Complete Japanese Expression Guide - Mizue Sasaki

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ni suru

      use as a pretext

      CHŌNAN:

      Otōsan, Hiroshi ga sukiyaki ga tabetai'tte.

      CHICHIOYA:

      Otōto o dashi ni shite wa ikenai yo. Hontō wa jibun ga tabetain' darō?

      ELDEST SON:

      Dad, Hiroshi says he wants to eat sukiyaki.

      FATHER:

      You shouldn't use your brother as an excuse. The truth is that you want to eat sukiyaki, right?

      Dashi ni suru means to use a person or a thing to suit one's own convenience. Dashi is the nominalized form of the verb dasu (bring out, produce). The expression dashi ni tsukau also has the same meaning as dashi ni suru.

      EXAMPLES

      1. Shachō no tanjōbi o dashi ni shite, pātii o hiraita.

       Using the company president's birthday as a pretext, we threw a party.

      2. Watashi o dashi ni tsukawanaide kudasai.

       Please don't use me as an excuse.

      3. Kare wa dashi ni sareta koto o shirimasen.

       He doesn't know that he has been taken advantage of.

      4. Imōto o dashi ni shite, kare to yūenchi ni itta.

       I used to take my younger sister along as an excuse for going to the amusement park with my boyfriend.

      debana o kujiku

      thwart at the outset

      OTTO:

      Musuko no nyūgaku-shiki da to iu noni, ante ga futte iru yo.

      TSUMA:

      Kawaisō ni, debana o kujikarete shimaimasu ne.

      HUSBAND:

      You say our son has his school entrance ceremony today—well, it's raining.

      WIFE:

      The poor boy—that will put a damper on things for him.

      Debana indicates the very outset of something, and with kujiku (crash), describes a situation where a person is eager to begin an undertaking or conversation but is prevented from doing so. The phrase debana o oru (oru means break) has the same meaning as debana o kujiku. Debana o tataku (tataku means strike) means to thwart an opponent at an initial stage.

      EXAMPLES

      1. Sekkaku no nyugaku-shiki ni ante de, debana o kujikaremashita.

       Their enthusiasm was dampened by the rain at the entrance ceremony.

      2. Shinkon-ryokō dejiko ni ai, debana o kujikarete shimatta.

       They had an accident during their honeymoon, and that put a damper on things from the very outset.

      3. Mazu itten senshu shite, aite no debana o otte shimaimasho.

       First of all, let's get one point and baffle our opponent at the start.

      4. Kenka de wa, saisho ni aite no debana o tataku no ga katsu kotsu desu.

       The trick to winning a fight is to get the jump on your opponent.

      dō ni iru

      excel, be outstanding

      KANKYAKU 1:

      Kyō no konsāto wa hontō ni yokatta desu ne.

      KANKYAKU 2:

      Ē, pianisuto no ensō mo, dō ni itte imashita shl

      AUDIENCE MEMBER 1:

      Today's concert was really excellent, wasn't it?

      AUDIENCE MEMBER 2:

      Yes, the pianist gave a highly polished performance.

      Dō ni iru indicates that one has become highly proficient. Prior to the Meiji era, all education in Japan took place in temples. Do (temple) ni iru (entering) referred to entering school to study and learn.

      EXAMPLES

      1. Kare no supiichi wa dō ni itte ita.

       His speech was masterful.

      2. Dō ni itta shikai-buri datta.

       His way of chairing the meeting was excellent.

      3. Kare no kyōshi-buri mo dō ni itte kita.

       His style of teaching has become that of a seasoned veteran.

      4. Anata no ocha no o-temae wa dō ni itte imashita yo.

       You have great expertise in the art of tea serving.

      5. Kare no nenrei ni shite wa, dō ni itta aisatsu o shita.

       Despite his youth, he delivered an excellent address.

      dōdō-meguri

      going round and round

      RŌSŌ-GAWA:

      Giron shite mo, zenzen matomarimasen ne.

      KAISHA-GAWA:

      Kore de wa, dōdō-meguri o kuri-kaesu dake desu yo.

      UNION REPRESENTATIVE:

      No matter how much we argue, we don't seem to be getting anywhere at all.

      COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE:

      We're just repeating ourselves and going round and round in circles.

      Dōdō-meguri has three meanings: first, circling around a dō (a Buddhist temple or Shintō shrine) offering prayers or holding ceremonies; second, repeating the same thing endlessly with no progress being made; and third, voting whereby Diet members cast ballots in a box placed on the rostrum. In conversation, the second usage is the most common.

      EXAMPLES

      1. Dōdō-meguri no giron wa mō yamemashō.

       Let's stop discussing this same thing over and over again.

      2. Anata to wa, ikura hanashite mo dodo-meguri suru dake desu.

       No matter how much I talk with you, we just go round in circles.

      3. Hanashiai wa, itsumo no yō ni dōdō-meguri desu.

       As always, the negotiations are getting nowhere.

      4. Kaigi wa dōdō-meguri shite owarisō mo nai.

       It doesn't appear that the meeting will be ending for some time since the discussion is going round and round in circles.

      dosakusa ni magireru

      take advantage of confusion

      IE NO HITO:

      Yūbe, pātii o shite iru aida

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