蟷螂の斧

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Japanese

FWOTD – 10 December 2022

Alternative forms

Kanji in this term
蟷 螂 斧
とう
Hyōgai 		ろう
Hyōgai 		おの
Jinmeiyō
on'yomi kun'yomi
Alternative spelling
蟷螂之斧

Etymology

Literally “praying mantis’s axe”, alluding to a parable in Zhuangzi about a praying mantis attempting to stop an emperor’s carriage. See 螳臂當車／螳臂当车 (tángbìdāngchē) for details.

Noun

蟷(とう)螂(ろう)の斧(おの) • (tōrō no ono) 

  1. a reckless strike above one’s strength or proper station
    • 1989, Takiguchi Yasuhiko, Tenmokuzan ni sakura chiru, page 25:
      勝(かつ)久(ひさ)公(こう)当(とう)国(こく)へ入(はい)らせたまい、諸(もろ)人(びと)みなお味(み)方(かた)にはせ参(さん)ずるとき、三(さん)百(びゃく)の兵(つわもの)にて手(て)向(む)かい申(もう)すこと蟷(とう)螂(ろう)の斧(おの)も同(どう)様(よう)
      Katsuhisa Kō tōkoku e hairase-tamai, morobito mina o-mikata ni hasesanzuru toki, sanbyaku no tsuwamono nite temukai mōsu koto tōrō no ono mo dōyō
      Katsuhisa shall not enter this country, even if all his supporters charge at once, against three hundred soldiers he is just kicking against the pricks.
  2. a brave individual who faces stronger enemies

See also

References

Wikious
Boobota
Sagapedia