fish large enough to swallow a boat; colossal fish
Literal meaning of the Chinese-derived idiom; refers to an unimaginably huge fish. Used in classical or literary contexts.
The phrase 'don-shū no uo' refers to a fish so huge it could swallow a whole boat.
great man; notorious man
Figurative use: a person of extraordinary scale or influence, often with a negative or notorious connotation. Rare and idiomatic.
He is a giant in the political world, one might say a 'don-shū no uo'.
Standard kanji spelling using 呑 (drink/swallow).
Variant using 吞, an older form of 呑; both are used in classical contexts.
From classical Chinese; the idiom 呑舟之魚 (tūn zhōu zhī yú) appears in ancient texts such as the Zhuangzi, describing a fish so large it could swallow a boat. The Japanese reading is on'yomi.