Butting in
Idioms, Stage 1chunk 16 of 21Getting on with people
Getting your hand, mouth or neck into someone else's business, plus the retort to it.
- te o dasuhit, lay a finger on; get into (drugs, stocks); make a move on (someone)literally “put out a hand”
- kuchi o dasubutt in, meddle (with unasked-for opinions)literally “put out one's mouth”
- yokei na osewanone of your businessliterally “unneeded looking-after”
- kubi o tsukkomupoke your nose in, get mixed up inliterally “thrust one's neck in”
Mix-ups te o dasu (lay a finger on, get mixed up in) vs kuchi o dasu (butt in) swap only the body part; kao o dasu (show up) is in At a get-together.
te o dasu
polite te o dashimasu
“put out a hand”
hit, lay a finger on; get into (drugs, stocks); make a move on (someone)
In English: lay a hand on
Mostly heard as a warning or in a fight: te o dasu na (hands off), saki ni te o dashita (threw the first punch). It also means getting into something new (kabu ni te o dasu) or making a move on someone. Literally it's also 'hold out your hand' (te o dashite). Don't mix it up with kuchi o dasu (butt in) or kao o dasu (show up).
Noun: tedashi (tedashi suru na = keep out of it).
saki ni te dashita no wa mukou da yo.
They're the ones who threw the first punch.
先に手出したのは向こうだよ。
saki ni te o dashita no wa mukou desu yo.
They're the ones who threw the first punch.
先に手を出したのは向こうですよ。
Written 手を出す · てをだすHeard 610× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesLearn alongside kuchi o dasu, kao o dasu (Stage 3)Main list dasu (Stage 4)
kuchi o dasu
polite kuchi o dashimasu
“put out one's mouth”
butt in, meddle (with unasked-for opinions)
In English: stick your oar in
A complaint or warning about interfering in someone's decisions: kuchi dasanaide (stay out of it), oya ga sugu kuchi o dasu. Unlike kuchi o hasamu (cut into a conversation), it's meddling in what isn't yours to decide.
Noun: kuchidashi (kuchidashi shinaide).
kore wa watashi no mondai da kara, kuchi dasanaide.
This is my problem, so stay out of it.
これは私の問題だから、口出さないで。
kore wa watashi no mondai desu kara, kuchi o dasanaide kudasai.
This is my problem, so please stay out of it.
これは私の問題ですから、口を出さないでください。
Written 口を出す · くちをだすHeard 187× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesLearn alongside te o dasu, kao o dasu (Stage 3)Main list dasu (Stage 4), -naide (Stage 2)
yokei na osewa
“unneeded looking-after”
none of your business
In English: mind your own business
The snappy comeback to advice nobody asked for, usually yokei na osewa da (yo). Said to friends, family or rivals, never to someone above you; osewa here is sarcastic, unlike thankful osewa ni naru.
Variant: ookina osewa (da).
yokei na osewa da yo. hottoite.
None of your business. Leave me alone.
余計なお世話だよ。ほっといて。
Written 余計なお世話 · よけいなおせわHeard 107× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesLearn alongside kubi o tsukkomuMain list da (Stage 1)
kubi o tsukkomu
polite kubi o tsukkomimasu
“thrust one's neck in”
poke your nose in, get mixed up in
In English: stick your nose into something
A warning or complaint about getting involved in what isn't yours: yokei na koto ni kubi tsukkomu na. Unlike kuchi o dasu (butting in with advice), you actually wade in.
yokei na koto ni kubi tsukkomanai hou ga ii yo.
Better not stick your nose in other people's business.
余計なことに首突っ込まないほうがいいよ。
yokei na koto ni wa kubi o tsukkomanai hou ga ii desu yo.
It's better not to get mixed up in other people's business.
余計なことには首を突っ込まないほうがいいですよ。
Written 首を突っ込む · くびをつっこむHeard 61× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesLearn alongside yokei na osewaMain list -nai hou ga ii (Stage 4)