耳が痛い
(of a reprimand) to make one’s ears burn; hit where it hurts
There are many idioms using body parts. Today's lesson is a Japanese idiom using ears.
The Japanese idiom 耳が痛い literally translates to "my ears hurt."
But while this phrase can literally mean that, it has a specific idiomatic meaning too.
This phrase is often used to express the discomfort or pain one feels when hearing something that is particularly critical or “hits close to home.”
When someone says something that directly addresses your flaws, mistakes, or shortcomings, it can be a painful truth to acknowledge—this is when 耳が痛い is most commonly used.
In a conversation, you might hear someone say 耳が痛い in response to constructive criticism or advice that, while beneficial, is hard to accept because it touches on an area where the listener knows they need improvement.
For example, if a friend tells you that you’ve been neglecting your responsibilities, and you know it's true, you might respond with 耳が痛い, acknowledging that the criticism stings because it’s accurate.
耳が痛い is not just about the content of what is being said, but also about the listener’s reaction to that content, highlighting the emotional impact of hearing something that challenges one’s self-perception.
彼の忠告を聞くのは、耳が痛い。
Hearing his advice really hit a nerve.
Vocabulary
その言葉は耳が痛いよ。
Those words are really hard to hear.
Vocabulary
両親から生活習慣についての指摘を受けたとき、耳が痛いと感じたが、改善するべきだと思った。
When my parents pointed out my bad habits, it was painful to hear, but I realized I needed to improve.
Vocabulary
先生からの厳しい意見は耳が痛いが、成長のために受け入れなければならない。
The harsh feedback from the teacher is hard to take, but I have to accept it for my own growth.
Vocabulary
彼のアドバイスは的を射ていて耳が痛いが、その通りだと納得した。
His advice hit the mark, and though it was painful to hear, I had to agree.
Vocabulary
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The vocabulary section for “Those words are really hard to hear.” needs to be corrected. It is redundant with the prior example.
Thanks for pointing that out. I just fixed it.