I-ro-ha Karuta いろはかるた

RadioKid · (#1 (**permalink**))

IROHA KARUTA is a card matching game by which Japanese children learns Japanese characters and words. KARUTA is originally come from Portuguese meaning card.

Refer to Iroha - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia for detail of IROHA which is a poem using all Japanese alphabet only once by each.

In this thread, I would like to introduce Edo (ancient Tokyo) version of IROHA karuta one by one.

Here is comparison of each version of IROHA KARUTA for your reference.
$B$$$m$O$+$k$?Hf3S(J

RadioKid · (#2 (**permalink**))

犬も歩けば棒にあたる: いぬもあるけばぼうにあたる; inu mo aruke-ba bou-ni ataru

This has two interpretation.
1) During walking around, a dog could be beaten.
2) During walking around, a dog could happen to come across unexpected luckey.

I believie that should be 2). Above 1) seems to be rather old.

RadioKid · (#3 (**permalink**))

論より証拠：ろんよりしょうこ; ron yori shouko
(It is more important to have) evidence than discussions.

RadioKid · (#4 (**permalink**))

花より団子:　はなよりだんご; hana yori dango
(It is more important to have) rice cake than flower.

Effective benefits are more welcome than decoration or romance symbolized by flower.

It came from a sceen where a man eats rice case without enjoying chery blossom at the Hanami(Cherry blossom watching) party.

Famouce J-drama 花より男子 is ironical modification of this phrase.

RadioKid · (#5 (**permalink**))

憎まれっ子世に憚る;　にくまれっこよにはばかる; nikumare-kko yo-ni habakaru
Bad child could make a man who does not hesitate after getting adult.

My dictionary shown "Ill weeds grow apace" for this.

RadioKid · (#6 (**permalink**))

骨折り損のくたびれ儲け：ほねおりぞん-の-くたびれ-もうけ

Though made painful effort, resulted in vain.

骨折り is breaking bones and also used as "making painful effort".

損 is loss or dis-advantage meaning "having made painful effort was just a loss".

くたびれる:got fatigue
くたびれもうけ:　 as a result, what you earn was just fatigue.

RadioKid · (#7 (**permalink**))

屁をひって尻窄める：へをひってしりをつぼめる;he wo hitte shiri wo tubomeru

Breaking wind and then tighten the ass.

Doing something wrong and pretending to have done nothing.

RadioKid · (#8 (**permalink**))

年寄りの冷や水：としよりのひやみず;Toshiyori-no-Hiyamizu

Old man bathing with cold water.

Old man should not pretend to be young.

RadioKid · (#9 (**permalink**))

塵も積もれば山となる：ちりもつもればやまとなる;Chiri mo tsumo-reba yama to naru

Even small dust can make a mountain when accumulated.

RadioKid · (#10 (**permalink**))

律義者の子沢山：りちぎもののこだくさん;Richigi-mono no ko-dakusan

Honest man will have many children

Honest man will jave many children because he loves his wife and will not play around leaving his wife.