Four-character idioms

Set phrases made of four kanji (yojijukugo), listed by how common they are.

• Four-character idioms
• Proverbs
• Idioms

1,841 results

• 日月星辰じつげつせいしんthe Sun, the Moon and the stars, the heavenly bodies
• 心身一如しんしんいちにょbody and mind as one, mind-body unity
• 人心恟々じんしんきょうきょうpanic-stricken (people), frightened (masses), alarmed
• 千山万水せんざんばんすいmany mountains and rivers, a great distance to travel多くの山と多くの川。
• 戦々慄々せんせんりつりつtrembling with fear, filled with trepidation
• 千慮一失せんりょいっしつmere slip by someone who is usually very careful, simple mistake by a wise person, point overlooked by a cautious person
• 千慮一得せんりょいっとくeven a fool may sometimes come up with a good idea
• 大死一番だいしいちばんexerting oneself to the utmost, prepared to die if necessary今までのことを全て投げ捨て、仏に縋ること。 一度死んだかのように奮うこと。
• 貪官汚吏たんかんおりcorrupt government official貪欲な高級官僚（=「官」:元来は科挙官僚）と汚職をする下級役人（=「吏」）。もともと、個別の役人ではなく腐敗した制度一般を批判するときに用いる言葉。
• 喋々喃々ちょうちょうなんなんbilling and cooing, holding an intimate, long-winded conversation in whispers
• 朝々暮々ちょうちょうぼぼevery morning and evening
• 人相風体にんそうふうていsomeone's looks and personal appearance
• 百尺竿頭ひゃくせきかんとうthe highest state of one's enlightenment, the highest level one can attain百尺もあるような竿の先。 到達しようとする極点。
• 不立文字ふりゅうもんじBuddhist revelation through intuitive discernment, Spiritual awakening cannot be experienced with words and letters, Spiritual enlightenment can be attained only by means of communion of mind with mind (Zen Buddhism)禅宗の立場で仏の真理は文字など表に表されたものでなく直接心から心へと伝えるべきというもの。
• 付和随行ふわずいこうparticipating in something by merely following the leaders
• 名声赫々めいせいかっかくof great renown, highly illustrious, at the zenith of one's fame
• 妄言多謝もうげんたしゃkindly excuse my reckless remarks, please excuse my thoughtless words
• 雄気堂々ゆうきどうどうwith heroic drive and boundless energy
• 磊々落々らいらいらくらくopenhearted, unaffected, free and easy
• 冷酷無残れいこくむざんcruel and heartless, merciless, implacable, cold-blooded
• 相碁井目あいごせいもくin every game or play, differences in skill between individuals can be substantialそれぞれの実力差がさまざまであること。
• 悪逆非道あくぎゃくひどうheinous, treacherous, atrocious, diabolic
• 悪人正機あくにんしょうきThe evil persons are the right object of Amida's salvation, The evil persons have the unique opportunity to go to heaven悪人を救済することこそが、阿弥陀仏の真の目的であるということ。
• 握髪吐哺あくはつとほ(a statesman making) extraordinary efforts to find and employ capable persons (persons of great wisdom)賢人を迎えるのに熱心であること。なお、握髪のみでこの義あり。握髪は（洗髪を中断し）髪を握ること、なお、吐哺は（食事を中断し）口の中の食べ物を吐き出すこと。
• 悪木盗泉あくぼくとうせんa virtuous person should not commit an act that offends their moral principles no matter how hard pressed they may beどんなに苦痛でもその道に背を向けることはしてはならない。 少しでも、疑われるような行動はとらない。
• 阿付迎合あふげいごうingratiation, sycophancy
• 蛙鳴蝉噪あめいせんそうannoying noise, fruitless argument, useless controversyやかましく騒ぐこと。騒がしいだけの無駄な論議。蛙や蝉がやかましく鳴き騒ぐことから。
• 阿諛迎合あゆげいごうingratiation, sycophancy相手の機嫌をとり、気に入られようとしてへつらうこと。
• 阿諛便佞あゆべんねいflattery, adulation, sycophancyうまいことを言って、気に入られようとしてへつらうこと。
• 暗送秋波あんそうしゅうはgiving an amorous sidelong look, casting an amorous glance (at), playing up to someone behind the scenes
• 安穏無事あんのんぶじpeace and quiet, safe and peaceful, tranquil and uneventful世の中が穏やかで、これといった事件や事故がなく、平和なこと。
• 意識朦朧いしきもうろうbeing in a hazy state, being only half conscious, feeling dopey
• 意志堅固いしけんごstrong determination, strong-willed, having strong will power, firmness of purpose
• 意趣遺恨いしゅいこんgrudge, spite, malice, rancor
• 一芸一能いちげいいちのう(excelling in) one area or skill, (being skilled or gifted in) one certain area
• 一伍一什いちごいちじゅうfull particulars, the whole story, from beginning to endある物事の成り行きの始まりから終わりまで。
• 一語一句いちごいっくevery single word and phrase, each and every word
• 一上一下いちじょういちげgoing up and down
• 一大決心いちだいけっしんmomentous (crucial) decision
• 一読三嘆いちどくさんたんa reading leaves one with ceaseless sighs of admiration
• 一人当千いちにんとうせんbeing a match for a thousand
• 一木一草いちぼくいっそうa single tree or blade of grass, every stick and stone (of a place)
• 一味同心いちみどうしん(people) working together with one mind
• 一国一城いっこくいちじょう(possession of) one feudal domain and one castle, being independent (acting without compromise or assistance), establishing only one castle in each feudal domain (edict issued by the shogunate in 1615)一つの国と一つの城を所有していること。 一つの国には一つの城しか置かせず、他は廃させる政策。
• 一唱三嘆いっしょうさんたんone reading (of a poem aloud) leaves one with ceaseless sighs of admiration
• 一笑千金いっしょうせんきんa smile of a beautiful woman is worth a thousand pieces of gold, enchanting smile of a glamorous woman
• 一生不犯いっしょうふぼん(strict) observance of the Buddhist precept of lifelong celibacy
• 一世風靡いっせいふうびruling the times, holding sway over the minds of the people
• 一殺多生いっさつたしょうit is justifiable to kill one person to save the lives of many
• 一旦緩急いったんかんきゅう(when) danger threatens, should an emergency occur
• 一点一画いってんいっかくthe dots of i's and the crosses of t's, (not neglecting) the slightest details
• 一発必中いっぱつひっちゅうsuccess on the first try (attempt)
• 一筆啓上いっぴつけいじょうthis will just be a short note, I'm writing to tell you
• 夷蛮戎狄いばんじゅうてきthe barbarians beyond the borders of old China漢民族が中国の近辺にいた異民族を指した言葉。
• 威風凛々いふうりんりんawe-inspiring, majestic, commanding, stately
• 畏怖嫌厭いふけんえんfeelings of dread and aversion
• 異聞奇譚いぶんきたんstrange stories and curious tales
• 韋編三絶いへんさんぜつrepeated reading, close (careful) reading, careful perusal一冊の書籍を繰り返し繰り返し読むこと。韋編三たび絶ゆ。
• 異類異形いるいいぎょうstrange-looking creatures, spirits and goblins
• 因果因縁いんがいんねんcause and effect, karma, retribution, an evil cause producing an evil effect