Japanese Yojijukugo – English Translation & Meaning

Voice sample: AI

右顧左眄

うこさべん (uko saben)

Looking around hesitantly; being overly cautious

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Basic Example

右顧左眄してばかりで前に進めない。

Constantly looking around indecisively keeps you from moving forward.

Applied Example

「右顧左眄してる暇はない。前だけ見ろ。」

There’s no time to look right and left — keep your eyes forward.

Voice sample: AI

一刀両断

いっとうりょうだん (ittou ryou dan)

Decisive action; cutting through with a single stroke

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Basic Example

彼は一刀両断にその案を否定した。

He rejected the idea outright.

Applied Example

複雑な議論を一刀両断、迷いを断ち切るその姿に場が静まり返った。

With a single decisive cut, he ended the tangled debate, and the room fell silent.

Voice sample: AI

適材適所

てきざいてきしょ (tekizai tekisho)

The right person in the right place

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Basic Example

適材適所の人事でプロジェクトがうまく回り始めた。

Assigning the right person to the right position made the project run smoothly.

Applied Example

適材適所の采配で試合を制した。

They won the match through putting the right people in the right positions.

Voice sample: AI

豪放磊落

ごうほうらいらく (gouhou rairaku)

Being broad-minded and magnanimous

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Basic Example

彼は豪放磊落な性格で、誰とでもすぐに打ち解ける。

He has a generous and open-hearted personality, making friends with anyone quickly.

Applied Example

豪放磊落な性格が周囲を明るくした。

His magnanimous and carefree nature brightened those around him.

Voice sample: AI

風林火山

ふうりんかざん (fuurin kazan)

Swift as wind, silent as forest, fierce as fire, immovable as mountain

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Basic Example

風林火山の旗を掲げた武将の戦い方に憧れる。

I admire the tactics of the general who fought under the “Wind, Forest, Fire, Mountain” banner.

Applied Example

「動くこと風の如く、侵略すること火の如し」風林火山の旗が揺れた。

Swift as the wind, fierce as fire — the banner of “Wind, Forest, Fire, Mountain” fluttered.

Voice sample: AI

自縄自縛

じじょうじばく (jijou jibaku)

Being caught in one’s own trap; self-imposed bind

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Basic Example

細かすぎるルールで自縄自縛になっている。

We’re trapped by our own overly strict rules.

Applied Example

自分の発言に縛られ、自縄自縛に陥った。

He was bound by his own words, caught in a trap of his own making.

Voice sample: AI

自己中心

じこちゅうしん (jiko chuushin)

Self-centeredness; egocentrism

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Voice sample: AI

言行一致

げんこういっち (genkou itchi)

Consistency between words and actions

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Voice sample: AI

公私混同

こうしこんどう (koushi kondou)

Confusing public and private matters

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Basic Example

公私混同は職場の信頼を失う原因になる。

Confusing public and private matters can cause you to lose trust at work.

Applied Example

公私混同した行動が批判を浴びた。

He faced criticism for mixing personal matters with official duties.

Voice sample: AI

危急存亡

ききゅうそんぼう (kikyuu sonbou)

A crisis involving survival; life-or-death crisis

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Basic Example

このプロジェクトは会社の危急存亡に関わっている。

This project is critical to the company’s survival.

Applied Example

危急存亡の試合で、彼らは必死に守り抜いた。

In a match critical to survival, they defended desperately.