Japanese idioms about other people

Each Japanese idiom below comes with what its words literally say, what it means and how other languages put the same idea. To see every language at once, open the side-by-side page for other people.

  1. 神経を逆撫でする

    shinkei o sakanade suru

    lit. ‘stroke the nerves the wrong way’

    To annoy or irritate someone.

  2. 牛耳る

    gyūjiru

    lit. ‘to ox-ear (someone), from “to hold the ox’s ear”’

    To have someone so charmed or devoted that they'll do whatever you want.

  3. 対岸の火事

    taigan no kaji

    lit. ‘a fire on the opposite bank’

    This isn't my problem, so I'm not getting involved.

  4. どこ吹く風

    doko fuku kaze

    lit. ‘a wind blowing who knows where’

    To not care about something at all.

  5. 重箱の隅を楊枝でほじくる

    jūbako no sumi o yōji de hojikuru

    lit. ‘pick at the corners of the lunch box with a toothpick’

    To argue about tiny details that don't matter.

  6. 瓜二つ

    uri futatsu

    lit. ‘two halves of a melon’

    To look or be almost exactly alike.

  7. 濡れ衣を着せる

    nureginu o kiseru

    lit. ‘to make someone wear wet clothes’

    To shift the blame onto someone else.

  8. 鼻にかける

    hana ni kakeru

    lit. ‘to hang it on your nose’

    To brag about yourself.

  9. 犬猿の仲

    ken'en no naka

    lit. ‘the relationship of dog and monkey’

    Two people who are always arguing.

  10. 馬が合う

    uma ga au

    lit. ‘the horses match’

    Two people who are very close friends.

Phrases in bold with a red marker are written up. The rest don’t have their own page yet.