In this article, you can enjoy the privilege of consulting a list of Japanese words made up of four kanji – the infamous “Yojijukugo” (四字熟語, よじじゅくご).
The amount of Yojijukugo in the Japanese language is immense and it would be practically impossible to list all of them in a single article.
With that in mind, we selected only the ones we consider most important and the ones that tend to appear more frequently in anime, manga and Japanese texts.
Remembering that, if we have forgotten any important Yojijukugo, you can let us know through the comments or contact us by email.
NOTE: This dictionary will be expanded periodically.
Also read the article: Kanji and Longest Words in the Japanese Language
Yojijukugo's Dictionary
- 全身全霊 = ぜんしんぜんれい = Zenshinzenrei = With body and soul, complete devotion, total dedication.
- 海千山千 = うみせんやません = Umisenyamasen = Experienced person, represents the idea of something or someone who already has a lot of experience.
- 花鳥風月 = かちょうふうげつ = Kachoufougetsu = The beauties of nature.
- 風林火山 = ふうりんかざん = Fuurinkazan = Fast as the wind, calm as a forest, aggressive as fire and firm as a mountain.
- 一期一会 = いちごいちえ = Ichigoichie = A once-in-a-lifetime encounter (once in a lifetime). It denotes importance to meeting someone.
- 賃貸住宅 = ちんたいじゅうたく = Chintaijuutaku = Residences for rent.
- 時期尚早 = じきしょうそう = Jikishousou = Premature.
- 存在意義 = そんざいいぎ = Sonzaiigi = Reason for being, Reason for existing.
- 四字熟語 = よじじゅくご = Yojijukugo = Word composed of 4 characters.
- 年中無休 = ねんじゅうむきゅう = Nenjuumukyuu = Open all year, No rest all year, not closed.
- 悪戦苦闘 = あくせんくとう = Akusenkutou = Difficult and painful battle.
- 死活問題 = しかつもんだい = Shikatsumondai = Matter of life or death.
- 一言半句 = いちごんはんく = Ichigonhanku = A mere word, Not a word.
- 天上天下 = てんじょうてんげ = Tenjoutenge = The entire universe.
- 一網打尽 = いちもうだじん = Ichimoudajin = Finish/Defeat/Capture them all at once.
- 疾風怒濤 = しっぷうどとう = Shippuudotou = Storms and Violent Waves.
- 以心伝心 = いしんでんしん = Ishindenshin = Understanding something even without words, Telepathy, Tacit Understanding.
- 先手必勝 = せんてひっしょう = Sentehisshou = Victory goes to the one who takes the first step.
- 異口同音 = いくどうおん = Ikudouon = In unison, In chorus.
- 一衣帯水 = いちいたいすい = Ichiitaisui = Practically neighbors, very close.
- 一言居士 = いちげんこじ = Ichigenkoji = Very critical person who criticizes everything always.
- 一石二鳥 = いっせきにちょう = Issekinichou = Killing two birds (birds) with one stone (stone) only.
- 自問自答 = じもんじとう = Jimonjitou = Monologue, Talk to yourself.
- 一致団結 = いっちだんけつ = Icchidanketsu = To be in solidarity with each other, Cooperate, Act as a team towards a common goal.
- 喜怒哀楽 = きどあいらく = Kidoairaku = Human emotions (joy, anger, sadness and pleasure).
- 自画自賛 = じがじさん = Jigajisan = Self-praise, Self-approval, Deem yourself, Place yourself as the best.
- 十人十色 = じゅうにんといろ = Juunintoiro = Various people, Various opinions, Various minds, Each person has their opinion/their way.
- 誠心誠意 = せいしんせいい = Seishinseii = With all my heart, With all sincerity.
- 諸行無常 = しょぎょうむじょう = Shogyoumujou = Everything passes, Nothing is permanent, Everything follows its flow.
- 起死回生 = きしかいせい = Kishikaisei = Unexpected Recovery, Unexpected Revival, Sudden Recovery, Resurrect from the Bottom.
- 起承転結 = きしょうてんけつ = Kishoutenketsu = Introduction Development Twist (Twist) Conclusion
- 弱肉強食 = じゃくにくきょうしょく = Jakunikukyoushoku = Law of the strongest, Law of the jungle, Survive the strongest.
- 古今東西 = ここんとうざい = Kokontouzai = All times and places.
- 前代未聞 = ぜんだいみもん = Zendaimimon = Unprecedented in history.
- 危機一髪 = ききいっぱつ = Kikiippatsu = Just in time, Just in time, By a hair's breadth.
- 針小棒大 = しんしょうぼうだい = Shinshouboudai = Exaggerate, Make a storm in a glass of water, Increase.
- 八方美人 = はっぽうびじん = Happoubijin = Person who is nice to everyone (but deep down is not like that), Fake person who seems to like everyone.
- 三日坊主 = みっかぼうず = Mikkabouzu = Person who cannot do the same thing for a long time.
- 自業自得 = じごうじとく = Jigoujitoku = You reap what you sow, You get what you deserve.
- 指名手配 = しめいてはい = Shimeitehai = Wanted by justice.
- 試行錯誤 = しこうさくご = Shikousakugo = Trial and Error.
- 中途半端 = ちゅうとはんぱ = Chuutohanpa = Halfway, Incomplete.
- 民間伝承 = みんかんでんしょう = Minkandenshou = Folklore.
- 単刀直入 = たんとうちょくにゅう = Tantouchokunyuu = In the can, Straight to the point, There's point blank.
- 青春時代 = せいしゅんじだい = Seishunjidai = Youth, Adolescence
- 悪因悪果 = あくいんあっか = Akuinakka = Who sows evil, reaps evil.
- 安全第一 = あんぜんだいいち = Anzendaiichi = Safety first.
- 不撓不屈 = ふとうふくつ = Futoufukutsu = Inflexible, Indomitable, Inflexible.
- 唯唯諾諾 = いいだくだく = Iidakudaku = Submissive, Obedient.
- 東西南北 = とうざいなんぼく = Touzainanboku = The cardinal points (east, west, south and north).
- 上下左右 = じょうげさゆう = Jougesayuu = The four directions (up, down, left and right).
- 相互作用 = そうごさよう = Sougosayou = Interaction.
- 勧善懲悪 = かんぜんちょうあく = Kanzenchouaku = Poetic justice, Reward good and punish evil.
- 拒絶反応 = きょぜつはんのう = Kyozetsuhannou = Completely reject, Total disagreement.
- 正当防衛 = せいとうぼうえい = Seitoubouei = Self-defense.
- 切磋琢磨 = せっさたくま = Sessatakuma = Mutual encouragement. Constant effort (in studies), cultivate your own character by studying hard.
- 七転八起 = しちてんはっき = Shichitenhakki = Fall 7 times, get up eight (represents the ups and downs of life and the need to always overcome even after a defeat).
- 天地無用 = てんちむよう = Tenchimuyou = Indicates that a box, package or package should not be handled upside down.
- 独立自尊 = どくりつじそん = Dokuritsujison = Independence and self-confidence (respect yourself).
- 和魂洋才 = わこんようさい = Wakonyousai = Japanese spirit with western learning (meaning that something from the west should be incorporated while maintaining the eastern spirit and tradition). Term commonly used by Japanese nationalists who feared the modernization and excessive influence of the West after the end of the country's isolation and in the post-war Pacific.
- 天真爛漫 = てんしんらんまん = Tenshinranman = Naivete, Innocence, Simplicity.
- 二人三脚 = ににんさんきゃく = Nininsankyaku = Teamwork, Working together towards the same goal. The term originally refers to a running sport where two people walk/run together with their feet tied together.
- 年功序列 = ねんこうじょれつ = Nenkoujoretsu = Known as “nenko system”, in which an employee is promoted according to the time left to reach retirement within a company. Seniority by length of service.
- 四捨五入 = ししゃごにゅう = Shishagonyuu = Round (a number). Rounding.
- 森羅万象 = しんらばんしょう = Shinrabanshou = Everything, All things in nature, All creation.
- 利害関係 = りがいかんけい = Rigaikankei = Mutual interests, Interested parties.
- 満場一致 = まんじょういっち = Manjouicchi = Unanimity.
- 大義名分 = たいぎめいぶん = Taigimeibun = Pretext, Justification, Reason.
- 二者択一 = にしゃたくいつ = Nishatakuitsu = Choose between two alternatives. Two options.
- 既成事実 = きせいじじつ = Kiseijijitsu = fait accompli, fact proven.
- 不言実行 = ふげんじっこう = Fugenjikkou = Doing instead of talking. Talk less and do more. Actions before words.
- 一喜一憂 = いっきいちゆう = Ikkiichiyuu = Oscillating between joy and worry.
- 言語道断 = ごんごどうだん = Gongodoudan = Absurd, Scandalous, Outrageous.
- 珍紛漢紛 = ちんぷんかんぷん = Chinpunkanpun = Not understanding anything that is said, Bullshit, Just nonsense, Incomprehensible language.
- 気分転換 = きぶんてんかん = Kibuntenkan = Change of mood.
- 無我夢中 = むがむちゅう = Mugamuchuu = To lose yourself completely and act unconsciously, be completely mentally dominated and act without thinking.
- 馬耳東風 = ばじとうふう = Bajitoufuu = Talking to no one, Talking to the wall (indicates total indifference of the listener).
- 過小評価 = かしょうひょうか = Kashouhyouka = Underestimating something, underestimating something.
- 粉骨砕身 = ふんこつさいしん = Funkotsusaishin = Do your best.
- 意思疎通 = いしそつう = Ishisotsuu = Understanding each other, Mutual understanding.
- 日進月歩 = にっしんげっぽ = Nisshingeppo = Steady Progress, Fast and Steady Forward.
- 再三再四 = さいさんさいし = Saisansaishi = Repeatedly.
- 本末転倒 = ほんまつてんとう = Honmatsutentou = Mistaking the superfull for the essential.
- 呉越同舟 = ごえつどうしゅう = Goetsudoushuu = When enemies unite for some task. Being in the same boat.
- 公序良俗 = こうじょりょうぞく = Koujoryouzoku = Social standards, Order and public morals, Values.
- 意識過剰 = いしきかじょう = Ishikikajou = Pure imagination.
- 自暴自棄 = じぼうじき = Jiboujiki = Total despair.
- 臨機応変 = りんきおうへん = Rinkiouhen = For due purposes, With a specific purpose, Adapted to the requirements of the moment.
- 四苦八苦 = しくはっく = Shikuhakku = Enormous suffering. Buddhist word referring to the 4 sufferings: old age, illness, death and separation in love.
- 質実剛健 = しつじつごうけん = Shitsujitsugouken = Strong mind and body, Sincerity, Strong mind and body.
- 電光石火 = でんこうせっか = Denkusekka = Extremely fast, In the blink of an eye, At the speed of light, In an instant.
- 最後通牒 = さいごつうちょう = Saigotsuuchou = Ultimatum (conditions and ultimate requirements of a country in a war for example).
- 初志貫徹 = しょしかんてつ = Shoshikantetsu = Accomplish the initial intention/goal, Accomplish what was initially planned.
- 悠々自適 = ゆうゆうじてき = Yuuyuujiteki = To live peacefully and without worries (leisure with dignity).
- 三位一体 = さんみいったい = Sanmiittai = The Holy Trinity, Three Bodies.
- 清浄潔白 = せいじょうけっぱく = Seijoukeppaku = Pure heart and clear conscience.
- 温故知新 = おんこちしん = Onkochishin = Developing ideas based on the past and tradition.
- 臥薪嘗胆 = がしんしょうたん = Gashinshoutan = Go over sticks and stones to reach the goal, Suffer a lot to get something.
- 通過儀礼 = つうかぎれい = Tsuukagirei = Rite of passage.
- 百鬼夜行 = ひゃっきやぎょう = Hyakkiyagyou = A real pandemonium, many people plotting evil. It originally refers to something like “100 creatures walking down the street at night (touching terror)” in a kind of night parade.
If you want to learn more about what a 四字熟語, we recommend the video below:
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