Questions tagged [set-phrases]
決まり文句・慣用句・成句. Phrases with fixed words used as a single unit, such as idioms and set collocations. For questions about a particular idiom, please use the tag "idioms".
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How is this sentence divided? "まぁまぁと"
A！？ 君…！ 死んだとか、法事の場で 忌み言葉を発してはいけません！」
B「こわぁい……助けて…」
C「まぁまぁ君たち」
A「まぁまぁと繰り返しを連想するのも忌み言葉です！」
The dialog is a back and forth between 3 people. They are at a funeral. I used the letters to show who is ...
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What does 気が抜けなくなった mean?
I have trouble understanding 気が抜ける from this article about the recent effects of the increase of younger children being enrolled at cram schools:
今年中学に上がった娘と小学4年生の息子を持つ都内在住の40代の会社員女性の長女も、...
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Literal meaning of ただでは when used as a threat
「マルフォイ、これ以上一言でも言ってみろ。ただでは....」 (Harry Potter (book 1), Japanese translation)
Malfoy, you'd better not say another word, or else... (my TL)
(The ellipsis in the Japanese sentence is as written, I have ...
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Is 遊生夢死 a real saying?
遊生夢死 is the title of a very popular song by the artist Eve. At first when looked it up in the dictionaries I have access to (Daijisen, Daijirin), it seems to be a modification of a classical Chinese ...
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Phrases involving どうした
スネイプがそれを盗んだところで、それがどうしたというんだ。 (Japanese TL)
What did it matter if Snape stole it, really? (Original English)
I'm struggling to understand それがどうしたというんだ. What does it actually mean, and is there are ...
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Is my understanding of 太陰太極 (たいいんたいきょく) correct?
I saw the term in the song 螺鈿の骨、氷雨 (Graphic - Babuchan songs are graphic in general). The line I saw it in - 太陰大極 (たいいんたいきょく) 而二不二 (ににふに) The context - 煩悩即菩提 (ぼんのうそくぼだい) 生死即涅槃 (せいしそくねはん) 入不二 (いりふじ) ...
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Difference between 粒子物理学 and 素粒子物理学
I was trying to tell a Japanese friend that I am studying particle physics, but I didn't know the word for this branch of physics, so I looked it up online.
From what I could find, it should be 粒子物理学, ...
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What's the structure behind 雲を霞(と)
I don't understand how 雲を霞 makes any sense (especially because there's no particle at the end of 霞). Is 雲を霞と supposed to be parsed 雲を霞となる/あり or 雲を霞とする? I think をかすみとする is more likely, and it's ...
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あなたにも as a response to someone's best wishes
I recently saw an exchange between two non-native speakers where one wished the other a happy new year, and the other replied with あなたにも (literally, "and to you").
Putting aside whether the ...
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Need help understanding したところで/ところで in this context
So in this manga (月が導く異世界道中) there are these 2 sisters where the older one made some bad decisions about borrowing money from the wrong kind of people. After being rescued the younger sister says to ...
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Understanding 女の方が願い下げ
I am uncertain how to understand 女の方が願い下げ in the below panel:
I believe it means "women won't accept a man like him"? Perhaps "he has no interest in women"?
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How do I talk to someone explicitly?
明日の朝おそいおきたら、にどねないよ！
Given this phrase in this Context I’m not sure if I talk about myself or if I talk to someone else like I intend to do.
I could add あなたは at the beginning but I know this is ...
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Meaning of とすればの話だが
ピーブズよりやっかいなのは...そんなのがいるとすればの話だが...管理人のアーグスフィルチだった。
The thing that was a bigger nuisance than Peeves...if there was such a thing... was the caretaker, Argus Filch.
I'm struggling to understand what ...
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When are good situations to use the phrase "見事にやられた"?
When are good situations to use the phrase "見事にやられた" ?
In the language guide book "Shadowing," the authors use it to refer to doing very badly on an exam.
Thank you.
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なるほど why it means "I understand" and usage as an adverb
I recently came across this phrase
しばらくは呆れていましたが、なるほど考えてみると
My questions are:
What is the meaning of this なるほど?
Why なるほど means "I understand" when used in isolation?
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Function of ておく in 伝えておきます
ておく basically means to do something in advance/preparation, and 伝えておきます seems to be a common saying for "I will tell somebody", e.g.
素晴らしい披露宴だったと彼に伝えておきます。
I do not understand how does ておく ...
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How do I pronounce this 「暖」 that lacks 送り仮名?
I am learning Japanese, and one of the ways I'm doing so is playing games. I am playing "Stranger of Sword City," and I saw this exact expression, in the game:
何か[暖]{L}を取るものを探して彷徨ったあなたは、...
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Can anyone help me fill in the blanks of a kid's rhyme?
My 4 year old has been going to a Japanese preschool for a few weeks and has picked up a rhyme/chant that all the kids say before they eat. I'd love to learn it too so we can say it together at home, ...
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How to express accidentally sitting on something
その銃は、ダドリーが尻に敷いて銃身をひどく曲げてしまい、...
Dudley sat on the gun and bent the barrel badly ...
Is 尻に敷く normal Japanese for "to sit on something"? I guess it could be from the literal translation of '...
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Confusing use of imperative in a threat [duplicate]
小僧、変なことをしてみろ。ちょっとでもだ、そしたらクリスマスまでずっと物置に閉じ込めてやる。
Boy! Do something weird, no matter how small and I'll lock you in your cupboard until Christmas.
Firstly, is してみろ actually imperative here? I don't see ...
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Meaning of 喉まで出かかる
マクゴナガル先生は口を開きかけたが、思いなおして、喉まで出かかった言葉をのみ込んだ。
Professor McGonagall began to open her mouth, but reconsidered and swallowed her words.
My translation does not include 喉まで出かかった. Is this a set phrase? ...
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Other uses for の?
In this sentence
そうして将校の部屋に行くべく木に登るものの、
窓まで伸びていた木の枝は切られてしまっている
The "の" is followed by a "," So my first guess of it being the feminine version of "よ" doesn't seem correct....
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Nuances between 悪知恵が働く and ずる賢い and clarifications for 悪知恵が働く
From I know, [悪知恵が働く] means "cunning" and [ずる賢い] also means "cunning". Is there any nuances when I use [悪知恵が働く] or [ずる賢い]?
Also for [悪知恵が働く], the kanji 悪知恵 already means "...
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Meaning of 鼻を鳴らす?
I am reading 煙草と悪魔 by Akutagawa, and came across a phrase which has me stumped. The sentence reads as follows:
伊留満は、これを聞くと、小さな眼を輝かせて、二三度、満足さうに、鼻を鳴らした。"
My current understanding of this sentence ...
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What does てもらえたら嬉しいmean?
僕の漫画がたくさんの人に楽しんで読んでもらえたら嬉しいです。
I know 楽しんで読む means “to read with pleasure”, but I’m not sure about もらえたら嬉しいです. I’ve interpreted it as a grammar constitution that means “I’ll be glad/happy if you ...
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Why can't に対して be used in this sentence?
I'm currently using the 新完全マスター N2 Grammar book. One of the questions required completing the following sentence:
今回の選挙では、環境税 () 候補者たちの意見が対立している。
Two of the options were に対して and をめぐって, and をめぐって ...
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What does 白と茶色を基調とする mean in this sentence?
白と茶色を基調とした真新しい洋風の外壁。
I saw that ～を～とする means "as" and that 基調 means "to be the main color in something like a picture" (2nd definition), but I can't link everything in this ...
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Understanding 軍服に着られた
威嚇のつもりかアサルトライフルを抱えた兵を二人も従えて、いかにも軍服に着られた貧相な士官が顎をしゃくる。どうでもいいが、後ろの兵のライフルは安全装置がかかったままで、しかも初弾が装塡されていない。それぞれの立ち位置も近すぎるから、やろうと思えば撃たせる前に全員制圧できる。意味がないのでやらないが。
86─エイティシックス─
安里アサト
Why is the bold part passive ...
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Understanding その上で、だ
続いて、ライデンが名乗った。
「戦隊副長、ライデン・シュガだ。……まず最初に謝っとく。あんたが毎晩繫いでくるのを、俺達は聖女気取りの偽善者のブタが、自分のブタ加減に気づきもしねぇでおめでたいって笑ってた。それについては詫びる。悪かった。その上で、だ」
黒鉄色の双眸が冷然と細まる。
「セオが言ったとおり、俺達はあんたを対等とも仲間とも思わない。あんたは俺達を踏みつけた上で、...
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How do I parse the phrase 手も汚さず正しくあろうとするなんて?
I'm having trouble understanding the vocabulary and grammar of this phrase. It's from Attack on Titan S4E26 (minute 10:50 on Hulu, E85 minute 10:30 on Crunchyroll) though it's probably not a spoiler.
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良さそう usage in this context:【誰かが手伝ってくれたら、せめて「ありがとう」ぐらいは言ったって良さそうなものだったのに。】
誰かが手伝ってくれたら、せめて「ありがとう」ぐらいは言ったって良さそうなものだったのに。
You might at least have said, "Thank you", when someone helped you.
Source: https://jisho.org/sentences/51866b92d5dda7e98100cf56
In this ...
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"It can't be helped": しようがない , し方ない , しかない
「しょうがない」/「しようがない」
「しかない」
「仕方がない」
What are the subtle differences in usage of the above three ways for saying "there's no way" or "it cant be helped"?
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諺/熟語 for "paint oneself into a corner"
I am trying to find an idiom that describes someone setting hurdles for themself or putting themself in a more difficult position every step of the way, eventually trapping oneself or forcing one's ...
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「いただきます」 to accept to a food offer?
In this JLPT N3 audio practice question (#3), the correct reply to the statement is 3.
コーヒー、もう一杯いかがですか。
けっこうだと思います。
おかげさまで。
いただきます。
If the question translates as "How about another cup of ...
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おそれがある vs おそれあり [duplicate]
I recently found an example of おそれあり in a fictional headline
「ネットワークしはい計画が本格的にはじまったおそれあり」だって
Presumably this is "It says 'It may be that their plan for network domination has begun to go all ...
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Breakdown of 運をつく [closed]
The title of the chapter in my book is:
まる子 うんをつく
I know that this has something to do with Maruko being lucky but I don't understand precisely what is meant. Does Maruko have the inherent property ...
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(推量形+) というものだ: nuance and function? [duplicate]
圧倒的だなんて言葉では表現しきれない、絶望的な戦力差である。
しかもそれらが皆、親でも殺されたかのような調子で士道に憎々しげな視線を送ってきているのだ。どれだけ肝が据わった人間でも汗くらい滲ませようというものである。
だが、改変後の折紙の意識が『士道への思い三〇パーセント:節度七〇パーセント』だったところに、『士道への思い一二〇パーセント』が足されたなら、...
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Grammar of 仕方ないな
Shouldn't it be 仕方がないな? And what is the function of な?
The context is:
A: 出かけようとした時に、電話があったんです。
B: そうか。それじゃ、まあ、仕方ないな。
よろしくお願いします。
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To what extent is 御目出度う御座います used? Is it considered bad form?
Relatively recently - probably in the last few months or something - I've noticed the much more Kanjified version of おめでとうございます - 御目出度う御座います. Personally I think this looks cooler than the strictly ...
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Question regarding 上がったり
Why does 上がったり mean doomed business etc. even if in 上がったり下がったり it means going up/improving (as does 上がる)?
Is it shortened from a longer phrase or something?
Thanks
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は versus が in this sentence
In the Genki 1 textbook, the question prompt
本を読んでいる人は誰ですか？
appears alongside an illustration with a bunch of people doing different activities. The textbook user is then supposed to pick out a ...
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What would be the function of the ときたものだ?
神無月とやらは大仰に礼をすると、興奮した調子で続けてきた。
「突然ですがお嬢さん！あなた、モデルになってみる気はありませんか！？」
「え……っ？」
急に発された言葉に、七罪は目を見開いた。
「も、モデル……って、あの、雑誌なんかに載ってる……？」
「はいッ！そのモデルです！」
神無月が力強くうなずいてくる。が、それに反して七罪は冷ややかに息を吐いた。
なんと、モデルときたものだ。...
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What would be the function of the というものだ in this context?
一体、士道や琴里にどんな狙いがあるかわからなかったが、それが七罪にとって不利益になるものであろうことは想像に難くなかった。きっと何らかの方法で七罪に復讐するつもりに決まっているのだ。それこそ、肥え太らせてから食べてしまうつもりかもしれない。それならば、七罪にこんなに美味しいご飯を与える意味もわかるというものだ。
Hi. What would be the function of the ...
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Meaning of "であること" in "親子であることのむずかしさについて (...)"
There is a book called 街場の親子論 by 内田樹, and I'm trying to read its preface on the author's blog. There is the following sentence:
ここでは「まえがき」として、もう少し一般的なこと、親子であることのむずかしさについて思うところを書いてみたいと思います。
I ...
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Is というのだ similar to "in addition"? Or it is "they said"?
まだ十香の件にさえ納得がいっていない様子の折紙である。そんなところにもう一人精霊が現れたというのである。それは不審に思うだろう。だが、かといって＜ラタトスク＞のことを説明するわけにもいかない。
『ーー君の説明だけでは、信憑性が足りなっかたのだよ。何しろ自己蘇生能力に……精霊の力を吸収する能力というんだ。にわかには信じられん』
ただでさえ、女子の手作りクッキーをいただくなんてのは、...
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Meaning and origin of もありか?
精霊の身体は人間より遥かに強靭だからな。毒でも呑ませてみようか。ああ、それならば麻薬を打ってみるのもありか……
The speaker was offering some ways to torment a 精霊.
Hi. Does the もありか mean “OK”? But I can only find the word 在り処(ありか), which means “...
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What does 形になります mean here?
『その隙を、ステージ部門二位につけた来禅が衝いたというわけですね。特に模擬店部門のメイドカフェの得票数が凄まじい！審査の際に物議を醸したという話ですが、実行委員の熱心なプッシュが功を奏した形になりますね！』
The host was announcing that the champion school at a school festival was 来禅高校, whose maid cafe ...
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Is the following sentence a set phrase?
本日はお忙しいところ、ありがとうございます
A book I'm learning from translates this sentence as
'thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule today'
Is the first part a set phrase or is it just an elaborate ...
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「目が高い」meaning and is it actually used in conversation?
Is 「目が高い」 a set phrase that a native speaker would ever use in daily conversation? (I memorized that phrase from a book long ago). If this phrase is not used, then I don't care. I will basically ...
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