A phrase that just boggles me...

Index » The Japanese language

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Reply #1 - 2009 December 19, 12:07 pm
LegionOfDeicide Member
From: USA Registered: 2009-02-07 Posts: 69

きっかけは、今回のことだとしても　下地はだいぶ前から　できていたんじゃないでしょうか。

I am just so confused. What killed me was the "datoshitemo" and " Dekite itanjanai deshouka ". If somebody could help me out, throw me a bone here, I would be most grateful.  I might be just having a bad day, ( japanese-wise ). >.>

Reply #2 - 2009 December 19, 12:27 pm
DavidZ Member
From: Tokyo Registered: 2008-11-05 Posts: 81

It's hard to tell what's going on from just this one isolated sentence. More context would help. But I'll take a stab at it. Maybe something like this?:

"Even if what happened this time was the catalyst, the groundwork was laid much earlier, wasn't it?"

The "janai deshouka" makes it a rhetorical question.

Reply #3 - 2009 December 19, 1:20 pm
LegionOfDeicide Member
From: USA Registered: 2009-02-07 Posts: 69

Ah thanks, sorry for the one sentence haha. It was from a manga. But what you wrote helps a lot. Thank you!

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Reply #4 - 2009 December 19, 5:37 pm
Ryajinor Member
From: Maryland Registered: 2008-12-26 Posts: 42

On the topic of boggling phrases: I just happened across "豆腐の角に頭をぶつけて死ね" in my dictionary. Wow.

Reply #5 - 2009 December 21, 1:18 am
everfangomanga New member
From: Oregon USA Registered: 2008-09-05 Posts: 4

Ryajinor wrote:

On the topic of boggling phrases: I just happened across "豆腐の角に頭をぶつけて死ね" in my dictionary. Wow.

Haha, I found that a long time ago too. Just look up 豆腐 and it's like the second entry.
死ね！

Reply #6 - 2010 January 09, 4:49 am
fjolnir Member
From: Iceland Registered: 2009-01-11 Posts: 20

"Die by knocking your head against a block of tofu"?

..wat

Reply #7 - 2010 January 09, 4:58 am
mezbup Member
From: sausage lip Registered: 2008-09-18 Posts: 1681 Website

Hit your head on a cube of tofu and die!

LOLOLOLOLOLOL. Hilarious

http://psymaris.hp.infoseek.co.jp/killTofu.html

Full blown instructions on how to make tofu that can actually kill people. Brilliant.

edit:

a quick search turns up an explanation

「豆腐の角に頭をぶつけて死ね」の意味ですね？

簡単なことでばかげた失敗をした者を、ののしっていう言葉です。

豆腐みたいな柔らかな物に頭をぶつけたって死ねないですよね。それを「死ね」って言ってるんですから、完全にバカにしてるのです。

Basically you use it to insult someone who's so stupid they screw up the most basic of tasks.

Last edited by mezbup (2010 January 09, 5:13 am)

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