How to use yojijukugo (四字熟語)

I was looking and heard that knowing how to use yojijukugo is cool. I would like to be cool. So I was wondering how you would use them in a sentence, or in formal/casual speech.

6 comments
  1. Using 四字熟語 is the equivalent of using “big words/phrases”. If you read the room and use them when appropriate, it’ll be cool.

    Otherwise it’ll sound like the people who use big words too often and sound annoying, or even worse perhaps. And that’s assuming the word is used accurately to begin with.

    So my only advice is to consume shit ton of native material to learn the appropriate delivery of 四字熟語. Just like how I don’t use Latin phrases (outside the most basic ones), because I don’t feel like I know enough about when I can or can’t use them.

  2. For example, if you hear your friend talk about doing one thing but accomplishing two goals. You can just reply: それは一石二鳥ですね。

  3. If you wanna use a really cool 四字熟語 in context go to a Japanese restaurant and order a 焼肉定食 :^)

  4. Check the part of speech of each one on a dictionary. This is gonna vary between 四字熟語. For example, 一生懸命 is used adverbially (e.g. 一生懸命進もう) whereas something like 三者三様 is used like a noun (e.g. 三者三様の人生)

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