Boost your vocabulary with four-character idioms that include numbers! A collection of four-character idioms for elementary school students to learn.

Fall down seven times, get up eight.

@az0202za

#Fall down seven times, get up eight #Yojijukugo (four-character idiom) #Indomitable spirit to keep challenging #Nanakorobi yaoki (fall seven, rise eight)

♬ Original Song – 0202civo – az0202za

A four-character idiom that makes you feel like you can overcome any hardship! It contains the kanji numerals for “seven” and “eight.” It seems to mean “even when you run into failures or difficult situations again and again, you get back up each time and keep trying without giving up.” I think you’ve heard the expression with the same meaning, “nanakorobi yaoki” (literally, “fall down seven times, get up eight”).

It’s a saying that tells us that while failure can be scary when you try something for the first time, having the determination to persevere without giving up is essential for achieving your goals.

three cold days and four warm days

@kotobaano

three cold days and four warm days#shortsTranslationProverbTranslation

♬ Original Song – Kotobāno – Kotobāno | Word Explanation

Sankan-shion is a four-character idiom that describes a climatic pattern in which about three cold days are followed by about four warm days.

It is a distinctive phenomenon seen in places like China, influenced by the Siberian High, and refers to climate fluctuations on a seven-day cycle.

Because this pattern was also occasionally observed in Japan during winter, the idiom was traditionally used to describe winter weather.

However, since Japan’s climate is also affected by the Pacific High, in recent years the term has come to be used to refer to the cyclical temperature changes seen in early spring.

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sasashina

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To each their own.

@kotobaano

To each their own.#shortsTranslationProverbTranslation

♬ Original Song – Kotobāno – Kotobāno | Word Explanation

A mindset needed for a positive, diversity-embracing society! It uses the kanji numeral for “ten.” It’s said to mean that people differ in how they think, feel, and what they like.

Each person has a different personality, appearance, preferences, and ideas, right? That’s normal—and it’s precisely because we’re all different that our individuality shines.

When you meet someone with a different opinion, rather than feeling anger or distrust, it’s best if we can accept that everyone thinks differently and work to reconcile our views.

various; diverse; a wide variety (literally: “a thousand differences, ten thousand distinctions”)

[A Thousand Varieties] Meaning and Example Sentences of Four-Character Idioms @ Kerokero Dictionary ◆ Just 1 Minute in a Video! Memorable♪

Many people read it as “sensabanbetsu,” but it seems some read it as “sensamanbetsu.” This four-character idiom means that there are a great many kinds of differences, or describes such a state, and its nuance is similar to “ten people, ten colors” (everyone is different).

However, just as the character for “person” is included in “juunin toiro” (ten people, ten colors), that phrase is used when referring to people.

“Sensabanbetsu,” on the other hand, can also be used to talk about differences in things and events.

Even when meanings are similar, the situations in which you use them differ—one of the interesting aspects of four-character idioms.

around the clock

A simple 1-minute anime that even elementary school students can understand, explaining the meaning of the four-character idiom “shiroku-jichū (四六時中),” plus how to remember and use four-character idioms.

Even in everyday life, it’s used quite often! This four-character idiom, which contains the kanji numerals for “four” and “six,” is used as an expression that encompasses all the hours in a day.

Since 4×6=24, it indicates the 24 hours in a day.

It can be used to describe scenes of working continuously without rest or constantly being deep in thought.

There are likely many situations in daily life where you can make use of it.

It might also be a good way to feel closer to four-character idioms.

next to nothing; dirt cheap

@yojijyukugo.seizan

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Original Song – Four-character Idioms/Holy Mountain – Four-character Idioms/Holy Mountain

This is a four-character idiom that means the price is extremely cheap even when the quantity is large, or simply an outrageously low price.

The words include the Chinese numerals “two” and “three.” “Sanmon” refers to the smallest unit of currency in the Edo period and is also used to mean something of no value.

Its origin is said to come from the price of straw sandals woven from straw, which cost three mon for two pairs.

Since it doesn’t carry a positive nuance, be careful not to use it in the wrong situation or with the wrong person.

either-or choice

A choice between two options #shorts #trivia #proverb #language

This is a four-character idiom that means choosing one of two options.

There are various theories about its origin, but it is said to be a very old term that also appears in myths from places like Japan and China.

In everyday life, there are surely situations where we have to choose between two alternatives.

If you try describing such moments using this idiom as you go about your life, your learning may deepen.

I don’t think either choice is wrong, so it’s best to pick the one that resonates with you.