慣用表現 III

案あんじるより産うむが易やすしだった。

It turned out easier than I had feared.

Usage Things are usually less daunting in the doing than in the anticipating. Used to reassure.

Remember it 案じる (worry) より 産む (giving birth) が易し → the birth itself proves easier than the months of worrying about it.

値下ねさげは痛いたし痒かゆしだ。

Cutting the price is a dilemma either way.

Usage A situation where both options have a drawback. Read いたしかゆし.

Remember it 痛し (it hurts) + 痒し (it itches) → scratch and it hurts, leave it and it itches.

二人ふたりは犬猿けんえんの仲なかだ。

The two of them are like cat and dog.

Usage Being at daggers drawn. Note that the Japanese pair is dog and MONKEY, not cat and dog. Read けんえん.

Remember it 犬 (dog) + 猿 (monkey) + 仲 (relations) → the dog and the monkey, who in Japan can never be in a room together.

今いま謝あやまっても後あとの祭まつりだ。

Apologising now is too late to help.

Usage Being too late to be of any use. Close to 手遅れ.

Remember it 後 (after) + 祭り (the festival) → arriving once the festival has packed up and gone home.

彼かれが加くわわれば鬼おにに金棒かなぼうだ。

With him on board we shall be unstoppable.

Usage Making something already strong stronger still. Read おににかなぼう.

Remember it 鬼 (demon) + 金棒 (iron club) → the demon, already terrible, now handed an iron club.

今いまさら頼たのむのは気きが引ひける。

I feel awkward about asking at this stage.

Usage Feeling reluctant or diffident about doing something. Distinct from 恥ずかしい, which is embarrassment at being seen.

Remember it 気 (spirit) + 引ける (draw back) → your nerve quietly withdrawing before you can speak.

苦肉くにくの策さくとして値下ねさげした。

As a last resort they cut the price.

Usage A desperate measure taken at cost to oneself. From the Chinese classic Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Read くにくのさく.

Remember it 苦肉 (wounding one's own flesh) + 策 (stratagem) → the plan that only works if you hurt yourself first.

保険ほけんは転ころばぬ先さきの杖つえだ。

Insurance is a stick to lean on before you fall.

Usage Prevention is better than cure. Used in advising foresight. Close to 備えあれば憂いなし.

Remember it 転ばぬ先 (before you trip) + 杖 (stick) → the walking stick cut before the fall, not after.

また三日みっか坊主ぼうずで終おわった。

Once again I gave it up after a few days.

Usage Someone who abandons things soon after starting. Read みっかぼうず.

Remember it 三日 (three days) + 坊主 (monk) → the novice who left the monastery on the third day.

この程度ていどの支援しえんでは焼やけ石いしに水みずだ。

Support on this scale is a drop in the bucket.

Usage A measure far too small for the problem. Read やけいしにみず.

Remember it 焼け石 (red-hot stone) + 水 (water) → a splash of water on a stone straight from the fire, gone in an instant.

藪やぶから棒ぼうに何なにを言いい出だすのか。

What are you bringing that up for, out of nowhere?

Usage Abrupt and out of the blue, with no lead-up. Read やぶからぼう.

Remember it 藪 (thicket) + 棒 (pole) → a pole shoved out at you from inside a bush.

有終ゆうしゅうの美びを飾かざって引退いんたいした。

He retired on a high note.

Usage 有終の美を飾る — rounding something off well; it always takes 飾る. Used of retirements, graduations and final terms of office. Read ゆうしゅうのび.

Remember it 有終 (having an end) + 美 (beauty) → the beauty that belongs to how a thing finishes.

腰こしを据すえて取とり組くむことにした。

I decided to settle down and get properly to grips with it.

Usage Settling in for the long haul rather than flitting about. Close to 本腰を入れる.

Remember it 腰 (hips) + 据える (set down) → dropping your hips and planting yourself in one place.

適当てきとうに茶ちゃを濁にごして逃にげた。

He fudged an answer and escaped.

Usage Giving a vague answer to evade a question. Critical in tone.

Remember it 茶 (tea) + 濁す (muddy) → stirring the water cloudy so it will pass for proper tea.

息子むすこのわがままに手てを焼やいている。

I am at my wit's end with my son's wilfulness.

Usage Having trouble managing someone or something. It always takes に.

Remember it 手 (hands) + 焼く (burn) → picking up something so hot it burns your hands.

自分じぶんのことは棚たなに上あげて人ひとを責せめる。

He blames others while ignoring his own conduct.

Usage Overlooking one's own faults while criticising the same fault in others.

Remember it 棚 (shelf) + 上げる (put up) → putting your own business up on a high shelf where you need not look at it.

道草みちくさを食くわずに帰かえりなさい。

Come straight home without dawdling.

Usage Loitering on the way and so arriving late. Read みちくさをくう.

Remember it 道草 (roadside grass) + 食う (eat) → the horse that stops to crop the verge instead of walking on.