I've come across this interesting expression which doesn't seem to be listed
in many Japanese to English dictionaries:

> 二足の草鞋を履く

From what I could gather, I believe it has a meaning of "being engaged in two
trades" (?) But since this is the first time I've seen such an expression can
someone explain its nuances?
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2017-05-28T13:26:42.137
47809
2017-09-10T00:23:27.163
22307
question
nuances expressions
What is the nuance of the expression "二足の草鞋を履く"
Roughly speaking, 草鞋｛わらじ｝ is a shoe made of straws.

I'll show you the nuance:  
You say "to stand in someone's shoes" which is an idiom meaning "to see from
another's point of view; to feel what another feels". If you stand in your own
shoes, and at the same if you stand in someone's shoes, what happens? You can
see from the point of both your view and someone's, right?

So, in Japan, if you wear two kinds of 草鞋 at the same time, you can be engaged
in two trades.

I'll tell you why.

Literally 草履｛ぞうり｝を履｛は｝く means to put on _zohri_ shoes, and 草履｛ぞうり｝を脱｛ぬ｝ぐ means
to remove _zohri_ shoes. From these literal meanings, 草履｛ぞうり｝を履｛は｝く means to
_start a trip_ , and 草履｛ぞうり｝を脱｛ぬ｝ぐ means to _finish a trip_.

And, 草履｛ぞうり｝を脱｛ぬ｝ぐ means metaphorically to _retire from one's occupation_.  
From the metaphorical meaning of 草履｛ぞうり｝を脱｛ぬ｝ぐ, the metaphorical meaning of
草履｛ぞうり｝を履｛は｝く could be implied as to find one's occupation and start to engage
oneself in it, though we don't use this metaphorical meaning usually.

From these metaphorical meanings, it is somewhat natural that to **wear a pair
of _zohri_ shoes** **一足｛いっそく｝の草鞋｛わらじ｝を履｛は｝く** has a nuance of being engaged in
a certain occupation or trade.  
So, 二足｛にそく｝の草鞋｛わらじ｝を履｛は｝く has a meaning of being engaged in two different
occupations or trades.
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2017-05-28T14:24:48.597
47810
2017-05-28T23:22:25.167
2017-05-28T23:22:25.167
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answer
The origin of 二足のわらじを履く (literally "wearing two pairs of straw sandals") dates
back to the Edo period (circa 17-19c). At first, this expression referred to
gamblers who worked also as policemen who arrest gamblers. Originally,
"wearing two pairs of sandals" was a metaphor for doing something impossible
and/or paradoxical. This was not really a good word at first.

The meaning of this expression has been broadened since then, and people
started to use this phrase to praise someone who works in two totally
different fields by profession (e.g., a novelist-and-doctor, a lawyer-and-
actress). Still, the key connotation of this idiom is **"doing seemingly
impossible/incompatible things"**. People today even use this phrase for
merely having a small side business or working at two places as a part-time
worker, but strictly speaking, such a usage is questionable.

Finally, 二足のわらじを履く does not always appear in its full form, just as the latter
half of "when in Rome" is often unsaid. You can safely say 二足のわらじで働く,
二足のわらじの生活, and so on, even in casual conversations.
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2017-05-29T12:40:05.757
47841
2017-05-29T12:40:05.757
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answer