男尊女卑
男尊女卑（だんそんじょひ // gender inequality [in favor of men over women]; subjection of women）
This 四字熟語 makes sense when you look at the individual kanji meanings:
男 (man)
尊 (revered)
女 (woman)
卑 (lowly)
And yet, I found myself having a hard time translating it in the sentences below. Dictionaries say things like "male domination of women," "male chauvinism," and "subjection of women." But in the sentences below, saying something like "gender inequality," or "a lack of equality for women" seemed more natural to me.
While reading the examples below, and their translations, maybe try thinking about how you might have translated the sentences differently...
女性だけに化粧を強要するのは男尊女卑だと思います。
じょせい だけ に けしょう を きょうよう する の は だんそんじょひ だ と おもいます。
I think the fact that only women are compelled to wear makeup is an example of gender inequality.
Literally: “female + only + に + makeup + を + coercion / compulsion + do + の + は + gender inequality (in favor of men over women) + だ + と + think.”
私の職場は男尊女卑がひどく、女性の役員が一人もいない。
わたし の しょくば は だんそんじょひ が ひどく、 じょせい の やくいん が ひとり も いない。
The gender inequality at my workplace is terrible. There’s not a single female executive.
Literally: “I + の + workplace + は + gender inequality (in favor of men over women) + が + terrible (and), + female + の + executive / official + が + one person + も + there isn’t.”
Well then, let's zoom in on some kanji...
Meaning of 男：male; man
Heisig Keyword: man
このブラジャーは男性用です。
この ブラジャー は だんせい よう です。
This is a men’s bra. // This is a bra for men.
Literally: “this + bra (lit. "brassiere") + は + male + -use + です.”
Meaning of 尊：exalted, revered, valuable
Heisig Keyword: revered
あなたの尊敬する人は誰ですか？
あなた の そんけい する ひと は だれ です か？
Who is a person that you respect?
Literally: “you + の + respect + do + person + は + who + です + か?”
Meaning of 女：female, woman
Heisig Keyword: woman
迷子の女の子を交番に連れて行った。
まいご の おんなのこ を こうばん に つれていった。
I escorted a lost little girl to the police box.
Literally: “lost child / lost person + の + (young) girl + を + police box + に + take (and) + went.”
Meaning of 卑：lowly, base, vulgar
Heisig Keyword: lowly
ネットに匿名で悪口を書く奴らは卑怯者だ。
ネット に とくめい で わるぐち を かく やつら は ひきょうもの だ。
People who bad-mouth others anonymously on the internet are cowards.
Literally: “internet + に + anonymous + で + insult / bad-mouthing + を + write + people / guys ([impolite]) + は + coward + だ.”
To wrap things up, here are our sentences with 男尊女卑 (だんそんじょひ) once more:
女性だけに化粧を強要するのは男尊女卑だと思います。
じょせい だけ に けしょう を きょうよう する の は だんそんじょひ だ と おもいます。
I think the fact that only women are compelled to wear makeup is an example of gender inequality.
Literally: “female + only + に + makeup + を + coercion / compulsion + do + の + は + gender inequality (in favor of men over women) + だ + と + think.”
私の職場は男尊女卑がひどく、女性の役員が一人もいない。
わたし の しょくば は だんそんじょひ が ひどく、 じょせい の やくいん が ひとり も いない。
The gender inequality at my workplace is terrible. There’s not a single female executive.
Literally: “I + の + workplace + は + gender inequality (in favor of men over women) + が + terrible (and), + female + の + executive / official + が + one person + も + there isn’t.”
Finished!
This 四字熟語 makes sense when you look at the individual kanji meanings:
男 (man)
尊 (revered)
女 (woman)
卑 (lowly)
And yet, I found myself having a hard time translating it in the sentences below. Dictionaries say things like "male domination of women," "male chauvinism," and "subjection of women." But in the sentences below, saying something like "gender inequality," or "a lack of equality for women" seemed more natural to me.
While reading the examples below, and their translations, maybe try thinking about how you might have translated the sentences differently...
女性だけに化粧を強要するのは男尊女卑だと思います。
じょせい だけ に けしょう を きょうよう する の は だんそんじょひ だ と おもいます。
I think the fact that only women are compelled to wear makeup is an example of gender inequality.
Literally: “female + only + に + makeup + を + coercion / compulsion + do + の + は + gender inequality (in favor of men over women) + だ + と + think.”
私の職場は男尊女卑がひどく、女性の役員が一人もいない。
わたし の しょくば は だんそんじょひ が ひどく、 じょせい の やくいん が ひとり も いない。
The gender inequality at my workplace is terrible. There’s not a single female executive.
Literally: “I + の + workplace + は + gender inequality (in favor of men over women) + が + terrible (and), + female + の + executive / official + が + one person + も + there isn’t.”
Well then, let's zoom in on some kanji...
Meaning of 男：male; man
Heisig Keyword: man
このブラジャーは男性用です。
この ブラジャー は だんせい よう です。
This is a men’s bra. // This is a bra for men.
Literally: “this + bra (lit. "brassiere") + は + male + -use + です.”
Meaning of 尊：exalted, revered, valuable
Heisig Keyword: revered
あなたの尊敬する人は誰ですか？
あなた の そんけい する ひと は だれ です か？
Who is a person that you respect?
Literally: “you + の + respect + do + person + は + who + です + か?”
Meaning of 女：female, woman
Heisig Keyword: woman
迷子の女の子を交番に連れて行った。
まいご の おんなのこ を こうばん に つれていった。
I escorted a lost little girl to the police box.
Literally: “lost child / lost person + の + (young) girl + を + police box + に + take (and) + went.”
Meaning of 卑：lowly, base, vulgar
Heisig Keyword: lowly
ネットに匿名で悪口を書く奴らは卑怯者だ。
ネット に とくめい で わるぐち を かく やつら は ひきょうもの だ。
People who bad-mouth others anonymously on the internet are cowards.
Literally: “internet + に + anonymous + で + insult / bad-mouthing + を + write + people / guys ([impolite]) + は + coward + だ.”
To wrap things up, here are our sentences with 男尊女卑 (だんそんじょひ) once more:
女性だけに化粧を強要するのは男尊女卑だと思います。
じょせい だけ に けしょう を きょうよう する の は だんそんじょひ だ と おもいます。
I think the fact that only women are compelled to wear makeup is an example of gender inequality.
Literally: “female + only + に + makeup + を + coercion / compulsion + do + の + は + gender inequality (in favor of men over women) + だ + と + think.”
私の職場は男尊女卑がひどく、女性の役員が一人もいない。
わたし の しょくば は だんそんじょひ が ひどく、 じょせい の やくいん が ひとり も いない。
The gender inequality at my workplace is terrible. There’s not a single female executive.
Literally: “I + の + workplace + は + gender inequality (in favor of men over women) + が + terrible (and), + female + の + executive / official + が + one person + も + there isn’t.”
Finished!
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