Idioms are one of my favorite things when it comes to language learning. There are so many great expressions with dual meanings that give color and life to stories or dialogue. In America, we love idioms about baseball, like someone who “hits a home run” with their proposal, “steps up to the plate” in a meeting, or when something comes as a surprise it's “out of left field.”

In Japanese, they seem to really like idioms about animals, and as an animal lover, I wanted to share some of the most popular ones with you all.

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1.) 蛙の面に水　
かえる　の　つら　に　みず

Literal Meaning: like water on (the surface of) a frog
English Equivalent: water off a duck’s back
Idiom Meaning: when criticisms or warning have no effect on someone

彼に意見をしても蛙の面に水だ
かれ　に　いけん　を　しても　かえる　の　つら　に　みず　だ。
Even if you tell him your opinion, it will fall on deaf ears.
Literally: ”him + に + opinion + を + しても + frog + の + surface + に + water + だ”

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2.) 水を得た魚のよう
みず　を　えた　うお　の　よう

Literal Meaning: like a fish in water
English Equivalent: like a fish in water
Idiom Meaning: in one’s element

テニスのことになると彼女は水を得た魚のようだ。
てにす　の　こと　に　なる　と　かのじょ　は　みず　を　えた　うお　の　よう　だ。
She is in her element when it comes to tennis
Literally: “tennis + の + こと + に + なる + と + she + は + water + を + can do + fish + の + よう + だ”

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3.) 猿も木から落ちる
さる　も　き　から　おちる

Literal Meaning: even monkeys fall from trees
English Equivalent: even Homer sometimes nods
Idiom Meaning: anyone can make a mistake

あの秀才が不合格だなんて、猿も木から落ちるもんだ。
あの　しゅうさい　が　ふごうかく　だ　なんて、さる　も　き　から　おちる　もん　だ。
Anyone can make a mistake, like that prodigy who failed.
Literally: “that + prodigy + が + failure + だ + such as + monkey + も + tree + from + fall + もん + だ”

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4.) 蛙の子は蛙
かえる　の　こ　は　かえる

Literal Meaning: a frog’s child is a frog
English Equivalent: the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree
Idiom Meaning: like father like son

親子そろってこの食べ方とは、蛙の子は蛙だね。
おやこ　そろって　この　たべかた　とは、かえる　の　こ　は　　かえる　　だね。
Seeing a parent and a child eating together like this--well, like father, like son.
Literally: “parent and child + alike + this + way to eat + とは + frog + の + child + は + frog + だね”

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5.) 馬の耳に念仏
うま　の　みみ　に　ねんぶつ

Literal Meaning: Buddhist prayers in a horse’s ear
English Equivalent: in one ear and out the other
Idiom Meaning: unheeded advice, heard but quickly forgotten

私たちの警告も彼女には馬の耳に念仏だった。
わたしたち　の　けいこく　も　　かのじょ　には　うま　の　みみ　に　ねんぶつ　だった。
She turned a deaf ear to our warnings.
Literally: “our + の + warnings + も + she + は + horse + の + ear + に + buddhist prayers + だった。

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6.) 犬猿の仲
けんえん　の　なか

Literal Meaning: like dogs and monkeys
English Equivalent: like cats and dogs
Idiom Meaning: do not get along, fight easily

彼らは犬猿の仲だ。
かれら　は　けんえん　の　なか　だ。
They get along like cats and dogs
Literally: “they + は + dog-monkey + の + relation + だ”

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7.) 馬が合う
うま　が　あう

Literal Meaning: to suit a horse
English Equivalent: hit it off
Idiom Meaning: to get along well

二人は妙にウマが合うらしい。
ふたり　は　みょうに　うま　が　あう　らしい。
They seem to get along strangely well.
Literally: two people + は + strangely + horse + が + suit + seems”

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Stay tuned for part 2!

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This lesson was written by Cassy L., a guest contributor: