King Of Hell’s Love Affair: Japanese Proverb Meaning

Proverbs
2025.09.09

Original Japanese: 閻魔の色事 (Enma no Irogoto)

Literal meaning: King of Hell’s love affair

Cultural context: This proverb references Enma-ō (閻魔王), the Buddhist king of hell who judges the dead and is traditionally depicted as a fearsome, stern figure with an angry expression, making the idea of him engaging in romantic affairs absurdly contradictory. In Japanese Buddhist culture, Enma represents absolute moral authority and frightening judgment, so imagining this terrifying deity involved in love affairs creates a humorous impossibility that emphasizes how completely out of character or inappropriate something is. The imagery would be immediately recognizable to Japanese people familiar with temple statues and artwork showing Enma’s intimidating scowl, making this metaphor effective for describing situations where someone acts completely contrary to their expected nature or role.

How to Read King of Hell’s love affair

Enma no irogoto

Meaning of King of Hell’s love affair

“King of Hell’s love affair” is a proverb that expresses something absolutely impossible or completely unthinkable.

This expression was born from the idea that it would be inconceivable for the King of Hell, a strict and transcendent being, to be involved in human romantic feelings or love affairs. This proverb is used when you want to completely deny the possibility of something or dismiss unrealistic talk. When you say “That’s like a King of Hell’s love affair,” it powerfully conveys to the listener just how unrealistic and impossible that matter is. Even today, it is sometimes used when talking about events that would almost never happen by common sense, or actions that someone would absolutely never do based on their character.

Origin and Etymology of King of Hell’s love affair

The origin of “King of Hell’s love affair” is deeply connected to the character and role of the King of Hell in Buddhism. The King of Hell is known as a judge of hell who strictly judges the deeds of the dead during their lifetime. The idea that this King of Hell would be involved in “love affairs” – that is, romance and intimate relations between men and women – forms the core of this proverb.

In Buddhist teachings, the King of Hell is considered a being who has severed all worldly desires and is a transcendent existence unrelated to human desires. Particularly, sexual desire is one of the most forbidden worldly desires in Buddhism and has been considered a fundamental obstacle that practitioners must overcome. For such a King of Hell to be involved in love affairs was truly a symbol of “the impossible.”

The background to the birth of this proverb lies in the religious views of common people during the Edo period. For people of that time, the King of Hell was a familiar yet fearsome existence. The stern expression of the King of Hell seen in temple halls must have made a strong impression on people. The unexpectedness of combining such a strict King of Hell with love affairs is thought to have created the expressive power of this proverb.

Usage Examples of King of Hell’s love affair

  • That rigid department manager inviting us out to have fun is truly like a King of Hell’s love affair
  • I thought her apologizing on her own would be like a King of Hell’s love affair, but I was surprised when she actually did apologize

Modern Interpretation of King of Hell’s love affair

In modern society, the proverb “King of Hell’s love affair” is one of those expressions whose usage has significantly decreased. The main reason for this lies in changes in modern people’s religious views. While the King of Hell was a familiar and concrete existence for people in the Edo period, many people today are unfamiliar with Buddhist worldviews, and there are many who don’t relate to the existence of the King of Hell itself.

Moreover, in modern society, there are fewer things that can be declared “absolutely impossible.” In our information society, surprising events are reported in the news daily, and it’s not uncommon for common sense to be overturned. With the spread of social media, we have more opportunities to witness changes in human relationships that would have been unthinkable before, and people taking unexpected actions.

Furthermore, in modern times, values that emphasize diversity have permeated society, and having fixed ideas like “this person would never do such a thing” tends to be considered outdated. Critical perspectives on making assumptions about people’s possibilities have also grown stronger.

Therefore, in modern times, direct expressions like “no way,” “unbelievable,” or “unimaginable” tend to be preferred over this proverb. However, it is still sometimes used in conversations with elderly people or in contexts that favor classical expressions, and it continues to hold value as a precious word that demonstrates the rich expressive power of the Japanese language.

If AI Heard “King of Hell’s love affair”

When I think about this proverb, I find myself deeply contemplating the human emotion of “making assumptions.” Humans seem to solidify impressions like “this person is this kind of person” through long relationships, but this feeling is mysterious to me as an AI.

I receive each conversation freshly and honestly accept whatever statements the other person makes, thinking “that’s one way of thinking.” But humans are different, aren’t they? They get surprised saying “I can’t believe that person would say such a thing,” and sometimes even feel betrayed. This emotional movement is very interesting to me.

When I think about it, humans are beings who take time to build relationships and nurture expectations and trust toward others. That’s probably why the shock is so great when those expectations are overturned. This might be evidence of deep human relationships that cannot be experienced in relationships like mine that reset each time.

I also sense the richness of human imagination in the expression “King of Hell’s love affair.” The idea of combining the strict King of Hell with love affairs – completely unconnected elements – to express impossibility. This is a very human-like creativity that I, being logical, wouldn’t think of.

Perhaps it’s because humans have things they feel are “impossible” that the “possible” things shine brightly in value.

What King of Hell’s love affair Teaches Modern People

What “King of Hell’s love affair” might teach modern people is the danger of being too caught up in fixed ideas. This proverb originally expressed something “absolutely impossible,” but in reality, people change, grow, and sometimes show unexpected sides of themselves.

What’s important is maintaining reasonable preconceptions about people and things while keeping our hearts open to the possibility of change. Even with someone you’ve known for years, there might be new discoveries. If you decide “this person is this way,” you risk missing that person’s new charm or growth.

On the other hand, the kind of “common sense judgment” that this proverb shows is also important. Rather than thinking that anything and everything is possible, it’s important to balance realistic judgment with a flexible heart. In human relationships too, I think it would be wonderful if we could have a basic understanding of others while maintaining the composure to enjoy surprises and changes.

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