[Japanese Idioms by Flashcards]
同じ穴のむじな
“badgers from the same hole”
(co-conspirators, brothers in crime)
Japanese fairy tales characterize badgers as sometimes villainous and at other times comical cheaters who play tricks on people. This is based on the fact that badgers and raccoons steal harvested produce from farmers. The phrase suggests a gang/group of bad guys.
Sample text:
(Style: spoken/casual/male)
A: Murata-san no fusei ga hakkaku shite, onaji ka no Sakai-san mo taihen rashii yo.
B: Iya, Sakai-san mo onaji ana no mujina janai ka. Murato-san hitori de anna fusei ga dekiru wake nai yo.
A:
B: いや、酒井さんも同じ穴のむじなじゃないか。村田さんひとりであんな不正ができるわけないよ。
A: Murata’s illegal doings have been discovered and Sakai, who is in the same section, seems to be very concerned.
B: But isn’t Sakai a co-conspirator? Murata couldn’t havedone all that single-handedly, you know.
Japanese Idioms
