二ふた股また膏こう薬やく

also: ふたまたごうやく

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Meanings

noun

double-dealer; timeserver; fence-sitter

yojijukugo (four-character idiom)

Refers to a person who opportunistically switches allegiance between two opposing sides for personal gain. Often used in political or business contexts. The image is of a plaster (膏薬) that can stick to either leg (二股).

彼かれは二ふた股また膏こう薬やくのような政せい治じ家かだ。
He is a double-dealing politician.
あの男おとこは二ふた股また膏こう薬やくで、どちらの派は閥ばつにもいい顔かおをする。
That guy is a timeserver, trying to stay in good with both factions.

Written forms

二股膏薬
- ふたまたこうやく
  Standard kanji spelling for this yojijukugo.
- ふたまたごうやく
  Alternate reading with rendaku; less common than ふたまたこうやく.
ふたまたごうやく

Kanji

二two, two radical (no. 7)
股thigh, crotch
膏fat, grease, lard
薬medicine, chemical, enamel

Similar words

日ひ和より見み
日和見 means 'wait-and-see attitude' or 'opportunism', focusing on observing the situation before acting, while 二股膏薬 emphasizes actively playing both sides.
内うち股また膏ごう薬やく
内股膏薬 is a similar expression meaning 'double-dealer' or 'turncoat', literally 'plaster on the inner thigh', but is less common.

Etymology

A yojijukugo combining 二股 (fork, two sides) and 膏薬 (plaster, ointment). The expression likens a fickle person to a plaster that can be stuck to either leg, implying unreliability and shifting loyalty. The exact historical origin is uncertain.