Proverb / Kotowaza
薄氷を履むがごとし
Describes being in an extremely dangerous situation or a precarious position that requires extreme caution.
Like treading on thin ice
Quick Answer
Describes being in an extremely dangerous situation or a precarious position that requires extreme caution.
- Literal Image
- Like treading on thin ice
- How to Use It
- Used when describing high-stakes situations, tense negotiations, or any circumstance where the margin for error is nonexistent.
Meaning
This expression compares a risky situation to the act of walking across thin ice, where a single misstep could lead to disaster. It highlights both the objective danger of a situation and the psychological tension of needing to be incredibly careful.
Literal Image
Like treading on thin ice
How to Use It
Used when describing high-stakes situations, tense negotiations, or any circumstance where the margin for error is nonexistent.
Tone
Carries a strong sense of tension and vigilance.
Examples
この極秘プロジェクトは、一歩間違えれば全てが終わる。まさに薄氷を履むがごとしだ。
This top-secret project could end everything with just one mistake. It is truly like treading on thin ice.
薄氷を履むがごとし思いで、何とか交渉を成立させた。
With the feeling of treading on thin ice, I somehow managed to bring the negotiations to a successful conclusion.
独裁者の機嫌を伺いながら話すのは、薄氷を履むがごとし緊張感がある。
Speaking while trying to gauge a dictator's mood involves a level of tension like treading on thin ice.
Learning Notes
Key Vocabulary
Uses the classical Japanese auxiliary 'gotoshi' for 'like/as' and the formal kanji '履む' (fumu) instead of the more '踏む'.
薄氷
はくひょう / hakuhyo
thin ice
履む
ふむ / fumu
to tread on; to step on
ごとし
ごとし / gotoshi
like; as (classical auxiliary)
Usage Profile
Usage note: This is a formal and literary expression; it might feel overly dramatic in light, casual contexts.
Misread Risk
Do not confuse it with simple physical danger; it specifically emphasizes the need for extreme caution and the presence of high stakes.
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Origin
Based on a passage from the Chinese classic Shijing (Classic of Poetry): "Trembling with fear as if looking into a deep abyss, as if treading on thin ice" (戦戦兢兢として深淵に臨むが如く、薄氷を履むが如し). It expresses the intense tension felt when walking on thin ice.
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