朝飯前 (Asameshi mae)

Meaning: A task so easy it can be done before eating.

Language: Japanese

Literally: Before breakfast

Category: Food & Drink

Origin: Anything achievable on an empty morning stomach must be trivially simple — the Japanese 'piece of cake'.

More idioms — Food & Drink

棚から牡丹餅 (Tana kara botamochi) — An unexpected stroke of good luck.
그림의 떡 (Geurimui tteok) — Something desirable but completely out of reach.
김칫국부터 마신다 (gimchitgukbuteo masinda) — To count your chickens before they hatch.
우물에 가 숭늉 찾는다 (Umure ga sungnyung channeunda) — To demand results with absurd impatience.
Iets voor zoete koek aannemen — To swallow a story uncritically.
Met de gebakken peren zitten — To be stuck with the unpleasant aftermath.

二階から目薬 (Nikai kara megusuri) — A roundabout effort that has no real effect.
喉から手が出る (Nodo kara te ga deru) — To want something so badly you can hardly bear it.
七転び八起き (Nanakorobi yaoki) — To keep getting up no matter how often you fall.
月とすっぽん (Tsuki to suppon) — Two things alike at a glance but worlds apart.
石橋を叩いて渡る (Ishibashi o tataite wataru) — To be extremely, even excessively, cautious.
釘を刺す (kugi o sasu) — To remind someone firmly so they can't back out.

Loading the full interactive collection…