Word Meaning 背に腹は替えられぬ

せにはらはかえられぬ se ni hara ha kaerarenu

背に腹は替えられぬ is read as せにはらはかえられぬ (se ni hara ha kaerarenu) and means you can't make an omelet without breaking eggs.

Meaning

English

  1. you can't make an omelet without breaking eggs
  2. a small sacrifice may be necessary to solve a more pressing problem

Reading

Kana

せにはらはかえられぬ

Romaji

se ni hara ha kaerarenu

Writing Variants

  • 背に腹はかえられぬ せにはらはかえられぬ se ni harahakaerarenu
  • 背に腹は代えられぬ せにはらはかえられぬ se ni hara ha kaerarenu
  • 背に腹は変えられぬ せにはらはかえられぬ se ni hara ha kaerarenu

Stroke Sequence

9 Characters • 48 Total Strokes

Study Signals and Categories

JLPT N2 Jōyō Upper Grade Kanken 4級 Proverb Rank 144284 Priority W

Related Vocabulary

Max. 12

背に腹は変えられない

せにはらはかえられない

you can't make an omelet without breaking eggs

面従腹背

めんじゅうふくはい

pretending to obey but secretly betraying (someone)

腹背

ふくはい

back and front

背骨

せぼね

spine

背伸び

せのび

standing on tiptoe and stretching one's back to make oneself taller

背中を丸める

せなかをまるめる

to hunch one's shoulders

背戸の馬も相口

せどのうまもあいくち

even an unruly horse can be tamed

背革

せがわ

back of a leatherbound book

背比べ

せいくらべ

comparing heights

背景画像

はいけいがぞう

background image

背が低い

せがひくい

short (of a person)