Idioms
Fixed expressions whose meaning is not the sum of their parts.
1,283 results
- 引けを取らないひけをとらないnot losing out (to), holding one's own (against), comparing favorably (with), being a fair match (for)
- 心の壁こころのかべemotional wall, internal barrier
- 尻に帆かけるしりにほかけるto beat a hasty retreat, to turn tail and run away, to take to one's heels
- 尻に帆をかけるしりにほをかけるto beat a hasty retreat, to turn tail and run away, to take to one's heels
- 猿猴が月を取るえんこうがつきをとるto try and reach above one's station and fail
- わさびが利くわさびがきくto be highly seasoned with wasabi, to be pungent, to be biting (of a remark, action), to be witty
- 手を伸ばすてをのばすto put out one's hand, to extend one's arm, to reach (for), to try one's hand at (something new)
- 腕を買われるうでをかわれるto have one's ability acknowledged by others, to be appreciated for one's skill
- 歯車が狂うはぐるまがくるうto go wrong, to go awry, to go off track, to go out of whack
- 相場が決まっているそうばがきまっているto be taken for granted, to be generally accepted, to be the established wisdom, to be the (social) convention
- 心を躍らせるこころをおどらせるto get excited
- 雲をつかむようくもをつかむようvague, unclear, elusive, hazy
- 白日の下にさらすはくじつのもとにさらすto bring to light, to expose (to the world)
- お竈を起こすおかまをおこすto make a fortune
- 机を並べるつくえをならべるto work together (in the same class, workplace, etc.), to be classmates, to sit side by side
- あさっての方を向くあさってのほうをむくto face the wrong way, to go in the wrong direction
- ノミの心臓のみのしんぞうtimidity, cowardice
- 天国から地獄てんごくからじごく(going straight) from heaven to hell
- 一丁目一番地いっちょうめいちばんちfirst and foremost, most important thing to do first, top priority
- 眼光紙背に徹するがんこうしはいにてっするto (be able to) read between the lines
- 眼光紙背に徹すがんこうしはいにてっすto (be able to) read between the lines
- 親方思いの主倒しおやかたおもいのしゅたおしtrying to help one's master but instead ending up hurting him
- 金時の火事見舞いきんときのかじみまいgoing bright red (esp. after drinking)
- 波紋を呼ぶはもんをよぶto cause a stir, to have repercussions, to generate controversy
- ふさぎの虫ふさぎのむしcase of the blues
- 帳尻が合うちょうじりがあうto balance (accounts), to even out, to balance out
- 六日の菖蒲むいかのあやめsomething that comes too late to be useful
- 首が繋がるくびがつながるto be spared from being fired, to avoid getting the chop
- 万死に値するばんしにあたいするto be the worst of the worst
- 今日あって明日ない身きょうあってあすないみlife is transient, life is uncertain, memento mori, one's time (of death) is nigh
- 朝に夕べを謀らずあしたにゆうべをはからずtaking things as they come (because one is too busy to plan ahead), dealing with things without thinking ahead
- 画竜点睛を欠くがりょうてんせいをかくto be incomplete, to feel incomplete, to lack the finishing touch
- 狸の金玉八畳敷きたぬきのきんたまはちじょうじきsomething spread out widely, something taking a lot of space
- 同じ穴の狸おなじあなのたぬき(villains) of the same stripe, birds of a feather
- 同じ穴の狐おなじあなのきつね(villains) of the same stripe, birds of a feather
- 一条の光いちじょうのひかりray of light
- 犬が西向きゃ尾は東いぬがにしむきゃおはひがしthat goes without saying, water is wetとても当たり前のこと。当然のことをことさらに強調していう言葉。
- 雨の降る日は天気が悪いあめのふるひはてんきがわるいwater is wet
- 目くそが鼻くそを笑うめくそがはなくそをわらうthe pot calling the kettle black
- 水泡に帰すすいほうにきすto come to naught
- 職場の花しょくばのはなfemale office worker
- 月夜の蟹つきよのかにcrab with little meat, something with no meat to it, something unsubstantial
- 虎を画きて狗に類すとらをえがきていぬにるいすattempting to be something you are not
- まな板の上の鯉まないたのうえのこいsomeone doomed to their fate
- 歯止めがかからないはどめがかからないunstoppable (of something bad)
- 針の穴から天を覗くはりのあなからてんをのぞくto have a narrow view of things
- 傷口に塩きずぐちにしお(rubbing) salt in the wound
- そりが合うそりがあうto think alike, to get along
- 目を開くめをひらくto open one's eyes, to open one's eyes (to the truth, a new way of thinking, etc.), to awaken, to discover
- 満面朱を注ぐまんめんしゅをそそぐto be flushed bright red (with anger or embarrassment)
- 天にも昇る心地てんにものぼるここちfeeling extremely happy, being in seventh heaven天国に来たかと思うほど気分が良いこと。
- 目くじら立てるめくじらたてるto find fault (with trivial matters), to scold over minor things, to get angry over trifles, to raise one's eyebrows
- 角を折るつのをおるto give in (after initially resisting), to yield, to concede
- 油が切れるあぶらがきれるto run out of oil, to need lubrication, to run out of energy, to lose steam
- 手を握るてをにぎるto join forces (with), to ally oneself (with)
- ケツを拭くケツをふくto wipe one's arse, to clean up the mess (after something going wrong), to carry the can
- 大魚を逸するたいぎょをいっするto miss a big chance, to miss out on a great opportunity大きな利益を逃すこと。
- カードを切るカードをきるto shuffle (a deck of) cards, to play a trump card, to pay with a credit card
- 火を吐くひをはくto breathe fire, to belch flames, to spit fire, to speak vehemently
- 人を食うひとをくうto be insolent, to be arrogant, to be impudent, to be rude相手を馬鹿にする、軽視する。