犬いぬの遠とお吠ぼえ

expression, noun

cowardly backbiting; loser's grumbling

Idiomatic expression likening someone's complaints or insults from a safe distance to a dog barking from afar. Used to dismiss criticism as weak or cowardly.

• 彼かれの陰かげ口ぐちは犬いぬの遠とお吠ぼえに過すぎない。

  His backbiting is nothing more than a coward's distant barking.

• 負まけ惜おしみの言こと葉ばは犬いぬの遠とお吠ぼえだ。

  Those sour-grapes remarks are just the grumblings of a loser.