How to Read “帯に短し襷に長し”
Obi ni mijikashi tasuki ni nagashi
Meaning of “帯に短し襷に長し”
“For sash too short for tasuki too long” is a proverb that describes a half-hearted state that is unsuitable for either purpose, representing an indecisive situation.
It refers to a situation where one thing doesn’t completely fit any of multiple options and subtly falls short of the conditions. It’s not completely unusable, but it doesn’t quite fit any purpose well, expressing such a frustrating state.
This proverb is used when you’re troubled by “not this, not that” when making a choice. For example, it’s used when the price of a product doesn’t quite match your budget, or when abilities or conditions fall slightly short of the required standards. It can accurately express situations where something isn’t completely inappropriate but lacks the decisive factor for any option.
Even today, it’s valued for expressing “indecisive” situations we experience daily, such as when you’re torn between job hunting choices where the salary is good but the workplace is far, or the workplace is close but the salary is low, or when apartment hunting and you only find properties where the conditions don’t quite match.
Origin and Etymology
The origin of “For sash too short for tasuki too long” is a proverb born from the practicality of women’s accessories in daily life during the Edo period.
An obi is a cloth wrapped around the waist when wearing a kimono, and it cannot be beautifully tied without the proper length. On the other hand, a tasuki is a string-like cloth worn diagonally from the shoulder to roll up sleeves when doing housework or other tasks. These two tools required different uses and appropriate lengths.
For women in the Edo period, the situation where a single piece of cloth was too short to use as an obi but too long to use as a tasuki was a familiar daily problem they experienced regularly. In a society where kimono culture was deeply rooted, such subtle length problems were a common experience that everyone could understand.
This proverb is said to have appeared in literature from the mid-Edo period onward, and became widely used as an expression born from the common people’s life experiences. Because it was an era when kimono, obi, tasuki, and other traditional Japanese clothing culture were deeply rooted in daily life, it became established as a word expressing this exquisite “half-heartedness.” The reason it continues to be used today is that its accuracy as a word expressing the subtle mismatch of things is valued.
Interesting Facts
The standard length of an obi is about 4 meters, but about 1.5 meters would be sufficient for use as a tasuki. In other words, if you had about 2.5 meters of cloth, you would create exactly the situation of “For sash too short for tasuki too long.”
Women in the Edo period sometimes remade old obi into tasuki, but since obi would become shorter as the ends became damaged through use, it was actually common for them to end up with just the right awkward length.
Usage Examples
- This room is too big for living alone and too small for two people to live in – it’s truly “For sash too short for tasuki too long”
- The budget is “For sash too short for tasuki too long,” and I can’t find a product with the features I want
Modern Interpretation
In modern society, “For sash too short for tasuki too long” situations have become more complex and frequent. With more abundant choices, it has become difficult to find something that meets perfect conditions.
Particularly in the information society, while it has become easier to compare products and services, we end up worrying about even minute differences, making it difficult to make decisions. Even when choosing a smartphone, everyone has experienced not being able to find the perfect option, such as good camera performance but insufficient battery, or excellent battery but high price.
The diversification of work styles also creates this situation. Full-time employment is stable but has low flexibility, while freelancing is free but has unstable income – each work style has its pros and cons. Modern people could be said to constantly face “For sash too short for tasuki too long” choices.
However, this situation is not necessarily a bad thing. Because it’s not perfect, creativity is born in finding your own ingenuity and compromise points. In modern times, the value of “making 80-point choices quickly” is being reconsidered, and the flexibility to accept the “half-heartedness” shown by this proverb may be the wisdom to survive in an era of rapid change.
When AI Hears This
“Obi ni mijikashi tasuki ni nagashi” perfectly captures the essence of modern specification problems. The “half-heartedness” this proverb describes has exactly the same structure as the “appropriateness gaps” occurring everywhere in contemporary society.
Take smartphones as an example. Many people purchase the latest models with high-performance cameras and massive storage, but actually use them only for calls and messages. They’re “over-spec” for photography but “under-spec” for gaming—creating a situation where one item becomes inadequate for multiple purposes. This is precisely the half-hearted state the proverb describes.
The same phenomenon occurs in hiring. A researcher with a PhD is “over-spec” for administrative work and the salary doesn’t match, yet they’re “under-spec” in experience for cutting-edge research. The vague standard of “job-ready talent” that companies seek also reflects this structural problem.
What’s fascinating is that wisdom born from the physical constraints of limited fabric resources in the Edo period still applies in our information-saturated modern age. Despite technological progress, humans continue seeking what’s “just right.” This proverb teaches us a timeless truth: perfect solutions don’t exist, and every choice inevitably involves trade-offs.
Lessons for Today
“For sash too short for tasuki too long” teaches us the danger of seeking perfection too much and the importance of compromise. In modern society, because there are countless options, we tend to keep searching for something that meets all ideal conditions, but while doing so, we may lose precious time and opportunities.
This proverb reminds us of “the value of taking action even with 80-point choices.” Even if it’s not perfect, by being creative and working with what we have, unexpectedly good results often emerge.
Also, by accepting half-hearted situations, new possibilities may become visible. Even if it’s short as an obi and long as a tasuki, there might be a completely different wonderful use for it. It also teaches us the importance of having flexible thinking without being bound by fixed ideas.
It’s rare to encounter something “just right” in life. That’s why we want to do our best within given conditions and have the mental space to enjoy life including its imperfections. Even in this imperfect moment, wonderful value is surely hidden.
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