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This site will be taken down March 31st, 2026.

This was not an easy decision to make. For the last couple years, I have been struggling to find motivation for this site and to keep up with basic maintenance and security updates. With the rise of AI and more sophisticated tools, the usefulness of sites like this is questionable and traffic has nose-dived. I just don't have it in me to keep doing this. Thank you all for 10 years of support!

Zach

自分の頭の上のハエを追え。

Sentence Analyzer

自分 の 頭 の 上 の はえ を 追え 。

English Translation

Tend to your own affairs.

Furigana

自分(じぶん)の頭(あたま)の上(うえ)のハエを追(お)え。

Romanji

Jibun no atama no ue no hae o oe.

Words

自分 (じぶん)
myself; yourself; oneself; himself; herself; I; me; you
の (の)
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
頭 (あたま、かしら)
head; hair (on one's head); mind; brains; intellect; leader; chief; boss; captain; top; tip; beginning; start; head; person; top structural component of a kanji
上 (うえ)
above; up; over; elder (e.g. daughter); top; summit; surface; on; before; previous; superiority; one's superior (i.e. one's elder); on top of that; besides; what's more; upon (further inspection, etc.); based on (and occurring after); matters concerning...; as concerns ...; since (i.e. "for that reason"); suffix indicating higher social standing; place of one's superior (i.e. the throne); emperor; sovereign; shogun; daimyo; noblewoman (esp. the wife of a nobleman)
蝿 (はえ、ハエ)
fly (of infraorder Muscomorpha); person of no worth; pisher; scrub
を (を)
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.
追う (おう)
to chase; to run after; to pursue; to follow (i.e. a set order, a trend); to drive out; to oust; to expel; to drive (i.e. a herd); (in passive voice) to be pressed (for time, etc.)

Kanji

自
Readings: ジ、 シ、 みずか.ら、 おの.ずから、 おの.ずと
Meaning: oneself
分
Readings: ブン、 フン、 ブ、 わ.ける、 わ.け、 わ.かれる、 わ.かる、 わ.かつ
Meanings: part, minute of time, segment, share, degree, one's lot, duty, understand, know, rate, 1%, chances, shaku/100
頭
Readings: トウ、 ズ、 ト、 あたま、 かしら、 -がしら、 かぶり
Meanings: head, counter for large animals
上
Readings: ジョウ、 ショウ、 シャン、 うえ、 -うえ、 うわ-、 かみ、 あ.げる、 -あ.げる、 あ.がる、 -あ.がる、 あ.がり、 -あ.がり、 のぼ.る、 のぼ.り、 のぼ.せる、 のぼ.す、 よ.す
Meanings: above, up
追
Readings: ツイ、 お.う
Meanings: chase, drive away, follow, pursue, meanwhile