Proverb / Kotowaza
盆と正月が一緒に来たよう
A metaphor for when many happy events or very busy tasks occur all at once.
Like Bon and New Year coming at the same time
Quick Answer
A metaphor for when many happy events or very busy tasks occur all at once.
- Literal Image
- Like Bon and New Year coming at the same time
- Closest Equivalent
- To have one’s cake and eat it too
- How to Use It
- Used when describing a period of intense activity where everything seems to happen at once, particularly when those events are positive or celebratory.
Meaning
This expression describes a situation where multiple significant events happen simultaneously. It refers to a combination of great joy and extreme busyness, much like how the Obon and New Year holidays are both celebratory and hectic periods in Japan.
Literal Image
Like Bon and New Year coming at the same time
Equivalent Proverbs
To have one’s cake and eat it too
Used in the source to mean obtaining both things at once.
When it rains, it pours
Used in the source to describe things happening in great volume.
How to Use It
Used when describing a period of intense activity where everything seems to happen at once, particularly when those events are positive or celebratory.
Tone
Mainly positive, though it emphasizes a state of being overwhelmed by the volume of events.
Examples
昇進と子供の誕生が重なり、まさに盆と正月が一緒に来たようだ。
With a promotion and the birth of my child happening at the same time, it really feels like Bon and New Year came together.
注文が殺到し、盆と正月が一緒に来たような忙しさだ。
Orders are flooding in, and it's as busy as if Bon and New Year arrived at once.
Learning Notes
Key Vocabulary
The vocabulary consists of basic nouns and verbs, with a straightforward grammatical structure.
盆
ぼん / bon
Obon holiday
正月
しょうがつ / shougatsu
New Year
一緒に
いっしょに / issho ni
together
来た
きた / kita
came
Usage Profile
Usage note: While positive, ensure the context supports the idea of being 'busy' as well as 'happy'.
Misread Risk
Do not use this for purely negative disasters; it implies a significance or celebration similar to major holidays.
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Related Proverbs
Origin
Obon and New Year are particularly auspicious and busy events in the Japanese calendar. The expression describes the overlap of these two major holidays to represent a state where joy and busyness occur simultaneously.
Index
Topics, Situations, and Tags
Topics
Situations
Tags
Source Note
Where did this entry get its data from? The reference links are listed below. To understand how to read this section, see Data Sources.