Japanese Idioms

Saturday, October 23rd, 2010 at 9:18 am | Blog | japanese

Am doing my japanese class homework on 慣用語(kanyouku), japanese idioms. Am writing it down here for my future reference…

赤子の手をひねる
(あかごのてをひねる、あかごのてをねじる)
Exceptionally easy (like taking candy from a baby); lit: as easy as twisting a baby’s hand
Eg: That’s as easy as taking cake from a baby. 赤子の手をひねるような物だ

頭が上がらない
(あたまがあがらない)
To be no match for (e.g. outclassed in authority, strength or in debt to); to be unable to act on an equal basis with.

後ろ指を指される
(うしろゆびをさされる)
To be talked about behind one’s back.
Eg: I’ve never done the kind of thing people would talk about behind my back. 後ろ指を指されるようなことなど、決してしていないよ。

大目玉を食う
(おおめだまをくう)
Been scolded by someone.

顔が売れる
(かおがうれる)
Well-knowned.
Eg: He is well-known around here. 彼はこの界隈で顔が売れている

肩を持つ
(かたをもつ)
To side with; to support.
Eg: No one supported [stood by／sided with] him. 彼の肩を持つ者はだれもいなかった.

口が堅い
(くちがかたい)
Tight-lipped; able to keep a secret.
Eg: He is a tight-lipped man. 彼は口が堅い。

小耳に挟む
(こみみにはさむ)
To happen to hear; to overhear.

手も足も出ない
(てもあしもでない)
Cannot do a thing; feeling handcuffed; being at the end of one’s tether; being at one’s wit’s end.
Eg: He is so strong that I am absolutely helpless against him. 彼の強さの前には手も足も出ない。

喉から手が出る
(のどからてがでる)
Wanted so badly.
Eg: That violin makes her mouth water.／She wants that violin more than anything else [in the world]. 彼女はあのバイオリンをのどから手が出るほど欲しがっている。

鼻にかける
(はなにかける)
To be full of pride; to be boastful.
Eg: He isn’t the sort of man that boasts of his abilities. 彼は自分の才能を鼻にかけるような男ではない。

腹を割る
(はらをわる)
Heart to heart; To be frankly.
Eg: Let’s have a heart-to-heart talk.／Let’s talk frankly. 腹を割って話し合おう。

骨が折れる
(ほねがおれる)
To require much effort; to be hard to do; to have one’s bones broken.
Eg: Learning English is hard work. 英語を学ぶのは骨が折れる。

目がない
(めがない)
Extremely fond of; having a weakness for.
Eg: He is exceedingly fond of fruit.／He has a weakness for fruit. 彼は果物に目がない。

Source:
http://ejje.weblio.jp/
http://www.ymknu200719.com/kotowaza/
http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/