Idioms
Fixed expressions whose meaning is not the sum of their parts.
1,283 results
- 顔に泥を塗るかおにどろをぬるto bring disgrace (dishonor, dishonour) on, to fling mud at, to put to shame
- 霞を食うかすみをくうto live on air, to live on nothing, to live without a means of income
- 鼎の軽重を問うかなえのけいちょうをとうto call someone's ability into question, to doubt a ruler's competence上位の者の権威を疑って、地位を奪おうとすること。 他人の実力や権威などを疑う事。特に地位の高い人に用いられる。
- 華を去り実に就くかをさりじつにつくto seek results, not show
- 鬼籍に入るきせきにいるto pass away, to join the majority鬼籍に姓名を記入される。 死ぬ。死去する。 廃止される。
- 木に竹を接ぐきにたけをつぐto sew a fox's skin to the lion's性質の全く異なる木と竹を無理やりつなぎ合わせること。 前後のつじつまが合わないこと、調和がとれていないこと、不自然で筋が通らないこと。
- 肝に銘じるきもにめいじるto be deeply impressed, to take to heart, to engrave on one's heart, to bear in mind深く記憶に止め、忘れない。
- 九死に一生を得るきゅうしにいっしょうをえるto have a narrow escape from death死に至る寸前の所から奇跡的に助かる。
- 釘を刺すくぎをさすto give a warning, to remind (a person) of
- くだを巻くくだをまくto babble in one's cups, to ramble drunkenly
- 心にかかるこころにかかるto weigh on one's mind, to trouble one
- 心を痛めるこころをいためるto worry (about), to be worried (about), to be troubled (by), to be pained (by)非常に心配する。
- 言葉を濁すことばをにごすto be vague, to speak ambiguously, to be evasive, to not commit oneself
- 業を煮やすごうをにやすto lose one's temper, to lose patience, to have enough, to be exasperated物事が上手く進まず、腹を立てる。
- 三舎を避けるさんしゃをさけるto keep one's distance from someone (due to fear or because that person is superior)
- 朱を入れるしゅをいれるto retouch, to correct
- 生を受けるせいをうけるto be born, to come into this world
- たたらを踏むたたらをふむto stumble a step or two forward (when trying to stop), to pass one's destination and stumble a step or two forward, to totter
- 掌を指すたなごころをさすto be obvious, to be obviously correct
- 血の通ったちのかよったflesh-and-blood, human, warm, compassionate
- ツケを払うつけをはらうto pay a bill, to pay one's debt, to pay one's tab, to settle a deferred bill
- 手を変え品を変えてをかえしなをかえby hook or by crook, by all possible means
- 手を差し伸べるてをさしのべるto lend a hand, to give a hand, to help, to extend a helping hand
- 手を染めるてをそめるto get involved (with), to begin (with), to have a hand (in)それまでしていなかった悪いことをする。またするようになる。
- 手を携えててをたずさえて(acting) together, jointly, cooperatively, in partnership
- 手を出すてをだすto reach out one's hand, to extend one's arm, to get involved in, to embark on物事に新たに関わる。 暴力を振るう。 盗んだり奪ったりする。
- 手を伸べるてをのべるto lend a hand, to give a hand, to help, to extend a helping hand
- 点数を稼ぐてんすうをかせぐto score points with (a person)
- 峠を越えるとうげをこえるto pass the peak (of something), to get through the most difficult part, to be over the worst (e.g. an illness), to cross a pass
- 虎を野に放つとらをのにはなつto let loose something dangerous
- 度を失うどをうしなうto lose one's presence of mind, to lose one's composure, to lose one's head, to get flustered
- 涙をのむなみだをのむto swallow one's tears, to choke back one's tears, to hold back one's disappointment, to suppress one's mortification
- 煮え湯を飲まされるにえゆをのまされるto be betrayed, to be brought to grief (by an enemy), to be given a hard time
- 熱を上げるねつをあげるto become enthusiastic, to have a crush (on), to lose one's head (to), to become earnest
- 話の腰を折るはなしのこしをおるto interfere, to butt in, to interrupt someone
- 花を持たせるはなをもたせるto let (someone) have the credit (for)
- 歯に衣を着せないはにきぬをきせないoutspoken, forthright, frank, direct
- 腹鼓を打つはらつづみをうつto eat to one's heart's content
- 腹を痛めるはらをいためるto give birth to, to have a stomachache
- 化けの皮を現すばけのかわをあらわすto show one's true colors, to expose one's true character
- 恨みを買ううらみをかうto incur someone's enmity
- 保険をかけるほけんをかけるto insure (something), to come up with a back-up plan, to hedge one's bets, to play it safe
- 骨を埋めるほねをうずめるto make (somewhere) one's final home, to make (a place) one's final resting place, to do (something) for the rest of one's life, to devote (the rest of) one's life to (something)その地で一生を終える。 ある事に生涯を捧げる。
- 骨を折るほねをおるto make efforts, to take pains, to break a bone骨折する。 ある問題を解決するために苦労する。
- 本腰を入れるほんごしをいれるto set about in earnest, to make a strenuous effort, to put one's back into (doing)
- 見得を切るみえをきるto strike a pose (in kabuki), to assume a posture, to make a proud gesture, to put on an air of confidence
- 右に出るみぎにでるto be superior (to), to surpass, to outdo
- 水をかけるみずをかけるto sprinkle water on (something), to spray water on, to splash water on, to squirt water on
- 身を入れるみをいれるto put one's heart (into), to apply oneself (to), to devote oneself (to), to take an interest (in)
- 飯を食うめしをくうto have a meal, to eat, to make a living, to earn one's bread
- 弓を引くゆみをひくto draw a bow, to oppose, to defy, to disobey one's superiors悪霊などを払うために弓の弦をはじいて鳴らす。弓を鳴らす。 弓に矢をつがえ射る。弓を射る。 懲らしめる。やっつける。上司や目上の人などに対する反逆の意味で使用する語。
- へそを曲げるへそをまげるto (go into a) sulk, to get cranky, to get cross, to become perverse
- 虫も殺さぬむしもころさぬinnocent-looking, looking as though one wouldn't hurt a fly, looking as though butter would not melt in one's mouth防備が厳重であること。
- 虫唾が走るむしずがはしるto be disgusted, to be repulsed, to get the creeps
- 後釜に座るあとがまにすわるto succeed to someone's post, to take someone's place, to take over someone's position, to step into someone's shoes
- 茶を濁すちゃをにごすto evade (questions), to reply evasively, to beat around the bush, to throw up a smoke screen
- 馬脚を現すばきゃくをあらわすto reveal one's true nature, to show one's true colours, to give oneself away, to be exposed (of a lie, etc.)
- オブラートに包むオブラートにつつむto say in a round-about way (not to upset), to cushion the blow, to sugarcoat相手を刺激しないよう婉曲にする。遠回しな言い方をする。
- コップの中の嵐コップのなかのあらしstorm in a teacup, tempest in a teapot
- シャッポを脱ぐシャッポをぬぐto concede defeat, to surrender降参する。兜を脱ぐ。