それは干し草の山の中から針を探し出そうとするようなものだ。

that (indicating an item or person near the listener, the action of the listener, or something on their mind); it; that time; then; there (indicating a place near the listener); you

topic marker particle; indicates contrast with another option (stated or unstated); adds emphasis

hay; dry grass

indicates possessive; nominalizes verbs and adjectives; substitutes for "ga" in subordinate phrases; (at sentence-end, falling tone) indicates a confident conclusion; (at sentence-end) indicates emotional emphasis; (at sentence-end, rising tone) indicates question

mountain; hill; mine (e.g. coal mine); heap; pile; crown (of a hat); thread (of a screw); tread (of a tire); protruding part of an object; climax; peak; critical point; guess; speculation; criminal case; crime; mountain climbing; mountaineering; festival float (esp. one mounted with a decorative halberd); wall; wall tile; temple; temple grounds; wild

inside; in; among; within; center (centre); middle; during; while

from (e.g. time, place, numerical quantity); since; from (originator); by; because; since; out of (constituent, part); through (e.g. window, vestibule); after; since

needle; pin; hook; stinger; thorn; hand (e.g. clock, etc.); pointer; staple (for a stapler); needlework; sewing; malice; counter for stitches

indicates direct object of action; indicates subject of causative expression; indicates an area traversed; indicates time (period) over which action takes place; indicates point of departure or separation of action; indicates object of desire, like, hate, etc.

to track down; to locate; to find out; to smoke out; to ferret out; to chase up; to discover

if; when; and; with; particle used for quoting (with speech, thoughts, etc.); quoting particle; promoted pawn; indicates question (sentence end)

to do; to cause to become; to make (into); to turn (into); to serve as; to act as; to work as; to wear (clothes, a facial expression, etc.); to judge as being; to view as being; to think of as; to treat as; to use as; to decide on; to choose; to be sensed (of a smell, noise, etc.); to be (in a state, condition, etc.); to be worth; to cost; to pass (of time); to elapse; verbalizing suffix (applies to nouns noted in this dictionary with the part of speech "vs"); creates a humble verb (after a noun prefixed with "o" or "go"); to be just about to; to be just starting to; to try to; to attempt to

(usu. at sentence-end) seeming to be; appearing to be; like; similar to; in order to (e.g. meet goal); so that; indicates hope, wish, request or mild command

person

be; is; indicates past or completed action; indicates light imperative