head honcho
Meaning: the person in charge; the leader.
Language: English
Literally: head honcho
Category: Daily Life
Origin: From the Japanese hanchō, meaning squad leader or group chief — han, a squad or section, plus chō, head or chief. It entered American English through servicemen: the word is documented among American prisoners of war held in Japan during the Second World War, and spread further through the postwar occupation of Japan and then the Korean War, arriving home with returning troops across the 1940s and 1950s. "Head honcho" is strictly redundant, since hanchō already carries the sense of head, but the doubling is simply what the phrase settled into in English — an ordinary fate for a borrowed word whose internal parts are invisible to the people using it.
More idioms — Daily Life
- get the short end of the stick — to receive unfair treatment; to get the worse deal.
- no love lost — mutual dislike; bad relations between people.
- throw in the towel — to give up; to concede defeat.
- the real McCoy — the genuine article; something authentic and high quality.
- get a kick out of something — to enjoy something greatly; to find something amusing.
- run it up the flagpole — to test an idea; to present something for approval or feedback.
More English idioms
- up the creek without a paddle — in a difficult situation without means to escape.
- paint the town red — to celebrate wildly; to party extensively.
- fit as a fiddle — in excellent physical condition; healthy.
- take the plunge — to commit to something risky; to make a decisive move.
- a nose for something — a talent for finding or recognizing something; keen instinct.
- keep your chin up — to remain optimistic; to stay courageous during difficulty.