Idioms
Fixed expressions whose meaning is not the sum of their parts.
1,283 results
- 道が開けるみちがひらけるto open a pathway (to), to find a way (to), to open the door (to), to pave the way (for)
- 機械の心きかいのこころdevious mind, sinister thinking, scheming
- 目からウロコめからうろこseeing the light, being awakened to the truth, having the scales fall from one's eyes
- 異域の鬼いいきのきperson who died outside of their homeland
- 時を得るときをえるto get a break, to be timely, to obtain a favorable opportunity
- 馬の背を分けるうまのせをわけるto rain on one side only (and leave the other side dry)
- 芯を食うしんをくうto get to the heart of the matter, to get to the core, to hit (a ball) with the sweet spot (of a golf club, baseball bat, etc.)
- ヤキモチ焼くやきもちやくto be jealous
- 苦杯をなめるくはいをなめるto drink a bitter cup, to have a bitter experience, to suffer a defeat
- 薬が効きすぎるくすりがききすぎるto work too well (of a punishment, reprimand, etc.), to be too much (for someone), to have a stronger effect than intended
- 藁をも掴むわらをもつかむto grasp at straws, to resort to desperate measures
- 苦杯を喫するくはいをきっするto drink a bitter cup, to have a bitter experience, to suffer a defeat
- 水が合うみずがあうto agree with one, to suit one, to feel comfortable (in, with)
- 足並みが揃うあしなみがそろうto keep step (with), to keep pace (with), to move in lockstep, to align (with another's thoughts or actions)
- 鬼になるおにになるto harden one's heart, to steel oneself, to be ruthless, to become "it" (in hide-and-seek, etc.)
- 枕を濡らすまくらをぬらすto cry in bed, to cry oneself to sleep, to weep secretly in bedつらさや悲しさで寝床でひそかに泣く。
- 神に召されるかみにめされるto die
- 天から降ったか地から湧いたかてんからふったかちからわいたか(appearing) out of nowhere
- 箸にも棒にも引っかからないはしにもぼうにもひっかからないhopeless, incorrigible, beyond repair, good-for-nothing
- 七重の膝を八重に折るななえのひざをやえにおるto humbly implore, to beg profusely
- 自分のことは棚に上げるじぶんのことはたなにあげるto ignore one's own shortcomings, to shut one's eyes to one's own faults, to act hypocritically
- 自分のことを棚に上げるじぶんのことをたなにあげるto ignore one's own shortcomings, to shut one's eyes to one's own faults, to act hypocritically
- 下に出るしたにでるto behave modestly, to take a humble attitude
- 辛酸をなめるしんさんをなめるto undergo many hardships, to taste the bitters of life
- 咽喉を扼するいんこうをやくするto gain control of a key position, to command a key position
- 山と言えば川やまといえばかわalways contradicting what other people say
- 角を立てるかどをたてるto worsen (the situation), to exacerbate, to aggravate, to look with anger
- 背中で語るせなかでかたるto let one's actions do the talking, to lead by example, to walk the talk
- 竈を起こすかまどをおこすto make a fortune, to build family wealth, to become the head of a family
- 重箱の隅じゅうばこのすみunimportant things, insignificant things, trifles
- 俎上の鯉そじょうのこいsomeone doomed to their fate
- 目頭が熱くなるめがしらがあつくなるto be moved to tears感動によって涙がこぼれそうになる。感動で涙を誘われる。
- 天寿を全うするてんじゅをまっとうするto die a natural death (at an advanced age), to live out one's allotted span of life充分に長生きして死ぬ。
- 首をもたげるくびをもたげるto rise into importance, to gain strength
- 涙腺が緩むるいせんがゆるむto get teary, to be moved to tears
- 目頭を押さえるめがしらをおさえるto stop oneself from crying, to hold back tears
- 一矢報いるいっしむくいるto retaliate, to return a blow, to strike back (at), to retort
- 白球を追うはっきゅうをおうto play (baseball, softball, etc.)
- 裸足で逃げるはだしでにげるto be put to shame (of an expert), to be no match (for someone)
- 裸足で逃げ出すはだしでにげだすto be put to shame (of an expert), to be no match (for someone)
- 息のかかるいきのかかるto have the personal support of (an influential person), to be under the patronage of
- 根が生えるねがはえるto be unmovable, to be well-established, to take root
- 上手を行くうわてをいくto have the upper hand, to surpass (someone)
- 浮き彫りにするうきぼりにするto emboss, to carve in relief, to bring to the fore, to accentuate
- 先陣を切るせんじんをきるto lead (an advance), to spearhead (a campaign, attack)
- 外堀が埋まるそとぼりがうまるto be clear of obstacles in the way of one's objective
- 膿を出すうみをだすto force out corruption, to drive away misconduct, to clean up
- 手足となるてあしとなるto follow loyally, to wait on someone hand and foot, to be at someone's beck and call
- 足の引っ張り合いあしのひっぱりあいstanding in each other's way, holding each other back, getting in the way of each other's success, hindering each other's progress
- 血のにじむようちのにじむようpainstaking (e.g. effort), excruciating (e.g. hard work), grueling
- 揚げ足取るあげあしとるto jump on someone's (verbal) mistake, to trip someone up, to find fault with something someone says
- つかえが取れるつかえがとれるto get a load off one's chest, to be relieved of a worry
- お茶を挽くおちゃをひくto have no customers (of a geisha, prostitute, etc.), to have no engagements客商売で客がつかず暇であること。
- 石に枕し流れに漱ぐいしにまくらしながれにくちすすぐto live freely in the wilderness
- 陶朱猗頓の富とうしゅいとんのとみgreat wealth, very wealthy person
- 邪魔を入れるじゃまをいれるto interfere, to hinder, to obstruct
- 後がつかえるあとがつかえるto make (someone) wait, to take more time (than anticipated)
- 疑惑の総合商社ぎわくのそうごうしょうしゃperson suspected of multiple wrongdoings
- 疑惑のデパートぎわくのデパートperson suspected of multiple wrongdoings
- 地獄に仏じごくにほとけmanna from heaven, an oasis in the desert, godsend, good fortune when one needed it most