Again from a novel I am reading. I found this interesting expression: 「鼻にかける」(はなにかける). I have to admit this was my first encounter with this expression so I checked it in my electronic dictionary, although I could easily guess the meaning from context:
A person is talking about her sister, who is really smart and talented. But, she says: 「つんつんしたり鼻にかけたりするような人ではなかった」. The meaning of 「鼻にかける」 is "to be boastful". So, although her sister is really smart, "she was not the kind of person to behave in an arrogant way".
Which made me think about another expression in the Japanese language: 「鼻が長い」(はながながい, literally: "having a long nose"), which has a similar meaning.
These are certainly not the only examples where Japanese culture makes a connection between noses and pride. See for example 天狗 (てんぐ, Tengu), which are mythological creatures characterized by arrogant and boastful behaviour. These creatures too, are often pictured as humans with an unnaturally long nose. 「天狗になる」 ("to turn into a Tengu") means "to become arrogant" or "to become boastful".
A person is talking about her sister, who is really smart and talented. But, she says: 「つんつんしたり鼻にかけたりするような人ではなかった」. The meaning of 「鼻にかける」 is "to be boastful". So, although her sister is really smart, "she was not the kind of person to behave in an arrogant way".
Which made me think about another expression in the Japanese language: 「鼻が長い」(はながながい, literally: "having a long nose"), which has a similar meaning.
These are certainly not the only examples where Japanese culture makes a connection between noses and pride. See for example 天狗 (てんぐ, Tengu), which are mythological creatures characterized by arrogant and boastful behaviour. These creatures too, are often pictured as humans with an unnaturally long nose. 「天狗になる」 ("to turn into a Tengu") means "to become arrogant" or "to become boastful".
No comments:
Post a Comment