Japanese quiz - idiom phrases part I
Here's a little quiz for those who are interested in Japanese.
One of the many interesting characteristics of Japanese is that there are many idiomatic expressions that use body parts to infer their meanings. For example: 口[くち]に合[あ]う（kuchi ni au） - to match one's mouth - means to suit one's taste (of food). Another example: the phrase 目[め]が高[たか]い(me ga takai) - one's eyes being high or expensive - is used to describe a person having good taste.
This time let's play matching ♥
頭[あたま](head)
1. 頭が痛[いた]い (atama ga itai) - to have a headache
a. to be smart
2. 頭に入[い]れる (atama ni ireru) - to put (sthg) in one's head
b. to be inflexible
3. 頭が固[かた]い (atama ga katai) - to have a hard head
c. to be troubled by hard problems
4. 頭が切[き]れる (atama ga kireru) - to have a head that cuts
d. to get angry
5. 頭にくる (atama ni kuru) - (something) to reach one's head
e. to learn, memorize
6. 頭をひねる (atama wo hineru) - to twist one's head
f. to rack one's brain
Poll
耳[みみ](ear)
1. 耳が痛[いた]い (mimi ga itai) - to have ears that are in pain
a. to be told something repeatedly
2. 耳にたこができる (mimi ni tako ga dekiru) - to have callus on one's ears
b. to find other people's words hard to listen to
3. 耳が早[はや]い (mimi ga hayai) - to have quick ears
c. to have keen ears
Poll
目[め](eye)
1. 目が飛[と]び出[で]る (me ga tobideru) - to have eyes jumping out
a. to be amazed
2. 目がない (me ga nai) - to have no eyes
b. to be extremely fond of (something)
3. 目が回[まわ]る (me ga mawaru) - to have one's eyes spinning
c. to be in agony; to be astonished
4. 目に入[い]れても痛[いた]くない (me ni iretemo itakunai) - not hurting even if put in one's eyes
d. to be surprised
5. 目をかける (me wo kakeru) - to put one's eyes on (something/someone)
e. to feel dizzy; to be very busy
6. 目を白[しろ]黒[くろ]させる (me wo shirokuro saseru) - to make one's eyes black-and-white
f. to ignore
7. 目をつぶる (me wo tsuburu) - to shut one's eyes
g. to love (someone) dearly
8. 目を丸[まる]くする (me wo maruku suru) - to make one's eye the shape of a circle
h. to pay attention / to look out for
Poll
顔[かお](face)
1. 顔を立[た]てる (kao wo tateru) - to erect one's face
a. to know a lot of people
2. 顔をつぶす (kao wo tsubusu) - to crash one's face
b. to injure one's pride
3. 顔が広[ひろ]い (kao ga hiroi) - to have broad, wide face
c. to protect one's honor
Poll
鼻[はな](nose)
1. 鼻を明[あ]かす (hana wo akasu) - to expose/reveal someone's nose
a. to be arrogant
2. 鼻にかける (hana ni kakeru) - to put (something) on one's nose
b. to boast
3. 鼻が高[たか]い (hana ga takai) - to have nose that's high/tall
c. to take someone by surprise
Poll
歯[は](tooth)
1. 歯が浮[う]く (ha ga uku) - to have loose teeth
a. to be unable to handle / to be no match
2. 歯を食[く]い縛[しば]る (ha wo kuishibaru) - to clench one's teeth
b. to bear / to hold one's temper
3. 歯が立[た]たない (ha ga tatanai) - to have teeth that don't stand up
c. to be tired for listening to flattery
Poll
口[くち](mouth)
1. 口が堅[かた]い (kuchi ga katai) - to have hard mouth
a. to be able to keep secret
2. 口が軽[かる]い (kuchi ga karui) - to have light mouth
b. to be unable to keep secret
3. 口がすべる (kuchi ga suberu) - to have mouth that slips
c. to butt in
4. 口が悪[わる]い (kuchi ga warui) - to have bad mouth
d. to confess
5. 口を出[だ]す (kuchi wo dasu) - to let out one's mouth
e. to have bitter/nasty manner of speaking
6. 口を尖[と]らせる (kuchi wo toraseru) - to make one's mouth pointy
f. to pout
7. 口を割[わ]る (kuchi wo waru) - to break one's mouth
g. to speak indiscreetly and cause trouble
Poll
首[くび](neck)
1. 首が回[まわ]らない (kubi ga mawaranai) - to have head that doesn't turn
a. to be fired
2. くびになる (kubi ni naru) - to be beheaded
b. to be neck-deep (in debt)
3. 首を長[なが]くする (kubi ga nagakusuru) - to make one's neck longer
c. to wait in expectation
Poll
肩[かた](shoulder)
1. 肩を並[なら]べる (kata wo naraberu) - to arrange each other's shoulders side by side
a. to be on par
2. 肩の荷[に]が下[お]りる (kata no ne ga oriru) - to have the weight on one's shoulder removed
b. to feel relieved
3. 肩を持[も]つ (kata wo motsu) - to carry one's shoulder
c. to support
Poll
Part II next week. Answers to part I tomorrow.
One of the many interesting characteristics of Japanese is that there are many idiomatic expressions that use body parts to infer their meanings. For example: 口[くち]に合[あ]う（kuchi ni au） - to match one's mouth - means to suit one's taste (of food). Another example: the phrase 目[め]が高[たか]い(me ga takai) - one's eyes being high or expensive - is used to describe a person having good taste.
This time let's play matching ♥
頭[あたま](head)
1. 頭が痛[いた]い (atama ga itai) - to have a headache
a. to be smart
2. 頭に入[い]れる (atama ni ireru) - to put (sthg) in one's head
b. to be inflexible
3. 頭が固[かた]い (atama ga katai) - to have a hard head
c. to be troubled by hard problems
4. 頭が切[き]れる (atama ga kireru) - to have a head that cuts
d. to get angry
5. 頭にくる (atama ni kuru) - (something) to reach one's head
e. to learn, memorize
6. 頭をひねる (atama wo hineru) - to twist one's head
f. to rack one's brain
Poll
耳[みみ](ear)
1. 耳が痛[いた]い (mimi ga itai) - to have ears that are in pain
a. to be told something repeatedly
2. 耳にたこができる (mimi ni tako ga dekiru) - to have callus on one's ears
b. to find other people's words hard to listen to
3. 耳が早[はや]い (mimi ga hayai) - to have quick ears
c. to have keen ears
Poll
目[め](eye)
1. 目が飛[と]び出[で]る (me ga tobideru) - to have eyes jumping out
a. to be amazed
2. 目がない (me ga nai) - to have no eyes
b. to be extremely fond of (something)
3. 目が回[まわ]る (me ga mawaru) - to have one's eyes spinning
c. to be in agony; to be astonished
4. 目に入[い]れても痛[いた]くない (me ni iretemo itakunai) - not hurting even if put in one's eyes
d. to be surprised
5. 目をかける (me wo kakeru) - to put one's eyes on (something/someone)
e. to feel dizzy; to be very busy
6. 目を白[しろ]黒[くろ]させる (me wo shirokuro saseru) - to make one's eyes black-and-white
f. to ignore
7. 目をつぶる (me wo tsuburu) - to shut one's eyes
g. to love (someone) dearly
8. 目を丸[まる]くする (me wo maruku suru) - to make one's eye the shape of a circle
h. to pay attention / to look out for
Poll
顔[かお](face)
1. 顔を立[た]てる (kao wo tateru) - to erect one's face
a. to know a lot of people
2. 顔をつぶす (kao wo tsubusu) - to crash one's face
b. to injure one's pride
3. 顔が広[ひろ]い (kao ga hiroi) - to have broad, wide face
c. to protect one's honor
Poll
鼻[はな](nose)
1. 鼻を明[あ]かす (hana wo akasu) - to expose/reveal someone's nose
a. to be arrogant
2. 鼻にかける (hana ni kakeru) - to put (something) on one's nose
b. to boast
3. 鼻が高[たか]い (hana ga takai) - to have nose that's high/tall
c. to take someone by surprise
Poll
歯[は](tooth)
1. 歯が浮[う]く (ha ga uku) - to have loose teeth
a. to be unable to handle / to be no match
2. 歯を食[く]い縛[しば]る (ha wo kuishibaru) - to clench one's teeth
b. to bear / to hold one's temper
3. 歯が立[た]たない (ha ga tatanai) - to have teeth that don't stand up
c. to be tired for listening to flattery
Poll
口[くち](mouth)
1. 口が堅[かた]い (kuchi ga katai) - to have hard mouth
a. to be able to keep secret
2. 口が軽[かる]い (kuchi ga karui) - to have light mouth
b. to be unable to keep secret
3. 口がすべる (kuchi ga suberu) - to have mouth that slips
c. to butt in
4. 口が悪[わる]い (kuchi ga warui) - to have bad mouth
d. to confess
5. 口を出[だ]す (kuchi wo dasu) - to let out one's mouth
e. to have bitter/nasty manner of speaking
6. 口を尖[と]らせる (kuchi wo toraseru) - to make one's mouth pointy
f. to pout
7. 口を割[わ]る (kuchi wo waru) - to break one's mouth
g. to speak indiscreetly and cause trouble
Poll
首[くび](neck)
1. 首が回[まわ]らない (kubi ga mawaranai) - to have head that doesn't turn
a. to be fired
2. くびになる (kubi ni naru) - to be beheaded
b. to be neck-deep (in debt)
3. 首を長[なが]くする (kubi ga nagakusuru) - to make one's neck longer
c. to wait in expectation
Poll
肩[かた](shoulder)
1. 肩を並[なら]べる (kata wo naraberu) - to arrange each other's shoulders side by side
a. to be on par
2. 肩の荷[に]が下[お]りる (kata no ne ga oriru) - to have the weight on one's shoulder removed
b. to feel relieved
3. 肩を持[も]つ (kata wo motsu) - to carry one's shoulder
c. to support
Poll
Part II next week. Answers to part I tomorrow.