specialists often fail to apply their skills to themselves; the dyer's white hakama
終止符を打つ
しゅうしふをうつ
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)
縁の下の舞
えんのしたのまい
hard work gone unnoticed; thankless task; a dance under a veranda
縒りをかける
よりをかける
to put all one's skill (into doing something); to do something to the best of one's ability
羝羊
ていよう
someone who lives their life by instinct
耳が痛い
みみがいたい
being painfully true (e.g. reprimand); making one's ears burn; striking home (e.g. remark)
耳にタコができる
みみにたこができる
to be told or made to hear something so often that you (metaphorically) get calluses on your ears
耳をダンボにする
みみをダンボにする
to prick up one's ears; to listen attentively; to make one's ears (like) Dumbo's
耳を傾ける
みみをかたむける
to lend an ear; to hearken; to give an ear to; to listen carefully
耳を揃える
みみをそろえる
to get together all the money necessary (to pay off a debt)
耳タコ
みみたこ
having been told something so often that one is fed up with it
肉を切らせて骨を切る
にくをきらせてほねをきる
to lose a battle to win the war; to incur damage so as to inflict greater damage on a foe; to allow one's flesh to be cut in order to sever another's bone
肉を切らせて骨を断つ
にくをきらせてほねをたつ
to lose a battle to win the war; to incur damage so as to inflict greater damage on a foe; to allow one's flesh to be cut in order to sever another's bone
肌に合う
はだにあう
to be compatible; to get along well; to be to one's liking
肝に銘じる
きもにめいじる
to be deeply impressed; to take to heart; to engrave on one's heart; to bear in mind; to engrave on one's liver
肝に銘ずる
きもにめいずる
to engrave in one's heart; to inscribe on one's liver
肩が凝る
かたがこる
to feel ill at ease; to feel uncomfortable; to feel tense
肩が張る
かたがはる
to feel ill at ease; to feel uncomfortable; to feel tense
肩の荷が下りる
かたのにがおりる
to feel relieved of one's burden; to have a weight removed from one's mind
肩をいからせる
かたをいからせる
to square one's shoulders (in order to intimidate)
肩をそびやかす
かたをそびやかす
to square one's shoulders (in order to intimidate)
肩透かしを食う
かたすかしをくう
to suffer a disappointment; to feel let down; to have one's attack (question, etc.) sidestepped; to be given the slip
肩透かしを食らう
かたすかしをくらう
to suffer a disappointment; to feel let down; to have one's attack (question, etc.) sidestepped; to be given the slip
肴にする
さかなにする
to make fun of someone; to laugh at someone's expense
背中で語る
せなかでかたる
to let one's actions do the talking; to lead by example; to walk the talk
背中を押す
せなかをおす
to push someone (towards); to encourage someone
背中を追う
せなかをおう
to follow in someone's footsteps
背水の陣
はいすいのじん
fighting with one's back to the wall; having burnt one's bridges; last stand; last-ditch effort
背筋が凍る
せすじがこおる
to have a chill run down one's spine