[Japanese Idioms by Flashcards]
砂をかむよう
“like chewing sand”
(dull, unhappy, and wearisome [life])
Most often used to describe a dull, uninteresting life. It’s hard imagine a more tasteless experience than having to eat (or chew) sand day in and day out. The phrase connotes a dull, bad-tasting, and unhappy life.
Sample text:
(Style: written/informal)
Hannin wa tsuma o koroshite kara gonenkan, tokai no katasumi de tooboo seikatsu o okutta. Jikyoo ni yoruto, seishinteki ni mo busshitsuteki ni mo kurushiku, shakai kara koritsu shiteita tame, mainichi ga ajike naku, masani suna o kamu yoona seikatsu datta to yuu.
犯人は妻を殺してから五年間、都会の片すみで逃亡生活を送った。自供によると、精神的にも物質的にも苦しく、社会から孤立していたため、毎日が味気なく、まさに砂をかむような生活だったと言う。
The murderer, after killing his wife, spent five years as a fugitive. According to his confession, he suffered both mentally and materially and, living isolated from society, he led a dull, unhappy, and wearisome life.
Japanese Idioms
