Learning another language is a 終わりのない探求 (never-ending quest). Colorful idioms can often 煙に巻く (bamboozle) you when you thought you finally learned the language well enough. I just recently stumbled into “ちんぷんかんぷん (gobbledygook),” and I couldn’t help but 目を白黒させる (roll my eyes).
It is true that 文脈がすべて (the context is everything). You can almost always take a pretty good guess of what it meant from the context. But understanding those idioms and being able to use them in real life are 話が別 (two different things).
Remember Ricky Ricardo*? (* A fictional character in a TV show “I Love Lucy”) He would often misuse idioms that would make the audience burst into laughter. Is this stereotyping and microaggression to 揶揄する (make fun of) people who don’t speak English perfectly? If so, the producer of the show got some splainin to do.
It would be fun if they teach more idioms at school, but you’re not supposed to have fun at school, especially in Japan, so that would be 難しい注文 (a tall order). Hmm…is the opposite of a “tall order” “short order”? Not exactly. See, idioms are more complicated than you think.
While working as an interpreter, one of my challenges is to translate/interpret idiomatic expressions particularly when they are used as a 語呂合わせ (play on words). For example, comparing “tall order” to “short order” as a play on words can be too cumbersome to explain when I have only a limited time. Of course, I can always 最後の手段を使う (resort to) “that was a play on words – please laugh.”
Did you know that the words “idiom” and “idiot” are related? The root word “idios” means “private” in 古代ギリシャ語 (ancient Greek). Thus, idioms are a form of private language, while idiot is someone whose behavior is considered unusual or “private.”
So, again, mastering another language is never めっちゃ簡単 (easy-peasy). And making fun of us ヘマをする (blundering) in the process is not nice. Put yourself 視点に立つ (in the shoes of) those who you’re making fun of. We are trying – the least you can do is not to 笑い物にする (mock us).
Thanks for hearing me out. Smily Face
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