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Japanese Idioms
The Japanese language is filled with idioms of all sorts, from classical references from ancient Chinese to modern colloquialisms used by college students and young salaryman. Whether you are traveling to Japan for fun or on business, or are living there, you'll find idioms indispensible to understanding and using the daily language. Browse below to find the ones you want or simply explore the many possible ways to express yourself in Japanese.
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身がいる
[みがいる, mi ga iru] be interested in
身から出た錆び
[みからでたさび, mi kara deta sabi] have no one to blame but oneself
水をあける
[みずをあける, mizu o akeru] have a small lead; be ahead by a bit
水を差す
[みずをさす, mizu o sasu] throw water on; cool down
味噌をつける
[みそをつける, miso o tsukeru] make a mess of something
道草を食う
[みちくさをくう, michikusa o kuu] waste time while doing an errand
三つ子の魂百まで
[みつこのたましいひゃくまで, mitsuko no tamashii hyaku made] as the boy, so the man
水底の針を探す
[みなそこのはりをさがす, minasoko no hari o sagasu] look for a needle in a haystack
身に毛がよだつ
[みにけがよだつ, mi ni ke ga yodatsu] be fightened; hair-raising
身になる
[みになる, mi ni naru] do a person good; be beneficial
身の上相談
[みのうえそうだん, mi no ue no soudan] a discussion about personal matters
身の内と宝は朽ちることなし
[みのうちとたからはくちることなし, mi no uchi to takara wa kuchiru koto nashi] treasures of the mind do not decay
身の下相談
[みのしたそうだん, mi no shita soudan] a discussion about sexual matters (usually among girls) (a pun on mi no ue soudan)
耳新しい
[みみあたらしい, mini-atarashii] news
耳が痛い
[みみがいたい, mimi ga itai] hear something bad about oneself
耳学問をする
[みみがくもんをする, mimi gakumon o suru] to learn by listening
耳が肥える
[みみがこえる, mimi ga koeru] have a trained ear
耳が近い
[みみがちかい, mimi ga chikai] hear well
耳が遠い
[みみがとおい, mimi ga tooi] be deaf; hear poorly
耳が速い
[みみがはやい, mimi ga hayai] hear well
耳が横につく
[みみがよこにつく, mimi ga yoko ni tsuku] listen well
耳に逆らう
[みみにさからう, mimi ni sakarau] oppose; be distasteful
耳に熟する
[みみにじゅくする, mimi ni juku suru] hear and understand well
耳にする
[みみにする, mimi ni suru] hear; catch wind of; hear by chance; hear by accident
耳に蛸ができる
[みみにたこができる, mimi ni tako ga dekiru] talk someone’s ear off
耳の穴を掘ってよく聞け
[みみのあなをほってよくきけ, mimi no ana o hotte yoku ake] listen attentively
耳の痛いここを言う
[みみのいたいここをいう, mimi no itai koko o iu] say something unpleasant
耳より
[みみより, mimi yori] pleasing, encouraging
耳を貸さない
[みみをかさない, mimi o kasanai] turn a deaf ear
耳を貸す
[みみをかす, mimi o kasu] lend one’s ear to; give ear to
耳を傾ける
[みみをかたむける, mimi o katamukeru] listen attentively; listen closely
耳を澄ませる
[みみをすませる, mimi o sumaseru] prick up one’s ears; listen carefully
身を締める
[みをしめる, mi o shimeru] hide; hide out