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Japanese Proverbs Starting by nu
糠に釘
[ぬかにくぎ, nuka ni kugi]
do something useless or futile, to; carry coals to Newcastle, to; water on a duck's back (lit.: [drive a] nail into rice brain)
抜かぬ太刀の巧妙
[ぬかぬたちのこうみょう, nukanu tachi no koumyou]
perform a glorious deed with an undrawn sword; this refers originally to samurai on the battlefield but nowadays can be applied to anyone who reaches a goal without going to extremes.
糠をねぶりて米に及ぶ
[ぬかをねぶりてこめにおよぶ, nuka o neburite kome ni oyobu]
a small sin or bad habit can develop into something very serious (lit.: licking up the bran they work their way up to rice).
抜け駆けの巧妙
[ぬけがけのこうみょう, nukegake no koumyou]
a splendid effort performed by getting one step ahead of someone (lit.: ingenious(ly) ahead of someone else). Similar to the idea of getting a "scoop" but involving some form of cleverness.
盗人猛々しい
[ぬすびとたけだけしい, nusubito takedakeshii]
the brazen behavior of a thief; this describes the impudence and audacity of an evil man who is trying to pass off his deeds as good.
盗人に追い銭
[ぬすびとにおいせん, nusubito ni oisen]
throwing away good money after bad (lit.: to give money to a robber)
盗人に金の番
[ぬすびとにかねのばん, nusubito ni kane no ban]
set a wolf to guard sheep (lit.: have a robber guard money)
盗人にも三文の理あり
[ぬすびとにもさんぶんのりあり, nusubito nimo sanbun no ri ari]
give the devil his due (lit.: even a thief has a 30 percent justification or reason for his actions; that is to say that thieves and criminals in general have reasons for what they do)
盗人の番に盗人が良し
[ぬすびとのばんにぬすびとがよし, nusubito no ban ni nusubito ga yoshi]
set a thief to catch a thief (lit.: a thief makes a good watchman for thieves)
盗人の昼寝もあてがある
[ぬすびとのひるねもあてがある, nusubito no hirune mo ate ga aru]
make plans carefully, then rest; rest is a weapon (lit.: even in a thief's midday nap there is a purpose)
盗み食いはうまい
[ぬすみぐいはうまい, nusumigui wa umai]
stolen fruit tastes sweet (lit.: stolen food tastes good)
濡れぬ先の傘
[ぬれぬさきのかさ, nurenu saki no kasa]
be prepared for anything; prevention is better than cure (lit.: an umbrella before you get wet)
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