遠とお吠ぼえ

noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', intransitive verb

howling; distant howl

Refers to the howling of an animal, especially a wolf or dog, often heard from afar. Can be used literally or figuratively.

• 夜よるになると、山やまからオオカミの遠とお吠ぼえが聞きこえてくる。

  At night, you can hear the howling of wolves from the mountains.

• 犬いぬが遠とお吠ぼえをするのは、仲なか間まを呼よんでいるのかもしれない。

  When a dog howls, it might be calling its companions.

noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', intransitive verb

backbiting; criticizing behind someone's back

Idiomatic expression comparing cowardly criticism to a distant howl. Often used in the phrase 遠吠えに過ぎない (it's nothing but backbiting).

• 彼かれの悪わる口ぐちはただの遠とお吠ぼえだ。気きにする必ひつ要ようはない。

  His badmouthing is just backbiting. There's no need to worry about it.

• 陰かげでコソコソ言いうのは遠とお吠ぼえに過すぎない。

  Whispering behind someone's back is nothing but backbiting.