[Japanese Idioms by Flashcards]
山椒は小粒でも［ぴりりと］辛い
“Japanese peppers are hot, though small.”
(small but powerful, a mighty mite, a person of ability although small in size)
Despite the small size of the Japanese pepper, it packs a powerful, spicy punch. The phrase suggests that size isn’t the only determinant of strength or ability.
Sample text:
(Style: spoken/casual/male)
A: Yoru naa. Kachoo mata shooshin da te. Iyoiyo buchoo rashii.
B: “Sanshoo wa kotsubu de mo karai” tte ne.
A: やるなあ、
B:「
A: Great! Our section chief has been promoted again. Looks like he’s going to be a manager now.
B: Well, they say, “Japanese peppers are hot, though small.”
Japanese Idioms
