Idioms & set phrases

87 phrases

Idioms29 This theme teaches advanced Japanese idioms (慣用句) that educated adults use in work, news, and formal writing, where a single set phrase carries a nuance a plain description could not. You will hear when to reach for expressions like 腰を据えて研究に取り組む (to settle in and tackle research in earnest), 円安が物価高騰に拍車をかけている (a weak yen spurring on soaring prices), and わだかまりを水に流す (to let old grudges wash away) — the elevated register of N1 conversation and prose.
Four-character idioms29 This theme teaches well-known yojijukugo — four-character idioms that lend speech and writing an erudite, formal flavor prized at the N1 level. You'll hear them in boardrooms, editorials, and lectures whenever someone wants to compress a whole idea into four weighty characters, as in "臨機応変に対応してほしい" (respond flexibly to the situation), "油断大敵という言葉を肝に銘じておくべきだ" (keep in mind that carelessness is the great enemy), and "本末転倒と言わざるを得ない" (one can only call it putting the cart before the horse). Mastering their nuance lets you sound polished, incisive, and genuinely advanced.
Proverbs29 This theme teaches classic Japanese proverbs (ことわざ) as they are actually woven into educated adult speech and writing—advice, commentary, and reflection—rather than as dictionary entries. At the N1 level these sayings carry a formal, sometimes literary weight and are often deployed with concessive nuance or gentle admonition, as in 猿も木から落ちるというように、その道の権威ですら判断ミスを免れない, 急がば回れで、拙速な導入を避けるべきだ, and 一度口にした暴言は覆水盆に返らず. Master them and you can add persuasive, culturally resonant force to arguments about perseverance, caution, regret, and preparedness.

日本語

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