名詞 VII

ここは待まつのが上策じょうさくだろう。

Waiting is probably the best course here.

Usage 〜が上策だ — the best policy. Related: 下策, 得策. Read じょうさく.

Remember it 上 (superior) + 策 (plan) → the best of the plans available.

常套じょうとう手段しゅだんに騙だまされるな。

Do not be taken in by the standard trick.

Usage 常套手段, 常套句 — a stock tactic, a stock phrase. It always implies tiresome predictability. Read じょうとう.

Remember it 常 (usual) + 套 (the outer wrapper) → the same old covering put on every time.

社員しゃいんの処遇しょぐうを見直みなおす。

Reviewing how staff are treated.

Usage 処遇を改善する — improving the treatment of people. Close to 待遇: 処遇 is about handling and placement, 待遇 about pay and terms. Read しょぐう.

Remember it 処 (handle) + 遇 (treat) → how the person is handled and treated.

そんな素振そぶりは見みせなかった。

He showed no sign of it.

Usage 素振りも見せない — betraying not a hint of it. Read そぶり; read すぶり the same characters mean practice swings. The reading is a frequent exam item.

Remember it 素 (plain, bare) + 振り (bearing) → the bare outward bearing, before any words.

節操せっそうのない発言はつげんを繰くり返かえしている。

He keeps making remarks with no consistency to them.

Usage 節操がない — having no principles, shifting with the wind. Usually negative, as criticism. 節 is a bamboo node, i.e. a line held to. Read せっそう.

Remember it 節 (the node, the limit) + 操 (hold to) → holding to the line you set yourself.

先手せんてを打うって対策たいさくを講こうじた。

He got in first and took countermeasures.

Usage 先手を打つ, 先手を取る — moving first to seize the initiative. From go. Its counterpart is 後手 (ごて). Read せんて.

Remember it 先 (first) + 手 (move) → the first move on the board.

自由じゆうを束縛そくばくされたくない。

I do not want my freedom restricted.

Usage 〜を束縛する — restraining, binding. Transitive, very often passive. 束 is to bundle and 縛 to tie. Read そくばく.

Remember it 束 (bundle) + 縛 (tie) → bundled up and tied.

素質そしつに恵めぐまれている。

He is blessed with natural aptitude.

Usage 素質がある, 素質に恵まれる — having natural gifts. Unlike 才能, talent already displayed, 素質 is the seed not yet grown. Read そしつ.

Remember it 素 (raw) + 質 (nature) → what a person is made of before training.

待遇たいぐう面めんで折おり合あいがつかなかった。

We could not come to terms over the conditions.

Usage 待遇がいい, 待遇面 — good terms, the question of terms. Chiefly pay and working conditions. It also means how a guest is treated. Read たいぐう.

Remember it 待 (receive) + 遇 (treat) → how you are received and treated.

他力たりき本願ほんがんでは何なにも変かわらない。

Nothing will change if you only rely on others.

Usage 他力本願では — merely relying on others. Originally a Buddhist term for reliance on Amida's vow; the everyday sense has drifted into criticism. Read たりきほんがん.

Remember it 他力 (another's power) + 本願 (the original vow) → leaving it to someone else's power.

段取だんどりよく進すすめよう。

Let us go about it in good order.

Usage 段取りをつける, 段取りがいい — setting out the steps, being well organised. From the theatre, dividing a play into scenes. Read だんどり.

Remember it 段 (step) + 取り (setting) → the steps set out in order before you start.

生活せいかつの知恵ちえが詰つまった本ほんだ。

It is a book packed with practical wisdom.

Usage 知恵を絞る, 生活の知恵 — racking one's brains, household know-how. Unlike 知識, knowledge, 知恵 is the ability to apply it. Read ちえ.

Remember it 知 (know) + 恵 (blessing) → knowing well enough to make use of it.

計画けいかくの中核ちゅうかくをなす部分ぶぶんだ。

It is the part forming the core of the plan.

Usage 中核をなす, 中核となる — forming the core. Close to 核 and 中枢. Read ちゅうかく.

Remember it 中 (middle) + 核 (kernel) → the kernel at the middle of it.

長所ちょうしょを伸のばす教育きょういくを目指めざす。

We aim at an education that develops strengths.

Usage 長所を伸ばす, 長所と短所 — developing strengths, strengths and weaknesses. Its direct opposite is 短所. Read ちょうしょ.

Remember it 長 (long, strong) + 所 (point) → the point where a person is long rather than short.

困難こんなんな現実げんじつに直面ちょくめんした。

I was confronted with a hard reality.

Usage 〜に直面する — facing head-on. Note the に. Objects: 困難, 危機, 現実. Read ちょくめん.

Remember it 直 (direct) + 面 (face) → face to face with it, with nothing in between.

業界ぎょうかい全体ぜんたいが沈滞ちんたいしている。

The whole industry is stagnant.

Usage 〜が沈滞する, 沈滞ムード — stagnating, a mood of torpor. Close to 低迷. Read ちんたい — do not confuse 賃貸 (ちんたい), renting.

Remember it 沈 (sink) + 滞 (stagnate) → sunk down and not moving.

品質ひんしつには定評ていひょうがある。

Its quality has an established reputation.

Usage 定評がある — being well regarded by general agreement — is all but fixed. Always positive. Read ていひょう.

Remember it 定 (settled) + 評 (reputation) → a reputation that has settled and stayed.

こちらの手落ておちでした。

The oversight was ours.

Usage 手落ちがある, 手落ちだ — an oversight in the handling. Used when admitting fault. Close to 落度. Read ておち.

Remember it 手 (hand) + 落ち (something dropped) → the thing the hand let fall.

道端みちばたに花はなが咲さいていた。

Flowers were blooming by the roadside.

Usage 道端に, 道端で — at the roadside. Read みちばた; here 端 is read ばた, as in 川端 and 池端.

Remember it 道 (road) + 端 (edge) → the edge of the road.

その意見いけんにはまったく同感どうかんだ。

I entirely agree with that view.

Usage 〜に同感だ — feeling the same. It expresses shared feeling, unlike 賛成, which endorses a specific proposal. Read どうかん.

Remember it 同 (same) + 感 (feeling) → feeling it the same way you do.

地域ちいきの特色とくしょくを生いかす。

Making the most of the region's distinctive character.

Usage 特色を生かす, 特色がある — making use of, or having, a distinctive feature. Close to 特徴, but 特色 leans toward a feature worth showing off. Read とくしょく.

Remember it 特 (special) + 色 (colour) → the colour that marks it out from the others.

彼女かのじょは度胸どきょうが据すわっている。

She has real nerve about her.

Usage 度胸がある, 度胸が据わる — having nerve, being unshakeable. 胸 is the chest, where the courage is pictured as sitting firm. Read どきょう.

Remember it 度 (measure) + 胸 (chest) → how much the chest will hold without flinching.

雪道ゆきみちの運転うんてんに難儀なんぎした。

I had a hard time driving on the snowy roads.

Usage 〜に難儀する, 難儀な — having trouble with. Slightly old-fashioned, and a favourite word in Kansai. Read なんぎ.

Remember it 難 (difficult) + 儀 (matter) → a difficult business to get through.

値段ねだんを見みて二にの足あしを踏ふんだ。

I saw the price and hesitated.

Usage 二の足を踏む — hesitating, unable to take the next step — is a set phrase. The image is of the second foot marking time. Read にのあし.

Remember it 二 (second) + 足 (foot) → the second foot that never goes forward.

熱弁ねつべんを振ふるって聴衆ちょうしゅうを動うごかした。

He moved the audience with an impassioned speech.

Usage 熱弁を振るう — delivering a fiery speech; it goes with 振るう and with nothing else. Read ねつべん.

Remember it 熱 (heat) + 弁 (speech) → speech delivered hot.

年輪ねんりんを重かさねた職人しょくにんの技わざだ。

It is the craft of an artisan with years behind him.

Usage The growth rings of a tree; and 年輪を重ねる, accumulating years and experience. The second is the tested sense. Read ねんりん.

Remember it 年 (year) + 輪 (ring) → one ring laid down for each year.

多おおくの配下はいかを従したがえている。

He commands a large following.

Usage 配下に置く, 配下の者 — placing under one's command, one's subordinates. Military and organisational in flavour. Read はいか.

Remember it 配 (assign) + 下 (below) → those assigned beneath you.

端役はやくから主役しゅやくに上のり詰つめた。

He rose from bit parts to the leading role.

Usage 端役 — a minor part. Its opposite is 主役. Read はやく, not たんやく. It is also used figuratively of a marginal role.

Remember it 端 (the edge) + 役 (role) → the role out at the edge of the stage.

半信はんしん半疑はんぎで話はなしを聞きいていた。

I listened half in doubt.

Usage 半信半疑で — half believing, half doubting. A four-character compound, and this is its usual form. Read はんしんはんぎ.

Remember it 半 (half) + 信 (belief) + 半 (half) + 疑 (doubt) → half of you believing and half not.

控ひかえめな態度たいどが好このましい。

A modest manner is agreeable.

Usage 控えめな態度, a reserved manner; and 塩を控えめに, going easy on the salt. Both senses are very common. Read ひかえめ.

Remember it 控える (hold back) + め (degree) → held back a degree from the full.

秘策ひさくを練ねっているらしい。

He seems to be working on a secret plan.

Usage 秘策を練る, 秘策がある — devising a secret plan, having one. 策 is a scheme. Read ひさく.

Remember it 秘 (secret) + 策 (plan) → the plan not shown to anyone.

必死ひっしになって探さがし回まわった。

I searched frantically everywhere.

Usage 必死になる, 必死に〜する — putting everything into it as if life depended on it. Read ひっし — do not confuse 必至 (ひっし), inevitable. A frequent trap.

Remember it 必 (certainly) + 死 (death) → as though death were the alternative.

大たい家かの風格ふうかくが漂ただよっている。

He has the air of a master about him.

Usage 風格がある, 風格が漂う — having, or giving off, presence. It is the authority that comes with years. Distinct from 風貌, outward appearance. Read ふうかく.

Remember it 風 (air, bearing) + 格 (standing) → the bearing that comes with standing.

不覚ふかくにも涙なみだがこぼれた。

Unbidden, the tears came.

Usage 不覚にも — in spite of oneself; and 不覚を取る, being caught out by a blunder. The first is commoner. Read ふかく.

Remember it 不 (not) + 覚 (aware) → done before you were aware of doing it.

社長しゃちょうの腹心ふくしんとして知しられる。

He is known as the president's right-hand man.

Usage 腹心の部下 — a trusted subordinate. 腹 is the belly and 心 the heart: someone trusted that far in. Read ふくしん.

Remember it 腹 (belly) + 心 (heart) → trusted with what is in your belly and your heart.

専門せんもん分野ぶんやを究きわめたい。

I want to master my specialist field.

Usage 専門分野, 幅広い分野 — one's specialist field, a broad range of fields. Read ぶんや.

Remember it 分 (divide) + 野 (field) → the fields knowledge divides into.

嘘うそも方便ほうべんと言いうではないか。

They do say that lying can be a means to an end.

Usage 嘘も方便 — a lie may be an expedient — is a very common proverb. From the Buddhist idea of skilful means. Read ほうべん.

Remember it 方 (method) + 便 (convenient) → the method that serves, whether or not it is strictly right.

本場ほんばの味あじを楽たのしめる店みせだ。

It is a restaurant where you can enjoy the authentic taste.

Usage 本場の〜, 本場仕込み — the genuine article, trained at the source. It stresses the authenticity of the origin. Read ほんば.

Remember it 本 (true) + 場 (place) → the place the thing actually comes from.

末端まったんの現場げんばまで方針ほうしんが届とどかない。

The policy is not reaching those at the front line.

Usage The tip or extremity; and 末端の現場, the grass roots at the bottom of an organisation. The second is the tested sense. Read まったん.

Remember it 末 (far end) + 端 (tip) → the very tip, furthest from the centre.

支援しえんの見返みかえりを求もとめない。

They ask nothing in return for their support.

Usage 見返りを求める, 見返りに — demanding, or in exchange for, something in return. The same root as 見返す but quite a different meaning. Read みかえり.

Remember it 見 (look) + 返り (back) → what comes back your way in return.

身みの程ほどをわきまえるべきだ。

He ought to know his place.

Usage 身の程をわきまえる, 身の程知らず — knowing one's station, someone who does not. A set phrase. Close to 身の丈. Read みのほど.

Remember it 身 (self) + 程 (extent) → the extent of what you actually are.

別わかれの名残なごりを惜おしんだ。

We were reluctant to part.

Usage 名残を惜しむ, being loath to part; and 昔の名残, vestiges of the past. Read なごり — an irregular reading.

Remember it 名 (name) + 残 (remaining) → what remains after the thing itself has gone.

押おし問答もんどうが続つづいた。

The wrangling went on.

Usage 押し問答, an argument in which neither side yields; and 問答無用, brooking no discussion. Both are set phrases. Read もんどう.

Remember it 問 (question) + 答 (answer) → question and answer going back and forth.

自分じぶんの役目やくめを果はたした。

I discharged my part.

Usage 役目を果たす, 役目を終える — fulfilling, or finishing, one's role. Close to 役割, but 役目 stresses the duty entrusted. Read やくめ.

Remember it 役 (role) + 目 (item) → the particular role assigned to you.

地名ちめいの由来ゆらいを調しらべた。

I looked into the origin of the place name.

Usage 〜の由来, 〜に由来する — the origin of, deriving from. It works as both noun and verb. Read ゆらい.

Remember it 由 (from) + 来 (come) → where the thing came from.

要領ようりょうを得えない説明せつめいだった。

It was an explanation that never got to the point.

Usage 要領を得ない, 要領がいい — failing to make sense, being adept. Note that 要領がいい can be praise or a sneer at someone who cuts corners. Read ようりょう.

Remember it 要 (essential) + 領 (grasp) → having hold of the essential part.

こちらに落度おちどはない。

The fault is not on our side.

Usage 落度がある, 落度はない — being at fault, or not. Also written 落ち度. Close to 手落ち. Read おちど.

Remember it 落 (drop) + 度 (measure) → the measure by which you fell short.

他人たにんの領分りょうぶんを侵おかさない。

I do not trespass on other people's territory.

Usage 領分を侵す, 〜の領分 — encroaching on someone's domain. Used of territory and of professional turf alike. Read りょうぶん.

Remember it 領 (domain) + 分 (share) → the share of ground that is yours.

二ふたつの事例じれいは類似るいじしている。

The two cases resemble each other.

Usage 〜に類似する, 類似点 — resembling, a point of similarity. INTRANSITIVE, taking に. Read るいじ.

Remember it 類 (kind) + 似 (resemble) → of a kind with it.