Idioms
Fixed expressions whose meaning is not the sum of their parts.
1,283 results
- ヤマを踏むやまをふむto commit a crime
- 二足のわらじを履くにそくのわらじをはくto be engaged in two trades at the same time, to have two irons in the fire
- 虫が騒ぐむしがさわぐto be itching to do something
- 手癖が悪いてくせがわるいhaving a habit of stealing things, being light-fingered
- 錦の御旗にしきのみはたImperial standard, worthy cause
- 目を背けるめをそむけるto look away (from), to avert one's gaze, to disregard, to ignore
- 蚊帳の外に置くかやのそとにおくto leave in the dark, to leave out in the cold, to keep out of the loop
- 提灯を持つちょうちんをもつto sing someone's praises, to give someone a boost
- 救いの手すくいのてhelping hand, help, support, aid
- 厚い壁あついかべhard-to-overcome obstacle, high hurdle
- 贅沢を言うぜいたくをいうto ask for too much, to expect too much
- 心を病むこころをやむto suffer mentally, to be in emotional pain
- ふんどしを締めてかかるふんどしをしめてかかるto roll up one's sleeves and get to work, to buckle down
- 耳を揃えるみみをそろえるto get together all the money necessary (to pay off a debt)
- 反響を呼ぶはんきょうをよぶto make a splash, to evoke a response, to meet with a reaction
- 泣いて馬謖を斬るないてばしょくをきるbeing just before one is generous, punishing someone you love or value to uphold the rules
- 吾が仏尊しあがほとけとうとしputting one's own beliefs on a pedestal, being narrow-minded
- 吾が仏あがほとけmy dear
- 我が仏わがほとけmy dear
- 鼻血も出ないはなぢもでないnot having a single penny left, drained of every last cent
- 周りの目まわりのめhow others look at you, what others think about you
- 相撲に勝って勝負に負けるすもうにかってしょうぶにまけるto ultimately fail despite being in a favourable position, to fail at the last moment, to win the battle but lose the war
- ハードルを下げるハードルをさげるto lower the bar
- 花が咲くはながさくto bloom, to blossom, to become lively (esp. of conversation), to become animated
- 金魚のうんこきんぎょのうんこperson who just tags along, hanger-on, person who follows someone around like a shadow, clingy person
- 口を酸っぱくするくちをすっぱくするto repeatedly admonish, to tell over and over同じ言葉（忠告など）を何度も繰り返して言う。
- 夢路をたどるゆめじをたどるto have a dream
- 新しいページを加えるあたらしいページをくわえるto add a new page (e.g. to the annals of history)
- 新しいページをめくるあたらしいページをめくるto turn the page, to turn over a new leaf
- 新しいページを開くあたらしいページをひらくto begin a new chapter (in)
- 服を着るふくをきるto put on clothes, to wear clothes, to be the personification of
- 五指に入るごしにはいるto be among the top five, to be one of the five best
- 肌に合うはだにあうto suit one's skin (of cosmetics), to agree with one's skin, to be compatible, to get along well
- 光と影ひかりとかげrise and fall, ups and downs, shame and glory, bright side and dark side
- 奥の手を使うおくのてをつかうto play one's trump card
- 首が回らないくびがまわらないbeing over one's head (in debt, etc.), being up to one's neck (in debt), being unable to turn one's head
- 心に刺さるこころにささるto be hurtful, to resonate emotionally (with one)
- 胸に刺さるむねにささるto be hurtful, to resonate emotionally (with one)
- 胸に突き刺さるむねにつきささるto resonate emotionally (with one), to strike home (words, etc.)
- 心に突き刺さるこころにつきささるto resonate emotionally (with one), to strike a chord, to be gut-wrenching
- 心に響くこころにひびくto resonate emotionally (with one), to strike a chord in one's heart
- 重きを置くおもきをおくto emphasize, to attach importance to
- 上や下への大騒ぎうえやしたへのおおさわぎconfused mess, utter confusion
- 顔が売れるかおがうれるto be widely recognized, to be famous
- 地雷を踏むじらいをふむto step on a landmine, to really step in it, to screw up, to open up a can of worms
- 三歩下がってさんぽさがってwith humility (esp. of women in relation to their partner), humbly
- スポットを当てるスポットをあてるto shine a spotlight on, to highlight, to bring attention to
- スポットが当たるスポットがあたるto be in the spotlight, to come into focus (of attention), to come into the spotlight
- フットワークが軽いフットワークがかるいquickly adaptable, pro-active
- 池魚の殃ちぎょのわざわいcollateral damage, getting embroiled in someone else's dispute, having a fire spread to one's own house
- 穴を穿つあなをうがつto find someone's weak spot
- 鍵の穴から天を覗くかぎのあなからてんをのぞくto have a narrow view of things
- 体が空くからだがあくto become free, to get time off
- 首を取るくびをとるto decapitate, to take (someone's) head off, to depose, to topple
- 御髭の塵を払うおひげのちりをはらうto flatter a higher-up, to suck up to, to curry favour
- お髭の塵を取るおひげのちりをとるto flatter a higher-up
- 草の根を分けて探すくさのねをわけてさがすto search every square inch, to search high and low
- あごを出すあごをだすto be exhausted, to be worn out, to be done in
- 足並みを揃えるあしなみをそろえるto keep step (with), to keep pace (with), to move in lockstep, to align (with another's thoughts or actions)
- 手に汗握るてにあせにぎるto sit on the edge of one's seat, to be in breathless suspense