A Metaphor-Ridden Use of Brushes

Brushes were the main writing instrument in Japan for over 1,000 years. Only in last 120 years or so did brushes give way to fountain pens and other Western writing tools, before being taken over by so-called “word processors (ワープロ)” and PCs in our everyday lives.
 
That explains the plentiful idioms containing the word brush as a synonym for “the act or results of writing” (筆 fude = brush, 文章 bunsho = texts).
 
Here are some examples of this kind of idiom:

筆を執る pick up your brush/put your brush to paper = write
筆を下ろす take the first brush stroke = start writing
筆を入れる､筆を加える add brush strokes = annotate, proofread texts
筆を折る､筆を拭う、筆を断つ break/wipe off your brush = cease to be a writer
筆を投げる throw your brush away = stop writing in the middle of one’s work
筆が滑る a slippery brush = a Freudian slip in writing
筆が荒れる a rough brush = poor/careless writing
筆を走らす drive the brush = write swiftly
筆に任せる let the brush flow = gain momentum in writing
筆を曲げる bend your brush = bend the truth in writing
筆が立つ an (out)standing brush = skilful writing

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筆が立つ (fude ga tatsu) means to be good at writing, rather than “beautiful handwriting” as some mistakenly presume. In this case, you should say 達筆 (tappitsu) or 能筆 (nohitsu) to talk about good handwriting or 達筆を振るう (tappitsu wo furuu) for exhibiting handwriting skills.
 
And it is my ambition to achieve the claim of being a 筆の立つ#翻訳者 (translator with an outstanding brush => #translator who masters the art of writing).
 

#CulturalUnderstanding #Japanese #idioms #TranslationServiceArai