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虫が知らせる (むしがしらせる) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Meanings 1
expression, ichidan verb
have a hunch ; forebode ; feel in one's bones
Idiomatic expression describing an intuitive feeling that something is about to happen, often negative. Literally 'the bug tells one', suggesting an inner sense or premonition.
いこと
が
起お
こり
そう
だ
と
、
虫むし
が
知し
ら
せ
た
。
Something told me that something bad was going to happen.
Similar words 予よ 感かん 予感 is a general noun for premonition or presentiment, while 虫が知らせる is a vivid idiomatic verb phrase emphasizing an intuitive, almost physical feeling.
胸むな 騒さわ ぎ 胸騒ぎ refers to a feeling of unease or anxiety in one's chest, often about something bad; 虫が知らせる is broader and can be about any intuitive foreboding.
Etymology The expression comes from the old belief that a 'bug' (虫) inside the body could sense things before the conscious mind, hence 'the bug tells one'. The exact origin is uncertain, but it reflects traditional Japanese folk psychology.
