Being a burden
Idioms, Stage 2chunk 21 of 21Getting on with people
Being the one who holds others back, or the one who has to put up with it.
- ashi o hipparuhold others back, let the team down; (deliberately) drag someone downliterally “pull someone's leg”
- sewa ga yakerube a handful, need constant looking afterliterally “the looking-after burns”
- ashidematoi ni narube a burden, slow others downliterally “become a tangle round hands and feet”
- shirinugui o suruclean up someone else's messliterally “do the bottom-wiping”
Mix-ups ashi o hipparu (drag down) vs ashidematoi ni naru (be dead weight) both involve legs; sewa ga yakeru describes the handful, shirinugui o suru is cleaning up after them.
ashi o hipparu
polite ashi o hipparimasu
“pull someone's leg”
hold others back, let the team down; (deliberately) drag someone down
The team, club and work apology ashi hippatte gomen, and also deliberate sabotage of a rival: hito no ashi bakkari hipparu (always dragging others down). A false friend: English 'pull someone's leg' means tease. ashidematoi ni naru is being a burden just by being there.
minna no ashi hippatte, gomen ne.
Sorry for holding everyone back.
みんなの足引っ張って、ごめんね。
minasan no ashi o hippatte shimatte, sumimasen.
I'm sorry for holding everyone back.
皆さんの足を引っ張ってしまって、すみません。
Written 足を引っ張る · あしをひっぱるHeard 43× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesLearn alongside ashidematoi ni naru, shirinugui o suruMain list minna (Stage 1), gomen (Stage 1)
sewa ga yakeru
polite sewa ga yakemasu
“the looking-after burns”
be a handful, need constant looking after
In English: be a handful
Fond grumbling about a child, partner, junior or pet who keeps needing help: mattaku, sewa ga yakeru na. There's affection in it; mendokusai is plain annoyance.
Also sewa no yakeru yatsu (what a handful). Plainer: te ga kakaru (takes a lot of looking after). sewa o yaku = fuss over someone; a born fusser is a sewayaki.
mattaku, sewa ga yakeru na.
Honestly, you're such a handful.
まったく、世話が焼けるな。
uchi no musuko wa, hontou ni sewa ga yakeru n desu.
My son is such a handful.
うちの息子は、本当に世話が焼けるんです。
Written 世話が焼ける · せわがやけるHeard 24× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesLearn alongside mendoumi ga iiMain list uchi (Stage 1), honto ni (Stage 1), naa (Stage 1)
ashidematoi ni naru
polite ashidematoi ni narimasu
“become a tangle round hands and feet”
be a burden, slow others down
Mostly said about yourself when refusing help or staying behind: ashidematoi ni naritakunai (I don't want to slow you down); said to others it's harsh. Unlike ashi o hipparu (dragging a result down), it's being a burden just by being there.
ashidematoi ni naritakunai kara, saki itte.
I don't want to slow you down, go on ahead.
足手まといになりたくないから、先行って。
ashidematoi ni naritakunai node, saki ni itte kudasai.
I don't want to slow you down, so please go ahead.
足手まといになりたくないので、先に行ってください。
Written 足手まといになる · あしでまといになるHeard 74× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesLearn alongside ashi o hipparu, shirinugui o suruMain list naru (Stage 1), -tai (Stage 2)
shirinugui o suru
polite shirinugui o shimasu
“do the bottom-wiping”
clean up someone else's mess
In English: clean up someone's mess
A work and family complaint about fixing what someone else messed up: mata ore ga ano hito no shirinugui ka yo. Often shirinugui o saserareru (get stuck cleaning up); ashi o hipparu is dragging the others down.
mata ore ga ano hito no shirinugui ka yo.
So I'm cleaning up his mess again?
また俺があの人の尻拭いかよ。
mata watashi ga ano hito no shirinugui o suru n desu ka?
So I'm cleaning up his mess again?
また私があの人の尻拭いをするんですか？
Written 尻拭いをする · しりぬぐいをするHeard 56× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesLearn alongside ashi o hipparu, ashidematoi ni naruMain list mata (Stage 3), suru (Stage 1)