LITMIR.BIZ

      KAISHAIN 1:

      Ashita, yasumō to omoun' da. Kachō ni kikaretara, byōki to itte oite kurenai ka.

      KAISHAIN 2:

      Wakatta. Umaku chōshi o awasete oku kara, shinpai suru na yo.

      EMPLOYEE 1:

      I think I'll take tomorrow off. If the boss asks, tell him I'm sick.

      EMPLOYEE 2:

      OK. Don't worry, I'll cover for you.

      Chōshi o awaseru means to adjust pitch or tempo, to adjust one's attitude in order to get along well with others, or to adjust or fine tune a machine. Chōshi o awasareru is the passive form and chōshi o awasesaseru is the causative form. Expressions using chōshi include chōshi ga yoi (be skilled at getting along with others), chōshi ni noru (get carried away), and chōshi-hazure (be out of tune).

      EXAMPLES

      1. (ōkesutora de shikisha ga) Kimi, chōshi o awasete kuretamae.

       (an orchestra conductor) You, get in tune with everyone else.

      2. Kare ni chōshi o awaseru no mo, taihen desu ne.

       It's difficult to get along with him.

      3. Muri ni chōshi o awasenakute mo ii desu yo.

       Just relax and be yourself.

      4. Hontō wa, chōshi o awasetakunan' desu.

       I really don't like to deal with him.

      5. Onaji kurasu no hito-tachi to chōshi o awaso to dory oku shitan' desu ga.

       I tried to get along with my classmates.

      daikoku-bashira

      mainstay, breadwinner

      CHICHIOYA:

      Watashi mo teinen-taishoku da. Kore kara wa omae ga kono ie no daikoku-bashira da yo.

      MUSUKO:

      Wakarimashita, Otōsan.

      FATHER:

      I've reached my retirement. From now on you are going to be the breadwinner in this family.

      SON:

      I understand, Dad.

      Daikoku-bashira refers to the central figure that supports a household or a nation. When a wooden house is built, a thick pillar is erected in the center to support the whole building. This pillar is called the daikoku-bashira (central pillar). From this, the expression has come to describe a person who sustains a house or company.

      EXAMPLES

      1. Boku ga uchi no daikoku-bashira ni natte, ganbarimasu.

       I'll become the breadwinner in the house and try my best.

      2. Kare ga daikoku-bashira de wa, tayori ni narimasen ne.

       He is unreliable as a breadwinner.

      3. Kare wa nagai aida, kono kaisha no daikoku-bashira datta.

       For a long time, he was the pillar of this company.

      4. Ie no daikoku-bashira ga inaku natte, taihen da.

       Things are difficult at our house since we lost our breadwinner.

      5. Daikoku-bashira no kare ni tayori-sugite wa kawaisō desu yo.

       It's unfair that people depend on him so much as their mainstay.

      daikon yakusha

      poor actor

      TSUMA:

      Kono haiyū, suteki da wa.

      OTTO:

      Mikake wa yokute mo, daikon yakusha de wa shiyō ga nai yo.

      WIFE:

      This actor is so handsome.

      HUSBAND:

      He may be good-looking but that's not much use when he's such a lousy actor.

      Daikon yakusha describes an actor with no talent. There are a few theories as to why daikon (Japanese radish) is employed in this expression. One theory claims that since the roots of the Japanese radish are shiroi (white), there is a relation to the sound of the word shirōto (amateur, novice). Another claims no matter how radish is eaten, it does not upset (ataranai) the stomach. This is the same ataranai that refers to an actor not hitting it off well with an audience.

      EXAMPLES

      1. Kare wa daikon yakusha desu ne.

       He is a lousy actor, isn't he.

      2. Shuyaku ga daikon yakusha de wa, omoshiroku arimasen yo.

       The play isn't interesting, what with the leading actor being such a ham!

      3. Kanojo ga anna ni daikon yakusha da to wa omowanakatta.

       I didn't think that her acting would be so wooden.

      4. Kare wa daikon dakara, yamesasemasho.

       Since he's a poor actor, let's dismiss him.

      dairokkan

      sixth sense,

Скачать книгу