Hachiku no Ikioi (破竹の勢い - Tremendous Momentum)

Apr 18, 2019 10:54
Hachiku no Ikioi

When something has an intense momentum and it can't be stopped, you can describe that using the Japanese idiom 'hachiku no ikioi' (破竹の勢い).

'Ha' (破) means "to break," 'chiku' (竹) means "bamboo," and 'ikioi' (勢い) means "momentum," so the literal meaning of 'hachiku no ikioi' is "a momentum of breaking a bamboo."

If you try to divide a bamboo into two with a knife, it will break swiftly from the top to the bottom.

Because of this, 'hachiku' (破竹 - "breaking a bamboo") came to mean "an intense momentum that can't be stopped."
破竹の勢い

とどめることができないほど勢いが激しいことを、日本語で「破竹の勢い」と言います。

「破」は "to break"、「竹」は "bamboo"、「勢い」は "momentum" を意味するので、「破竹の勢い」の文字どおりの意味は "a momentum of breaking a bamboo" となります。

竹は刃物で最初の一節を割ると、あとは一気に最後まで勢いよく割れてしまいます。

このことから、「破竹」は「勢いがとどめがたいこと」を表すようになったというわけです。
No. 1 jeemeegee's correction
  • When something has an intense momentum and it can't be stopped, you can describe that using the Japanese idiom 'hachiku no ikioi' (破竹の勢い).
  • This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
  • 'Ha' (破) means "to break," 'chiku' (竹) means "bamboo," and 'ikioi' (勢い) means "momentum," so the literal meaning of 'hachiku no ikioi' is "a momentum of breaking a bamboo."
  • 'Ha' (破) means "to break," 'chiku' (竹) means "bamboo," and 'ikioi' (勢い) means "momentum," so the literal meaning of 'hachiku no ikioi' is "the momentum of breaking a bamboo."
  • If you try to divide a bamboo into two with a knife, it will break swiftly from the top to the bottom.
  • If you try to split a bamboo in two with a knife, it will break swiftly from the top to the bottom.
  • Because of this, 'hachiku' (破竹 - "breaking a bamboo") came to mean "an intense momentum that can't be stopped."
  • This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
Good! :)
Toru
Thank you so much for the correction! :)
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