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Proverbs & idioms

139 entries

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

Proverbs Four-character idioms Idioms

Theme:All themes Animal200 Body319 Nature259 Food66 Emotion130 Money76 Time139 Number633 Color102

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
一世風靡いっせいふうびruling the times; holding sway over the minds of the people
一億一心いちおくいっしんnational unity (esp. during wartime)
一刻千金いっこくせんきんevery moment is precious; time is money; precious time
一大決心いちだいけっしんmomentous (crucial) decision
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
一日三秋いちじつさんしゅう(waiting) impatiently; (spending) many a weary day; each moment seeming like an eternity

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一日千秋いちじつせんしゅう(waiting) impatiently; (spending) many a weary day; each moment seeming like an eternity

一日片時いちにちへんじshort time

一朝一夕いっちょういっせきin a day; in a brief space of time

一期一会いちごいちえonce-in-a-lifetime encounter; uniquely precious experience; one lifetime, one meeting

一枚看板いちまいかんばんleading player; prima donna; box-office star; best item one has (to show); one's sole Sunday best; one's single area of expertise

一目瞭然いちもくりょうぜんobvious; (as) clear as day; plain to see

三寒四温さんかんしおんalternation of three cold and four warm days (usu. in late winter and early spring)

三日坊主みっかぼうずperson who cannot stick to anything; unsteady worker; monk for three days

三日天下みっかてんかshort-lived rule; being in power only for a brief period; brief championship

不眠不休ふみんふきゅうno sleep or rest; working day and night

世道人心せどうじんしん(public) morals and sentiments

乳母日傘おんばひがさ(bringing up a child) with greatest care pampering (him, her) with material comforts of a rich family; (being brought up) in a hothouse atmosphere

二六時中にろくじちゅうnight and day; all the time

二股膏薬ふたまたこうやくdouble-dealer; timeserver; moving back and forth between two sides in a conflict

五風十雨ごふうじゅううseasonable rains and winds; halcyon weather; halcyon times of peace

人心一新じんしんいっしんcomplete change in public sentiment; leading the thought of the people to an entirely different channel

人心収攬じんしんしゅうらんwinning the hearts of the people; capturing public sentiment

人物月旦じんぶつげったんcharacter sketch; comments on personalities

人生朝露じんせいちょうろman's life vanishes like a dew; a person's life is as fleeting as a morning dew

今是昨非こんぜさくひcomplete reversal of values or ways of thinking (over time); What appeared wrong in the past now appears right; realizing and regretting the past errors of one's ways

俗談平話ぞくだんへいわconversation on worldly affairs; chat about everyday life (business)

光風霽月こうふうせいげつserenity

八月大名はちがつだいみょうthe 8th month (of the lunar calendar) is the quietest for farmers

内股膏薬うちまたこうやくdouble-dealer; fence-sitter; timeserver; moving back and forth between two sides in a conflict; duplicity; turncoat

励声一番れいせいいちばんgiving cries of encouragement at a critical moment

十年一日じゅうねんいちじつwithout intermission for ten (long) years; with constancy of purpose for ten (long) years; in the same old rut for years on end

十年一昔じゅうねんひとむかしthe pace of change makes ten years back seem like ancient history

千古万古せんこばんこremote antiquity; ancient times; the remote past

千慮一得せんりょいっとくeven a fool may sometimes come up with a good idea

千秋万歳せんしゅうばんぜいmay you live a thousand years

千載一遇せんざいいちぐうonce-in-a-lifetime (opportunity); golden (opportunity); one-in-a-million (chance)

危機一髪ききいっぱつby a hair's breadth; in the nick of time; touch and go; close call; critical moment

古今東西ここんとうざいall times and places; all ages and countries

啐啄同時そったくどうじtiming is everything; don't jump the gun

嘉辰令月かしんれいげつauspicious date

四六時中しろくじちゅうaround the clock; day and night

多情多感たじょうたかんsentimental; being full of emotions; having tender sensibilities

夜目遠目よめとおめseen in the dark or at a distance; (a woman) looking prettier when seen in the dark or at a distance

夜郎自大やろうじだいthrowing one's weight around without knowing one's limitations; Yelang thinks too highly of itself

大安吉日たいあんきちじつvery auspicious day for all types of occasions (one of the six special days in the Japanese lunisolar calendar)

天下多事てんかたじeventful times for the nation (world); the nation (world) being in turmoil; the storm clouds gathering in the land

失意泰然しついたいぜんkeeping calm and collected at times of disappointment; maintaining a serene state of mind in adversity

如法暗夜にょほうあんやtotal (utter) darkness