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日本語
Proverbs & idioms
633 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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259
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一上一下
いちじょういちげ
going up and down
一世一代
いっせいちだい
once in a lifetime; the first and last occurrence (event, experience) of one's lifetime
一世一元
いっせいいちげん
the practice of assigning one era name to one emperor
一世風靡
いっせいふうび
ruling the times; holding sway over the minds of the people
一人当千
いちにんとうせん
being a match for a thousand
一件落着
いっけんらくちゃく
an issue being settled; a case being closed
一伍一什
いちごいちじゅう
full particulars; the whole story; from beginning to end
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一億一心
いちおくいっしん
national unity (esp. during wartime)
一六勝負
いちろくしょうぶ
gambling on whether the throw of a die will produce a "one" or a "six"; gambling with dice; gambling; (a) risk; gamble; venture
一刀両断
いっとうりょうだん
cutting in two with a single stroke; taking decisive action; dealing with decisively; cutting the (Gordian) knot
一分一厘
いちぶいちりん
(not even) a bit of; (not even) a hint of; (not) an iota of
一切合切
いっさいがっさい
any and every thing; altogether; lock, stock, and barrel; the whole shooting match; the whole kit and caboodle; without reserve
一切皆空
いっさいかいくう
matter is void; all is vanity
一切衆生
いっさいしゅじょう
all living creatures
一利一害
いちりいちがい
advantages and disadvantages; gain some, lose some
一刻千金
いっこくせんきん
every moment is precious; time is money; precious time
一味同心
いちみどうしん
(people) working together with one mind
一味徒党
いちみととう
whole party to a plot; whole gang; fellow conspirators
一唱三嘆
いっしょうさんたん
one reading (of a poem aloud) leaves one with ceaseless sighs of admiration
一問一答
いちもんいっとう
answering question by question
一国一城
いっこくいちじょう
(possession of) one feudal domain and one castle; being independent (acting without compromise or assistance); establishing only one castle in each feudal domain (edict issued by the shogunate in 1615)
一大決心
いちだいけっしん
momentous (crucial) decision
一天万乗
いってんばんじょう
the whole realm
一天四海
いってんしかい
the world; the universe
一夫一婦
いっぷいっぷ
monogamy
一夫多妻
いっぷたさい
polygamy; polygyny
一子相伝
いっしそうでん
transmission of the secrets of an art, craft, trade or learning from father to only one child
一字一句
いちじいっく
word for word; verbatim; literally
一字千金
いちじせんきん
word of great value
一家団欒
いっかだんらん
happy family get-together
一家眷属
いっかけんぞく
one's family, relations, and followers
一宿一飯
いっしゅくいっぱん
(being beholden to someone for a favor of) a night's lodging and a meal
一張一弛
いっちょういっし
tension and relaxation
一強多弱
いっきょうたじゃく
one strong, many weak
一強皆弱
いっきょうかいじゃく
one strong, everyone else weak
一得一失
いっとくいっしつ
gaining some and losing some; (something having its) advantages and disadvantages
一心不乱
いっしんふらん
wholeheartedly; with heart and soul; intently; with undivided attention; with intense concentration; single-mindedly
一心同体
いっしんどうたい
being one in body and soul; of one flesh; two hearts beating as one
一念発起
いちねんほっき
being resolved to (do something); having a wholehearted intention
一意専心
いちいせんしん
single-mindedly; wholeheartedly; with all one's heart; with one's heart and soul
一所不住
いっしょふじゅう
vagrant
一所懸命
いっしょけんめい
very hard; with utmost effort; as hard as one can; with all one's might; for dear life; eagerly
一挙一動
いっきょいちどう
one's every action; every single move
一挙両得
いっきょりょうとく
killing two birds with one stone; serving two ends
一擲千金
いってきせんきん
being lavish with one's money; spending a huge sum of money at once on a treat
一攫千金
いっかくせんきん
getting rich quick; making a killing; making a fortune at a single stroke
一文不通
いちもんふつう
total illiteracy
一文半銭
いちもんきなか
meagre sum of money
一新紀元
いっしんきげん
new era; new age
一族郎党
いちぞくろうとう
one's family and followers; one's whole clan