Idioms

Fixed expressions whose meaning is not the sum of their parts.

• Four-character idioms
• Proverbs
• Idioms

1,283 results

• 脛を齧るすねをかじるto depend on someone else's (financial) support (usu. one's parents')
• 親のすねかじりおやのすねかじりsponging off one's parents
• へそで茶を沸かすへそでちゃをわかすwhat a joke!, don't make me laugh!, to split one's sides laughing, to be convulsed with laughter
• ほっぺたが落ちるほっぺたがおちるto think something is delicious, to think something is scrumptious
• 毒を吐くどくをはくto spew venom, to speak ill (of people)
• 足が向くあしがむくto head towards, to be inclined to go towards, to head for a place naturally
• 肴にするさかなにするto have as a side order (with drinks), to make fun of someone, to laugh at someone's expense
• 手がつけられないてがつけられないout of control, out of hand, unmanageable, nothing one can do
• 手がないてがないnot having enough workers, being understaffed, being undermanned, having nothing one can do about something
• 箸が進むはしがすすむto eat a lot, to have a good appetite, appetizing
• 血が騒ぐちがさわぐto get excited, to be roused (to action), to get the itch (to do)気持ちが興奮して、じっとしていられなくなる。
• 血が流れるちがながれるto have the blood of ... running in one's veins (artist, warrior, etc.), to be born with particular skills, characteristics, etc., to have something "in one's blood"（特に戦争で）犠牲を払う、犠牲者を出す。
• 泣く子も黙るなくこもだまるintimidating enough to quieten a crying child
• 舌の根の乾かぬうちしたのねのかわかぬうちin the same breath, hardly had the words been said
• 負け犬の遠吠えまけいぬのとおぼえbackbiting of a coward, grumblings of a loser
• 雷が落ちるかみなりがおちるto be struck by lightning, to be yelled at (by someone of higher status), to be scolded harshly
• 熱に浮かされるねつにうかされるto be delirious with fever, to have a feverish dream, to be crazy about something
• メリハリを付けるメリハリをつけるto add balance (to one's work, life, etc.), to balance work and play, to pace oneself
• 舌の根も乾かぬうちしたのねもかわかぬうちin the same breath, hardly had the words been said何かを言ってからまもなく。
• 藁にもすがるわらにもすがるto grasp at straws, to resort to desperate measures
• 尻尾を掴むしっぽをつかむto have something on someone, to catch someone out, to trip someone up, to find someone's fault
• 首を洗って待つくびをあらってまつto wait for one's punishment, to wait before one gets what's coming to one
• 言葉に鞘があることばにさやがあるto be evasive, to be not entirely truthful, to not be frank
• 虎に翼とらにつばさmaking the strong even stronger
• 水が合わないみずがあわないnot agreeing with one (of an environment, lifestyle, etc.), not suiting one, not feeling comfortable (in), not getting along (with)
• 一線を画するいっせんをかくするto draw a line (between), to make a distinction (between), to distinguish (between)
• 人のふんどしで相撲を取るひとのふんどしですもうをとるto profit at someone else's expense, to rob Peter to pay Paul, to take risks with other people's money
• 行き掛けの駄賃いきがけのだちんtaking the opportunity to do something, doing something incidentally, doing something while (you) are at it, doing something on the way
• 心臓が止まるしんぞうがとまるto have one's heart stop beating, to be shocked, to be staggered
• 天の声てんのこえheavenly voice, off the record instructions, influential person's opinion, powerful person's verdict
• 薪を抱いて火を救うたきぎをいだいてひをすくうhaving one's good intentions backfire dangerously, causing harm when trying to prevent it
• 弓は袋に太刀は鞘ゆみはふくろにたちはさやthe world is at peace
• 尻に火がつくしりにひがつくto be pressed (by urgent business), to be under great pressure (to act), to be under the gun
• 心血を注ぐしんけつをそそぐto put one's heart and soul (into), to completely devote oneself (to)心身のありったけを使って事に当たること。
• 火花を散らすひばなをちらすto give off sparks, to spark, to have a heated argument, to fight fiercely
• 毒気を抜かれるどっきをぬかれるto be taken aback, to be dumbfounded
• 男がすたるおとこがすたるto stain one's honour (of a man), to hurt one's reputation, to bring shame upon oneself, to become less of a man
• 蛞蝓に塩なめくじにしおcrestfallen, dejected, shriveled (like a slug sprinkled with salt)
• 嘴を挟むくちばしをはさむto stick one's nose into (someone else's business), to meddle, to interfere, to butt in
• 反吐が出るへどがでるto be nauseating, to be disgusting, to be revolting, to throw up
• 頭が低いあたまがひくいhumble, modest, unassuming
• 鬼が笑うおにがわらうto be laughable, to be unrealistic来年の事を言えば鬼が笑う。
• 動きが取れないうごきがとれないunable to move, held up, swamped, stuck between a rock and a hard place
• 後塵を拝するこうじんをはいするto be left in the dust (of), to be outdone (by), to be subordinate (to), to play second fiddle (to)後続する。 先行する者に倣う。 出し抜かれる。
• 日々に新たなりひびにあらたなりkeep improving every day
• 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
• 飯の種めしのたねmeans of making a living, source of income, bread and butter, livelihood
• 赤い糸で結ばれるあかいいとでむすばれるto be meant for each other (of a man and woman), to be connected through fate, to be destined to marry (each other)
• 走馬灯のように駆け巡るそうまとうのようにかけめぐるto flash before one's eyes (of memories, etc.)
• ぬるま湯につかるぬるまゆにつかるto be comfortable, to be easy, to be relaxed, to be cosseted
• 木から落ちた猿きからおちたさるperson who has lost something they used to rely on
• 重い腰を上げるおもいこしをあげるto get off one's backside, to bestir oneself
• ボタンを掛け違えるボタンをかけちがえるto button up wrong, to start from the wrong button, to bungle up the order手順を最初の方で間違えたために、当事者間での認識や考えに、その後ずっと続くようなずれが生まれる。
• 伝家の宝刀でんかのほうとうone's last resort, trump card, treasured family swordその家に家宝として代々伝わる名刀。 転じて、いざと言う時に用いる事物、手段など。奥の手。切り札。
• 天下の宝刀てんかのほうとうone's last resort, trump card
• 希望の星きぼうのほしray of light, ray of hope, promising talent
• 石にしがみついてもいしにしがみついてもcome hell or high water
• 藁をもすがるわらをもすがるto grasp at straws, to resort to desperate measures
• 星になるほしになるto pass away, to die
• お弁当つけておべんとうつけてwith rice stuck on one's face