How to Read “煮ても焼いても食えない”
Nitemo yaitemo kuenai
Meaning of “煮ても焼いても食えない”
“Even if you boil or roast cannot eat” is a proverb that describes a person who is unmanageable and difficult to deal with, no matter what methods are used.
This expression is used to refer to people who are stubborn and inflexible, completely refusing to listen despite attempts at persuasion or appeasement, or individuals who lack cooperation and cannot harmonize with their surroundings. It describes not just someone with a bad personality, but a situation where a person’s strong will and stubbornness are so thorough that they trouble those around them.
It is used in situations such as when a boss or colleague at work continues to take a completely uncompromising attitude, or when there is a stubborn person in the family who refuses to listen to anyone’s opinions. The reason for using this expression is that by comparing someone’s difficulty to cooking, it makes their troublesome nature easy to understand. Even today, it continues to be used for opponents with whom no agreement can be reached in negotiations or human relationships.
Origin and Etymology
The origin of “Even if you boil or roast cannot eat” comes from the idea that there are some things that cannot be eaten even when using the two most basic cooking methods of “boiling” and “roasting.”
The background to this expression lies in Japan’s traditional cooking culture. Since ancient times in Japan, boiling and roasting have been the most common and basic cooking methods. It was common knowledge that no matter how tough an ingredient was, it would become tender if simmered for a long time, and would become fragrant and delicious when roasted.
Similar expressions can be found in Edo period literature, and for people of that time, “even if you boil or roast” had become established as an idiomatic expression meaning “even if you exhaust all means.” In particular, cooking was fundamental to daily life, and using inedible things as an example had the effect of emphasizing the seriousness and difficulty of a situation.
This expression came to describe people’s personalities and difficult nature because it developed as a metaphorical expression that likened food to people. Just as there are ingredients that cannot be eaten no matter what cooking method is used, the idea that there are people who cannot be managed no matter what method is used is thought to have given birth to this proverb.
Usage Examples
- That department manager is someone who “even if you boil or roast cannot eat,” and no matter how politely you explain things, he absolutely refuses to change his mind
- My grandfather has a personality where “even if you boil or roast cannot eat,” so once he decides something, he won’t listen to anything the family says
Modern Interpretation
In modern society, the expression “even if you boil or roast cannot eat” has come to have complex meanings. In our information society, where diverse values and ways of working are recognized, people who were traditionally considered “difficult to handle” often possess valuable individuality and talents.
Particularly in creative fields and the entrepreneurial world, “even if you boil or roast cannot eat” types who don’t fit into existing frameworks sometimes generate innovative ideas and groundbreaking services. Business leaders like Steve Jobs were also seen as difficult people by those around them, yet their stubbornness and uncompromising attitude became factors in their success.
On the other hand, in modern workplace environments where teamwork is emphasized, uncooperative individuals still pose obstacles to organizational management. Even now, with the spread of remote work and flexible systems making diverse working styles possible, minimum communication skills and cooperation are still required.
In modern times, rather than simply rejecting the “difficulty” indicated by this proverb, it has become important to understand the beliefs and values behind it and seek ways to utilize them in appropriate roles. Precisely because we live in a society that values diversity, our approach to dealing with people who are “even if you boil or roast cannot eat” is also changing.
When AI Hears This
The linguistic brilliance of this proverb lies in the choice of cooking methods: “boiling” and “grilling.” In Japanese, these represent the fundamental ways of applying heat to ingredients – “boiling” uses moisture to soften from within, while “grilling” uses direct fire to firm up the surface. These are polar opposite transformation processes, essentially covering every possible approach to change: inside-out versus outside-in.
What’s particularly fascinating is how Japanese speakers overlay the concept of food “plasticity” with human character improvement. Hard root vegetables become tender through long boiling, and raw meat becomes edible through grilling. This “transformation through heat” works perfectly as a metaphor for personality development through education and experience.
The concluding phrase “still inedible” is equally masterful. Rather than simply saying “hopeless” or “impossible,” it expresses biological rejection – “cannot be absorbed as nutrition by the body.” This subtly suggests that such a person would be harmful to society as a living organism.
Behind this expression lies the Japanese culinary philosophy of “bringing out the best in ingredients.” Because there’s a deep belief that any ingredient can be made delicious with the right cooking method, the phrase “still inedible” carries ultimate despair. It’s a masterpiece of Japanese metaphorical sensibility, speaking about human nature through the creative act of cooking.
Lessons for Today
The proverb “even if you boil or roast cannot eat” teaches us something important as we live in modern times. That is the importance of tolerance and understanding in how we relate to others.
Everyone, in the course of living, encounters people they simply cannot understand, opponents with whom they cannot find common ground no matter how hard they try. In such times, rather than desperately trying to change the other person, it’s important to first try to understand that person’s background and values. Behind stubbornness, there may be that person’s own beliefs and experiences.
This proverb also gives us an opportunity to reflect on ourselves. Perhaps you yourself might be someone who is “even if you boil or roast cannot eat” to someone else. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Having your own beliefs and the strength not to compromise easily is sometimes a necessary quality.
In modern society, we are required to acknowledge diversity. There should be places and methods where even “difficult to handle” people can utilize their individual characteristics. Rather than seeking perfect harmony, couldn’t we build richer human relationships while accepting each other’s differences?
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