Sunday, April 19, 2009

Bookworm: Idioms for idiots (like me)

Here are a couple more basic idiomatic expressions that I've been studying lately. Going through my textbook, there are a number of them that are ones that you can use everyday. These are some of the more basic ones.

Good stuff! Please add any comments that you have! Feedback = good!

腰を抜かす: 大変驚く
To be very surprised 
去年の夏に田んぼでヘビを見て、腰を抜かした。
Last summer I was totally freaked out when I saw a snake in the rice field.

目をつぶる: 欠点、誤りを見逃すこと;見ないふりをする
To overlook something (on purpose)
毎日の電車通勤は大変だけど、最寄駅が始発で座れるから目をつぶる。
My commute to work is long, but I overlook that since my station is at the start of the line and I can get a seat.

目に余る: ひど過ぎて、見逃せない
To be unable to overlook something

あの子の今度のいたずらは目に余る。厳しく叱らなければ。。。
I'm not going to be able to overlook the next time that kid fools around. I'll have to get tough with him.

後の祭り: 手遅れ;遅すぎ
Too late; hindsight is 20-20
もう試験に落ちたよ。今更勉強なんか後の祭りだ。
You already failed the test. Why are you studying now, it's too late.

案の定 (あんのじょう): 予想通り; 思った通り
Just as I expected/thought

案の定、ショーンさんは俺に金をねだった。
Just as I expected, Sean hit me up for some cash.

鍵を握る: 解決の必要なものを持っている
To be necessary to accomplish something; to hold the key to something
イチロウは日本野球チームの勝利の鍵を握ってる。
Ichiro holds the key to the Japan baseball team winning.

肩を持つ: 味方する
To back someone

なんで嘘つきとして知られている人の肩を持つのか理解できない。
I can't understand why you back a known liar.


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

my feedback:
skip the offensive pics!
actually the poor google images thing has been done to death...

jljzen88 said...

Dangit! I just wanted to get a little color on the site. Color meaning actual color and not in the metaphoric sense.

Any suggestions in that area?