Body Part Idioms
Hand Idioms Part I
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This is the first in a series of Body Part Idioms. Listen to the idiom and then study the example sentence. Two idoms using the hand |
| 手心を加える (てごころをくわえる) use one's discretion; pull one’s punches; take it easy on someone |
あいつが卒業試験に合格するなんて、先生が手心を加えたに違いない。
aitsu ga sotsugyoushiken ni goukaku suru nante, sensei ga tegokoro o kuwaeta ni chigainai.
For that bonehead to have passed his graduation exam, the teachers must have looked the other way.
あいつ aitsu—that guy (slang)
卒業試験 sotsugyou shiken—graduation test
合格 goukaku—passing (a test); success
なんて nante—such as… (exclamation)
先生 sensei—teacher
手心 tegokoro—discretion; consideration
加える kuwaeru—to append; to add; to increase
～に違いない ~ni chigainai—without doubt
| 手鍋さげても (てなべさげても) even if it means living in poverty |
手鍋さげても、あなたと結婚したい。
tenabe sagetemo, anata to kekkon shitai
Even if it means living in the humblest of cottages (with only a pot and a pan), I want to marry you.
手鍋 te nabe—a pan with a handle
さげても sagetemo—even if (we are) reduced to… [下げる]
あなたと anata to—with you
結婚 kekkon—marry
したい shitai—want to (marry)
Hand Idioms Part II
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Japanese is a language full of fun idioms. Let's explore a few Body Part Idioms using the Hand. These two idioms are perhaps the most useful 'hand' idioms in Japanese. Listen to the idiom and then study the example sentence. |
| 手がいっぱい (てがいっぱい) to have one's hands full; be up to here (with something); busy |
手がいっぱいで、今はなにもできません。
te ga ippai de, ima wa nani mo dekimasen.
My hands are full; I can’t do anything right now.
いっぱい ippai—full; lots
今 ima—now
なにも nani mo—nothing [ends with negative verb (dekimasen)]
できません dekimasen—can’t do (anything)
| 手に入れる (てにいれる) to obtain; get; come by... |
長年ほしかったアンティーク品を手に入れた。
naganen hoshikatta anti-ku hin o te ni ireta.
I got my hands on an antique that I’ve wanted for years.
長年 naganen—a long time; many years
ほしかった hoshikatta—wanted
アンティーク品 anti-ku hin—an antique object
入れた ireta—put something into something
揚げ足を取る to find fault with someone
揚げ足を取る
- ageashi o toru
- to find fault with someone
- 原田さんは人の揚げ足ばかり取るので、楽しい会話ができない。
- harada san wa hito no ageashi bakari toru node, tanoshii kaiwa ga dekinai.
- Since Harada is always making fun of the mistakes of others, it is hard to have a pleasant conversation.
- 原田さん harada san - Harada (a common Japanese family name)
- は wa - (the topic marker--sets "Harada" as the main topic of the sentence.)
- 人の hito no - people's [here it means "other people's"]
- ばかり bakari - nothing but; always (picking on others)
- ので node - that being the case; because of
- 楽しい tanoshii - fun; enjoyable
- 会話 kaiwa - conversation
- が ga - (the subject marker--sets "an enjoyable conversation" as what can't be done.)
- できない dekinai - can't; can't be done