# Japanese idiom **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 4, 2023, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-idiom/977621 "2023-01-04T03:39:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-idiom/977621/1 "2023-01-04T03:39:51Z")
There is a saying, “猫の手も借りたい” meaning something like to be super busy. What does this have to do with cats? ---
**Author:** ![ThisOneGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@ThisOneGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisOneGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-idiom/977621/2 "2023-01-04T04:25:48Z")
It means “I’m so busy I even want the cat to lend a hand”. The implication is that the speaker would accept help even from the cat who doesn’t usually do any work. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-idiom/977621/3 "2023-01-04T05:27:56Z")
Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-idiom/977621/4 "2023-01-04T12:30:35Z")
Cool, I’m using this one. Thanks. Got anymore Japanese sayings? ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-idiom/977621/5 "2023-01-04T14:41:57Z")
I randomly ran across that one, but e.g. here is a short list: > **[kotowazzup](https://mwshores.com/kotowaza/)** > > Kotowaza are proverbs, or common sayings. They are such a part of Japanese daily life that they are included on traditional tear-away calendars (himekuri karendaa). I translated a kotowaz… also plenty of them via the External Links at the end of the Wikipedia article: > **[Japanese proverbs | External links](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_proverbs#External_links)** > > 1.故事ことわざ辞典 (in Japanese) | > 2.Japanese Proverbs | > 3.Japanese Language Kotowaza – proverbs & sayings | > 4.Words of Wisdom OK312 「英⇔日」対照・名言ことわざ辞典 | > 5.Nihon no Kotowaza | > 6.ことわざ辞典 (in Japanese) | > 7.Japanese Kotowaza (in Japanese and English) | > 8.Japanese / English / Dutch v.v. Proverb dictionary | > 9.Golden Proverbs A nice collection of Japanese proverbs. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2023, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-idiom/977621/6 "2023-01-08T03:39:39Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > 猫の手も借りたい > [@ThisOneGuy](#): > > It means “I’m so busy I even want the cat to lend a hand”. The implication is that the speaker would accept help even from the cat who doesn’t usually do any work. @ThisOneGuy hit it in one, but adding to that, I’d translate it as “I’m so busy that I want even the cat to help as well.” so the speaker has been looking for help from everyone. The expression dates to a time when cats were mostly kept around to catch mice but worthless otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![ASL\_v2.0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asl_v2.0/32/3525_2.png) [@ASL\_v2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASL_v2.0)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2023, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-idiom/977621/7 "2023-01-08T03:42:57Z")
Would that the cats would herd themselves… ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2023, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-idiom/977621/8 "2023-01-08T18:05:44Z")
My thought is that, even if a cat did try to help out, its “help” would probably be pretty worthless. The situation would have to be pretty dire before even cat-help would be an improvement.