隔靴掻痒

かっかそうよう

Also written かくかそうよう

Meanings

1. Noun being frustrated because something is not quite as hoped (just as one cannot scratch an itch from outside a shoe); having an itch that one cannot scratch

Kanji

• 隔 gap. Read as カク.
• 靴 shoe
• 掻 scratch. Read as ソウ.
• 痒 itchy. Read as ヨウ.

Example sentences

• もっと単刀直入に言ってくれないかな。隔靴掻痒の感なきにしもあらずだよ。
  You don't have to leave me hanging like this. Why don't you just come out and tell it to me straight?

Word lists

• Yojijukugo (四字熟語)

Jinuma: Japanese Dictionary · Word lists