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

10 Juli 2026

100 selected yojijukugo from 1,777 entries, refreshed daily. Open a card to see meaning, reading, and usage.

情意投合じょういとうごう (coincidence of) mutual sentiment 高手小手たかてこて bound hands and arms 落花流水らっかりゅうすい mutual love 異曲同工いきょくどうこう different in appearance but essentially the same in content 観測気球かんそくききゅう trial balloon 一世一元いっせいいちげん the practice of assigning one era name to one emperor 支離滅裂しりめつれつ incoherent 隔世遺伝かくせいいでん atavism 傀儡政権かいらいせいけん puppet government 上意下達じょういかたつ conveying the will of the governing to the governed 獅子身中しししんちゅう treacherous friend 阿付迎合あふげいごう ingratiation 雅俗混交がぞくこんこう mixture of both culture and vulgarism 越権行為えっけんこうい exceeding one's authority 鳩首協議きゅうしゅきょうぎ put heads together and confer 正真正銘しょうしんしょうめい genuine 残忍酷薄ざんにんこくはく cruel 免許皆伝めんきょかいでん possessing full mastery of an art (e.g. Judo) 小人閑居しょうじんかんきょ a small-minded person being idle (tends to do evil) 一言半句いちげんはんく a single word 公平無私こうへいむし impartiality 夢幻泡影むげんほうよう a dream, an illusion, a bubble, a shadow (metaphor for the transience of life) 風声鶴唳ふうせいかくれい getting frightened even by a slight noise 鼓腹撃壌こふくげきじょう (people) sing the praises (enjoy the blessings) of peace 四十不惑しじゅうふわく at age forty, one has no doubts 天下一品てんかいっぴん best article under heaven 現世利益げんせりやく benefits gained in this world through observance of the Buddhist teachings 魚目燕石ぎょもくえんせき imitation that looks identical to the original 海底撈月はいていらおゆえ haitei winning hand 励声一番れいせいいちばん giving cries of encouragement at a critical moment 清風明月せいふうめいげつ refreshing breeze and the bright moon 和魂洋才わこんようさい Japanese spirit with Western learning 三千世界さんぜんせかい the whole world 放蕩無頼ほうとうぶらい being dissolute and unruly 一味同心いちみどうしん (people) working together with one mind 人事不省じんじふせい unconsciousness 寸善尺魔すんぜんしゃくま in evil, there is odds 風流三昧ふうりゅうざんまい taking delight in elegant pursuits 八大地獄はちだいじごく The Eight Greater Hells 一日片時いちにちへんじ short time 身体髪膚しんたいはっぷ entire human body 春日遅々しゅんじつちち long and balmy (of a spring day) 十年一昔じゅうねんひとむかし the pace of change makes ten years back seem like ancient history 千軍万馬せんぐんばんば (having experienced) many battles 直截簡明ちょくせつかんめい plain and simple 天理人情てんりにんじょう the laws of nature and humanity 武芸百般ぶげいひゃっぱん every martial art 残念至極ざんねんしごく deep regret 忠君愛国ちゅうくんあいこく loyalty and patriotism 英雄豪傑えいゆうごうけつ hero 疾風迅雷しっぷうじんらい with lightning speed 空中楼閣くうちゅうろうかく castle in the air 権謀術数けんぼうじゅっすう trickery 有頂天外うちょうてんがい beside oneself with joy 狂喜乱舞きょうきらんぶ boisterous dance 連日連夜れんじつれんや every day and every night 強権発動きょうけんはつどう invoking the coercive power of the state 頑固一徹がんこいってつ stubborn 皮相浅薄ひそうせんぱく shallow and unwise 一言居士いちげんこじ person who is ready to comment on every subject 論功行賞ろんこうこうしょう conferral of honors (honours), according to merits 侃侃諤諤かんかんがくがく outspoken 名論卓説めいろんたくせつ excellent opinions and theories 複雑多岐ふくざつたき complex and wide-ranging 妖怪変化ようかいへんげ (animal making a) monstrous apparition 眉目秀麗びもくしゅうれい handsome 田夫野人でんぷやじん rustic 単刀直入たんとうちょくにゅう straight to the point 自作自演じさくじえん doing everything by oneself (from preparation to execution) 漫言放語まんげんほうご saying whatever one feels 心悸亢進しんきこうしん palpitations 不即不離ふそくふり neutral 汗牛充棟かんぎゅうじゅうとう (having, there being) a great number of books 天下泰平てんかたいへい peace and tranquillity 和顔愛語わがんあいご with a gentle face and a nice word 無事息災ぶじそくさい safe and healthy 厭離穢土えんりえど abhorrence of (living in) this impure world 薬石無効やくせきむこう neither medicines nor medical care having little effect on a patient 種々雑多しゅじゅざった all sorts of 没風流漢ぼつふうりゅうかん prosaic person 帰巣本能きそうほんのう homing instinct 浅学非才せんがくひさい one's lack of learning or ability 南征北伐なんせいほくばつ attacking in all directions 不言実行ふげんじっこう action before words 磨穿鉄硯ませんてっけん showing unyielding diligence in one's studies 亭主関白ていしゅかんぱく domineering husband 雨天順延うてんじゅんえん rescheduled in case of rain 千秋万歳せんしゅうばんぜい may you live a thousand years 波及効果はきゅうこうか ripple effect 千思万考せんしばんこう deep meditation 白馬非馬はくばひば sophistry 気韻生動きいんせいどう being animated (vivid) with grace (elegance, refinement) 富貴浮雲ふうきふうん riches and honors are as fleeting as floating clouds 天壌無窮てんじょうむきゅう as eternal as heaven and earth 政教分離せいきょうぶんり separation of church and state 自給自足じきゅうじそく self-sufficiency 奇々怪々ききかいかい very strange 朝雲暮雨ちょううんぼう morning clouds and evening rain 暗中飛躍あんちゅうひやく behind-the-scenes maneuvering 昼夜兼行ちゅうやけんこう around-the-clock

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.