JLPT N1Four-character idioms
付和雷同
- Meaning
- 自分の意見を持たず軽々しく他人の意見に同調すること
- Explanation
- 「付和雷同」 means to go along thoughtlessly with others' opinions without having one's own firm view, just as things resonate in response to thunder. It is a word that critically expresses a lack of independence. c1, meaning to assert one's own original views, is the exact opposite. c2 and c3, which literally connect 「雷同」 with thunder, are misreadings; the point lies entirely in easy conformity.
Original Japanese explanation
「付和雷同」は、自分にしっかりした考えがなく、雷に応じて物が鳴るように、軽々しく他人の意見に同調することをいう。主体性のなさを批判的に表す語。c1 は逆に独自の主張をする意で正反対。「雷同」を字面どおり雷と結びつける c2・c3 は誤読で、要点はあくまで安易な同調にある。
Quick check
Choose the most appropriate meaning of 「付和雷同」.
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