yojijukugo

In Japanese, yojijukugo (四字熟語) are four-character kanji compounds that sometimes have idiomatic meanings. Here are a few I’ve learned so far that I found interesting.

• 前途多難（ぜんとたなん）: having many difficulties in store; grim prospects
• 悪因悪果（あくいんあっか）: evil sowed, evil reaped
• 善因善果（ぜんいんぜんか）: good actions lead to good rewards; one good turn deserves another
• 一石二鳥（いっせきにちょう）: killing two birds with one stone