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Japanese idioms list

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油が切れる　（あぶら　が　きれる）
To be exhausted
顎をなでる　　（あご）　
To pride oneself on something; To stroke one's own chin
味を知る
To experience something; to Have a taste of sth
雨が降ろうが、槍が降ろうが
No matter what
雨男
Person who brings rain wherever he goes
穴があったら入りたい
To be humiliated; ashamed
いい塩梅に
Fortunately
暗礁に乗り上げる　　To hit a submerged reef
To hit a snag
青筋を立てる
To become enraged; to show blue veins
足が重い
To be relectant to go
足固めをする
Make preparations for the future

国交回復のための足固めをする
Lay the groundwork for the restoration of diplomatic relations
足下にも及ばない
To be no match for someone;' to be unable to reach someone's feet㬬
頭が上がらない
To feel deep respect or indebtedness to someone
頭が低い
To be humble
頭が一杯
To be preoccupied; one's head is full
頭に来る
To get mad
頭を冷やす
CooL one's head (after being angry); Calm down
頭割り
Dutch treat (split the bill evenly)
後の祭りです
It's too late. （The opportunity is gone)
後味が悪い
To leave a bad taste in one's mouth
場違い
Inappropriate (lit. the place is wrong)
万難を排して、DO STH
DO㬬STH At all costs
勉強家
Hard worker
棒暗記
Memorizing without understanding; Rote memorization
血も涙もない
Cold-blooded
血の涙
Tears of anguish
Xに力を入れる
To take a great interest in sth
SBの提灯を持つ
To flatter sb; to hold sb's lantern
宙で読む
To recite from memory
Planは宙に浮いています
The plan is still up in the air
大事をとる
To be cautious; to play it safe
妥協案を練る
To work out a compromise
SBをだしに使う
To exploit someone; to use someone　（Broth; stock)
泥仕合
Mudslinging (Elections, etc.)
英気を養う
To nourish/renew one's spirits
SBと縁を切る
To sever a relationship
腹蔵なくお話ください
Please say whatever is on your mind (be frank)
渡りに船
Chance; opportunity　　　　その申し出は渡りに船だ。 [T]　Your offer is a life-saver.
懐が深い
To be big-hearted
懐が寂しい
To be short of money; one's pocket is lonely
我が強い
One's ego is strong　（Negative)
歯痒い
To feel impatient (one's teeth itch)
肌が合う
To get along well
高嶺の花
Beyond one's reach (A flower on a high mountain)　私にとって、Xが高嶺の花だ
鼻が高い
Be proud
話が落ちる
The talk becomes lewd
早い話が、。。。
To make a long story short, ⬦
腹がいえる
Anger subsides (one's belly gets cured)
腹が立つ
To be angry
腸がちぎれる
Heartbroken　（Lit. one's intestines are torn)
腸が腐る
Morally corrupt (rotten intestines)
危ない橋を渡る
To take risks (cross a dangerous bridge)
梯子する
To go bar-hopping
END　PG　８９
火に油を注ぐことになるだけだよ
would just be pouring oil on the fire.
油を売る
Loaf about; slack off (saw on Samurai Chanploo)
pg 89-171
旗振り
Leader (lit. Flagholder)　　彼は政治改革の旗振です
旗色を見る
To sit on the fence and see how things play out　（Lit, to observe the color of the banner)　どちらの候補者を支持するか決める前、しばらく旗色を見ましょう
屁でもない
Piece of cake; so easy　（Lit. "not even gas")
火がつく
Catch fire　（Xについて論争に火がつきました）
ひびが入る
To go sour　（Lit. crack enters)　　つまらないことが原因で、友情にひびが入ってしまいました
Xさんは左利きです
Quite the drinker.（Good with the left hand)
親の光
The influential position of a parent㬬For example in getting someone a political post
暇を割く
To find time (lit. to cut out time)　忙しかったけれど、暇を割いて彼女の話を聞いてあげました
暇を潰す
To kill time
拾い読み＋する
To skim through a book
人質
Hostage (Lit. human pawn)
人目を忍んで
In secret (lit. avoiding people's eyes)　　彼女と、人目を忍んでつき合っています　　
一山越す
to pull through something difficult (make it over the mountain)
冷や飯を食う
To be in the doghouse (to eat cold rice)
日和を見る
To see how the wind blows (to check the weather)
膝を屈する
To yield (to bend one's knees); to give in
矛を収める
To stop fighting　（To sheathe the halberd)
本腰を入れる
To get serious about something; to get down to business　（To apply one's hip fully)　大学の入試が近付いて、勉強に本腰を入れています
骨がある
To have strong convictions　（To have bones)　ｘさんは骨がある
骨抜きにする
To water something down　（To debone）
骨っぽい
To have firm convictions.彼は骨っぽい男です
氷山の一角
The tip of the iceberg　　ｘは氷山の一角に過ぎない
意を汲む
To read someone's mind　（To scoop up someone's mind)　　SBの意を汲む
一目置く
1）to take off one's hat to a person 2）to acknowledge anothers superiority 3）to give a piece or stone 　（Lit. to place one's own Go stone first)
一脈通じる
To have something in common　（Lit. to understand someone's heartbeat)
一本立ち
Self-supporting　（まだ一本立ちできませんーStill can't support myself)
命の親
Savior　（Someone who helps someone else out)
色眼鏡で見る
To have biased opinions　（Lit. to see things through tinted eyeglasses)
糸口
Clue; first step
嫌でも応でも
Like it or not ...(you must attend the meeting, etc.)
自画自賛する
To praise one's own achievement　（To praise one's own painting)
地金を出す
To reveal one's true colors (To show core metal)
十人並み
Just like ten other people; average; ordinary
壁に突き当たる
To hit a snag; to run into a wall (lit.)
兜を脱ぐ
To admit defeat；　TO throw in the towel （Lit. to take a helmet off)
顔が広い
To know many people
顔が潰れる
To lose face (lit. one's face falls to pieces)
顔を見せる　
To show one's face; to visit
顔出し
Cameo; token appearance　（Lit. sticking out of one's face)
空騒ぎ　（＋する）
To make a deal out of nothing　（Lit. an empty fuss)
片意地を張る
To be obstinate　（Lit. to stick with a one-sided will)
片腕
Right-hand man
風向きが悪い
To be in a bad mood (The wind direction is bad）SBの風向きが悪いです
けじめをつける
To distinguish; to differentiate between
彼はどんな質問をされても、相手を煙に巻くのが上手です
煙に向く　　To be avasive (lit. to wrap something in smoke)
気が差す
To feel guilty; （Lit. one's feeling fills)
気が咎める
Lit. one's feelings accuse oneself. To feel guilty
気が遠くなるよう
To feel overwhelmed (lit. to feel like fainting)
SBの気にさわる
To offend someone
Xに気を取られる
To be pre-occupied with/distracted by㬬X
気を取り直す
To pull oneself together; lit. to take one's own feelings up again
気を悪くする
To take offense
Xの機に乗じる
To take advantage of an opportunity. Lit; to ride on a chance
風の吹き回し
For some reason or other (Lit. a swirl of wind)　　どうした風の吹き回しか、突然叔母が訪ねてきた
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