窮鼠

Reading

Kana: きゅうそ

Romaji: kyūso

Definition

noun

1

cornered rat or mouse

Kanji

窮

Readings: キュウ、 キョウ、 きわ.める、 きわ.まる、 きわ.まり、 きわ.み

Meanings: hard up, destitute, suffer, perplexed, cornered

鼠

Readings: ソ、 ショ、 ねずみ、 ねず

Meanings: rat, mouse, dark gray

Example Sentences

窮鼠(きゅうそ)猫(ねこ)をかむ。

➥A cornered rat will bite a cat.

あいつ追(お)いつめられたら何(なに)するか分(わ)からないぞ。窮鼠(きゅうそ)猫(ねこ)を噛(か)むってこともあるからな。気(き)を付(つ)けるに越(こ)したことはない。

➥I wouldn't push him too far. You don't know what he might do. I'd say you can't be too careful. They say even a doomed mouse will bite a cat if he has no choice.

「そんなに舐(な)められた相手(あいて)じゃないけどなぁ・・・」「そうだよ、窮鼠(きゅうそ)猫(ねこ)を噛(か)むって言(い)うじゃないか」

➥"I don't think she's an opponent you can ignore like that ..." "That's right, they say a cornered rat bites back, don't they?"