In the test, do you choose one or eight? 一か八か（いちかばちか）。

一か八か(いちかばちか)やってみます。 I'll try it, sink or swim.

To be the number one is always difficult in anything, but ‘1’ in the report card would not be desirable.

Ichi-ka bachi-ka

一か八か(いちかばちか)

When you answer the quiz or test, you will sometimes feel that you are not sure. But you will answer anyway, like choosing one or eight, just leaving to sink or swim.

This phrase began with the Japanese gambling 博打(ばくち)―to mean to take a gamble, take a chance, run the risk, in a hit-and-miss, all-or-nothing, or make-or-break situation.

Note that the pronunciation of 八 is ‘ばち’ (bachi) in this phase, not ‘はち’ (hachi).

Pachinko パチンコ is one of the major gambling games in Japan.

● 運(うん)を天(てん)に任せて(まかせて)、一か八か(いちかばちか)でやってみよう。 (Un-o ten-ni maka-se-te, ichi-ka bachi-ka-de yat-te mi-yoh.)

I’ll take a chance, leaving it to the hands of Providence.

Noru-ka soru-ka

のるかそるか

This is a similar expression to 一か八か(いちかばちか). It’s just like ‘win or lose.’ のる literally means ‘to stretch and become long, and そる ‘to curve to the rear.’

● こうなっては、のるかそるかの最後(さいご)の手(て)しかない。 (Koh-nat-te-wa, noru-ka soru-ka-no saigo-no te-shika na-i.)

Now that I have this situation, nothing is left but the last resort.

Ichi-kara juh-made

一(いち)から十(じゅう)まで

Is there anybody who doesn't do anything, relying on your mother from one to ten? 一(いち) is the beginning, 十(じゅう) the end, in this phrase. 一(いち)から十(じゅう)まで is anything. Your can use this phase especially when you disapprove the situation.

一(いち)から十(じゅう)まで: Do you rely on your mother in everything?

● 彼(かれ)は一(いち)から十(じゅう)まで母親(ははおや)に世話(せわ)してもらっているので、自立(じりつ)できない。(Kare-wa ichi-kara juh-made haha-oya-ni sewa-shte morat-te i-ru-no-de, ji-ritsu-deki-na-i.)

He can’t stand on his own two feet since he has his mother take care of him in everything.

Nani-kara nani-made

何(なに)から何(なに)まで

Just like 一(いち)から十(じゅう)まで, this phrase is used to mean ‘anything,’ ‘all,’ or ‘nothing to left.’ However, you can use it whether you disapprove or not.

● この店には何から何までそろっています。 (Kono mise-ni-wa nani-kara nani-made sorot-te i-mas.)

You’ll have everything in this store.

何(なに)から何(なに)まであります。There's everything here.

Nani-mo ka-mo

何もかも(なにもかも)

This is just like 何(なに)から何(なに)まで.

● 何(なに)もかもうまく行って(いって)ます。 (Nani-mo ka-mo uma-ku it-te-mas.)

Everything is going all right.

Nan-demo, kan-demo

何(なん)でもかんでも

This phrase is like “whatever it is” or “whatever happens.”

● 悪い(わるい)事(こと)は何(なん)でもかんでもあいつが原因(げんいん)だ。 (Waru-i koto-wa nan-demo kan-demo aits-ga guen-in-da.)

He’s to blame for whatever misfortunes.

横浜美術館―Yokohama Museum of Art in Yokohama.

● あの絵(え)を何(なん)でもかんでも手(て)に入れる(いれる)ぞ。 (Ano e-o nan-demo kan-demo te-ni ire-ru-zo.)

I’ll get that drawing whatever happens.

You would never master anything if you relied on somebody. Stop complaining, sit at the desk and open your textbook.

Ichi-mo ni-mo-na-ku

一(いち)も二(に)もなく

This is to mean that you’d better not to say this or that, not to complain, or not to make excuses.

● 共同(きょうどう)制作(せいさく)で悩んで(なやんで)いるとき、彼(かれ)のアイデアに一(いち)も二(に)もなく、すぐ賛成(さんせい)した。(Kyoh-doh-sei-sak-de nayan-de-i-ru-toki, kare-no aidea-ni ichi-mo ni-mo-na-ku sugu san-sei-shta.)

We agreed to his idea at once when we didn’t know what to do for the group project.

書道 (しょどう) Calligraphy by using a writing brush 筆(ふで) and back ink 墨汁(ぼくじゅう) is taught at school.

Ichi ni-o araso-u

一二(いちふた)を争う(あらそう)

After your hard work, you’re getting good grades. At the next test, you will compete for the first place. This is when 一二を争う.

● 彼(かれ)はテスト(てすと)ではいつも一二(いちに)を争って(あらそって)いる。 (kare-wa testo-de-wa its-mo ichi ni-o arasot-te-i-ru.)

He is always one of the best in the tests.