For those of you who already had the pleasure of entering the Japanese \u201ccounting-system\u201d during their studies, it probably goes without saying that learning all the different ways of counting various things can get you more than frustrated. And having to remember whether to use the original Japanese or the Sino-Japanese numbers (derived from China) does not make this any easier.<\/p>\n
However, the Japanese \u201cWorld of Numbers\u201d can be quite fun in the context of Japanese sayings. Counting from \u4e00 to \u5341, we would like to introduce one interesting phrase for each number. We hope you will find them just as amazing as we do.<\/p>\n
\u4e00\uff08\u3044\u3061\uff09= one
.\u4e00\u3092\u805e\u3044\u3066\u5341\u3092\u77e5\u308b \uff08\u3044\u3061\u3092\u3042\u3044\u3066\u3058\u3085\u3046\u3092\u3057\u308b\uff09
\u201cYou need only open one page of a book to understand everything.\u201d
This phrase describes a person that understands all the content after learning only small pieces of the whole. It is thus, a wise and clever person. <\/p>\n
\u4e8c\uff08\u306b\uff09= two
\u4e00\u77f3\u4e8c\u9ce5 \uff08\u3044\u3063\u305b\u304d\u306b\u3061\u3087\u3046\uff09
\u201cTo kill two birds with one stone\u201d
The meaning of this saying is exactly the same as in English: Achieving two things at once.<\/p>\n
\u4e09\uff08\u3055\u3093\uff09= three
\u4e00\u62bc\u3057\u4e8c\u91d1\u4e09\u7537 (\u3044\u3061\u304a\u3057\u306b\u304b\u306d\u3055\u3093\u304a\u3068\u3053)
\u201cFirst power, second money, third manly appearance\u201d
This phrase describes the three most important things that it takes for a man to gain a woman\u2019s heart. According to this saying, the most important thing about a man is his authority, followed by his wealth. However, these two are not sufficient. The man should also be handsome.<\/p>\n
\u56db\uff08\u3057\uff09= four
\u56db\u77e5 (\u3057\u3061)
\u201cthe four knowledges\u201d
In ancient China, some people valued a \u201cfour step path\u201d to approach one another. These were known as \u300c\u5929\u77e5\u308b\u300d, \u201cknowing about the heavens\u201d ( equivalent to \u201ctalking about the weather\u201d), \u300c\u795e\u77e5\u308b\u300d, \u201cknowing about the gods\u201d, \u300c\u6211\u77e5\u308b\u300d, the \u201cknowing about oneself\u201d and \u300c\u5b50\uff08\u76f8\u624b\uff09\u77e5\u308b\u300d, \u201cknowing about your partner\u201d.
The phrase \u56db\u77e5 refers to a person that does not understand this path and would reveal deep secrets even to people he barely knows.<\/p>\n
\u4e94\uff08\u3054\uff09= five
\u4e94\u98a8\u5341\u96e8\uff08\u3054\u3075\u3046\u3058\u3085\u3046\u3046\uff09
\u201cwind on the fifth and rain on the tenth\u201d
This saying is a metaphor for peace and security in the world as the fifth (were there would usually be wind) and tenth (where there would be rain) of a month were believed to be good days for the crops on the fields. <\/p>\n
\u516d\uff08\u308d\u304f\uff09= six
\u516b\u9762\u516d\u81c2\uff08\u306f\u3061\u3081\u3093\u308d\u3063\u3074)
\u201ceight faces, six arms\u201d
This simply means that one can achieve great things when working together with others. Another interpretation is that work gets easier when you share it.<\/p>\n
\u4e03\uff08\u306a\u306a\uff09= seven
\u89aa\u306e\u5149\u306f\u4e03\u5149\u308a\uff08\u304a\u3084\u306e\u3072\u304b\u308a\u306f\u306a\u306a\u3072\u304b\u308a\uff09
\u201cthe parents\u2019 influence is sevenfold\u201d
This saying tries to evaluate a parent\u2019s influence on their child. It thereby reflects on two different points of view: behavior and status.
With this phrase one can express that a child is most likely to assume his parents\u2019 behavior in both good and bad ways. However, it also often used to describe that children hugely benefit from their parents\u2019 fame or position in society.<\/p>\n
\u516b\uff08\u306f\u3061\uff09= eight
\u5ca1\u76ee\u516b\u76ee\uff08\u304a\u304b\u3081\u306f\u3061\u3082\u304f\uff09
\u201cThe one looking from the outside has many eyes.\u201d
Whenever you find yourself in a serious fight with a good friend and searching for someone with an objective opinion to help you out, this phrase might come in handy.
It simply means that the one who is not involved is able to see the matter in a different, neutral light.<\/p>\n
\u4e5d\uff08\u304d\u3085\u3046\uff09= nine
\u4e5d\u6b7b\u306b\u4e00\u751f\u3092\u5f97\u308b\uff08\u304d\u3085\u3046\u3057\u306b\u3044\u3063\u3057\u3087\u3046\u3092\u3048\u308b\uff09
\u201cgain a whole life after nine deaths\u201d
The phrase \u300c\u4e5d\u6b7b\u300d(=nine deaths) refers to situation that you are unlikely to survive. On the contrary, \u300c\u4e5d\u6b7b\u306b\u4e00\u751f\u3092\u5f97\u308b\u300dis often used after escaping a life threatening situation.<\/p>\n
\u5341\uff08\u3058\u3085\u3046\uff09= ten
\u5341\u4eba\u5341\u8272\uff08\u3058\u3085\u3046\u306b\u3093\u3068\u3044\u308d\uff09
\u201cten men, ten colors\u201d
This wonderful, very wise saying describes a fact that is known all over the world: everyone is different. Not only by the looks, but also by opinions, tastes etc. no man is 100 % equal to another.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
| For those of you who already had the pleasure of entering the Japanese \u201ccounting-system\u201d during their studies, it probably goes without saying that learning all the different ways of counting various things can get you more than frustrated. And having to remember whether to use the original Japanese or the Sino-Japanese numbers (derived from…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n
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