Idioms: Stage 2

Say you're at your wit's end or shaken up, call people skilled, immature or easygoing, point out hypocrisy, say what's too much to handle, and talk about who you click with, who's a burden and getting the short end.

92 idioms in 21 chunks, learned alongside Stage 2 of the main list. Start with Wrong words and use Next at the bottom of each page.

1. 1Wrong wordsTalking & listeningbaka iwanaide don't be silly, don't talk nonsensekotoba no aya just a figure of speech, not meant literallykokoro ni mo nai koto o iu say things you don't meanengi demo nai don't say such ominous things, perish the thought
2. 2Having someone's backGetting on with peopleki ni kakeru be concerned about, look out for (someone)senaka o osu encourage someone to go for itkata o motsu take someone's side
3. 3Not yourselfNoticing & the minddou ka shiteru be out of one's mind, not be oneselfatama ga mawaranai can't think straightdou iu kaze no fukimawashi what's brought this on? (someone acting out of character)
4. 4Learning a skillEffort, ease & difficultymi ni tsukeru pick up (a skill or habit); wearte o tsukeru start on (a task); touch (food); dip into (money)kotsu o tsukamu get the knack, get the feel of itkabe ni butsukaru hit a wall, stop making progresschiri mo tsumoreba yama to naru small amounts add up
5. 5Skill and judgementWhat people are likemiru me ga nai be a poor judge (of people or things)ude ga ii skilled at one's tradenukeme ga nai shrewd, never misses a chanceyouryou ga ii savvy, gets things done the smart way
6. 6At wit's endFeelings & temperki ga kuruisou it's driving me crazytohou ni kureru be at a total lossyake ni naru act recklessly out of despairiki ga tsumaru feel stifled, suffocatingiyake ga sasu get fed up, be sick of it
7. 7Making a moveLuck, trouble & outcomeste o utsu take action; settle for (a price or compromise)hoka ni te ga nai there's no other waysente o utsu act first, get in before the other sidesaki o kosareru someone beats you to ithayai mono gachi whoever gets there first wins
8. 8Straight or softTalking & listeninghanashi o tsukeru settle it by talking to someone, sort it out with themmen to mukatte to someone's facetantou chokunyuu straight to the pointhara o watte hanasu talk frankly, have a heart-to-heartoburaato ni tsutsumu say something harsh gentlymi mo futa mo nai brutally blunt, put so baldly there's nothing left to say
9. 9Squaring upGetting on with peopledotchi mo dotchi both as bad as each othershitta kotcha nai not my problem, I couldn't care lessnanisama no tsumori who do you think you arekenka o uru pick a fight, provoke
10. 10Careful or carelessNoticing & the mindme o toosu look over, read throughamaku miru underestimate, take lightlyki o kubaru be attentive; look out for othersni no tsugi comes second, low prioritykangae ga amai be naive, not think it through
11. 11Against the clockEffort, ease & difficultyatto iu ma in no time, over in a flashjikan o kasegu stall for timeshiri ni hi ga tsuku finally feel the pressure of a deadline
12. 12ImmatureWhat people are likejibun katte selfish, only thinks of oneselfii toshi shite at your age (you should know better)yuujuu fudan indecisive, can't make up one's mindmikka bouzu someone who gives up after a few days
13. 13Shock and nervesFeelings & temperkimi ga warui creepy, gives you the creepskokoro no junbi ga dekiru be emotionally readyshinzou ni warui gave me a scare, too nerve-rackingatama ga masshiro ni naru your mind goes blank
14. 14The short endLuck, trouble & outcomeshame ni naru end up having to do something unpleasantomou tsubo exactly what they wantnureginu o kiseru falsely accuse, pin it on someonebinbou kuji o hiku be the one who loses out, get stuck with the worst job or the raw deal
15. 15Look who's talkingTalking & listeningyoku iu yo you've got some nerve, look who's talkingkotchi no serifu that's my line; I should be the one saying thatii dokyou shiteru you've got some nerve (usually a sarcastic warning)tana ni ageru ignore one's own faults while criticising othershito no koto ienai I'm not one to talk, I'm no better myself
16. 16Clicking and fancyingGetting on with peopleki ga au get along, click with someoneki ga aru be into someone, fancy someoneki o hiku catch someone's attention or interest (often romantic)myaku ari there's a chance (they like you back)
17. 17Mind elsewhereNoticing & the mindatama kara hanarenai can't stop thinking about itki ga chiru get distracted, can't focuski o torareru be distracted by, have your mind on something elseatama ga ippai can think of nothing else, preoccupieduwa no sora miles away, not really listening
18. 18Too much to handleEffort, ease & difficultyte ni oenai more than one can handle, out of controlhaadoru ga takai daunting, too much to take onni ga omoi be too big a responsibilityha ga tatanai be no match for, can't crack ittachiuchi dekinai can't compete with, can't stand up to
19. 19In a groupWhat people are likeippiki ookami a loner who goes their own waykimae ga ii generous (with money or treats)kokoro ga hiroi tolerant, forgiving, lets things gonori ga ii game for anything, fun to be aroundmendoumi ga ii caring, good at looking after people
20. 20Comes back on youLuck, trouble & outcomesjigou jitoku you brought it on yourselftsuke ga mawatte kuru past neglect or excess catches up with youboketsu o horu dig your own grave, shoot yourself in the footbachi ga ataru be punished by heaven, get bad karmaurame ni deru backfire
21. 21Being a burdenGetting on with peopleashi o hipparu hold others back, let the team down; (deliberately) drag someone downsewa ga yakeru be a handful, need constant looking afterashidematoi ni naru be a burden, slow others downshirinugui o suru clean up someone else's mess