[Japanese Idioms by Flashcards]
風の便り
“message carried on the wind”
(a rumor, a story without source)
A letter delivered from the God of the Wind. Used to suggest news from an unnamed or an easily forgotten source. No direct line of communication exists. This expression compares with “a little birdie told me.”
Sample text:
(Style: spoken/casual/A=male, B=female)
A: Kyonen Amerika e kaetta Sumisu-san, ima doo shiteru ka naa.
B: Kaze no tayori de wa daigaku ni modotte benkyoo shiteiru rashii wa yo. Doko no daigaku ka shiranai kedo.
A: 去年アメリカへ帰ったスミスさん、今どうしてるかなあ。
B: 風の便りでは、大学にもどって勉強しているらしいわよ。どこの大学か知らないけど。
A: You know that guy Smith, who went back to the U.S. last year? I wonder what he’s up to nowadays.
B: I heard a rumor that he went back to school. I don’t know which university, though.
Japanese Idioms
