piranha
意味一覧 (2件)
獰猛な人
解説 Definition
piranha は、人に対して比喩的に使うと「獰猛で容赦ない人」を表します。交渉、競争、金融、法廷などで、相手の弱みにつけ込み攻撃的に利益を取りに行く人物をやや批判的に言う語です。
When piranha is used about a person, it means someone who is fierce, ruthless, and quick to attack others for their own advantage. It is often used in situations like business, negotiation, competition, or legal conflict. The word has a critical tone and suggests a person who notices weakness and pushes hard without much mercy.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
piranha は本来、鋭い歯で知られる魚の名ですが、人に使うと「噛みつくように攻める人」という比喩になります。aggressive person や ruthless competitor に近く、単に元気な人ではなく、相手を追い詰める冷酷さを含みます。a piranha in negotiations のように、交渉・ビジネス・法廷など競争の場面と結びつけて覚えるとよいです。
First think of the fish piranha, famous for its sharp teeth and attacking bite. When the word is used for a person, it suggests someone who goes after others in the same hard, biting way. It is close to aggressive person or ruthless competitor, especially in business, negotiation, or court. Remember phrases like a piranha in negotiations to connect it with competitive situations.
例文
Everyone knew she was a piranha at the negotiating table.
彼女が交渉の場で獰猛な人だということは、誰もが知っていた。
The young lawyer earned a reputation as a piranha who never let the other side relax.
その若い弁護士は、相手を決して楽にさせない獰猛な人として評判になった。
In the world of high finance, a piranha can make a fortune by attacking weaker rivals.
金融の熾烈な世界では、獰猛な人が弱いライバルを攻めて大金を得ることがある。
ピラニア
(意味 2)解説 Definition
南米の川に生息する小さくても凶暴な肉食魚です。非常に鋭い歯を持っています。
A piranha is a kind of freshwater fish from South America with very sharp teeth. It is often mentioned in contexts about rivers, wildlife, and dangerous animals. The word usually refers to the fish itself, not a metaphorical meaning.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
このエントリの piranha は、人を表す比喩ではなく、南米の川にすむ肉食魚そのものを指します。shark は海の大型捕食魚、piranha は freshwater fish、sharp teeth、a school of piranhas と結びつく小型の淡水魚です。小さい、歯が鋭い、群れで行動するという特徴を、川の危険生物としてまとめて覚えると定着しやすいです。
Remember `piranha` as the opposite image of a big sea predator like a shark. A piranha is small, lives in rivers, and is linked with sharp teeth and moving in groups. Keep the picture together: small but dangerous, South American rivers, and a school of piranhas.
例文
The piranha is a dangerous freshwater fish.
ピラニアは危険な淡水魚です。
Piranhas hunt in schools and are very aggressive.
ピラニアは群れで狩りをし、非常に凶暴です。
A school of piranhas can strip a fish clean in minutes.
ピラニアの群れは数分で魚を完全に食べ尽くします。
piranha の語源・成り立ち Etymology
ポルトガル語を経て、トゥピ語 pira「魚」+ anha「歯」に由来します。「歯のある魚」という原義から、鋭く攻撃的な人物を表す比喩にも広がりました。
Piranha comes through Portuguese from Tupi, an Indigenous language of South America. It is based on pira, meaning "fish," and anha, meaning "tooth." From the original meaning "toothed fish," it later came to describe a sharply aggressive person by metaphor.
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