also: カエルのつらにしょうべん
like water off a duck's back
Idiomatic expression meaning that criticism or scolding has no effect on someone, just as urine on a frog's face would not bother it. Colloquial and somewhat vulgar due to the word 小便.
See also: 蛙の面に水
No matter what you say to that guy, it's like water off a duck's back.
Even if you warn him, it's like water off a duck's back; he doesn't listen at all.
A milder variant using 水 (water) instead of 小便 (urine), making it less vulgar but carrying the same meaning.
A more formal, literary idiom with a similar meaning: 'in one ear and out the other' or 'unheeding'.
Standard kanji-kana mixed spelling.
Katakana spelling for カエル, sometimes used for emphasis or in informal writing.
All-hiragana spelling, common in casual contexts or for learners.
The phrase literally means 'urine on a frog's face.' Frogs are often associated with water and are thought to be unfazed by getting wet, so the image of urine—a liquid—on its face suggests that criticism or scolding has no effect. The exact origin is uncertain, but it is a colloquial idiom.