猫の手も借りたい

Meaning: I'm so busy I'll take help from anyone.

Language: Japanese

Literally: I want to borrow even a cat's paw

Category: Animals

Origin: Japanese expression, Edo period (1603-1868).

More idioms — Animals

• 猿も木から落ちる — Even experts make mistakes.
• 猫をかぶる — To hide one's true nature; to act innocent.
• 馬の耳に念仏 — Wasted advice on someone who won't listen.
• 雀の涙 — A pitifully small amount.
• 対牛弾琴 — Wasting effort on an unappreciative audience.
• 蛇足 — Something completely unnecessary; a superfluous addition.

More Japanese idioms

• 花より団子 — Substance over style; practicality over beauty.
• 口が滑る — To accidentally let something slip.
• 猫に小判 — Giving something valuable to someone who can't appreciate it.
• 杞憂 — Unnecessary worry about things that won't happen; baseless anxiety.
• 傍若無人 — Behaving without regard for others' feelings or presence around you.
• 一期一会 — Treasure each encounter as unique and irreplaceable in life.

← Back to Idioms

Loading the full interactive collection…