Take o Watta Yoo

[Japanese Idioms by Flashcards]

竹を割ったよう

“as clean as a split bamboo”

(honest, frank, decisive, a straight-shooter)

When a bamboo pole is split lengthwise, the cut is true and straight-a clean split. Take o watta yoo describes a frank, decisive, and morally righteous person-usually in reference to a man, but sometimes in reference to a woman.

Sample text:
(Style: written/informal)

Nihonjin ga konomu dansei no imeeji wa, take o watta yoona seikaku de, hakkiri shiteite ketsudanryoku no aru hito dearu koto go ooi. Shikashi, ippan ni josei ni wa take o watta yoona seikaku fo you yori, mushiro yasashisa ga nozomareru.

日本人が好このむ男性のイメージは、竹たけを割ったような性格で、はっきりしていて決断力けつだんりょくのある人であることが多い。しかし、一般いっぱんに女性には竹を割ったような性格というより、むしろやさしさが望まれる。

The male image that the Japanese prefer is generally of a man who is honest, frank, and decisive. In a woman, however, they generally value tenderness much more highly than frankness or decisiveness.