Japanese Body Language - Things you can say with your face

May 24, 2008 - 2:06 am by Bill Belew in Culture  

Here’s a long list of things the Japanese can say with their faces.
However, these are expressions that I never used or don’t remember hearing.
顔が立ちません[かおがたちません, kao ga tachimasen] have lost face
顔が立つ [かおがたつ, kao ga tatsu] maintain one’s status; keep face
顔が汚れる[かおがよごれる, kao ga yogareru] lose status; lose all status
顔から日が出る[かおからひがでる, kao kara hi ga [...]

Japanese Body Language - 顔を出す

May 23, 2008 - 2:05 am by Bill Belew in Culture  

We stick our necks out in the west. The Japanese don’t mess around. They stick their whole face out.
顔を出す [かおをだす, kao o dasu] come; arrive; appear; put in an appearance.
Whenever there is a party or an event, friends, if you have them, will want to know if you are planning to attend.
They will ask [...]

Japanese Body Language - 顔がつぶれる

May 22, 2008 - 2:04 am by Bill Belew in Culture  

It hurts whether it’s actual or idiomatic, to get your faced smashed.
顔がつぶれる [かおがつぶれる, kao ga tsubureru] lose status; have lost status
As much as the Japanese worry about this, you would think that they, politicians and dirty businessmen would be more particular about their many misdeeds.
Still, when they are found out, inevitably you will hear [...]

Japanese Body Language - 足がない

May 21, 2008 - 2:03 am by Bill Belew in Culture  

[あしがない, ashi ga nai] No legs.
I woke up thinking about this one last night. Somehow I forgot it.
I am sure there are others.
My wife went back to work a couple of weeks ago and we have only one car.
This is my situation.
This expression is often used to mean, I don’t have a car or I [...]

Japanese Body Language - 顔が広い

- 2:02 am by Bill Belew in Culture  

Only in Japan would someone be happy to have a fat, okay, broad face.
顔が広い[かおがひろい, kao ga hiroi] know a lot of people; be widely known; have a large circle of acquaintances
This is one expression that I heard more often than the others.
A guy/girl with a wide face is not a fatso, rather, it’s a [...]

Japanese Body Language - 顔が利く

May 20, 2008 - 2:00 am by Bill Belew in Culture  

If my dog had a face like yours, I’d shave his back side and make him walk backwards is the worst thing I ever heard someone say about a person’s looks.
In Japan, the face has power.
顔が利く[かおがきく, kao ga kiku] have influence; be influential
If somebody has a face that is effective, you want to have [...]

Japanese Body Language - 顔がいい

May 19, 2008 - 1:58 am by Bill Belew in Culture  

Sadly, too many people, mostly men, only want to say to Japanese girls, you have a cute face.
I wonder if there is another body part that is used more than the face in Japanese idioms.
The face can be good, saved, lost, smashed, wide, sold, lent, stuck out….all sorts of things.
And, each has a different meaning.
顔がいい [...]

Japanese Body Language - Things you can do with your arms

May 18, 2008 - 1:56 am by Bill Belew in Culture  

it scares me when I see an American girl (stereotype?) driving and talking. Because when she talks, her arms wave like crazy. So, who is driving the car?
Here are a few other expressions that involve what Japanese can do with their arms.
I have never used them nor have I heard them.
腕一本ど世を渡る[うでいっぽんどよをわたる, ude ippon do [...]

Japanese Body Language - 腕のある

May 17, 2008 - 1:56 am by Bill Belew in Culture  

Well, of course he has arms. Why wouldn’t he have arms? So?腕のある[うでのある, ude no aru] capable, able.
I have tried using this expression and came away without anyone looking strange at me. However, neither did they look impressed.
A guy or girl, with arms, however is considered capable.
Imagine the challenges of getting something done without [...]

Japanese Body Language - 腕捲くりする

May 16, 2008 - 6:39 am by Bill Belew in Culture  

腕捲くりする[うでまくりする, ude-makuri suru] roll up one’s sleeves
Good luck finding someone in Japan willing to mess with their appearance long enough to roll up their sleeves before they work.
The Japanese normally pride themselves in their appearance….to a fault perhaps. But, you can’t argue with how well many of them present themselves. But, not all of [...]