父もほぞを噛もうというもの
English translation: Even my (the) father would cry over spilt milk.
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| 01:38 Jan 30, 2012 |
| Japanese to English translations [Non-PRO] Games / Video Games / Gaming / Casino / Fighting game | |||||
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|  Selected response from: humbird | ||||
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| Summary of answers provided | ||||
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| 5 | Even father would regret |
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| 4 | Even my (the) father would cry over spilt milk. |
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| 2 | Even father should regret bitterly/should feel that water over the dam |
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Answers
39 mins confidence: 
Even father would regret Explanation: 臍を噛む （ほぞをかむ） 後悔すること。「臍（ほぞ）」はへその意の古語。へそを噛もうとしても口が届かないことから、もはや及ばないことを悔やむ意となった。『春秋左氏伝・荘公六年』に「若（も）し早く図らざれば、後に君臍を噛まん」とある。 Hozo wo kamu To regret: "Hozo" means "navel" and it is almost impossible to bite one's navel. Reference: http://thu.sakura.ne.jp/others/proverb/data/ho.htm |
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2 hrs confidence: 
Even father should regret bitterly/should feel that water over the dam Explanation: ほぞを噛む、というのは、かなり強いregretの感情でしょう。 http://zzz.abc-abc.net/article/3333756.html |
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12 hrs confidence:
Even my (the) father would cry over spilt milk. Explanation: "Cry over spilt milk" is common English cliche that fits right in this Japanese sentence. "Hozo wo kamu" is from old classic Chinese book as explained in http://dic.yahoo.co.jp/dsearch?p=臍をかむ&stype=0&dtype=0 and quoted below: 臍(ほぞ)を噬(か)・む 補説〕 左氏伝（荘公六年） 後悔する。及ばないことを悔やむ。 Note: "kamu" is express in different Kanji because that is more authentic. -------------------------------------------------- Note added at 12 hrs (2012-01-30 14:05:24 GMT) -------------------------------------------------- I place "the" in ( ) as the sentence does not specify whether whose father it was. You would use either one according to the context. -------------------------------------------------- Note added at 12 hrs (2012-01-30 14:06:27 GMT) -------------------------------------------------- Of course, point here is the fater is regretting. -------------------------------------------------- Note added at 12 hrs (2012-01-30 14:08:09 GMT) -------------------------------------------------- Of course the sentece is "the father is regretting". That what this English cliche is all about. |
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