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絵に描いた餅（えにかいたもち）

October 6, 2022Leave a comment

「制度はあっても男性が育休を取りにくい雰囲気」が会社にあれば、絵に描いた餅になってしまいます。

If a company has a system in place, but there is an atmosphere that makes it difficult for men to take maternity leave, it will become a blight on the company’s reputation.

引用元(reference)：https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/49f24d22d949c99f5a974d903138d00ae912b0b7

意味：《餅の絵は、どんなに巧みに描いてあっても食べられないところから》何の役にも立たないもの。また、実効性がなければ何の値打ちもない規則。

Meaning: A picture of a rice cake, no matter how skillfully it is drawn, is of no use whatsoever 《from the fact that it cannot be eaten》. Also, a rule that has no value if it is not effective.

二の足を踏む（にのあしをふむ）

October 4, 2022October 4, 2022Leave a comment

だが、資源高や円安など業界を取り巻く経営環境は悪化しており、二の足を踏む同業者も少なくないという。

However, the business environment surrounding the industry is worsening due to such factors as high resource prices and a weak yen, and many of the industry’s competitors are hesitant to take the plunge.

引用元(reference)：https://www.tokyo-np.co.jp/article/206004

意味：一歩目は進みながら、二歩目はためらって足踏みする。思い切れずに迷う。ためらう。しりごみする。

Meaning: The first step goes forward while the second step hesitates and stumbles. They are lost, unable to make up their minds. Hesitate. They falter.

毒まんじゅう（どくまんじゅう）

September 27, 2022September 27, 2022Leave a comment

「だからホームランは毒まんじゅうになる」

So a home run would be a poisoned buns.

引用元：https://www.nishinippon.co.jp/nsp/item/n/992590/

意味：毒入りのまんじゅう。甘くて魅惑的だが、身を害するリスクが伴う物事などを喩える語。

Meaning: Poisoned buns. A metaphor for something that is sweet and seductive but carries the risk of harming oneself.

焼け石に水（やけいしにみず）

September 27, 2022September 27, 2022Leave a comment

円安への不満が日に日に高まる中、日銀は利上げには動けず、政府が伝家の宝刀をぬいた形です。

ただ、どの程度効果が持続するのかは不透明です。介入直後にも財務省幹部は「焼け石に水になるかもしれないが、やらなくてはならなかった」「これで終わったわけでは無い、まだ先は長い」と胸の内を明かしています。

As dissatisfaction with the weak yen grows by the day, the BOJ has been unable to move to raise interest rates, and the government has pulled out its trump card.

However, it is unclear to what extent the intervention will have a lasting effect. Immediately after the intervention, a senior Ministry of Finance official said, “It may be a drop in the bucket, but we had to do it,” and “This is not the end.

引用元（reference）：https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/-/160692?display=1

意味：《焼け石に水を少しばかりかけてもすぐ蒸発してしまうことから》努力や援助が少なくて、何の役にも立たないことのたとえ。

Meaning: A metaphor for something for which little effort or assistance has been given and which is of no use.

伝家の宝刀（でんかのほうとう）

September 27, 2022March 11, 2024Leave a comment

　円安を止めるため、政府・日銀は22日、円を買ってドルを売る為替介入を実施しました。実に24年ぶりに抜かれた「伝家の宝刀」、この円安を食い止めることはできるのでしょうか。

In order to stop the depreciation of the yen, the government and the Bank of Japan intervened on March 22 by buying yen and selling dollars. Will this “trump card”, which has not been pulled out in 24 years, be able to stop the yen from weakening?

引用元(reference)：https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/4d623cf8c2e953e80bc38c6312a91e7a6042fa15

意味：家に代々伝わる大切な刀。転じて、いよいよという場合にのみ使用するもの。切り札。「―を抜く」

Meaning: An important sword that has been handed down in a family from generation to generation. In other words, it is used only when the time comes. A trump card. To pull out a sword.