どんぐりの背比べ

どんぐりのせいくらべ

Also written ドングリの背比べ, 団栗の背比べ

Meanings

1. Expression, Noun having very little difference between one another; being much of a muchness; being more or less the same (literally: height comparison among acorns)
2. pointless competition (between two equally unimpressive parties); pissing contest

Kanji

• 背 back. Read as せい.
• 比 compare. Read as くらべる.

Example sentences

• どんぐりの背比べだよ。
  They are all alike.
• こういう流れになると結局、どんぐりの背比べになる。
  Once things start going this way, in the end they'll all be much of a muchness.

Word lists

• Idioms

Jinuma: Japanese Dictionary · Word lists