息が切れる
out of breath, panting, winded, gasping
→ After climbing the stairs up to the fifth floor, I was completely out of breath.
息が詰まる
suffocating, stifling, choked with tension
→ In front of the stern boss, the atmosphere feels utterly suffocating.
息が長い
long-running, enduring, standing the test of time
→ This rock band has had an enduring career, actively performing for over 20 years since debut.
息を抜く
to take a breather, to relax, to take a break
→ Between your exam study sessions, it is better to take a little breather.
息をつく
to heave a sigh of relief, to pause for breath
→ The grueling task finally reached a good pause, and I heaved a sigh of relief.
息をのむ
to take one's breath away, to gasp in awe
→ The nightscape witnessed from the observatory was so gorgeous it literally took my breath away.
気が気でない
on pins and needles, fretful, anxious out of one's mind
→ With my child traveling abroad all alone, I am on pins and needles with anxiety.
気が済む
to be satisfied, to feel relieved, to appease one's mind
→ I have a personality where I cannot find peace of mind unless I apologize properly.
馬が合う
to get along famously, to hit it off, kindred spirits
→ He and I share remarkably similar hobbies, so we get along famously.
うなぎ登り
skyrocketing, soaring rapidly, meteoric rise
→ Thanks to the groundbreaking new product, stock prices are skyrocketing rapidly.
猫に小判
casting pearls before swine
→ Giving vintage, expensive wine to a child is nothing but casting pearls before swine.
猫をかぶる
to play the hypocrite, to feign innocence, to put on an act
→ He feigned innocence and meekness during the interview, but showed his true colors once hired.
猫の手も借りたい
willing to borrow even a cat's paw, swamped with work
→ Year-end is a bustling season when we are so swamped we would borrow even a cat's paw.
猿も木から落ちる
even monkeys fall from trees, Homer sometimes nods
→ For that veteran chef to bungle the seasoning proves that even monkeys fall from trees.
犬猿の仲
cat-and-dog relationship, bitter enemies, oil and water
→ Those two rival corporations are notoriously famous for their bitter cat-and-dog relationship.
一長一短
advantages and disadvantages, pros and cons
→ Every methodology has its pros and cons, so one must make a meticulous selection.
一石二鳥
killing two birds with one stone
→ Commuting by bicycle serves as healthy exercise and saves transit costs; it kills two birds with one stone.
