A state in which one cannot sit still due to a strong urge to do something, with the feeling rising from within. Used as in 「早く試したくてうずうずする」. An adverb expressing an impulse one cannot restrain, mostly used in the form 「〜する」.
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薄気味悪いうすきみわるい
A state of vaguely feeling anxiety or fear without a clear reason. Used as in 「薄気味悪い笑い方」 or 「薄気味悪い静けさ」. An adjective expressing a vaguely uncomfortable and eerie atmosphere, not a clear threat.
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渦巻くうずまく
A state in which water or smoke forms swirls and rotates, or emotions and debates intensely intermingle and rise. Used as in 「怒りが渦巻く」 or 「議論が渦巻く」, for both physical rotation and abstract turmoil.
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薄ら寒いうすらさむい
A state where it is not clearly cold, but somehow the skin feels a slight chill. Used as in 「薄ら寒い朝」 or 「薄ら寒い話」. Not only expresses temperature but is also used metaphorically for eerie, chilling topics.
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薄れるうすれる
A state in which color, emotion, or memory gradually grows weaker and fainter. Used as in 「記憶が薄れる」 or 「関心が薄れる」. Expresses a state in which sensations or impressions diminish in intensity over time.
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うだつうだつ
「うだつ」 originally referred to small pillars or short roof structures attached to both ends of a house's roof. Since only wealthy families could afford to build impressive ones, the idiom 「うだつが上がらない」 is used to describe someone who never advances in status or life and remains undistinguished. A somewhat old-fashioned idiom, often used to mock a man's circumstances.
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打たれ強いうたれづよい
Having the strength to recover without breaking down despite criticism, failures, or mental blows. Used as in 「打たれ強い性格」. Originally a boxing term, the meaning shifted to express mental endurance.
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打ち明けるうちあける
Honestly telling a trusted person secrets and true feelings one has kept hidden in one's heart until now. Used as in 「悩みを打ち明ける」 or 「本心を打ち明ける」 in scenes of resolving to convey something hard to say.
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打ち勝つうちかつ
To overcome difficult circumstances, strong enemies, or one's own weaknesses without giving in. Used as in 「病に打ち勝つ」 or 「誘惑に打ち勝つ」. A formal expression that means not merely winning but conquering a difficult target.
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打ち切るうちきる
Ending an ongoing activity, broadcast, or transaction earlier than planned, midway through. Used as in 「連載を打ち切る」 or 「交渉を打ち切る」 in scenes of unilaterally or decisively halting something.
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打ち砕くうちくだく
Breaking a hard object into small pieces with great force, or completely shattering hopes and plans. Used as in 「岩を打ち砕く」 or 「夢を打ち砕く」, for both physical destruction and the shattering of hopes.
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打ち消すうちけす
Consciously denying and driving away anxiety, doubt, or bad premonitions that have arisen in one's heart. Used as in 「不安を打ち消す」 or 「嫌な予感を打ち消す」. Also has the meaning of denying rumors or remarks as untrue, and of drowning out a sound with another sound.
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打ち込むうちこむ
To focus one's mind strongly on one thing and engage in it earnestly. Used as in 「研究に打ち込む」 or 「仕事に打ち込む」 in scenes of becoming absorbed in a subject. Also has the physical meaning of driving in something like a nail.
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打ち出すうちだす
Clearly showing and publicly announcing a new policy, idea, or strategy. Used as in 「新方針を打ち出す」 or 「独自色を打ち出す」 in scenes of forcefully asserting outward what one has held inside.
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打ち解けるうちとける
The state in which initial wariness and reserve disappear, allowing one to talk intimately and at ease with the other person. Used as in 「初対面でもすぐ打ち解ける」. Expresses a state in which formal distance shrinks and one can open one's heart to interact.
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打ち所うちどころ
The place where the body has been struck, or a point that deserves criticism. 「打ち所が悪い」 means striking a fatal part when falling, while 「非の打ち所がない」 means there is not a single flaw. Both are established as fixed idiomatic expressions.
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打ちのめすうちのめす
To strike down an opponent so forcefully that they cannot get up, defeating them thoroughly. Used as in 「相手を打ちのめす」 or 「失敗に打ちのめされる」, applying to both physical blows and mental shocks.
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打ち破るうちやぶる
Smashing through walls, restrictions, or bad situations that have stood in the way until now, with strong force and momentum. Used as in 「固定観念を打ち破る」 or 「記録を打ち破る」 in scenes of overcoming something to bring about a new development.
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有頂天うちょうてん
A state of being so overjoyed that one forgets oneself. Used as in 「優勝して有頂天になる」, expressing a state of being so elated by great success or good fortune that one loses composure. Also used in contexts that foreshadow a subsequent failure.
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打ち寄せるうちよせる
Waves and similar things surging vigorously toward the shore, or emotions and information arriving in continuous succession. Used as in 「波が打ち寄せる」 or 「声援が打ち寄せる」, in both physical and abstract senses.
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内輪うちわ
A very limited circle of people, such as family and close friends. Used as in 「内輪で祝う」 or 「内輪の話」, referring to intimate relationships that exclude outsiders. Also has the meaning of estimating amounts or numbers conservatively.
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内訳うちわけ
Showing the total amount or quantity broken down in detail by item. On invoices or budget documents, used as in 「費用の内訳を示す」 or 「支出の内訳を確認する」. Used in contexts of explaining what the total figure is composed of.
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うつつうつつ
The state of being awake, or reality. Used as in 「夢とうつつの区別がつかない」 or 「うつつを抜かす」. The form 「うつつを抜かす」 in particular is a frequently appearing idiom meaning to be so absorbed in one thing that one neglects one's main duties.
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打って変わるうってかわる
A condition or attitude suddenly changing into something entirely different from before. Used as in 「打って変わって穏やかになる」, mostly used adverbially in the 「〜て」 form, in contexts emphasizing the contrast between before and after.
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うってつけうってつけ
A state of fitting an objective or condition perfectly, as if it were custom-ordered. Used as in 「この仕事に彼はうってつけだ」. A formal word used when a person, place, or opportunity is optimally suited.
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虚ろうつろ
A state in which the inside is empty and one cannot sense any strength or emotion. Used as in 「虚ろな目」 or 「虚ろな表情」, expressing a state of being absentminded or having lost one's vigor. Used in scenes where the heart or expression is like an empty shell.
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疎いうとい
Having little knowledge or information about a certain field. Used as in 「経済に疎い」 or 「芸能界に疎い」. Also used in the sense of relationships with others being distant and not close, as in 「疎い仲」.
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疎むうとむ
Disliking the other party and trying to keep them at a distance. Used as in 「周囲から疎まれる」. Not clear hostility, but expresses the feeling of finding someone bothersome and wanting to keep one's distance. Used in somewhat formal writing.
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促すうながす
Working on the other party so that they will do something. Used as in 「発言を促す」, 「注意を促す」, or 「反省を促す」 in scenes of drawing out an action without compulsion. Frequently used in somewhat formal writing.
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うなぎ登りうなぎのぼり
An idiom derived from the image of an eel vigorously swimming upstream, used to describe prices, popularity, or reputation rising rapidly and continuously. Used in contexts of steady upward growth, as in 「売り上げがうなぎ登り」 and 「人気がうなぎ登り」.
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頷くうなずく
The motion of nodding the head up and down to indicate feelings of agreement, understanding, or consent. Used as in 「深く頷く」 or 「黙って頷く」 in scenes of agreeing with another's words or conveying that one has understood.
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うなだれるうなだれる
Drooping one's head forward weakly due to disappointment, dejection, or shame. Used as in 「しょんぼりとうなだれる」 or 「がっくりとうなだれる」 in scenes where mental dejection appears in one's posture.
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唸るうなる
Emitting a low, prolonged voice. Expresses a moan emitted due to suffering, admiration, or discomfort. Used as in 「犬が唸る」, 「傷の痛みで唸る」, or 「見事さに思わず唸った」. Also used for low-resonating sounds of wind or machinery.
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自惚れうぬぼれ
Evaluating one's own ability or charm higher than it actually is and becoming self-satisfied. Used as in 「自惚れが強い」 or 「自惚れにすぎない」, referring to a state seen from others as overconfidence. A word with a somewhat negative implication.
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うねるうねる
A state in which waves, roads, or bodies continue while bending and curving in large undulations. Used as in 「大波がうねる」 or 「山道がうねる」. Expresses a state not of static straight lines but of continuous motion describing curves and rises and falls.
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鵜呑みうのみ
「鵜」 (cormorant) is a bird that catches fish in its beak and swallows them whole without chewing. From this image comes the idiom expressing the act of believing someone's words or information as-is without proper verification. Used in the form 「鵜呑みにする」, it negatively describes an attitude of accepting things without scrutiny. Frequently appears in journalism, political, and educational contexts.
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埋まるうまる
The state in which something enters from above or inside and becomes covered or filled. Used as in 「雪に埋まる」 or 「予定が埋まる」, in both the physical sense of being covered and the sense of all empty spaces being filled.
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産みの苦しみうみのくるしみ
Originally referred to the pain of childbirth. By extension, it is an idiom expressing the mental and physical hardship experienced in the process of creating something new. Used metaphorically for difficulties in situations of creating something from scratch, such as creative work or launching a business, as in 「新商品開発の産みの苦しみ」.
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有無うむ
Existence and nonexistence. Used in scenes asking whether something exists, as in 「有無を確かめる」 or 「経験の有無」. Also used in the form 「有無を言わせず」 with the meaning of forcefully proceeding with something without obtaining the other party's consent.
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有無を言わさずうむをいわさず
To proceed with something unilaterally without giving the other party room to consent or make excuses. Used in expressions like 「有無を言わさず連れて行く」, an idiom expressing forceful or coercive action. Used adverbially, frequently appearing in formal writing.
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埋め合わせうめあわせ
Making up for a deficiency, loss, or trouble caused, by some other form, in order to balance it out. Used as in 「損失の埋め合わせ」 or 「埋め合わせをする」 in scenes of filling in what is lacking later to restore equilibrium.
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埋め込むうめこむ
Placing one thing firmly inside another and fixing it in place. Used as in 「床に配線を埋め込む」 or 「文章に引用を埋め込む」, both for physical installation and for inserting into documents or data.
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埋もれるうもれる
Being deeply hidden under or within something so as to be no longer visible, or one's talent or existence ending without being known to the world. Used as in 「雪に埋もれる」 or 「才能が埋もれる」, in both the physical sense of being covered and the sense of not being noticed.
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恭しいうやうやしい
A state of taking an extremely polite and respectful attitude, with deep reverence toward the other party. Used as in 「恭しく頭を下げる」 or 「恭しい口調」. Frequently used in formal contexts with superiors or with deities and the Buddha.
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敬ううやまう
Treating someone politely with feelings of respect toward superiors or distinguished people. Used as in 「師を敬う」 or 「先人を敬う」 in scenes of highly evaluating the character and achievements of the other party and showing courtesy.
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うやむやうやむや
A state in which something is brought to an end without becoming clear, in an ambiguous manner. Used as in 「問題をうやむやにする」 or 「責任がうやむやになる」. Expresses a state of avoiding clear conclusions or resolution and finishing things off vaguely.
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紆余曲折うよきょくせつ
A matter not progressing smoothly but going through a complicated course. Used as in 「紆余曲折を経て結論に至る」. A four-character compound originating from the image of a winding road, expressing situations in which arguments or plans proceed while changing many times.
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裏返すうらがえす
Flipping front and back, or reviewing a story or stance from the opposite perspective. Used as in 「服を裏返す」 or 「発言を裏返す」, both for physical reversal and for the reversal of viewpoint or interpretation.
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裏付けうらづけ
Solid evidence or grounds showing that a claim or assumption is correct. Used as in 「裏付けを取る」 or 「発言の裏付けがない」. A formal word frequently appearing in news, investigations, and contexts of verifying facts.
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裏腹うらはら
「裏」 refers to the back side and 「腹」 to the front side; from this contrast comes the meaning of an outward attitude or words being completely opposite to one's inner feelings. Used in expressions such as 「言葉とは裏腹に」 and 「気持ちとは裏腹に」, in situations where outward appearance contradicts true inner feelings.
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