Yojijukugo (四字熟語) is a Japanese idiom made of exactly four kanji characters. The expression comes from classical Chinese and Japanese literary traditions and is used to carry dense meaning in short form.

四字熟語 Yojijukugo

Yojijukugo: Four-Kanji Japanese Idiom Collection

Q: How many yojijukugo are there?

Reference sources list more than 6,600 yojijukugo. Kanji.Jepang.org currently provides 1,777 yojijukugo entries with meaning and reading support, and coverage continues to grow.

Q: Are yojijukugo used in daily Japanese?

Yes. Many yojijukugo appear in daily conversation, media, speeches, and formal writing in Japan. Well-known examples include 一期一会 and 以心伝心.

Q: How should I study yojijukugo?

Start from frequently used idioms and learn each composing kanji step by step. On Kanji.Jepang.org, each yojijukugo entry includes meaning, reading, and links to the forming kanji.

Yojijukugo (四字熟語) are Japanese idioms made of exactly four kanji characters. Each idiom carries dense meaning inherited from classical Chinese and Japanese literary traditions. Explore our yojijukugo collection from common expressions to rarer forms.

What Is Yojijukugo?

Yojijukugo (四字熟語) literally means "four-character idiom". The term refers to fixed Japanese expressions made of exactly four kanji. Many entries come from classical Chinese literature (漢文), older Japanese sayings, and Buddhist texts.

Unlike ordinary vocabulary, yojijukugo compresses complex ideas, moral values, or situational nuance into four characters. Internal structures vary: some use two pairs (2+2), some use one-plus-three (1+3), and some are four independent kanji working as one expression.

Yojijukugo appears in daily Japanese usage: formal speeches, headlines, lyrics, academic writing, New Year cards, and casual conversation. Mastering yojijukugo signals deeper language command and often matters in Kanken (漢字検定) study.

More Popular Examples

一石二鳥いっせきにちょう killing two birds with one stone 四面楚歌しめんそか being surrounded by enemies on all sides 一刀両断いっとうりょうだん cutting in two with a single stroke 七転八起しちてんはっき the vicissitudes of life 弱肉強食じゃくにくきょうしょく survival of the fittest 千載一遇せんざいいちぐう once-in-a-lifetime (opportunity) 半信半疑はんしんはんぎ half in doubt 百発百中ひゃっぱつひゃくちゅう always hitting the bull's-eye

100 Yojijukugo Today

25 Mei 2026

100 selected yojijukugo from 1.777 entries, refreshed daily. Open a card to see meaning, reading, and usage.

興味本位きょうみほんい (just) out of curiosity 理非曲直りひきょくちょく the rights and wrongs (of a case) 常套手段じょうとうしゅだん one's habitual practice 直截簡明ちょくせつかんめい plain and simple 皮相浅薄ひそうせんぱく shallow and unwise 佳人薄命かじんはくめい beauties die young 鬼哭啾啾きこくしゅうしゅう spine-chilling (hair-raising) (like the wailing and weeping of a restless ghost) 万代不易ばんだいふえき eternity 永世中立えいせいちゅうりつ permanent neutrality 心神耗弱しんしんこうじゃく diminished capacity 真相究明しんそうきゅうめい probe into the truth (of the matter) 紅毛碧眼こうもうへきがん red-haired and blue-eyed (person) 多岐多様たきたよう wide-ranging and diverse 月下氷人げっかひょうじん go-between 一家眷属いっかけんぞく one's family, relations, and followers 腐敗堕落ふはいだらく debasement 内政干渉ないせいかんしょう interference in the domestic affairs of another country 天地玄黄てんちげんこう heaven is black and earth is yellow 海底撈月はいていらおゆえ haitei winning hand 百舌勘定もずかんじょう splitting the bill so that the others end up paying the whole amount 自今以後じこんいご henceforth 厭離穢土えんりえど abhorrence of (living in) this impure world 天下無敵てんかむてき peerless 張三李四ちょうさんりし the common run of men 拍手喝采はくしゅかっさい clapping and cheering 不立文字ふりゅうもんじ Buddhist revelation through intuitive discernment 黄塵万丈こうじんばんじょう rising cloud of (yellowish) dust 金城湯池きんじょうとうち an impregnable fortress 一言半句いちげんはんく a single word 一件落着いっけんらくちゃく an issue being settled 旧態依然きゅうたいいぜん remaining unchanged (from the old state of things) 有為転変ういてんぺん mutability (of worldly affairs) 難攻不落なんこうふらく impregnable 残忍酷薄ざんにんこくはく cruel 傷弓の鳥しょうきゅうのとり (person who is) once bitten twice shy 韋編三絶いへんさんぜつ repeated reading 唯我独尊ゆいがどくそん self-conceit 人物月旦じんぶつげったん character sketch 大同団結だいどうだんけつ merger 欠席裁判けっせきさいばん trial in absentia 街談巷語がいだんこうご street gossips and idle rumors 延命息災えんめいそくさい health and longevity 大和撫子やまとなでしこ large pink (Dianthus superbus var. longicalycinus) 反面教師はんめんきょうし bad example from which one can learn 軽妙洒脱けいみょうしゃだつ witty 狷介孤高けんかいここう stubborn and aloof 無知蒙昧むちもうまい unenlightened 不承不承ふしょうぶしょう reluctantly 拱手傍観きょうしゅぼうかん stand idly by and watch 一国一城いっこくいちじょう establishing only one castle in each feudal domain (edict issued by the shogunate in 1615) 旧套墨守きゅうとうぼくしゅ clinging to old customs 黄道吉日おうどうきちにち very auspicious day for all types of occasions 失地回復しっちかいふく the recovery of lost territory 諸事万端しょじばんたん everything 純真可憐じゅんしんかれん pure of heart and beautiful 失望落胆しつぼうらくたん being disappointed and disheartened 悪因悪果あくいんあっか sow evil and reap evil 時機到来じきとうらい a good chance coming along 尊皇攘夷そんのうじょうい revere the Emperor, expel the (Western) barbarians 二股膏薬ふたまたこうやく double-dealer 万劫末代まんごうまつだい eternity 取捨選択しゅしゃせんたく selection 保革伯仲ほかくはくちゅう conservatives and reformists being neck and neck 獅子身中しししんちゅう treacherous friend 勇気凛凛ゆうきりんりん full of spirit 好事多魔こうじたま happy events are often accompanied by difficulties 気韻生動きいんせいどう being animated (vivid) with grace (elegance, refinement) 毀誉褒貶きよほうへん praise and censure 出家遁世しゅっけとんせい monastic seclusion 琴瑟相和きんしつそうわ pair of persons (especially a married couple) being intimate and harmonious 一挙一動いっきょいちどう one's every action 粒々辛苦りゅうりゅうしんく toil and moil 虎視眈々こしたんたん vigilantly (watching for an opportunity) 斬新奇抜ざんしんきばつ novel 自暴自棄じぼうじき desperation 暗雲低迷あんうんていめい gathering dark clouds 籠鳥檻猿ろうちょうかんえん denied freedom (of how to live one's life) 高山流水こうざんりゅうすい beautifully (skillfully) played music 純一無雑じゅんいつむざつ pure and unadulterated 俗談平話ぞくだんへいわ conversation on worldly affairs 親類縁者しんるいえんじゃ one's relatives by blood and marriage (in blood and law) 卑怯千万ひきょうせんばん very mean (sneaky) 天罰覿面てんばつてきめん the certainty of divine punishment 東西南北とうざいなんぼく east, west, south and north 偶像破壊ぐうぞうはかい iconoclasm 冗談半分じょうだんはんぶん half joking 雨奇晴好うきせいこう scenery being beautiful in both rainy and sunny weather 宣戦布告せんせんふこく declaration of war 石部金吉いしべきんきち man of incorruptible character 各人各様かくじんかくよう different strokes for different folks 常住坐臥じょうじゅうざが at all times 敬天愛人けいてんあいじん revere heaven, love people 驚天動地きょうてんどうち astounding 堅牢堅固けんろうけんご firm and solid 知己朋友ちきほうゆう intimate friends and acquaintances 面従後言めんじゅうこうげん pretending to obey someone to his face but badmouthing him behind his back 七生報国しちしょうほうこく unfailing devotion to one's country 雲散霧消うんさんむしょう vanishing like mist 千山万水せんざんばんすい many mountains and rivers 万夫不当ばんぷふとう being a match for thousands

This list updates daily. To find a specific yojijukugo, use the search field at the top of this page.

Common Questions About Yojijukugo

What is yojijukugo?

Yojijukugo (四字熟語) is a Japanese idiom made of exactly four kanji characters. The term comes from classical Chinese and Japanese literary tradition and is used to express dense meaning in compact form.

How many yojijukugo are there?

Reference sources list more than 20,000 yojijukugo. Kanji.Jepang.org currently provides 1.777 yojijukugo entries with meaning and reading support, and we keep expanding toward 6.600+ coverage.

Is yojijukugo used in daily Japanese?

Yes. Many yojijukugo are used in daily conversation, media, speeches, and formal writing in Japan. Common examples include 一期一会, 以心伝心, and 一石二鳥.

How should I study yojijukugo?

Start from frequently used yojijukugo and learn the composing kanji one by one. On Kanji.Jepang.org, each yojijukugo entry includes meaning, reading, and links to the forming kanji.

What is the difference between yojijukugo and kotowaza?

Yojijukugo always uses exactly four kanji as a fixed expression. Kotowaza (ことわざ) is a proverb that can have variable length and is often longer. Some yojijukugo can also function as kotowaza, but they are different categories.