The meaning of four character idiomatic compounds (Yojijukugo)
| 一網打尽 (i-chi-mo-da-jin) |
a sweeping roundup a wholesale arrest |
| 起死回生 (ki-shi-ka-i-se-i) |
resuscitation |
| 才色兼備 (sa-i-sho-ku-ken-bi) |
to have both beauty and brains |
| 上位下達 (jo-i-ka-ta-tsu) |
to pass the word down cf. Top down |
| 森羅万象 (shin-ra-ban-sho) |
everything under the sun |
| 他力本願 (ta-ri-ki-hon-gan) |
to rely on others |
| 針小棒大 (shin-sho-bou-da-i) |
to make a mountain out of a molehill |
| 大器晩成 (ta-i-ki-ban-se-i) |
Great talents mature late. |
| 神出鬼没 (shin-shu-tsu-ki-bo-tsu) |
elusive |
| 付和雷同 (fu-wa-ra-i-do) |
to go with the crowd |
| 唯我独尊 (yu-i-ga-do-ku-son) |
to be conceited |
| 本末転倒 (hon-ma-tsu-ten-to) |
to put the cart before the horse |
| 竜頭蛇尾 (ryu-to-da-bi) |
to peter out |
| 不言実行 (hu-gen-jik-ko) |
Actions speak louder than words |
| 馬耳東風 (ba-ji-to-fu) |
to go in one ear and out the other |
| 諸行無常 (sho-gyo-mu-jyo) |
Nothing is certain but change. Everything is transient. The world moves on. |
| 大所高所 (ta-i-sho-ko-sho) |
from a broad perspective |
| 二律背反 (ni-ri-tsu-ha-i-han) |
antinomy opposing concepts opposing ideas |
| 適材適所 (te-ki-za-i-te-ki-sho) |
the right person for the right job [in the right place] |
| 一蓮托生 (i-chi-ren-ta-ku-sho) |
to be in the same boat |
| 一挙両得 (ik-kyo-ryo-to-ku) |
to kill two birds with one stone |
| 隔靴掻痒 (kak-ka-so-yo) |
not quite to the point |
| 因果応報 (in-ga-o-ho) |
karma to get what one deserves |
| 玉石混淆 (gyo-ku-se-ki-kon-ko) |
the good mixed in with the bad |
| 試行錯誤 (shi-ko-sa-ku-go) |
trial and error |
| 画竜点睛 (ga-ryo-ten-se-i) |
the finishing touches that set off the whole work to advantage |
| 自縄自縛 (ji-jyo-ji-ba-ku) |
to put one’s foot in one’s mouth to be caught in one’s own trap |
| 極楽往生 (go-ku-ra-ku-o-jyo) |
to die peacefully |
| 色即是空 (shi-ki-so-ku-ze-ku) |
All is vanity. |
