[Japanese Idioms by Flashcards]
太鼓判を押す
“to stamp a drum-size seal”
(to vouch enthusiastically for a person, to recommend highly, virtually to guarantee a person’s success)
On official documents in Japan, a name-stamp is used rather than a signature. Seals vary in size and shape, but generally the bigger the seal, the greater the status. The seal for a university, for example, will be larger and more impressive-looking than the seal for an individual. Metaphorically, a “drum-size seal” is an enthusiastic endorsement, often used as a strong recommendation.
Sample text:
(Style: spoken/formal/male)
A: Aa, Kawakami ga otaku no kaisha ni nyuusha shita n desu ka. Kare wa yuushuu deshite ne. Hitogara wa watashi ga taikoban o oshimasu yo.
A: ああ、川上がおたくの会社に入社したんですか。彼は優秀でしてね。人柄は私が太鼓判を押しますよ。
A: Oh, Kawakami is now at your company? He’s brilliant, isn’t he? And I can highly recommend his personality, too.
Japanese Idioms
