僕に任せて

Three patterns, same meaning:

• Leave it to me.
• Leave it with me.
• I'll take care of it.

Example 1:

Risa: "I haven't finished sending these faxes but I need to go to a meeting."

Rina: "Leave it to me and go to the meeting."

Example 2:

Clerk: "I've applied for a transfer but no reply."

The boss: "Leave it with me; I'll see what I can do."

Example 3:

Yuta: "I need to call the London office but my English is terrible."

Yuto: "Don't worry; I'll take care of it."

Old fax machine

ブス

Euphemism:

• She's no oil painting.

Meaning:

• She is ugly
• She is not pretty

Examples:

• Fumi wants to be a model but she's no oil painting.
• His new girlfriend is half his age but she's no oil painting.
• She's no oil painting but I love her!

Watercolour nude by Gretchen Kelly

間違い

Simile:

• It sticks out like a sore thumb.

Meaning:

• Everyone can see the mistake
• The mistake is obvious to many people
• Clearly wrong

Example 1:

Eri: "An actor wore a digital watch in that Samurai drama."

Mari: "Yes, I saw it. It stuck out like a sore thumb."

Example 2:

Maki: "That foreigner's T-shirt has a big kanji character printed upside-down!

Mami: "Oh yes! It sticks out like a sore thumb."

Example 3:

Pat: "The liquor store has a Union Jack shelf-label for the Guinness."

Mick: "I know, it sticks out like a sore thumb."

若作り

Idiom:

• Mutton dressed as lamb.

Meaning:

• A woman trying to appear younger.

Example 1:
Yutaro: "Have you seen the new girl in the office?"
Masa: "That's no girl! That's mutton dressed as lamb!"

Example 2:
Hanako: "Mama, you can't wear my dress! You'll look like mutton dressed as lamb."

Example 3:
Rie: "I'm sure she's in her forties but from a distance she looks younger."
Haru: "Her clothes, hair and make-up disguise her age; she's mutton dressed as lamb."

Rack of lamb

鞭

Here are some expressions using whip:

• crack the whip
• have a whip-round
• whip up

Crack the whip = become strict

• The staff are not working hard enough so it's time to crack the whip.
• I need to crack the whip with my son because he never cleans his room.
• They lack self-discipline so you need to crack the whip sometimes.

Have a whip-round = collect money

• We're having a whip-round for Mr Suzuki who is leaving the company.
• Let's have a whip-round and buy Yuki a birthday present.
• Can you have a whip-round for Ken's stag party?

Whip up = make something quickly without preparation or planning, especially food

• We arrived home very hungry so I whipped up some sandwiches.
• I haven't been shopping but I can whip something up for dinner.
• You've forgotten about the business report?! You'll have to whip one up before Friday's deadline.