蟷螂が龍車に向う

Japanese
Kanji in this term
蟷 螂 龍 車 向
とう
Hyōgaiji		 ろう
Hyōgaiji		 りゅう
Jinmeiyō		 しゃ
Grade: 1		 む
Grade: 3
on’yomi goon on’yomi kun’yomi

Etymology

Literally a “mantis faces an imperial carriage”, an allusion to a parable in Zhuangzi about a praying mantis attempting to stop an emperor’s carriage. See 螳臂當車／螳臂当车 (tángbìdāngchē) for details.

Noun

蟷螂(とうろう)が龍車(りゅうしゃ)に向(むか)う • (tōrō ga ryūsha ni mukau) 

  1. (idiomatic) Clipping of 蟷螂が斧をもって隆車に向かう (tōrō ga ono o motte ryūsha ni mukau): a futile endeavor, brave but useless attempt

References
  • “蟷螂が斧をもって隆車に向かう”, in 精選版 日本国語大辞典 [Selected edition: Nihon Kokugo Daijiten]‎ (in Japanese), Shogakukan, 2005
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