[For Elementary Students] A Collection of Beautiful Four-Character Idioms to Know
When an elementary school child starts learning four-character idioms (yojijukugo) in their Japanese class, there may be a moment when they think, “I want to learn more beautiful words!” Four-character idioms include many expressions that have uniquely Japanese beauty and profound meanings.
Here, we’ve collected beautiful yojijukugo that are easy for elementary students to remember and can be used in essays and more.
The more you learn their meanings, the more you’ll be drawn to the charm of words, which also helps build vocabulary.
Have fun exploring together as a parent and child, and find your favorite yojijukugo!
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[For Elementary School Students] A Collection of Beautiful Four-Character Idioms You Should Know (11–20)
Add flowers to brocade (to embellish something already beautiful; to make a good situation even better)NEW!
This expression is a four-character idiom that originally comes from the image of adding flowers on top of a beautiful brocade.
It describes something already wonderful being enhanced by something even more delightful.
For example, when you work hard and achieve good results, receiving warm words from others makes your joy even greater.
That is exactly what “kinjō tenka” (adding flowers to brocade) conveys.
If we can notice someone’s strengths or achievements and add words that make them even happier, our days might become gentler and more colorful.
It’s a four-character idiom with a beautiful ring that reminds us of that feeling.
Limit BreakNEW!
When you’re working hard at something and hit a wall, you become aware of your limits, don’t you? If you can’t break through with your current ability, the only option is to take a bigger leap and challenge it again.
That’s what it means to surpass your limits.
Put simply, it’s about not setting a finish line for your own strength and aiming to become even stronger and cooler! If you like games, you might think of it as leveling up.
All of you elementary school students are still growing and full of potential.
When you hit a wall, think of it as a chance and bring out your abilities and charm to the fullest!
with all one’s mightNEW!
It’s a four-character idiom that means “to try your hardest and never give up until the end.” For example, in a school sports day relay, running with all your might because you want to come in first, or carefully finishing a drawing assignment to the very end—those are both examples of doing your best with all your heart.
Working hard to make up with a friend after a fight also shows the spirit of wholehearted effort.
When you throw yourself into something and give it your all, you gain new abilities and find more enjoyment.
It’s a very uplifting expression you can use whenever you feel, “I’m going to give it my all!” in everyday life.
Stay true to your original intention.NEW!
This four-character idiom, read as “shoshikantetsu,” means to carry through with what you started until the very end.
When we begin something, we’re full of motivation, but as soon as things don’t go as planned or we face setbacks, we can quickly lose heart.
That’s when I want you to remember “shoshi-kantetsu.” By adopting this idiom as both a slogan and a goal, we can cultivate a spirit that never gives up.
The ability to see things through to the end is a powerful asset in life, and it’s something we especially want children to develop.
Forge ahead with courageNEW!
This is a four-character idiom that means “to press forward toward a goal without fear.” For example, when you bravely take on a difficult obstacle relay at a sports day or speak in front of everyone at your first recital, that’s yuō-maishin (fearless, steady advance).
It’s the same when you tackle tough math problems or try a new extracurricular without being afraid.
By moving forward without worrying about failure, your abilities grow and grow.
It’s an energetic, positive phrase that teaches the importance of continuing to challenge yourself without fear.
Say what you mean, do what you say.NEW!
Follow through on what you say you’ll do—that’s the essence of keeping your word.
At New Year’s or the start of a new term, many of us set fresh goals, but aren’t we often treating the act of setting goals as the goal itself? It’s easy to say things like “I’ll study hard” or “I’ll throw myself into sports,” but many people never put those words into action.
So why not make this phrase your goal instead? It can prompt you to dig deeper into what you truly want to do, and once you’ve said it, you’ll develop the mindset that you have to follow through.
[For Elementary School Students] A Collection of Beautiful Four-Character Idioms You Should Know (21–30)
Learning new things by revisiting the oldNEW!
It means learning from the past and putting it to use in new situations.
For example, by reviewing kanji and relearning them, you’ll be able to write more difficult characters, and recalling math problems you studied before can help you tackle new ones—that’s onko chishin.
Studying history to understand past events and applying those lessons to your daily life or school rules is the same idea.
Likewise, remembering the creative tricks from artwork or crafts you made before and using them to create something new is also onko chishin.
When you value the past and skillfully incorporate new things, your abilities will keep growing.