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顎が干上がる (あごがひあがる) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

顎あごが干ひ上あがる

あ

ご

が

ひ

あ

が

る

Meanings

1

expression, godan verb (-ru)

lose one's livelihood; become unable to earn a living

Idiomatic expression literally meaning 'one's chin dries up', used to describe losing one's source of income or means of support.

会かい社しゃが倒とう産さんして、あごが干ひ上あがってしまった。
The company went bankrupt and I lost my means of livelihood.
この仕し事ごとを失うしなったら、あごが

干ひ

上あ

がる

。

If I lose this job, I won't be able to earn a living.

Written forms

顎あごが干ひ上あがる
Standard kanji spelling for this idiomatic expression.
あごが干ひ上あがる
Mixed kana-kanji spelling; 顎 is sometimes written in kana.

Kanji

干dry, parch, ebb
上above, up
顎jaw, chin, gill

Similar words

食くいっぱぐれる
Also means to lose one's livelihood, but is more colloquial and emphasizes missing out on meals or income.
路ろ頭とうに迷まよう
Means to be homeless or out on the street, often due to losing one's job; more dramatic and focuses on the resulting destitution.

Etymology

The phrase literally means 'one's chin dries up'. The chin (顎) is associated with eating, so a dry chin implies a lack of food, metaphorically extending to loss of livelihood. The exact origin is uncertain, but it is a traditional Japanese idiom.