愛嬌 (あいきょう, aikyou) is a standard Japanese word that means “charm/loveliness”. When the polite prefix “ご” is attached before 愛嬌, it has a different meaning: “a charming mistake/flaw”, i.e. “a forgivable and insignificant mistake/flaw”.Read More
Japanese Hubble Expression 手前味噌 (temae miso) – Meaning
手前味噌 (てまえみそ, temaemiso) is a highly advanced Japanese word that is used to humble oneself while boasting about something. It is usually used as “手前味噌だけど” or more politely “手前味噌{ですが/になりますが}”, meaning “It may sound a little boastful, but …”.Read More
骨の折れる (hone no oreru) Meaning ‘Tiring’ in Japanese Idiom
骨の折れる (ほねのおれる, hone no oreru) is a common idiomatic expression that means “very tiring/tough”. Its literal meaning is “bone breaks”, as in “骨の折れる音 (bone-breaking sound)”. However, it can be also used as an idiom to describe something tiring or tough, in which case it modifies a noun like an adjective.Read More
爆弾発言 (bakudan hatsugen) Meaning ‘Bomb Remark’ in Japanese
爆弾発言 (ばくだんはつげん, bakudan hatsugen) is a Japanese idiom that literally means “bomb remark”. It figuratively indicates a very shocking and/or blunt remark that astonishes a number of peopleRead More