Back to square one - Back to square one

Japanese: 元の木阿弥 - もとのもくあみ

To return to the same boring state again.

[Example of use] Although it may be a little easier at first, within three months it will be back to square one. [Futaba-tei Shimei * Its Face | 1906]

[Explanation] There are various theories about the origin of this proverb, and it is not certain. The Tenshoki states that when Tsutsui Junsho, a warlord in the Warring States period, died of an illness, his heir Junkei was still a child, and so in his will he placed a blind man named Mokuami, who had a similar voice, in Junkei's dimly lit bedroom to make it appear as if Junkei was ill, but as Junkei grew older, Mokuami returned to being a townsfolk. The "Seven Bikuni" proverb also tells of a man who divorced his wife and became a nun, tree Moku Food Immediately He practiced asceticism and was revered as Mokuami or Mokujiki Shonin, but as he grew older he began to neglect his asceticism and began to talk to his ex-wife, which led to people mocking him. Other theories include that the name comes from the story of a farmer, Mokkoubei, who donated money to the monk and obtained the title of "Ami", but the villagers did not call him by his new name, and even if they did call him by it, they were attracted to his old name and would call him Mokujiki, so his name-buying feat was in vain. Another theory is that it is derived from the original wooden bowl, which means that the vermilion paint has worn off to reveal the bare wood. It is commonly used due to the good rhythm created by the alliteration of "mo", and it is thought that the image that spreads from the word "mokuami" has given rise to various theories.

[Strange form] Motoki-an

Source: Dictionary of Proverbs About Dictionary of Proverbs Information

Japanese:

ふたたび元のつまらない状態にもどること。

[使用例] 殖やした当座が少し楽なばかり、三月と経たぬ中にまた元の木阿弥となる［二葉亭四迷＊其面影｜1906］

[解説] このことわざの由来については諸説あって、定かではありません。「天正記」は、戦国時代の武将筒井順昭が病死したとき、嗣子順慶が幼少だったので、遺言によって、声のよく似た木阿弥という盲人を薄暗い寝所に置き、順昭が病床にあるように見せかけていたが、順慶が長ずるに及んで木阿弥はもとの市人にもどったという故事によるとしています。また、「七人比丘尼」は、ある人が妻を離縁して出家し、木もく食じきの修行をして、木阿弥、木食上人などと呼ばれ尊ばれたが、年を経るに従い、木食の修行も怠りがちになり、元の妻とも語らうようになったのを世人があざけって取り沙汰した話によるとしています。そのほか、百姓の木工兵衛が僧に献金して某阿弥の号を得たが、村人は新しい名で呼ばず、たまたま呼んでも旧名にひかれ木工阿弥などと呼ぶため、買名の功もむなしかったという話によるとする説、朱塗の朱がはげて木地があらわれた意の元の木椀から転じたものとする説などがあります。「も」の頭韻によるリズムのよさで常用され、「もくあみ」の語から広がるイメージによってさまざまな説を生んだものと考えられます。

〔異形〕元の木庵

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