IdiomFood & Drink
Japanese
Japanese鯖を読む (Saba o yomu)
Meaning: To fudge the numbers in your favor, especially your age.
Literally: To read the mackerel
Example: “彼は年齢を五歳も鯖を読んでいた。” — He had been cooking the books on his age by five years.
English equivalent: To cook the books
Equivalents in other languages
English: cook the books
Origin: "To read the mackerel" is to fudge a count in one's favor, today especially one's age. The usual explanation is that mackerel spoiled so fast that fishmongers counted it at great speed, and the count was rarely accurate. Another explanation derives it from isaba-yomi, counting at the fish market. Neither is documented.
More Japanese idioms
- 油を売る (Abura ouru) To slack off or dawdle when you should be working.
- 高嶺の花 (Takane no hana) Someone or something beautiful but utterly out of reach.
- 猫の額 (Neko no hitai) A very small space, especially of land.
- 腹が黒い (hara ga kuroi) Scheming and malicious behind a friendly face.
- お茶を濁す (ocha o nigosu) To dodge a question with a vague, evasive answer.
- 朝飯前 (Asameshi mae) A task so easy it can be done before eating.
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