Yojijukugo
Japanese meaning of 海千山千
Reading:
Voice sample:
うみせんやません (umi sen yama sen)
English Translation:
Worldly-wise and cunning
Meaning & Cultural Context
Meaning:
Worldly-wise and cunning; a wily old hand.
日本語で読む
世の裏表に通じた、老獪で手練れの人物。
Cultural Context:
Colloquial, slightly pejorative; used in business/politics to warn about crafty veterans (often contrasted with a greenhorn).
日本語で読む
口語的かつやや否定的。ビジネスや政界で「手練手管のベテラン」を指す語（対義は「青二才」など）。
Grammar & Learning Points
Grammar Point
• Noun phrase meaning “seasoned by many experiences,” often modifying “人物.”
日本語で読む
豊富な経験を積んだ人物を表す形容として使われる。
Trap for English Speakers
May be taken literally as traveling mountains and seas without understanding the idiom.
日本語で読む
山や海を実際に旅したという意味に捉えられ、経験豊富の比喩と理解されないことがある。
Example
Example 1Basic Example
彼は交渉の場での海千山千ぶりを発揮した。
He showed his worldly-wise and cunning side at the negotiation table.
Example 2Applied Example
あの交渉人は海千山千で一筋縄ではいかない。
That negotiator is worldly-wise and not easily swayed.
Quick check
Meaning
What does 「海千山千」 mean?