Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Aug 25, 2005 04:44
18 yrs ago
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Japanese term
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鬼に金棒
Japanese to English
Art/Literary
Poetry & Literature
instructions
What would be the best English equivalent of this phrase/idiom?
The sentence is:
ファイナンスのスキルを身に付けられたら鬼に金棒ではないですか
The sentence is:
ファイナンスのスキルを身に付けられたら鬼に金棒ではないですか
Proposed translations
(English)
Proposed translations
+6
17 mins
Japanese term (edited):
�S�ɋ�_
Selected
Acquiring financial skills gives (one) an unbeatable advantage
Hi Katalin,
Eijiro gives various renditions of this idiom.
My punt given above, but take your pick!
技と自信があれば、鬼に金棒。
Skill and confidence are an unconquered army.
鬼に金棒
strength of Samson // The more Moors, the better victory.
鬼に金棒 ；《諺》
ogre with an iron club
彼女がついててくれたら鬼に金棒だ
With her help, I can't lose.
「彼がうちの野球チームに入ってくれたら鬼に金棒なんだけど」「忙し過ぎて野球をする暇がないって彼は言ってたよ」
"If he joins our baseball team, that will put the icing on the cake." "He said he was too busy and had no time to play baseball."
Eijiro gives various renditions of this idiom.
My punt given above, but take your pick!
技と自信があれば、鬼に金棒。
Skill and confidence are an unconquered army.
鬼に金棒
strength of Samson // The more Moors, the better victory.
鬼に金棒 ；《諺》
ogre with an iron club
彼女がついててくれたら鬼に金棒だ
With her help, I can't lose.
「彼がうちの野球チームに入ってくれたら鬼に金棒なんだけど」「忙し過ぎて野球をする暇がないって彼は言ってたよ」
"If he joins our baseball team, that will put the icing on the cake." "He said he was too busy and had no time to play baseball."
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you, everybody.
I like this one with "unbeatable"."
-1
12 mins
Japanese term (edited):
�S�ɋ�_
double advantage
just a guess
Peer comment(s):
| disagree |
Maynard Hogg
: "Double" is too specific. KathyT's "unbeatable" is, ahem, hard to beat.
1 day 21 mins
|
-1
24 mins
Japanese term (edited):
�S�ɋ�_
Hercules with the distaff (and see explanation)
ファイナンスのスキルを身に付けられたら鬼に金棒ではないですか
It would be like Hercules with the distaff if he/she acquired financial skills.
This is a classical English phrase that, while accurate, may not be appropriate for your translation. In that case, you could try some colloquial example, like "giving Ichiro a tee to bat from" or something.
Another option might be to just translate fairly literally: "It would be like handing an iron club to an ogre if he/she acquired financial skills," or "He/she would be like an ogre who's gotten hold of an iron club if..."
Finally, you could try: "He/she would even more formidable if..."
Good luck
It would be like Hercules with the distaff if he/she acquired financial skills.
This is a classical English phrase that, while accurate, may not be appropriate for your translation. In that case, you could try some colloquial example, like "giving Ichiro a tee to bat from" or something.
Another option might be to just translate fairly literally: "It would be like handing an iron club to an ogre if he/she acquired financial skills," or "He/she would be like an ogre who's gotten hold of an iron club if..."
Finally, you could try: "He/she would even more formidable if..."
Good luck
Peer comment(s):
| disagree |
Maynard Hogg
: Translating hackneyed Japanese into hackneyed English is one strategy, but your doesn't mean any thing to this native speaker.
1 day 15 mins
|
-1
1 hr
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Japanese term (edited):
�S�ɋ�_
Please see explanation:
It would be great if he/she acquired financial skills.
Usually 鬼に金棒 (おににかなぼう)means make one even stronger .
In other words his/her plus point, additional feature, advantage.
Please see:
http://www.alice-it.com/proverbs/proverbs-a.html
http://buna.yorku.ca/japanese/idiom_all.html#o
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Note added at 1 hr 18 mins (2005-08-25 06:02:27 GMT)
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鬼に金棒
【読み】 おににかなぼう
【意味】 ただでさえ強い鬼（おに）が鉄（てつ）の棒（ぼう）を持つこと。強い上にさらに強さが加（くわ）わること。
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Note added at 1 hr 23 mins (2005-08-25 06:07:35 GMT)
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鬼に金棒（おににかなぼう）
普段でさえ力が強い鬼に鉄の棒を持たせるかのように、強い上にさらに強さが増すことのたとえ
Peer comment(s):
| disagree |
Maynard Hogg
: "would be great" is too wishy washy. "He/she would be even more formidable" would be better.
23 hrs
|
1 day 37 mins
unbeatable combination
would be my gloss, but this context called for something different because it didn't give the other half of the pair.
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