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首鼠両端 (shusoryoutan) Japanese meaning: indecisive | Kotomora

首しゅ鼠そ両りょう端たん

しゅ

そ

りょ

う

た

ん

Meanings

1

indecisive; sitting on the fence

yojijukugo (four-character idiom)›

A rare yojijukugo meaning inability to decide between two options; equivalent to 優柔不断 but more literary and uncommon.

See also: 首鼠

彼かれは首しゅ鼠そ両りょう端たんの態たい度どで、どちらの案あんにも賛さん成せいしなかった。

He was sitting on the fence and didn't agree with either proposal.

Expressions

首しゅ鼠そ両りょう端たんを持じすbe unable to make up one's mind; sit on the fence

Kanji

首neck, counter for songs and poems
鼠rat, mouse, dark gray
両both, old Japanese coin, counter for carriages (e.g., in a train)
端edge, origin, end

Related words

優ゆう柔じゅう不ふ断だん
Common word for indecisiveness; 首鼠両端 is a rare, literary synonym.

Built from

首しゅ鼠そ+両りょう端たん

Etymology

A yojijukugo of Chinese origin, combining 首鼠 (hesitating, literally 'head rat') and 両端 (both ends), conveying the image of a rat peeking out of its hole, unable to decide which way to go.