爪の垢を煎じて飲む

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Japanese

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Kanji in this term
つめ
Grade: S
あか
Hyōgai
せん
Grade: S

Grade: 3
kun'yomi on'yomi kun'yomi
Alternative spelling
爪の垢を煎じて飮む (kyūjitai)

Etymology

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Compound of (つめ) (tsume, nail) + (no, possessive particle) + (あか) (aka, dirt) + (o, accusative case particle) + (せん)じて (senjite, te form of (せん)じる (senjiru, to boil)) + () (nomu, to drink). Literally, to boil the dirt under (somebody's) fingernails and drink it (so that you may become like them).

Verb

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(つめ)(あか)(せん)じて() (tsume no aka o senjite nomugodan (stem (つめ)(あか)(せん)じて() (tsume no aka o senjite nomi), past (つめ)(あか)(せん)じて()んだ (tsume no aka o senjite nonda))

  1. (idiomatic) learn something (from someone serving as an example), follow in someone's footsteps

Conjugation

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