A thousand experiences - Umisenyamasen

Japanese: 海千山千 - うみせんやません
A thousand experiences - Umisenyamasen
To have ample experience in the world, to know the dark side of things, and to be cunning.

[Example] Hey, you're an old raccoon who's seen it all, so I'm sure you know this very well, but what does it mean when a woman, a young woman, hits a man? [Yojiro Ishizaka * Blue Mountains | 1947]

[Example] The landlady of a teahouse, who is said to have seen it all, and the old lady who is a saleswoman, do not necessarily know the truth about human beings. [Masamune Shiratori *Hateful of Humans|1949]

[Example] Tenbo is the financial manager of Kamimachi Camp, Captain Buono. boar stomach neck Neck was placed on Ox red I was always thinking of his face. What I found annoying was that, despite his baby face, he was actually a very accomplished performer. [Inoue Hisashi * Tsuki Naki Misora ​​no Tenbo Ichiza | 1977]

[Explanation] In the first example, [Blue Mountains], a young man asks a geisha he knows about the psychology of women. It is rude to call a geisha a "very experienced old raccoon." It means "a person who has been through a lot in the affairs of the sexes."
The original meaning of "Umisenzansen" is "A thousand years in the sea, a thousand years in the mountains." Based on a Chinese story that says that if a snake lives in the sea or mountains for a long time, it will turn into a dragon, this phrase refers to a person with a lot of experience and shrewdness. It can also be used to describe a detective who has worked his way up from the bottom.
This phrase is used effectively in the drama "Shirt Shop" written by Taichi Yamada. A middle-aged man, whose best friend's daughter jokingly says "I like you," turns to his friend in frustration and says,
"She's not a proper daughter. She's not."
After being speechless, the man mutters, "I've seen it all." His best friend can't help but punch him, because it's a very strong expression that means "a woman who is sexually experienced."

Source: Dictionary of Four-character Idioms About Dictionary of Four-character Idioms Information

Japanese:
世の中の経験を十分に積み、ものごとの裏面にまで通じてずるがしこいこと。また、そういうしたたか者。

[使用例] ねえ、君などは海千山千の古ダヌキだからよく分ってるんだろうが、女がだね、若い女が男を殴るというのには、どんな意味があるのかね?[石坂洋次郎*青い山脈|1947]

[使用例] 海千山千と云われる待合の女将や、遣手婆さんが必しも人間の真相を知っている訳じゃあるまい[正宗白鳥*人間嫌ひ|1949]

[使用例] 天坊は神町キャンプ財務部主任のブオノ大尉のくびの上に載ったあから顔を思い泛べていた。童顔のくせしてじつは海千山千のやり手であるところがまず小憎らしい[井上ひさし*月なきみそらの天坊一座|1977]

[解説] 最初の[青い山脈]の例では、青年が知り合いの芸者に、女性の心理について尋ねています。芸者のことを「海千山千の古ダヌキ」と言っているのは失礼です。「男女の問題で場数を踏んでいる人」という意味になります。
 「海千山千」の元の形は、「海に千年、山に千年」。ヘビが海や山に長く住むと竜になるという中国の話から、経験が長く、したたかな人物のことを指します。たたき上げの刑事などもそう言います。
 山田太一脚本のドラマ「シャツの店」では、このことばが効果的に使われています。親友の娘から冗談で「好きです」と言われた中年男が、親友に向かって悔しまぎれに言います。
 「あんなのは(まともな)娘なんてもんじゃない。あんなのは」
 そこで絶句した後、男は「海千山千」とぼそり。親友は思わず、男をぶん殴ります。「性的にすれた女」という意味を表す、強烈な表現になるからです。

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