月つき夜よの蟹かに

expression, noun

crab with little meat; crab of a moonlit night

Literal meaning: a crab caught on a moonlit night, which is said to have little meat. Used as the basis for the idiomatic sense.

• 月つき夜よの蟹かには身みが少すくないと言いわれる。

  It is said that crabs caught on moonlit nights have little meat.

expression, noun

something with no substance; all show and no substance

Idiomatic use: refers to something that looks impressive but lacks real content or value, like a crab with little meat.

• 彼かれの話はなしは月つき夜よの蟹かにで、中なか身みがなかった。

  His story was like a moonlit-night crab—there was nothing to it.