Idioms

Hey everyone, last Friday I went to my Japanese lesson and learned a few idioms ^_^ Here are some of my favorite idioms from that lesson:

彼は油を売っている。

He's goofing/slacking off.

But it literally means "He is selling oil"~! Anyone know the story behind this idiom?

後の祭り。

It's too late~! I missed my chance...

It literally means "after the festival".

穴があったら入りたい。

Meaning, I'm so embarrassed I wish I could just disappear. The literal meaning in Japanese is "I wish I could go into a hole".

The closest English idiom is: I wish I could just crawl into a hole and die!

As you can see, the English idiom sounds much stronger, I am SOOO embarrassed I wish I could crawl into a hole somewhere and die.

And my favorite,

赤子の手をひねる。

Meaning, it's really easy.

In English, we use the idiom "It's like taking candy from a baby" but in Japanese you say "it is like twisting a baby's arm"!!! It is even stronger in Japanese, wild.

Have a nice Sunday night~!

Phil