Japanese Body-Part Idioms: A Basic Guide

Japanese has many idioms built around parts of the body. Here are expressions commonly used in everyday conversation.

Kao ga hiroi ("a wide face")

An expression meaning someone is well-known and has broad social connections. Used like "he has a wide face in the industry."

Mimi ga itai ("a painful ear")

An expression for the feeling of discomfort when hearing about your own faults or weaknesses pointed out.

Hara ga tatsu ("the belly stands up")

An expression for the feeling of anger welling up.

Ashi wo hipparu ("to pull someone's leg/foot")

An expression meaning to hinder someone else's work or progress. Used like "dragging down the team."

Kubi wo nagaku suru ("to lengthen one's neck")

An expression for eagerly, anxiously awaiting something with excitement and anticipation.

Te ga kakaru ("hands are needed")

An expression meaning something requires a lot of care or effort. Often used for young children or complicated tasks.

Hara wo kimeru ("to decide one's belly")

An expression meaning to cut off hesitation and steel one's resolve.

Me ga nai ("no eyes for it")

An expression meaning being so fond of something that you can't resist it. Used like "I have no resistance to sweets."

Why so many expressions use body parts

Since emotions and attitudes tend to show up physically — through expressions and gestures — figurative expressions using body parts are thought to have naturally taken root in everyday conversation.

The difference between idioms and proverbs

An idiom (kan'youku) like "selling oil" is a fixed phrase used as part of a larger sentence, while a proverb (kotowaza) is a complete, self-contained sentence expressing a lesson or truth — that's the key distinction.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are these idioms commonly used in everyday conversation?

Yes — they appear frequently in news, conversation, and writing, so knowing their meanings helps with comprehension.

Is there a good way to memorize idioms?

Rather than rote-memorizing each one individually, learning them alongside real example sentences is said to help you pick up natural usage more easily.