Idioms
Fixed expressions whose meaning is not the sum of their parts.
1,283 results
- 困ったときの神頼みこまったときのかみだのみturning to God only in one's trouble
- 頭ひとつ抜けるあたまひとつぬけるto be clearly ahead of the competition, to stand out noticeably above one's rivals, to stand out from the crowd
- 天にも昇るてんにものぼるto be ecstatically happy, to be on cloud nine, to be in seventh heaven
- 天を仰ぐてんをあおぐto look up at the sky, to look up to heaven, to face upwards, to look up to the sky (in frustration or despair)
- 雲をつくくもをつくto be extremely tall (of stature), to tower, to loom
- 釣った魚に餌をやらないつったさかなにえさをやらないtaking one's partner for granted once the relationship is secured
- 馬に蹴られるうまにけられるto suffer the consequences for interfering in a couple's relationship
- 野に伏し山に伏すのにふしやまにふすto endure hardship while traveling, to face troubles on a journey
- 男が立つおとこがたつto maintain one's honor as a man, to save face (as a man), to have one's honor upheld
- 袖にすがるそでにすがるto plead, to beg, to implore, to entreat
- 血の出るようちのでるようpainstaking (e.g. effort), excruciating (e.g. hard work), grueling
- 芽を吹くめをふくto bud, to sprout, to show signs of development, to show promise
- 血気にはやるけっきにはやるto be impetuous, to carried away by youthful ardor, to be overly eager for action, to act rashly out of hot-bloodedness
- 網を張るあみをはるto cast a net, to stretch a net, to keep a sharp lookout (e.g. for a criminal), to cast a wide net (e.g. for information)
- 薄氷を踏むはくひょうをふむto tread on thin ice, to walk on thin ice, to take a grave risk, to be in a precarious situation
- 薄氷を踏む思いはくひょうをふむおもいsense of impending doom, foreboding, feeling of grave danger
- 算を乱すさんをみだすto break and run (e.g. of a defeated army or panicking crowd), to flee in disorder, to scatter in all directions
- 轡を並べるくつわをならべるto ride side by side, to walk side by side, to go together, to join forces
- 人目を盗むひとめをぬすむto do without being seen, to do behind others' backs, to do secretly, to do without the knowledge of others
- 風下に立つかざしもにたつto take a backseat (to someone), to fall behind (someone), to be at a disadvantage, to be in a weak position
- 風下にいるかざしもにいるto take a backseat (to someone), to fall behind (someone), to be at a disadvantage, to be in a weak position
- 一線を画すいっせんをかくすto draw a line (between), to make a distinction (between), to distinguish (between)
- 音を立てて崩れるおとをたててくずれるto come crashing down, to crumble to pieces, to collapse completely