JLPT N2Proverbs
のれんに腕押し
- Meaning
- 相手に手応えがなく張り合いがないこと
- Explanation
- "のれんに腕押し" is a simile: just as pushing a noren (shop curtain) with your arm gives no resistance, it describes a situation where the other party gives no response and there is no sense of engagement. It is the opposite of "pushing hard always gives resistance," expressing a situation where no matter how much you try, there is no effect.
Original Japanese explanation
「のれんに腕押し」は、のれんを腕で押しても手応えがないように、相手の反応がなく、張り合いがないことのたとえです。「強く押せば必ず手応えがある」とは逆で、いくら働きかけても効果がない状況を表します。
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