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矢も盾もたまらず (やもたてもたまらず) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Meanings 1
expression
unable to stay still ; unable to contain one's feelings ; unable to restrain oneself
Idiomatic expression describing a state of being so overwhelmed by emotion or impulse that one cannot hold back or remain calm. Often used when someone is bursting with excitement, anger, or impatience.
盾たて
も
たまら
ず
、
机つくえ
を
叩たた
い
た
。
He was so angry he couldn't restrain himself and banged the desk.
Written forms 矢や も 盾たて もたまらず
Standard kanji-kana mixed spelling. The kanji 矢 (arrow) and 盾 (shield) are used, but the phrase is often written with kana for the verb part.
矢や も 盾たて も 堪たま らず
Alternate spelling using the kanji 堪 for 'bear/endure'. Less common but seen in some contexts.
Kanji 盾 shield, escutcheon, pretext 堪 withstand, endure, support Similar words 居い ても 立た ってもいられない Similar meaning of being unable to stay still due to strong emotion, but 矢も盾もたまらず is more literary and less common in everyday speech.
たまらない The adjective たまらない means 'unbearable' or 'irresistible', and is the root of たまらず in this phrase. 矢も盾もたまらず is a fixed idiomatic expression.
Etymology The phrase literally means 'unable to bear even arrows and shields', likely originating from a classical or literary context where arrows and shields symbolize obstacles or defenses. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it is a fixed idiomatic expression in modern Japanese.
