The Year of the Horse
Every Japanese person knows what year of the zodiac they were born in. The Japanese are likely to ask what your zodiac sign is, instead of asking how old you are. In this way, you can guess a person's age without asking it directly.
Like the astrological zodiac there are all sorts of things which influence individual people. The Japanese believe that people who are born in the same animal year share similar personality and character.
For example, people born in the year of the horse are skilful with money and quick thinkers. Click here to check what year you were born in and what kind of personality your animal sign has.
People whose zodiacal sign corresponds to the year's sign (which means their age is a multiple of 12) are called "toshi-otoko (men)" or "toshi-onna (women)."
There are quite a few expressions including horse. The kanji character of "uma (horse)" is also pronounced as "ba" or "ma." Click here to learn the kanji character for it. Here are some expressions including the word horse.
Umazura ?? --- A horse face; an extremely long face. Chikuba no tomo ???? --- A childhood friend. Uma no hone ??? --- A person who came from no one knows where; a person of doubtful origin. Uma ga au ???? --- To get along. Bajitoufuu ???? --- Utter indifference; praying to deaf ears. It is one of the yoji-jukugo. Uma no mimi ni nenbutsu ?????? --- A nod is as good as a wink to a blind horse. Like water off a duck's back. Shiriuma ni noru ????? --- To imitate (a person) blindly.
Mago nimo ishou ?????? --- The tailor makes the man. Fine feathers make fine birds. Bakyaku o arawasu ????? --- To betray oneself; to reveal one's true character. ractices. To catch a weasel asleep. Ningen banji saiou ga uma ???????? --- Inscrutable are the ways of Heaven. An evil may sometimes turn out a blessing in disguise.
"Ningen banji saiou ga uma" is one of the Japanese proverbs. The literal translation is "All human affairs are like Saiou's horse". It means, "One can never know what will prove to be lucky or unlucky". The meaning came from a Chinese folk tale about an old man called Sai. ( "~ ou", also read as okina, means "old man".) Here is the story.
Once upon a time, an old man, Sai, lived near the Chinese Northern Fort. One day his horse ran away. His neighbors commiserated with him over his misfortune, but Sai said "How do you know this is not really good luck?". A few days later the horse returned, bringing another horse with it. However when his neighbors congratulated him on his good luck, the old man said "How do you know this is really good luck?" Sure enough, some while later Sai's son fell while riding the horse, and broke his leg. However this turned out to be good fortune when all the young men of the village were ordered to join the Emperor's army. Sai's son didn't have to go since he had a broken leg.
"Eto (formally called Jikkan Junishi)" refers to the Chinese zodiac symbols. Unlike the Western Zodiac which is divided into 12 months, the Asian Zodiac is divided into 12 years. Each year is named after an animal: the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and boar. It is said to have been adopted in Japan in 604 during the reign of Empress Suiko.
According to Chinese legends, before Buddha departed from earth, only twelve animals came in their devotion to him. Buddha honored them by naming the years after them in the order arrived.
This zodiac cycle was also used to tell time and directions in the old days. For example, the rat symbolized the time period between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m., and the horse was for between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. For the compass points, the rat stood for north, and the horse was for south.
Like the astrological zodiac there are all sorts of things which influence individual people. The Japanese believe that people who are born in the same animal year share similar personality and character.
For example, people born in the year of the horse are skilful with money and quick thinkers. Click here to check what year you were born in and what kind of personality your animal sign has.
People whose zodiacal sign corresponds to the year's sign (which means their age is a multiple of 12) are called "toshi-otoko (men)" or "toshi-onna (women)."
There are quite a few expressions including horse. The kanji character of "uma (horse)" is also pronounced as "ba" or "ma." Click here to learn the kanji character for it. Here are some expressions including the word horse.
"Ningen banji saiou ga uma" is one of the Japanese proverbs. The literal translation is "All human affairs are like Saiou's horse". It means, "One can never know what will prove to be lucky or unlucky". The meaning came from a Chinese folk tale about an old man called Sai. ( "~ ou", also read as okina, means "old man".) Here is the story.
Once upon a time, an old man, Sai, lived near the Chinese Northern Fort. One day his horse ran away. His neighbors commiserated with him over his misfortune, but Sai said "How do you know this is not really good luck?". A few days later the horse returned, bringing another horse with it. However when his neighbors congratulated him on his good luck, the old man said "How do you know this is really good luck?" Sure enough, some while later Sai's son fell while riding the horse, and broke his leg. However this turned out to be good fortune when all the young men of the village were ordered to join the Emperor's army. Sai's son didn't have to go since he had a broken leg.
"Eto (formally called Jikkan Junishi)" refers to the Chinese zodiac symbols. Unlike the Western Zodiac which is divided into 12 months, the Asian Zodiac is divided into 12 years. Each year is named after an animal: the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and boar. It is said to have been adopted in Japan in 604 during the reign of Empress Suiko.
According to Chinese legends, before Buddha departed from earth, only twelve animals came in their devotion to him. Buddha honored them by naming the years after them in the order arrived.
This zodiac cycle was also used to tell time and directions in the old days. For example, the rat symbolized the time period between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m., and the horse was for between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. For the compass points, the rat stood for north, and the horse was for south.
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