When you are learning a new language, and you run into an idiom, it can be hard not to take it literally. For example, if you take some of the popular baseball idioms in English like "she really knocked it out of the park last night at the concert." A person learning English might take it literally and think something was knocked out of the park at a concert. When the expression is just meant to convey that she did a really good job at the concert. This is why idioms are so important to be familiar with.

Last lesson we talked about idioms in Japanese, and how there are many idioms relating to animals. In this lesson I want to continue to introduce more idioms that will teach you some vocabulary, and some cool expressions to really color your Japanese.

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8.) 蚊の鳴くような声
か　の　なく　ような　こえ

Literal Meaning: voice like a mosquito's buzz
English Equivalent: soft spoken
Idiom Meaning: speak in a quiet voice

彼女は蚊の鳴くようなか細い声で話し始めた。
かのじょ　は　か　の　なく　ような　かぼそい　こえ　で　　はなし　はじめた。
She began to speak in a soft thin voice.
Literally: "she + は + mosquito + の + buzz + like + thin + voice + で + spoke + started"

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9.) 海老で鯛を釣る
えび　で　たい　を　つる

Literal Meaning: throw in a shrimp to catch a sea bream
Idiom Meaning: a little effort can reap great rewards

これがいわゆる海老で鯛を釣るということだ 。
これ　が　いわゆる　えび　で　たい　を　つる　という　こと　だ。
This is what I call “throwing a sprat to catch a whale.”
Literally: “this + が + so to speak + shrimp + で + sea bream + を + to fish + という + thing + だ”

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10.) 蜘蛛の子を散らすように
くも　の　こ　を　ちらす　ように

Literal Meaning: scatter like spider children
English Equivalent: scatter like roaches
Idiom Meaning: scatter rapidly in all directions

敵は蜘蛛の子を散らすように逃げた。
てき　は　くも　の　こ　を　ちらす　ように　にげた。
The enemy went flying in all directions.
Literally: “enemy + は + spider + の + children + を + scatter + like + escaped”

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11.) 雀の涙
すずめ　の　なみだ

Literal Meaning: sparrow tear
English Equivalent: drop in the bucket
Idiom Meaning: a very small amount

初めての給料は雀の涙ほどのものだった。
はじめて　の　きゅうりょう　は　すずめ　の　なみだ　ほど　の　もの　だった。
The salary I got for the first time was barely anything.
Literally: “first time + の + salary + は + sparrow + の + tear + amount + の + thing + だった”

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12.) 蚊帳の外
かや　の　そと

Literal Meaning: outside the mosquito net
English Equivalent: out of the loop
Idiom Meaning: leaving out of an event

私は会議の蚊帳の外に置かれた。
わたし　は　かいぎ　の　かや　の　そと　に　おかれた。
I am not involved in the meeting at all.
Literally: “I + は + meeting + の + mosquito net + の + outside + に + was left behind”

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13.) 豚に真珠
ぶた　に　しんじゅ

Literal Meaning: pearls before swine
English Equivalent: pearls before swine
Idiom Meaning: offer something of value to someone who doesn’t appreciate it

小さい子に高価な食べ物をあげたって豚に真珠だよ。
ちいさい　こ　に　こうか　な　たべもの　を　あげたって　ぶた　に　しんじゅ　だよ。
Small children won’t appreciate expensive food.
Literally: “small + children + に + high cost + food + を + give to + pig + に + pearl + だよ”

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14.) 犬も食わない
いぬ　も　くわない

Literal Meaning: not even a dog will eat
Idiom Meaning: avoided by everyone

夫婦喧嘩は犬も食わない 。
ふうふ　げんか　は　いぬ　も　くわない。
Everyone avoids getting involved in a couple’s quarrel.
Literally: “spouses + quarrel + は + dog + も + won’t eat”

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I hope you get a chance to run into, or even use some of these popular animal idioms. But even just knowing they exist will help you with vocabulary, and get you thinking in the right way for when you run into any other idioms in Japanese.

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