Japanese idioms are like little puzzles-the words look familiar, but the meaning is something else entirely. This list gathers around 120 common expressions that pop up in dramas, conversations, and even your friend’s text messages. No ancient proverbs that nobody uses, just practical idioms that add color to your everyday Japanese.
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| Expression | Reading | Meaning | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 手が込む | てがこむ | to be elaborate; to be intricately made | この料理は手が込んでいて、とても美味しいです。 | This dish is elaborately prepared and very delicious. |
| 手に負えない | てにおえない | beyond one's control; impossible to handle | その問題はもう手に負えない。 | That problem is already beyond my control. |
| 手を出す | てをだす | to get involved; to meddle; to start doing something | その問題には手を出さないほうがいい。 | You'd better not get involved in that problem. |
| 手を広げる | てをひろげる | to expand one's activities; to branch out | 私は最近、料理の勉強に手を広げました。 | I recently branched out into studying cooking. |
| 手を打つ | てをうつ | to take measures; to reach an agreement | 問題を解決するために手を打った。 | We took measures to solve the problem. |
| 手を抜く | てをぬく | cut corners; slack off | 仕事で手を抜いてはいけません。 | You must not cut corners at work. |
| 手を貸す | てをかす | lend a hand; help out | 困っている友だちに手を貸しました。 | I helped a friend who was in trouble. |
| 棚に上げる | たなにあげる | to ignore one's own faults while criticizing others | 自分のことは棚に上げて、人のことだけ言うのはよくない。 | It's not good to put your own things on the shelf and only talk about others. |
| 気が利く | きがきく | be considerate; attentive | 彼女は気が利くので、いつも助かります。 | She is considerate, so she always helps me. |
| 気が合う | きがあう | get along well; be compatible | 彼とは気が合います。 | I get along well with him. |
| 気が弱い | きがよわい | timid; weak-willed | 私は子どものころ、気が弱かったです。 | I was timid when I was a child. |
| 気が強い | きがつよい | strong-willed; assertive | 彼女は気が強い人です。 | She is a strong-willed person. |
| 気が散る | きがちる | to get distracted | テレビをつけると気が散って、勉強できません。 | When the TV is on, I get distracted and can't study. |
| 気が重い | きがおもい | feel heavy-hearted; reluctant | 明日の会議を考えると気が重い。 | I feel reluctant when I think about tomorrow's meeting. |
| 気を遣う | きをつかう | to be considerate; to mind others' feelings | 彼女はいつも周りに気を遣っている。 | She is always considerate of the people around her. |
| 油を売る | あぶらをうる | to waste time; to loaf around | あの人はいつも油を売っています。 | That person is always loafing around. |
| 温故知新 | おんこちしん | learning new things by studying the old | 温故知新の精神で歴史を学ぶ。 | We study history in the spirit of learning new things from the old. |
| 火の車 | ひのくるま | in severe financial trouble | 今月は生活費が足りなくて、家計は火の車だ。 | This month, living expenses are short, so the household budget is like a cart on fire. |
| 犬猿の仲 | けんえんのなか | bitter enemies; like cats and dogs | あの二人は犬猿の仲だ。 | Those two are bitter enemies. |
| 狐につままれる | きつねにつままれる | be baffled by something strange or uncanny | さっきの出来事は、まるで狐につままれたようだった。 | What just happened was like being baffled by something uncanny. |
| 猫に小判 | ねこにこばん | something wasted on someone who can't appreciate it | この美術書を妹にあげるのは猫に小判です。 | Giving this art book to my little sister is like pearls before swine. |
| 猫の手も借りたい | ねこのてもかりたい | be so busy that any help would be welcome | 今は猫の手も借りたいほど忙しい。 | I'm so busy right now that I'd welcome any help. |
| 猫をかぶる | ねこをかぶる | act innocent; hide one's true nature | 彼女は人前では猫をかぶっている。 | She acts innocent in front of other people. |
| 異口同音 | いくどうおん | with one voice; unanimous | 社員は異口同音に賛成した。 | The employees agreed unanimously. |
| 目がない | めがない | have no resistance to; be crazy about | 私は甘いものに目がありません。 | I'm crazy about sweets. |
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