Proverb / Kotowaza
一挙手一投足
Refers to every single movement or action a person takes, no matter how minor.
Lifting a hand once and moving a foot once.
Quick Answer
Refers to every single movement or action a person takes, no matter how minor.
- Literal Image
- Lifting a hand once and moving a foot once.
- Closest Equivalent
- Every move one makes
- How to Use It
- Used to describe a person's behavior when it is being scrutinized, admired, or when every small detail of their conduct is significant.
Meaning
Originally referring to the physical acts of lifting a hand and taking a step, this expression describes a person's every movement, word, and deed. It is used when discussing how a person's behavior is being observed by others or when emphasizing that no detail of their conduct goes unnoticed.
Literal Image
Lifting a hand once and moving a foot once.
Equivalent Proverbs
Every move one makes
A direct English equivalent for total conduct.
One's every action
Refers to all deeds and behaviors.
How to Use It
Used to describe a person's behavior when it is being scrutinized, admired, or when every small detail of their conduct is significant.
Tone
Neutral and descriptive.
Examples
リーダーの一挙手一投足に部下たちの視線が集まった。
The subordinates' eyes were fixed on the leader's every move.
芸能人は一般人と違い、一挙手一投足がメディアに注目されるため、常に気が抜けない。
Unlike ordinary people, celebrities cannot relax because their every move is watched by the media.
彼女の一挙手一投足が優雅で、周囲の人々を魅了した。
Every single movement she made was graceful, charming those around her.
Learning Notes
Key Vocabulary
This is a four-character idiom (yojijukugo) consisting of less basic kanji and derived from classical literature.
一挙手
いっきょしゅ / ikkyoshu
lifting a hand once
一投足
いっとうそく / ittosoku
moving a foot once
言動
げんどう / gendou
words and deeds; behavior
Usage Profile
Usage note: While neutral, it implies the presence of an observer or audience.
Misread Risk
It does not refer to literal exercise or physical training, but to the entirety of one's conduct in a social context.
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Origin
This four-character idiom (yojijukugo) originates from a text by the Tang Dynasty Chinese scholar Han Yu. 'Ikkyoshu' means raising a hand once, and 'ittosoku' means taking one step. It was used to describe a minimal amount of effort or the smallest individual actions. In modern Japanese, it most refers to the totality of a person's behavior and conduct.
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Source Note
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