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Yojijukugo

Japanese meaning of 馬耳東風

Reading:

ばじとうふう (baji toufuu)

English Translation:

Fall on deaf ears

Meaning & Cultural Context

Meaning:

When advice, warnings, or appeals are ignored, having no effect on the listener, similar to speaking to someone who doesn't care or pay attention.
日本語で読む
他人からの忠告や助言を全く聞き入れず、無視すること。努力しても意味が伝わらず、むなしく終わる例えです。

Cultural Context:

Comes from a Chinese poem likening ignored words to the east wind blowing past a horse’s ear. In Japanese, used to describe indifference to others’ opinions.
日本語で読む
中国の詩文に由来し、馬の耳を東風が通り過ぎるように言葉を聞き流すことの比喩。日本語では他人の意見への無関心を表す。

Grammar & Learning Points

Grammar Point

• Noun phrase used with “のように” to compare ignoring advice to a horse and the east wind.
日本語で読む
• 忠告を聞き流す様子を「〜のように」として比喩的に使う。

Trap for English Speakers

Can be misunderstood if the horse/east wind imagery is taken literally without the idiomatic meaning.
日本語で読む
馬と東風の情景をそのまま受け取り、比喩的な無関心の意味を理解しないことがある。

Example

Example 1Basic Example

  1. 彼の忠告は彼女にとって馬耳東風だった。

    His advice was like the east wind to a horse’s ear to her.

Example 2Applied Example

  1. 必死の説得も彼には馬耳東風だった。

    All the desperate persuasion was like the east wind in a horse’s ear to him.

Quick check

Meaning

What does 「馬耳東風」 mean?

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