日本語で読む Do you know the proverb, “Saru mo ki kara ochiru (Monkeys also fall from trees)”? It means that even the best people can fail, just as monkeys who are good at climbing trees can sometimes fall off trees. The English proverb “Even Homer sometimes nods.” is similar to this. Read more…
慣用句かんようくとは、２つ以上いじょうの言葉ことばを合あわせて作つくられた、もとの意味いみとは違ちがう意味いみを持もつフレーズです。 慣用句kan yo ku is a phrase that is made up of two or more words and has a different meaning than the original meaning.(= idiom) 諺ことわざとは、昔むかしから伝つたえられてきた、人々ひとびとの生活せいかつの知恵ちえや教訓きょうくんを含ふくむ短みじかい文ぶんのことです。 諺 is a short sentence that contains the wisdom and lessons of people’s lives that have been passed down from ancient times.(=proverb) Read more…
サバを読む – Reading mackerels?? 実際じっさいの数かずや年齢ねんれいより多おおく言いったり少すくなく言ったりして、誤魔化ごまかすことを「鯖さばを読む」と言います。 To disguise the number or age by saying more or less than the actual is called “鯖sabaをo読むyomu“. (鯖: mackerels, 読む: read) 「鯖」はカタカナで書かくことも多いです。 “Saba” is often written in katakana. (サバsaba) 「あの人ひとはサバを読んで25歳さいと言っているが、本当ほんとうは28歳だ」 “He lies about his age and says he’s 25, but he’s actually 28.” とか Read more…
日本語で読む In Japan, it is said that it is a sign of good luck to have a tea stalk floating erect in your tea. (chabashira-ga-tatsu) What is the state of “茶柱が立つchabashira-ga-tatsu“? As I said earlier, “chabashira-ga-tatsu” means that the tea stalk floats vertically. You can see Read more…
日本語で読む 約束を破る – Break a promise “約束yakusokuをo破るyaburu” means to break a promise. （約束：promise、破る：break） The expression “破る” also can be used with “規則kisoku“, “ルールruru“, “掟okite“, “法律horitsu“, “誓いchikai“, etc. However, please note that the expression “予約を破る” cannot be used. （規則 / ルール / 掟：rule、法律：law、誓い：vow、予約：reservation） 「破る」と「取り消す」- Read more…
日本語で読む Udon’s コシ “コシがある” means that to have both elastic and chewy texture. The udon that has コシ is smooth and palatable the moment you put it in your mouth, and when you chew it, feel elastic and chewy. (This texture is produced by Read more…
Wrap in “oblaat”オブラートに包む When a friend of yours wears a weird dress or the meal that your partner made doesn’t taste good, it’s a kindness to tell them that honestly to improve. But using too straight expressions can make someone hurt or angry. 友達ともだちの服ふくが微妙びみょうな時ときや、恋人こいびとの料理りょうりがあまり美味おいししくない時など、正直しょうじきにそれを指摘してきして改善かいぜんを促うながすのは優やさししさでもあります。 でも、ストレート過すぎる表現ひょうげんは相手あいてを傷きずつけたり、怒おこらせたりするでしょう。 If you were Read more…
日本語で読む Do Raccoon dogs deceive people? Raccoon dogs have the habit of feigning death. When they suspect danger, they faint away and don’t move at all as if dead. Then, they put the enemies off one guard by that and run away quickly. In Japan, Raccoon dogs have been thought to deceive people. Read more…