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へそで茶を沸かす (へそでちゃをわかす) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Meanings 1
expression
what a joke! ; don't make me laugh!
idiomatic expression
Used as an exclamation to dismiss something as ridiculous or laughable. Often said in response to an absurd statement or situation.
2
expression, godan verb (-su)
Describes laughing so hard that one's belly shakes, as if the heat from laughing could boil tea in the navel. The literal image is often explained but not used in everyday description.
Written forms へそで 茶ちゃ を 沸わ かす
Standard mixed kana-kanji spelling; the most common written form.
臍へそ で 茶ちゃ を 沸わ かす
Uses the rare kanji 臍 for へそ; rarely seen in modern writing.
Similar words 腹はら を 抱かか える Literally 'to hold one's belly', a common phrase for laughing hard. へそで茶を沸かす is more exaggerated and idiomatic, often used as an exclamation.
笑わら い 転ころ げる Means 'to roll with laughter'. へそで茶を沸かす emphasizes the belly-shaking aspect and can be used figuratively to dismiss something as laughable.
Etymology A humorous idiom literally meaning 'to boil tea with one's navel', based on the image of the belly shaking so much from laughter that it could heat water. The exact origin is uncertain, but it plays on the idea of intense, uncontrollable laughter.
