Complete Japanese Expression Guide - Mizue Sasaki

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2:

      Saikin wa kaisha o gyūjiru hodo ni narimashita yo.

      COLLEAGUE 1:

      That guy was promoted quickly, wasn't he?

      COLLEAGUE 2:

      These days, he's practically running the company.

      Gyūjiru means to control an assembly, group, or organization and derives from the rite of sealing a promise among feudal lords during the Warring States period in ancient China. At that time, the ears of an ox (gyūji) were cut off and then split so that both sides could sip the ox blood in recognition of a promise made. The correct expression is gyūji o toru (take the ears of an ox); however, in conversation, gyūjiru is commonly used.

      EXAMPLES

      1. Kono kai o gyūjitte iru hito wa dare desu ka?

       Who is in charge of this meeting?

      2. Kare ga kono kaisha o gyūjitte iru hito desu,

       He is the one running this company.

      3. Shiranai aida ni, kare ga gakusei-kai o gyūjiru yō ni natta no desu.

       Before he realized it, he was in charge of the student meeting.

      4. Dōshite, bugai-sha no kanojo ni gyūjirarete iru no desu ka?

       Why are you dominated by an outsider like her?

      5. Anata ni, kono kaigi o gyūjiru shikaku wa arimasen.

       You don't have the qualifications to run this meeting.

      ha ni kinu o kisenai

      not to mince words

      TOMODACHI 1:

      Kyō wa sukoshi ii-sugita deshō ka. Dō ka, ki ni shinaide kudasai ne.

      TOMODACHI 2:

      Iie. Ha ni kinu o kisezu itte moraete, kaette yokatta desu yo.

      FRIEND 1:

      I may have said too much today. Please don't take it to heart.

      FRIEND 2:

      Not at all. It was good of you to be frank with me.

      Ha ni kinu o kisenai means to speak one's mind without considering other people's feelings. It was believed that if one didn't put (kiseru) a covering (kinu) over one's teeth (ha), whatever one was thinking would automatically come out of the mouth. Okuba ni mono ga hasamata yō na iikata is a way of speaking which conceals something or is not entirely honest.

      EXAMPLES

      1. Kokusai-kaigi nado de wa, ha ni kinu o kisenai de, jibun no iken o nobeta hō ga yoi.

       At international conferences and the like, it is better not to mince your words when expressing your opinion.

      2. Kare no ha ni kinu kisenai iikata wa, aikawarazu shinratsu da.

       When he laid it on the line, his comments were biting, as usual.

      3. Kanojo wa,jōshi no shigoto-buri o, ha ni kinu kisezu ni, hihan shita.

       She bluntly criticized her superior's work style.

      4. Kare no ha ni kinu kisenai tsuikyū ni, aite wa tajitaji datta.

       The subject wilted under the direct assault of his persistent questioning.

      5. Okuba ni mono no hasamatta yō na iikata wa yamete kudasai.

       Stop beating around the bush.

      haisui no jin

      a desperate, final effort

      JŌSHI:

      Kondo no shinseihin ga urenai to, kaisha wa tōsan da.

      BUKA:

      Haisui no jin no kakugo de, ganbarimasu.

      SUPERVISOR:

      If our new product doesn't sell well, the company will go under.

      SUBORDINATE:

      I'm prepared to give my utmost in a last-ditch effort.

      Haisui no jin originally referred to taking up a position (jin) from which there was no way to retreat (haisui). From this, the expression has come to refer to being placed in a position where, in the event of failure, an opportunity will not present itself again. According to Chinese folklore, in the Han dynasty there was an outstanding military commander who by fighting with his back to the wall, successfully led his allies to victory.

      EXAMPLES

      1. Kyōryoku na raibaru mo senkyō ni shutsuba shita node, kondo no senkyō wa, haisui no jin de tatakawanakereba naranai.

       Because a powerful opponent will also run, we will have to fight a last-ditch battle in the next election.

      2. Keisatsu wa, haisui no jin de bōryokudan-tsuihō ni nori-dashita.

       The police have launched an all-out effort to eradicate organized crime.

      3. Seitokai wa haisui no jin dejugyoryo-neage ni kogi shimasu.

       The student council is fighting valiantly in a protest against the raising of tuition fees.

      haji o kaku

      be humiliated, be embarrassed

      OTTO:

      Kinō wa konsāto de inemuri shite, warukatta ne.

      TSUMA:

      Hontō desu yo. O-kage de watashi haji o kaita wa.

      HUSBAND:

      It was awful of me to fall asleep during yesterday's concert.

      WIFE:

      You're quite right. I was really embarrassed, thanks to you.

      Haji (shame) o kaku (bear) means to be embarrassed in front of people. The causative form is haji o kakaseru and the causative passive form is haji o kakasareru. Other expressions employing haji include haji no uwanuri (one embarrassing experience is compounded with another) and haji shirazu (nonchalantly do embarrassing things).

      EXAMPLES

      1. Supiichi no monku o wasurete, hitomae de haji o kaite shimatta.

       I was embarrassed because I forgot the text for my speech in front of all those people.

      2. Otto no warukuchi o shinseki no atsumari de ii, tsuma wa otto ni haji o kakaseta.

       That woman embarrassed her husband by speaking ill of him at a gathering of their relatives.

      3. Tsuma ni haji o kakaseru to wa omowanakatta.

       I didn't expect to be humiliated by my own wife.

      4. Anata ni haji o kakaseru tsumori wa nakatta noni.

       But I didn't intend to embarrass you...

      hako-iri musume

      girl who's had a sheltered upbringing, naive girl

      GĀRUFURENDO:

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