noun
swallowing a boat whole
Rare literary expression for something so large it could swallow a boat whole; often used metaphorically for a person of immense capacity or ambition. Found in classical Chinese-influenced texts.
「呑舟の魚」という言葉は、大物や大器をたとえるのに使われる。
The phrase 'a fish that swallows a boat' is used to describe a person of great caliber or ambition.
From classical Chinese; the exact derivation is uncertain. The spelling is conventionally associated with the idea of swallowing something as large as a boat.