Everyday, I explain a Japanese word or expression that I find interesting and worth sharing. See the top page for the Word of Today. For some words, the links to the relevant blog posts are provided, which give you more detailed explanations (e.g. Usage, Origin, Related Words)
Table of Contents
置(お)きに行(い)く
Other Info: This is a metaphor from baseball. It originally means “to pitch a slow ball so that you can surely get a strike (as if one puts an egg on the strike zone)”
Related post: 12 Japanese Idioms and Metaphors about Baseball (Yakyū)
あの会社(かいしゃ)は最近(さいきん)似(に)たスマホばかり作って置きに行っていると批判(ひはん)されている
That company has been recently criticised for “pitching a slow ball” by only making similar smartphones
親(おや)知(し)らず
[2 August 2021]
Literal Meaning “parents-not-knowing (tooth)”
Meaning “wisdom tooth”
保険(ほけん)を掛(か)ける
[1 August 2021]
Literal meaning “to insure”
Meaning “(before you do something) to make an excuse or say something negative about yourself to lower expectations from others”
「今日調子あまり良くないかも」と言って保険を掛けた。
I made an excuse in advance, saying “Today my condition may not be very good”.
西(にし)向(む)く士(さむらい)
Meaning: A handy Japanese phrase to remember which months have less than 31 days (Feb, Apr, Jun, Sep, Nov).
Other info: Samurai is more commonly written as 侍 in kanji.
鼻(はな)の下(した)が伸(の)びる
[30 July 2021]
Literal Meaning “the area blow a nose gets longer”
Meaning “make a goofy face when one is sexually (and obviously) attracted to someone”
ビキニモデルを見て彼の鼻の下が伸びたのが分かった
I noticed his area-below-nose got longer when he saw the bikini models.
〜と言(い)っても過言(かごん)ではない
[29 July 2021]
Meaning “It is no exaggeration to say ~”
あの先生に出会って私の人生が変わったと言っても過言ではない。
It is no exaggeration to say that my life has changed since I met that teacher.
萎（な）える (casual)
[28 July 2021]
“lose one’s motivation/enthusiasm, be turned off/downhearted”
ポケットにティッシュを入れたままズボンを洗濯(せんたく)してしまい、萎えた
I ended up washing my trousers with tissues in the pocket and I felt downhearted.
大金星 (だいきんぼし)
Other Info: It is often used as 大金星を挙(あ)げる (achieve an upsetting victory)卓球混合ダブルスで日本が中国を破り、大金星を挙げた
Japan defeated China in table tennis mixed doubles and achieved an upsetting victory
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うろ覚(おぼ)え
[26 July 2021]
Meaning “remember only vaguely”
Other Info: Often used as うろ覚え{だけど/ですけど} (although I remember this only vaguely) to warn someone that they shouldn’t take your word 100%. Some people memorise this word as “うる覚え”, but that is not correct. Ironically, those people only remember this phrase only vaguely in the first place.
うろ覚えだけど、確か彼の名前は太郎だったと思う
Although not quite certain, I reckon his name is Taro
噴飯物 (ふんぱんもの)
[25 July 2021]
Literal Meaning “spew-food thing”
Meaning “something so ludicrous/absurd that if you hear it while eating, you would spew out food in your mouth”
Other info: It is often used in writing ironically to describes someone’s non-sense statement, or baseless statement/theory like pseudoscience
「全ては計画通り進んでいる」という彼の発言は噴飯物だ
His remark “Everything is going as planned” is ludicrous
〜に味(あじ)を占(し)める
Other info: It usually contains a negative connotation. It is an analogy to how you keep having the same food or visiting the same restaurant after you’ve experienced its unforgettable taste.彼（かれ）は株（かぶ）で儲（もう）かったのに味（あじ）を占（し）めて、今度（こんど）はビットコイン投資（とうし）を始（はじ）めた
He had an unforgettable great experience of making a profit from stocks, and now he started investing in Bitcoin.
企業秘密 (きぎょうひみつ)
[23 July 2021]
Literal Meaning “corporate secret”
Meaning “Secret”
Other info: It is often used to say humorously/exaggeratedly that you won’t share certain valuable information with others
How did you cook this curry?
えー企業秘密。笑
Um, that’s secret. lol
まぐれ (magure)
[22 July 2021]
Meaning “by sheer luck”
Other info: It often suggests that someone’s success is not owing to their skills
適当(てきとう)にサッカーボールを蹴(け)ったら、まぐれでゴールに入(はい)った
I kicked the football anyway/carelessly and it went to the goal by sheer luck.
怖(こわ)いもの見(み)たさ
[21 July 2021]
Meaning: “urge to see something scary/appalling”
5年前に買ったヨーグルトを見つけたので、怖いもの見たさで開けたらめっちゃ臭かった
I found yoghurt that I bought 5 years ago, so I opened it due to the urge to see something scary and it was so smelly
黒歴史 (くろれきし), slang
[20 July 2021]
Literal Meaning “black history”
Meaning Your “dark history” (embarrassing memories) that you want to forget/hide from others
高校生の時、かなり太(ふと)っていたのは私の黒歴史だ
It is my “dark history” that I was very fat when I was a high school student
半信半疑(はんしんはんぎ)
[19 July 2021]
Meaning “half-believing, half-doubting”
雰囲気(ふいんき)イケメン, slang
[18 July 2021]
Meaning: “(men) look handsome at first glance, but are really not.
Other Info: This term is not necessarily negative; see the blog post for more details
Blog Post: https://takashionary.com/fuinki-ikemen
かっこいい髪型にして、雰囲気イケメンになろうとする大学生は多い
A lot of college male students try to have a “handsome vibe” by having cool hairstyles.
あるある
[17 July 2021]
Meaning “common/typical things that many people have seen or relate to”
Other info: it is often combined with a noun; see the example below
地味な女の子が眼鏡を外したら美人になるのは、アニメあるあるだ。
It is very common in Japanese anime that a low-key girl turns out to be beautiful after she takes her glasses off.
なんだかんだ
[16 July 2021]
Meaning “although there are some issues; at the end of the day”
Other info: It is short for “なんだかんだ言(い)っても”, meaning “although one says this and that”.
私と兄とはよく喧嘩(けんか)をするが、なんだかんだ仲良(なかよ)しである
Although my older brother and I often have a fight, at the end of the day we are very close.
豆腐 (とうふ) メンタル
[15 July 2021]
Literal Meaning “tofu mental”
Meaning “mentally weak; easily hurt and fragile (like tofu)”
豆腐メンタルだから、ネットで批判(ひはん)されるのが怖(こわ)い
Since I am mentally weak, I feel scared of being criticised on the internet.
ハングリー精神 (せいしん)
[14 July 2021]
Literal Meaning “hungry spirit”
Meaning “the mindset to stay hungry/motivated/ambitious”
彼はお金持ちになって、かつてのハングリー精神を失(うしな)ったように見える
Since he became rich, he seems to have lost his “hungry spirit” that he used to have
まんまと
[13 July 2021]
Meaning “naively” (fall for a trick); “hook, line and sinker”
嘘(うそ)の言(い)い訳(わけ)をしたら、彼(かれ)は まんまと それを信(しんじ)じた
I made a fake excuse and he fell for it hook, line, and sinker.
腹黒い (はらぐろい)
[12 July 2021]
Literally “black belly”
Figuratively “(look fine/polite on the outside but) be evil on the inside”
彼女は腹黒いから、心(こころ)の中(なか)で何を考(かんが)えているか分(わ)からない
Because she is evil on the inside, we never know what she’s thinking in her heart
太っ腹 (ふとっぱら)
[11 July 2021]
Literal Meaning “fat belly”
Meaning “very generous”
夜(よる)ご飯(はん)奢(おご)ってくれるの？太っ腹だね
You’ll buy me dinner? You’re so generous!
バチが当(あ)たる
[10 July 2021]
Something bad happens to someone as a consequence of their ill-behaviour in the past; bad karma
Other Info: The concept of バチが当たる may sound like religious (Buddhist) belief, but is widely believed in Japan and the phrase is often used casually in Japanese.
不倫していた友達が会社をクビになったらしい。バチが当たったんだろう
I’ve heard that my friend who has been cheating on his wife got fired from his company. That’d be because of his bad karma
口(くち)が裂(さ)けても言(い)えない
[9 July 2021]
Literally “I can’t say even if my mouth gets ripped”
Figuratively “I will never say/tell something (usually negative)”
今日遅刻した理由が寝坊だなんて口が裂けても言えない I will never say that the reason I came late today is I overslept
ありがた迷惑 (arigata meiwaku)
[8 July 2021]
Meaning “unpleasant favour”
Other Info: ありがたい (“precious, helpful”) + 迷惑 (“nuisance”)
Blog Post
母親がよく大量のお菓子を送ってくるけれど、あんまり好みのお菓子じゃないし、ありがた迷惑だなー。
My mom often sends me lots of snacks, but that is an unwelcome favour because they are not my favourite.
よりによって (yori ni yotte)
[7 July 2021]
Meaning: A phrase to express your annoyance when the worst of all possibilities occurs
よりによって、なんで結婚式(けっこんしき)の日に台風(たいふう)が直撃(ちょくげき)するんだ
Why a typhoon is hitting us on our wedding day, of all days.
美人局 (つつもたせ, tsutsumotase)
[6 July 2021]
Meaning: A honeytrap where an attractive woman seduces a male victim into getting lucky, and later her partner in crime shows up and blackmails him for money
Other Info: One of the most difficult-to-read Japanese words
美人局には気を付けよう
Beware of honeytrap
喉から手が出るほど (nodo kara te ga deru hodo)
[5 July 2021]
Literal Meaning: “as if a hand comes out of one’s throat”
Meaning: desperately want (or want to do) something
このコートが喉から手が出るほど欲しい
I desperately want this coat.
ところがどっこい (tokoro ga dokkoi)
[4 July 2021]
Meaning: A exaggerated word for ところが (“but”).
Other Info: It is often used humorously in writing before telling a story that is surprising and contrasts with common sense
この映画、作り話だと思うでしょ？ところがどっこい、実話なんです
You think this movie is fiction, right? BUT it’s non-fiction
一ミリも…ない (ichimiri mo … nai)
[3 July 2021]
Literal meaning “not … even 1mm”
Meaning “not … at all”
彼女の日本語が一ミリも分からなかった
I couldn’t understand her Japanese at all.
社会の窓 (shakai no mado)
[2 July 2021]
Literal meaning “a window of the society”
Meaning “a trouser fly”
社会の窓が開(あ)いてますよ
Your trouser fly is open
Blog Post: https://takashionary.com/shakai-no-mado
目と鼻の先 (me to hana no saki)
[1 July 2021]
Literal Meaning “An eye and nasal tip”
Meaning: “a very short distance”, “a stone throw”
Other info: It alludes to the distance between an eye and nasal tip
このホテルの目と鼻の先に駅がある
The station is just a stone throw from this hotel
遅刻魔 (chikoku ma)
[30 June 2021]
Meaning: A person who always comes late
Other info: 遅刻 means “to come late”
彼は遅刻魔だから、明日のテストに遅刻しても驚かない
Because he always comes late, I won’t be surprised if he is late for the exam tomorrow.
遠慮の塊 (enryo no katamari)
[29 June 2021]
(Kansai dialect slang)
Literal Meaning: “Lump of 遠慮 (= the act of holding back doing something out of consideration for others)”
Meaning: “a last piece of food on a plate shared by multiple people because of 遠慮”
この遠慮の塊、誰も食べへんのやったら俺がもらうで？
If nobody eats this last bit on a plate, I’ll take it, OK?
URL: https://takashionary.com/enryo-no-katamari
お誕生日席(たんじょうびせき)
[28 June 2021]
Literal Meaning: “Birthday Seat”
Meaning: “a seat at the shorter side of a table”
Other Info: The allusion is that a child often sits in that place at his/her birthday party so that other people can see him/her from their seats. This term is often used to please someone who ends up sitting at the seat in a restaurant that is made impromptu by bringing a chair from another table.
満身創痍 (manshin soui)
[27 June 2021]
Meaning: “be injured from head to toe (with a bit of exaggeration)”, or figuratively “be worn out”
最近、足を怪我して腰も痛く、満身創痍だ
Recently, I injured my leg and also feel a pain in my back. I’m injured from head to toe.
ダメ元(もと) (damemoto)
[26 June 2021]
Do something with very little hope of success; do something anyway although you think it’s gonna be ダメ(unsuccessful)
財布(さいふ)を落としたからダメ元で交番(こうばん)に行ったら、幸運(こううん)にも誰(だれ)かが届(とど)けてくれていた
I dropped my wallet, so I went to kōban (police box) with little hope of success, and luckily someone returned it there.
自虐風自慢 (じぎゃくふうじまん, jigyaku huu jiman)
[25 June 2021]
Humble brag (“self-deprecating” statement whose actual purpose is to brag about oneself)
A: 日本語全然出来ないから、日本のアニメ見ても8割しか理解出来ないよ〜
A: Because I suck at Japanese, when I watch Japanese anime I can understand only 80% of it
B: おい、自虐風自慢するのやめろ
B: Hey, stop humble bragging
幽霊部員 (ゆうれいぶいん, yuurei buin)
[24 June 2021]
Literal Meaning “a ghost member at a (school) club”
Figurative Meaning “people who belong to a (school) club but never participate in its activities”.
この部活には３０人以上所属しているけど、ほとんどが幽霊部員だから実際は１０人くらいしか活動に参加しない。
Although more than 30 people belong to this school club, most of them are “ghost members” and only about 10 of them join the activities in reality.
目(め)を皿(さら)のようにして (me wo sara no youni shite)
[23 June 2021]
Literal Meaning “Make one’s eyes look like a plate (i.e. open one’s eyes wide)”
Figurative Meaning “very carefully/scrupulously”.
無(な)くしたコンタクトレンズを目を皿のようにして探(さが)した
I searched for my lost contact lenses scrupulously.
血眼（ちまなこ）になって (chimanako ni natte)
[22 June 2021]
Literally means “with bloodshot eyes” and figuratively “(look for something) desperately/frantically”.
迷子(まいご)になった猫(ねこ)を血眼になって探(さが)している
I’m frantically looking for my lost cat (with my eyes being bloodshot)
山々 (やまやま, yamayama)
[21 June 2021]
Meaning: It’s used when you wish to do something but you can’t. It’s also used when you decline an invitation politely.
行(い)きたいのは山々ですが、その日はもう予定(よてい)があって…
I really wish to go, but I have a plan on the day already…