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英語イディオム：500以上の頻出表現と意味・例文まとめ
語彙学習

英語イディオム：500以上の頻出表現と意味・例文まとめ

#イディオム #慣用表現 #英語フレーズ #日常英会話 #英語表現
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どんな言語にも、直訳しても意味が通じない表現があります。英語にはそうした表現が数千もあります。”It’s raining cats and dogs” は動物とは無関係です。”Break a leg” は脅迫ではなく「頑張って」という意味です。”Spill the beans” は食べ物の話ではなく「秘密をばらす」ことを指します。

こうした表現をイディオム（慣用句）と呼びます。イディオムは英語のあらゆる場面に登場します — 日常会話、映画、音楽、ニュース、ビジネス、文学。ネイティブスピーカーはイディオムをあまりに自然に使うため、自分で意識することはほとんどありません。しかし、英語学習者にとっては、イディオムは流暢さを阻む最大の壁の一つです。文法が完璧で、語彙が豊富で、発音がきれいでも、イディオムを知らなければ耳にする文の半分の意味がわからない — ということが起こり得ます。

このガイドでは、最も頻出する500以上の英語イディオムをトピック別に整理しました。それぞれのイディオムには、わかりやすい意味と自然な例文を付けています。IELTS対策、大学での学習、あるいはネイティブの英語をそのまま理解したい方まで — このガイドが頼れるリファレンスになります。

  • 収録イディオム数: 500以上
  • 整理方法: 20のトピックカテゴリー
  • 対象レベル: A2〜C2（初級〜上級）
  • こんな方に: 総合的な英語力向上、IELTS/TOEFL対策、ネイティブの英語理解、日常会話力アップ

イディオムとは？

イディオムとは、個々の単語の意味からは全体の意味を推測できない、固定された表現のことです。最大の特徴は、フレーズ全体が各単語の合計とは異なる意味を持つことです。

表現 直訳 実際の意味（慣用的意味）
break the ice 氷を割る 気まずい場で会話のきっかけを作る
hit the nail on the head 釘の頭をハンマーで打つ 的を射た発言をする
under the weather 天気の下にいる 少し体調が悪い
piece of cake ケーキ一切れ とても簡単なこと

イディオム vs. 句動詞 vs. コロケーション

これら3つのカテゴリーは重なる部分があり、混同しやすいものです。違いは以下の通りです。

カテゴリー 定義 例
イディオム 非直訳的な意味を持つ固定表現 kick the bucket（= 死ぬ）
句動詞 動詞＋助詞で新しい意味を作る表現 give up（= やめる）
コロケーション 自然に一緒に使われる語の組み合わせ make a decision（”do a decision” とは言わない）

句動詞がイディオム的なもの（”come across” = 偶然見つける）もあれば、イディオムの中に句動詞が含まれるもの（”give someone the cold shoulder”）もあります。境界線は曖昧です — 大切なのは表現そのものを覚えることです。

句動詞の完全ガイドは 英語の句動詞：完全ガイド をご覧ください。

トピック別に整理された英語イディオムのカテゴリー — 体、動物、食べ物、天気、お金、時間、色、感情、仕事、スポーツ

体の部位

体に関するイディオムは英語で最も古くから使われてきたもので、多くの言語に似た表現があります。

# イディオム 意味 例文
1 keep an eye on 注意して見守る Keep an eye on the soup — don’t let it boil over.
2 turn a blind eye 見て見ぬふりをする The manager turned a blind eye to the late arrivals.
3 see eye to eye 完全に同意する We don’t always see eye to eye, but we respect each other.
4 in the blink of an eye 一瞬で The accident happened in the blink of an eye.
5 catch someone’s eye 目を引く、注意を引く The red dress in the window caught my eye.
6 play it by ear 臨機応変にやる、即興で対応する I don’t have a plan — let’s just play it by ear.
7 turn a deaf ear 聞く耳を持たない He turned a deaf ear to all our warnings.
8 keep your chin up 前向きでいる、くよくよしない I know things are tough, but keep your chin up.
9 bite your tongue 言いたいことを我慢する I wanted to argue, but I bit my tongue.
10 on the tip of my tongue 喉まで出かかっている His name is on the tip of my tongue — give me a second.
11 by the skin of your teeth ぎりぎりで、かろうじて We passed the exam by the skin of our teeth.
12 give someone the cold shoulder 意図的に無視する、冷たくあしらう After the argument, she gave me the cold shoulder for a week.
13 cost an arm and a leg 非常に高くつく That car repair cost an arm and a leg.
14 get something off your chest 胸のつかえを吐き出す I need to get this off my chest — I lied about the deadline.
15 have a heart of gold とても親切で寛大である She has a heart of gold — she’d help anyone.
16 stab someone in the back 裏切る He stabbed me in the back by telling the boss about my mistake.
17 break someone’s heart 深く悲しませる（特に恋愛で） Leaving the country broke his mother’s heart.
18 get cold feet 尻込みする、怖気づく She got cold feet the night before the wedding.
19 put your foot in your mouth うっかり失言する I put my foot in my mouth when I asked about her ex.
20 have butterflies in your stomach 緊張でドキドキする I always have butterflies in my stomach before presentations.
21 a pain in the neck うっとうしい人・もの This paperwork is a real pain in the neck.
22 keep your fingers crossed うまくいくよう祈る Keep your fingers crossed — the results come out tomorrow.
23 point the finger at 〜を非難する、責める Don’t point the finger at me — it wasn’t my fault.
24 pull someone’s leg からかう、冗談を言う Are you serious, or are you pulling my leg?
25 give a hand 手伝う Could you give me a hand with these boxes?
26 an old hand ベテラン、経験豊富な人 She’s an old hand at negotiations — she’s been doing it for 20 years.
27 wash your hands of 手を引く、関わりを断つ After years of trying, he washed his hands of the project.
28 the apple of someone’s eye お気に入りの人、目に入れても痛くない存在 Their youngest daughter is the apple of their eye.
29 a head start 先行の有利さ、リード Being bilingual gave her a head start in her career.
30 head over heels すっかり夢中で（恋愛） He fell head over heels for her on the first date.

動物

動物のイディオムはイメージが鮮明で覚えやすいのが特徴です。

# イディオム 意味 例文
31 let the cat out of the bag うっかり秘密をばらす I was planning a surprise party, but Tom let the cat out of the bag.
32 raining cats and dogs 土砂降りである Take an umbrella — it’s raining cats and dogs outside.
33 the elephant in the room 誰もが気づいているが触れない問題 Nobody mentioned the budget cut — it was the elephant in the room.
34 kill two birds with one stone 一石二鳥 By cycling to work, I kill two birds with one stone — exercise and transportation.
35 a little bird told me 誰かに聞いた（出所は秘密） A little bird told me you’re getting promoted.
36 the early bird catches the worm 早起きは三文の徳 I always arrive at the office at 7 AM — the early bird catches the worm.
37 when pigs fly ありえない、絶対にない He’ll clean his room when pigs fly.
38 hold your horses 落ち着いて、ちょっと待って Hold your horses — we haven’t even started yet.
39 straight from the horse’s mouth 本人から直接聞いた、出所が確かな情報 I heard the news straight from the horse’s mouth — the CEO told me herself.
40 a wild goose chase 無駄骨、骨折り損 Looking for that document was a wild goose chase — it never existed.
41 monkey around ふざける、いたずらする Stop monkeying around and finish your homework.
42 have a whale of a time 大いに楽しむ We had a whale of a time at the festival.
43 the black sheep 厄介者、はみ出し者 He’s the black sheep of the family — the only one who didn’t go to university.
44 a fish out of water 場違いで居心地が悪い人 At the fashion show, I felt like a fish out of water.
45 open a can of worms やぶへびになる、面倒なことになる If you bring up the budget, you’ll open a whole can of worms.
46 take the bull by the horns 困難に正面から立ち向かう Instead of avoiding the problem, she took the bull by the horns.
47 have ants in your pants そわそわして落ち着かない The kids have ants in their pants today — they can’t focus at all.
48 the lion’s share 最大の取り分 The lion’s share of the budget goes to marketing.
49 a wolf in sheep’s clothing 羊の皮をかぶった狼 Be careful with that salesman — he’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
50 every dog has its day 誰にでもチャンスは来る Don’t worry about losing today — every dog has its day.

食べ物と飲み物

# イディオム 意味 例文
51 a piece of cake とても簡単なこと（朝飯前） The exam was a piece of cake — I finished in 30 minutes.
52 spill the beans 秘密をばらす Come on, spill the beans — what did she say?
53 have your cake and eat it too 両方いいとこ取りをしたい（二兎を追う） You can’t work part-time and earn a full salary — you can’t have your cake and eat it too.
54 go bananas 興奮して騒ぐ、頭がおかしくなる The crowd went bananas when the band came on stage.
55 bring home the bacon 家計を支える、生計を立てる Both parents bring home the bacon in most families today.
56 butter someone up お世辞を言う、ごまをする He’s just buttering up the boss to get a promotion.
57 cry over spilled milk 覆水盆に返らず（終わったことを悔やむ） The project failed, but there’s no point crying over spilled milk.
58 in a nutshell 一言で言えば、要するに In a nutshell, we need more funding and fewer deadlines.
59 take something with a grain of salt 話半分に聞く、鵜呑みにしない Take his promises with a grain of salt — he never follows through.
60 the cream of the crop 最高のもの、えりすぐり These students are the cream of the crop — all straight-A scholars.
61 egg someone on けしかける、そそのかす His friends egged him on to jump off the bridge.
62 walk on eggshells 腫れ物に触るように接する I walk on eggshells around my boss — she gets angry about everything.
63 a tough cookie タフで打たれ強い人 She’s a tough cookie — nothing gets her down.
64 a hot potato 扱いにくい問題、厄介な話題 Immigration is a hot potato in most Western democracies.
65 full of beans 元気いっぱい The kids are full of beans today after their nap.
66 cool as a cucumber 冷静沈着、動じない She was cool as a cucumber during the interview.
67 use your noodle 頭を使え Come on, use your noodle — the answer is obvious.
68 in hot water 困った状況にある、まずいことになっている He’s in hot water for missing the deadline again.
69 a recipe for disaster 失敗の元、トラブルの種 Mixing inexperienced drivers with icy roads is a recipe for disaster.
70 bite off more than you can chew 自分の能力以上のことを引き受ける I bit off more than I could chew with four courses this semester.

天気と自然

# イディオム 意味 例文
71 under the weather 少し体調が悪い I’m a bit under the weather today — I think it’s a cold.
72 a storm in a teacup コップの中の嵐（些細なことで大騒ぎ） The controversy over the new logo was just a storm in a teacup.
73 break the ice 場の雰囲気を和ませる He told a joke to break the ice at the meeting.
74 tip of the iceberg 氷山の一角 The cases we see are just the tip of the iceberg.
75 on cloud nine 天にも昇る気持ち She’s been on cloud nine since she got the job offer.
76 every cloud has a silver lining どんな悪いことにも良い面がある I lost my job, but every cloud has a silver lining — I found a better one.
77 save it for a rainy day 万が一に備えて貯金する Don’t spend everything — save some for a rainy day.
78 take a rain check また今度にする（丁重に断る） I can’t make dinner tonight — can I take a rain check?
79 a breath of fresh air 新鮮で気持ちの良い変化 The new teacher was a breath of fresh air after years of boring lectures.
80 weather the storm 困難な時期を乗り越える The company weathered the storm of the recession and came back stronger.
81 lightning never strikes twice 同じ不運は二度と起きない I’m not worried about another earthquake — lightning never strikes twice.
82 steal someone’s thunder 人の手柄を横取りする She stole my thunder by announcing the results before I could.
83 chase rainbows 非現実的な目標を追いかける You can’t chase rainbows forever — you need a practical plan.
84 come rain or shine 何があっても、雨でも晴れでも I go running every morning, come rain or shine.
85 the calm before the storm 嵐の前の静けさ Everything seems quiet now, but this could be the calm before the storm.

お金とビジネス

# イディオム 意味 例文
86 break the bank 大金がかかる（否定形で「それほど高くない」） The new phone is nice, but it won’t break the bank — it’s quite affordable.
87 make ends meet なんとか生計を立てる Many families struggle to make ends meet in this economy.
88 go broke 破産する、無一文になる The restaurant went broke after only six months.
89 penny-wise, pound-foolish 安物買いの銭失い Buying cheap shoes that wear out in a month is penny-wise, pound-foolish.
90 worth every penny 値段に見合う価値がある That cooking class was worth every penny.
91 a dime a dozen ありふれている、価値がない MBAs are a dime a dozen — you need real experience.
92 money doesn’t grow on trees お金は簡単には手に入らない I can’t buy you a new phone every year — money doesn’t grow on trees.
93 from rags to riches 無一文から大金持ちへ Her story is a classic rags-to-riches tale.
94 cut corners 手抜きする、コストを削る The builder cut corners and now the roof leaks.
95 the bottom line 最も重要な点、要は The bottom line is that we need to increase revenue by 20%.
96 ballpark figure おおよその数字、概算 Can you give me a ballpark figure for the renovation costs?
97 get the ball rolling 物事を始める、動き出す Let’s get the ball rolling on this project today.
98 think outside the box 型にはまらない発想をする We need to think outside the box to solve this problem.
99 back to the drawing board 振り出しに戻る、最初からやり直す The plan was rejected, so it’s back to the drawing board.
100 on the same page 意見が一致している、認識が同じ Let’s have a meeting to make sure we’re all on the same page.
101 in the red / in the black 赤字／黒字 The company has been in the red for three quarters.
102 burn the midnight oil 夜遅くまで働く We burned the midnight oil to finish the proposal.
103 a golden opportunity 絶好のチャンス This job offer is a golden opportunity you shouldn’t miss.
104 throw money down the drain 金をドブに捨てる Buying that cheap laptop was throwing money down the drain.
105 strike while the iron is hot 鉄は熱いうちに打て、好機を逃さない Interest rates are low — strike while the iron is hot.

時間

# イディオム 意味 例文
106 in the nick of time ぎりぎり間に合って The ambulance arrived in the nick of time.
107 once in a blue moon ごくまれに I eat fast food once in a blue moon — maybe twice a year.
108 around the clock 24時間体制で The hospital operates around the clock.
109 time flies 光陰矢の如し、時間が経つのが早い Time flies when you’re having fun.
110 better late than never 遅くてもやらないよりまし You finally apologized — better late than never.
111 kill time 時間を潰す I killed time at the airport by reading a book.
112 against the clock 時間との闘いで We’re working against the clock to launch by Friday.
113 at the drop of a hat すぐに、即座に She’ll help you at the drop of a hat.
114 a matter of time 時間の問題 It’s only a matter of time before they find out the truth.
115 the moment of truth 真価が問われるとき、正念場 The moment of truth came when the grades were posted.
116 live on borrowed time 猶予が残り少ない、余命いくばくもない That old computer is living on borrowed time.
117 make up for lost time 失った時間を取り戻す After being away for a year, she made up for lost time with her family.
118 on the spur of the moment とっさに、衝動的に We decided on the spur of the moment to go to Paris.
119 ahead of time 予定より早く She always finishes her work ahead of time.
120 behind the times 時代遅れの His teaching methods are behind the times.

成功と失敗

# イディオム 意味 例文
121 hit the nail on the head 的を射る、ずばり言い当てる You hit the nail on the head — that’s exactly the problem.
122 miss the boat 好機を逃す I missed the boat on buying Bitcoin in 2015.
123 back to square one 振り出しに戻る The experiment failed, so we’re back to square one.
124 go the extra mile 期待以上に頑張る Good employees always go the extra mile.
125 learn the ropes 仕事のやり方を覚える It took me a few weeks to learn the ropes at the new company.
126 pass with flying colors 見事に合格する She passed the final exam with flying colors.
127 a blessing in disguise 不幸中の幸い、災い転じて福 Losing that job was a blessing in disguise — it led me to my dream career.
128 from scratch ゼロから、一から He built the website from scratch without any templates.
129 the last straw 堪忍袋の緒が切れた最後の一件 Arriving late again was the last straw — they fired him.
130 burn bridges 後戻りできないように関係を壊す Don’t burn bridges when you leave a job — you might need a reference.
131 fall flat 完全に失敗する His joke fell flat — nobody laughed.
132 up in the air 未定、不確か Our vacation plans are still up in the air.
133 nip it in the bud 問題を早いうちに摘み取る If you notice bullying, nip it in the bud immediately.
134 at the end of the day 結局のところ At the end of the day, family is what matters most.
135 pull it off 困難なことをやり遂げる Nobody thought she could run a marathon, but she pulled it off.

感情と気持ち

# イディオム 意味 例文
136 over the moon 大喜びで、天にも昇る気持ち She was over the moon when she got accepted to Harvard.
137 down in the dumps 落ち込んでいる、ふさぎ込んでいる He’s been down in the dumps since his girlfriend left.
138 on edge ピリピリしている、緊張している Everyone’s been on edge since the layoffs were announced.
139 lose your cool 冷静さを失う、キレる He lost his cool when the waiter spilled wine on his suit.
140 have mixed feelings 複雑な気持ちである I have mixed feelings about moving abroad.
141 blow off steam ストレスを発散する I go to the gym to blow off steam after a long day.
142 get on someone’s nerves 人の神経に障る、イライラさせる His constant humming gets on my nerves.
143 be over the hill 盛りを過ぎている（年齢について） At 40, she proved she was far from over the hill by running a marathon.
144 wear your heart on your sleeve 感情をあからさまに出す She wears her heart on her sleeve — you always know how she feels.
145 have a change of heart 考えが変わる、気が変わる He was going to reject the offer, but he had a change of heart.
146 sick and tired うんざりしている I’m sick and tired of repeating myself.
147 a gut feeling 直感、虫の知らせ I had a gut feeling that something was wrong.
148 drive someone up the wall 人をイライラさせる That dripping tap is driving me up the wall.
149 lose sleep over 心配で眠れない Don’t lose sleep over it — the problem will sort itself out.
150 feel blue 悲しい気分、ブルーな気持ち She’s been feeling blue since the holidays ended.

人間関係

# イディオム 意味 例文
151 get along like a house on fire すぐに意気投合する We met at a conference and got along like a house on fire.
152 birds of a feather flock together 類は友を呼ぶ They both love hiking and cooking — birds of a feather flock together.
153 keep someone at arm’s length 一定の距離を置く She keeps her colleagues at arm’s length — she never socializes outside work.
154 be in someone’s shoes 人の立場に立って考える If I were in your shoes, I’d accept the job offer.
155 blood is thicker than water 血は水よりも濃い（家族の絆が一番大事） He always sides with his brother — blood is thicker than water.
156 speak your mind 思ったことをはっきり言う I admire people who speak their mind respectfully.
157 bury the hatchet 和解する、争いを終わらせる After years of fighting, the two families buried the hatchet.
158 hit it off すぐに仲良くなる We hit it off at the party and have been friends ever since.
159 see through someone 人の本性を見抜く She saw through his lies immediately.
160 tie the knot 結婚する They tied the knot in a small ceremony last June.
161 two-faced 表裏がある、二枚舌の Be careful — she’s two-faced and will talk about you behind your back.
162 give someone the benefit of the doubt 疑わしいけれど信じてあげる I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt — maybe he really was stuck in traffic.
163 down to earth 地に足がついた、気取らない Despite her fame, she’s very down to earth.
164 a shoulder to cry on 頼れる相談相手、慰めてくれる人 She’s always been a shoulder to cry on when things get tough.
165 people person 社交的な人、人付き合いが好きな人 He’s a real people person — he can talk to anyone.

仕事と努力

# イディオム 意味 例文
166 pull your weight 自分の分の仕事をきちんとする Everyone needs to pull their weight on this project.
167 a dead-end job 将来性のない仕事 She quit her dead-end job and went back to school.
168 climb the career ladder 出世の階段を上る She climbed the career ladder faster than anyone in the company.
169 call it a day 今日はここまでにする We’ve done enough — let’s call it a day.
170 throw in the towel あきらめる、ギブアップする After three failed attempts, he threw in the towel.
171 keep your nose to the grindstone こつこつと働き続ける She kept her nose to the grindstone and graduated top of her class.
172 the daily grind 日々の単調な仕事 The daily grind of commuting and working 9-to-5 can wear you down.
173 bite the bullet 覚悟を決めて立ち向かう I bit the bullet and told my boss I was leaving.
174 jack of all trades 何でも屋、器用貧乏 He’s a jack of all trades — he can fix anything.
175 put all your eggs in one basket 一つのことに全てを賭ける Don’t put all your eggs in one basket — apply to several companies.
176 a steep learning curve 急速に学ばなければならない状況 The first month was a steep learning curve.
177 work around the clock 昼夜を問わず働く Nurses work around the clock during emergencies.
178 cut to the chase 本題に入る Let’s cut to the chase — how much will it cost?
179 in a rut マンネリに陥っている I feel like I’m in a rut — every day is the same.
180 run the show 仕切る、取り仕切る She basically runs the show around here.

知識と学習

# イディオム 意味 例文
181 learn the hard way 痛い経験から学ぶ I learned the hard way not to skip backups.
182 hit the books 一生懸命勉強する Finals are next week — time to hit the books.
183 pick someone’s brain 人の知恵を借りる Can I pick your brain about the marketing strategy?
184 ring a bell 聞き覚えがある That name rings a bell, but I can’t remember where I heard it.
185 know something inside out 〜を隅から隅まで知っている She knows the tax code inside out.
186 it’s not rocket science そんなに難しくない Making pasta isn’t rocket science — anyone can do it.
187 wrap your head around 理解する、飲み込む I can’t wrap my head around quantum physics.
188 a bookworm 本の虫、読書家 My sister is a bookworm — she reads two novels a week.
189 food for thought 考えるべきこと、示唆に富む話 The documentary gave me a lot of food for thought.
190 read between the lines 行間を読む、裏の意味を理解する If you read between the lines, the email is clearly a rejection.
191 the bigger picture 全体像、大局 Don’t focus on small details — look at the bigger picture.
192 back to basics 基本に立ち返る After the failed launch, we went back to basics.
193 a wake-up call 目を覚まさせる出来事、警鐘 Failing the exam was a wake-up call to study harder.
194 a no-brainer 考えるまでもないこと、当然の選択 Taking the higher-paying job was a no-brainer.
195 trial and error 試行錯誤 I learned to cook by trial and error.

コミュニケーションと話し方

# イディオム 意味 例文
196 beat around the bush 遠回しに言う、核心に触れない Stop beating around the bush and tell me what happened.
197 get to the point 要点を言う Could you please get to the point?
198 a word of mouth 口コミ The restaurant became popular through word of mouth.
199 actions speak louder than words 行動は言葉より雄弁 He promised to change, but actions speak louder than words.
200 easier said than done 言うは易く行うは難し Losing weight is easier said than done.
201 go without saying 言うまでもない It goes without saying that hard work is essential.
202 on the tip of my tongue 喉まで出かかっている The answer is on the tip of my tongue.
203 have the last word 最後に言い返す、最終的な決定権を持つ She always has to have the last word.
204 keep someone in the loop 情報を共有する、報告を怠らない Please keep me in the loop about any changes.
205 off the record オフレコで、非公式に Off the record, I think the CEO is going to resign.
206 a slip of the tongue 言い間違い、失言 I called my teacher “Mom” — it was a slip of the tongue.
207 speak volumes 多くを物語る Her silence spoke volumes about how she felt.
208 put it mildly 控えめに言っても The project was a disaster, to put it mildly.
209 take someone’s word for it 人の言葉を信じる You don’t need to check — take my word for it.
210 long story short 手短に言うと Long story short, we missed the flight and had to stay overnight.

色

# イディオム 意味 例文
211 once in a blue moon ごくまれに He visits his parents once in a blue moon.
212 out of the blue 突然、前触れもなく She called me out of the blue after 10 years.
213 see red カッとなる、怒り心頭に発する I saw red when I found out they’d lied.
214 a red flag 危険信号、警告サイン His lack of references was a major red flag.
215 red tape お役所仕事、煩雑な手続き The project was delayed by government red tape.
216 caught red-handed 現行犯で捕まる The thief was caught red-handed.
217 green with envy 嫉妬でいっぱいの She was green with envy when her colleague got promoted.
218 give the green light ゴーサインを出す、許可する The council gave the green light for the new building.
219 grey area グレーゾーン、曖昧な領域 The law on this issue is a grey area.
220 paint the town red 派手に遊ぶ、飲み歩く It’s your birthday — let’s paint the town red!
221 black and white 白黒はっきりした、明確な The rules are black and white — there’s no room for interpretation.
222 a white lie 罪のない嘘、相手を傷つけないための嘘 I told her the dress looked nice — it was just a white lie.
223 in the pink 健康な、元気な After the surgery, she was back in the pink within weeks.
224 tickled pink とても喜んでいる She was tickled pink by the surprise party.
225 golden rule 黄金律、最も大切なルール The golden rule of cooking: taste as you go.

旅行と移動

# イディオム 意味 例文
226 hit the road 出発する It’s getting late — time to hit the road.
227 off the beaten track 人があまり行かない場所、穴場 We found an amazing restaurant off the beaten track.
228 at a crossroads 岐路に立っている I’m at a crossroads in my career — stay or change fields.
229 go the distance 最後までやり遂げる She trained hard and went the distance in the marathon.
230 jump on the bandwagon 流行に乗る、便乗する Everyone’s jumping on the AI bandwagon.
231 off to a flying start 好スタートを切る The new business is off to a flying start.
232 on the right track 正しい方向に進んでいる Your essay is on the right track — just needs more examples.
233 go around in circles 堂々巡りする We’ve been going around in circles — let’s make a decision.
234 a bumpy ride 困難な道のり The first year of marriage can be a bumpy ride.
235 pave the way 道を開く、地ならしをする Her research paved the way for modern vaccines.
236 bridge the gap 差を埋める Education can bridge the gap between rich and poor.
237 in the fast lane ハイペースで刺激的な生活 Working on Wall Street is life in the fast lane.
238 a dead end 行き止まり、先のない状況 The investigation reached a dead end.
239 take a detour 回り道をする、寄り道する My career took a detour when I moved to Japan.
240 the road to recovery 回復への道のり After the accident, it was a long road to recovery.

スポーツと競争

# イディオム 意味 例文
241 a level playing field 公平な条件 We need a level playing field so small businesses can compete.
242 drop the ball ミスをする、しくじる The marketing team really dropped the ball on this campaign.
243 move the goalposts 途中でルールを変える Every time I meet their requirements, they move the goalposts.
244 a whole new ball game まったく別の話、状況が一変する Working from home is a whole new ball game compared to the office.
245 the ball is in your court あなたの番です、決めるのはあなた I’ve made my offer — the ball is in your court now.
246 keep the ball rolling 勢いを維持する Good — now let’s keep the ball rolling with the next phase.
247 throw a curveball 不意を突く、予想外のことをする The interview threw me a curveball with a question about coding.
248 step up your game もっと頑張る、レベルを上げる If you want the promotion, you need to step up your game.
249 neck and neck 互角の、接戦の The two candidates are neck and neck in the polls.
250 take the lead リードする、先頭に立つ Our team took the lead in the third quarter.

家と居心地

# イディオム 意味 例文
251 make yourself at home くつろいでください Come in and make yourself at home.
252 hit home 強く心に響く The documentary about poverty really hit home.
253 nothing to write home about 大したことない、取り立てて言うほどでもない The food was nothing to write home about.
254 close to home 身につまされる、痛いところを突く Her comments about bad parenting were a bit close to home.
255 bring the house down 観客を大いに沸かせる The comedian brought the house down with his final joke.
256 on the house 店のおごりで、無料 Your drinks tonight are on the house.
257 a homebody 出不精な人、家にいるのが好きな人 I’m a real homebody — I’d rather watch a movie than go out.
258 set the table お膳立てをする、準備を整える（比喩） This research sets the table for future clinical trials.
259 a couch potato 怠け者、テレビばかり見ている人 He turned into a couch potato after he retired.
260 skeleton in the closet 隠された秘密、人に言えない過去 Every family has a few skeletons in the closet.

健康と体調

# イディオム 意味 例文
261 fit as a fiddle とても元気、ぴんぴんしている My grandfather is 85 and fit as a fiddle.
262 alive and kicking まだまだ元気、健在 The rumor that the company is failing? It’s alive and kicking.
263 on its last legs もう限界、壊れかけている My laptop is on its last legs — I need a new one.
264 go under the knife 手術を受ける She went under the knife to repair a torn ligament.
265 a clean bill of health 健康であるという太鼓判 The doctor gave me a clean bill of health.
266 run down 疲れ切っている、消耗している I’ve been so run down from working double shifts.
267 keep in shape 体型を維持する、健康を保つ I try to keep in shape by swimming three times a week.
268 take it easy 無理をしない、ゆっくりする The doctor told him to take it easy for a week.
269 an ounce of prevention 転ばぬ先の杖 An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure — get vaccinated.
270 in the long run 長い目で見れば Exercise seems boring now, but in the long run it adds years to your life.

正直さとごまかし

# イディオム 意味 例文
271 let the cat out of the bag うっかり秘密をばらす She accidentally let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party.
272 pull the wool over someone’s eyes 人を欺く、だます He tried to pull the wool over my eyes, but I wasn’t fooled.
273 take at face value 額面通りに受け取る You can’t take everything politicians say at face value.
274 come clean 本当のことを白状する She came clean about her mistake and apologized.
275 keep a straight face 笑いをこらえて真顔を保つ I tried to keep a straight face during his ridiculous excuse.
276 through the grapevine 噂で聞いた I heard through the grapevine that the company is being sold.
277 bend the truth 事実を曲げる、少し嘘をつく He didn’t lie exactly — he just bent the truth a little.
278 an open book 隠し事のない人、何でもオープンな人 She’s an open book — what you see is what you get.
279 the naked truth 包み隠さぬ真実 The naked truth is that we can’t afford the project.
280 honest to a fault 正直すぎるくらい正直 He’s honest to a fault — he told the client the product wasn’t ready.

リスクと危険

# イディオム 意味 例文
281 play with fire 火遊びする、危険なことをする Investing all your savings in one stock is playing with fire.
282 a double-edged sword 諸刃の剣 Social media is a double-edged sword for businesses.
283 walk on thin ice 薄氷を踏む、危ない橋を渡る You’re walking on thin ice by ignoring the safety rules.
284 jump in at the deep end 準備なしでいきなり難しいことに飛び込む My first day as a teacher was jumping in at the deep end — I had no training.
285 out of the frying pan into the fire 一難去ってまた一難 He left his stressful job for an even more stressful one — out of the frying pan into the fire.
286 take a gamble 賭けに出る She took a gamble and quit her job to start a business.
287 on the line 危険にさらされている His reputation is on the line with this decision.
288 touch and go 予断を許さない、五分五分 After the operation, it was touch and go for a few hours.
289 skating on thin ice 危険な状況にある You’re skating on thin ice if you keep missing deadlines.
290 in deep water 大変な困難に直面している The company is in deep water after the data breach.

態度と性格

# イディオム 意味 例文
291 take it with a grain of salt 話半分に聞く I take celebrity health advice with a grain of salt.
292 the best of both worlds 両方のいいとこ取り Remote work gives me the best of both worlds — flexibility and income.
293 a chip on your shoulder 過去のことを根に持っている He’s had a chip on his shoulder ever since he was passed over for the promotion.
294 keep your cool 冷静でいる She kept her cool even when the customer was shouting.
295 go with the flow 流れに身を任せる I don’t plan too much — I just go with the flow.
296 set in your ways 頑固で変わろうとしない My father is set in his ways — he won’t try anything new.
297 look on the bright side 良い面を見る Look on the bright side — at least you have your health.
298 a tough nut to crack 手強い相手、理解しにくい人 The new client is a tough nut to crack.
299 the glass is half full / half empty 楽観的な見方 vs. 悲観的な見方 I try to see the glass as half full, even in tough situations.
300 turn over a new leaf 心機一転、心を入れ替える He turned over a new leaf and stopped smoking.

日常の場面

# イディオム 意味 例文
301 24/7 常に、年中無休 The convenience store is open 24/7.
302 a change of pace 気分転換 Hiking after months of desk work was a nice change of pace.
303 a creature of habit 習慣の生き物（ルーティンが好きな人） I’m a creature of habit — same coffee, same time, same café.
304 burn the candle at both ends 無理をして働きすぎる She’s burning the candle at both ends with two jobs and night school.
305 the last resort 最後の手段 Surgery is the last resort — let’s try physical therapy first.
306 sleep on it 一晩寝て考える It’s a big decision — why don’t you sleep on it?
307 a blessing in disguise 災い転じて福となす Getting fired was a blessing in disguise — I started a much better career.
308 once in a lifetime 一生に一度の A solar eclipse is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
309 leave no stone unturned あらゆる手を尽くす The police left no stone unturned in the investigation.
310 the time of my life 最高に楽しい時間 I had the time of my life at that music festival.
311 a far cry from 〜とはかけ離れている This luxury hotel is a far cry from the hostel I stayed in last year.
312 the whole nine yards 何から何まで全部 She decorated the house for Christmas — lights, tree, stockings, the whole nine yards.
313 add insult to injury 泣きっ面に蜂、追い打ちをかける To add insult to injury, they charged me for the damaged product.
314 read the room 空気を読む He told a joke at the funeral — he clearly couldn’t read the room.
315 the writing on the wall 不吉な前兆、避けられない結末の兆し The writing was on the wall — the company was going to close.

テクノロジーと現代生活

# イディオム 意味 例文
316 at your fingertips 手元にすぐ使える All the information is at your fingertips with a smartphone.
317 go viral バズる、ネットで爆発的に広まる The video went viral and reached 50 million views.
318 pull the plug 打ち切る、中止する They pulled the plug on the project after the budget was cut.
319 get the hang of コツをつかむ It took me a week to get the hang of the new software.
320 keep up with ついていく、遅れないようにする It’s hard to keep up with all the changes in technology.
321 the cutting edge 最先端 Their research is on the cutting edge of artificial intelligence.
322 reinvent the wheel 車輪の再発明（すでにあるものをゼロから作る無駄） We don’t need to reinvent the wheel — let’s use the existing template.
323 bells and whistles おまけ機能、付加機能 The basic model works fine — I don’t need all the bells and whistles.
324 back to the drawing board 白紙に戻す The prototype broke, so it’s back to the drawing board.
325 a game changer 状況を一変させるもの AI has been a game changer for the medical industry.

権力と支配

# イディオム 意味 例文
326 call the shots 指揮を執る、決定権を持つ In this company, the CEO calls the shots.
327 have the upper hand 優位に立っている In negotiations, the buyer usually has the upper hand.
328 turn the tables 形勢を逆転させる The underdog team turned the tables in the second half.
329 wrap someone around your finger 人を思い通りに操る The baby has her father wrapped around her finger.
330 pull strings コネを使う、裏で手を回す She pulled some strings to get her son into the school.
331 rule of thumb 経験則、大まかな目安 As a rule of thumb, save 20% of your income.
332 the powers that be 権力者、お偉いさん The powers that be decided to close the department.
333 throw your weight around 権力をかさに着る He loves throwing his weight around in meetings.
334 give someone free rein 自由にやらせる The manager gave the team free rein to redesign the app.
335 hold all the cards すべての切り札を握っている In this negotiation, the landlord holds all the cards.

量と程度

# イディオム 意味 例文
336 the tip of the iceberg 氷山の一角 What we discovered is just the tip of the iceberg.
337 a drop in the ocean 大海の一滴、焼け石に水 A $100 donation is just a drop in the ocean for this charity.
338 through the roof 急上昇して、天井知らずで House prices have gone through the roof.
339 over the top やりすぎ、大げさ The wedding decorations were a bit over the top.
340 few and far between めったにない、ごくまれ Opportunities like this are few and far between.
341 the whole shebang 何もかも全部 She organized the entire event — decorations, catering, music, the whole shebang.
342 in droves 大挙して、大勢で Tourists come in droves during the summer.
343 a handful 少数、また手に負えない人 The children are a real handful when they’re tired.
344 scratch the surface 表面をなぞるだけ This article only scratches the surface of the problem.
345 in leaps and bounds 飛躍的に Her English has improved in leaps and bounds this year.

決断と選択

# イディオム 意味 例文
346 on the fence 決めかねている I’m still on the fence about which university to choose.
347 the lesser of two evils 二つの悪のうちましなほう Neither candidate was great — I voted for the lesser of two evils.
348 take the plunge 思い切ってやる After years of thinking about it, she took the plunge and moved abroad.
349 sit on the fence 態度を決めない、日和見する You can’t sit on the fence forever — make a choice.
350 cross that bridge when you come to it その時になったら考える I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.
351 play it safe 安全策を取る He played it safe and chose the stable job.
352 weigh the pros and cons 長所と短所を比較検討する I need to weigh the pros and cons before deciding.
353 burn your boats 退路を断つ She burned her boats by resigning before finding a new job.
354 think twice よく考え直す Think twice before posting personal information online.
355 a tough call 難しい判断 Choosing between the two job offers was a tough call.

始まりと終わり

# イディオム 意味 例文
356 from the get-go 最初から I knew from the get-go that this project would be challenging.
357 start from scratch ゼロから始める We lost all our data and had to start from scratch.
358 at the end of the day 結局のところ At the end of the day, your health is what matters most.
359 turn a new page 新たなスタートを切る After the divorce, she turned a new page in her life.
360 the light at the end of the tunnel トンネルの先の光、希望 After months of treatment, she could finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.
361 come full circle 一巡する、元の状態に戻る His career has come full circle — he started and ended in the same company.
362 wrap up 締めくくる、終わらせる Let’s wrap up this meeting — we’ve covered everything.
363 back to the drawing board 最初からやり直し The app crashed on launch day — back to the drawing board.
364 the end of an era 一つの時代の終わり Her retirement marked the end of an era for the company.
365 kick off 開始する The conference kicks off at 9 AM on Monday.

秘密とプライバシー

# イディオム 意味 例文
366 keep it under wraps 秘密にしておく The product launch was kept under wraps until the announcement.
367 behind closed doors 密室で、非公開で Negotiations took place behind closed doors.
368 sweep it under the rug 問題を隠す、もみ消す The company tried to sweep the scandal under the rug.
369 mum’s the word 内緒だよ、誰にも言わないで I’ll tell you, but mum’s the word — don’t tell anyone.
370 an inside job 内部犯行 The robbery was an inside job — an employee gave them the code.

忍耐と待つこと

# イディオム 意味 例文
371 hold your horses 落ち着いて、待って Hold your horses — we’re not ready yet.
372 keep your shirt on 落ち着け、慌てるな Keep your shirt on — your order will be ready in five minutes.
373 cool your heels じっと待たされる The doctor made us cool our heels in the waiting room for an hour.
374 Rome wasn’t built in a day ローマは一日にして成らず Learning a language is slow — Rome wasn’t built in a day.
375 good things come to those who wait 待てば海路の日和あり Don’t rush the process — good things come to those who wait.

自然と環境

# イディオム 意味 例文
376 can’t see the forest for the trees 木を見て森を見ず You’re so worried about formatting that you can’t see the forest for the trees.
377 barking up the wrong tree 見当違いをしている If you think I stole it, you’re barking up the wrong tree.
378 make hay while the sun shines 好機を逃さず行動する Interest rates are low — make hay while the sun shines.
379 beat around the bush 遠回しに言う Stop beating around the bush and tell me the truth.
380 turn over a new leaf 心を入れ替える、新しいスタートを切る He turned over a new leaf and started exercising daily.
381 nip it in the bud 芽のうちに摘む、早期に問題を解決する If you see signs of bullying, nip it in the bud.
382 come up roses うまくいく Despite the setbacks, everything came up roses in the end.
383 dig your own grave 自ら墓穴を掘る By lying to the board, he was digging his own grave.
384 the grass is always greener 隣の芝生は青く見える She quit to join a startup but realized the grass isn’t always greener.
385 go out on a limb 危険を冒して意見を言う I’ll go out on a limb and say this product will fail.

よく使われるその他のイディオム

これらのイディオムはさまざまな場面で使われ、日常英語で最もよく耳にするものです。

# イディオム 意味 例文
386 break a leg 頑張って、成功を祈る（舞台前の激励） You’re on stage in five minutes — break a leg!
387 the ball is in your court あなたの番です I’ve said my piece — the ball is in your court.
388 a breath of fresh air 新鮮で心地よい存在 The new employee is a breath of fresh air.
389 hang in there 頑張れ、諦めるな I know it’s hard, but hang in there — it will get better.
390 get the show on the road さあ始めよう Enough talking — let’s get the show on the road.
391 take a back seat 一歩引く、控えめな役割に回る After 30 years of leading the company, she took a back seat.
392 a shot in the dark 当てずっぽう Asking him was a shot in the dark, but it worked.
393 leave someone high and dry 人を見捨てる、困った状況に放置する He left the team high and dry by quitting the day before the presentation.
394 one in a million 百万に一つ、非常に稀で特別 A friendship like ours is one in a million.
395 you can’t judge a book by its cover 人は見かけによらぬもの She looks shy, but she’s actually hilarious — you can’t judge a book by its cover.
396 sit tight じっと待つ Sit tight — I’ll be there in 10 minutes.
397 the whole package すべてを兼ね備えた人 She’s the whole package — smart, hardworking, and creative.
398 in someone else’s shoes 他人の立場になって考える Before you criticize, try putting yourself in someone else’s shoes.
399 not all it’s cracked up to be 期待ほどではない The job sounded amazing, but it’s not all it’s cracked up to be.
400 have a lot on your plate やることが山積みで忙しい I can’t help right now — I have a lot on my plate.
401 make a mountain out of a molehill 大げさに騒ぐ You lost one mark on the test — don’t make a mountain out of a molehill.
402 two sides of the same coin 同じことの表裏 Fear and excitement are two sides of the same coin.
403 cut someone some slack 大目に見る She’s new to the job — cut her some slack.
404 go back to the drawing board やり直す The design was rejected, so we went back to the drawing board.
405 read someone like a book 人の考えを見透かす She can read me like a book — I can never hide anything from her.
406 let sleeping dogs lie 寝た子を起こすな Don’t bring up the old argument — let sleeping dogs lie.
407 at the end of your rope 我慢の限界 After months of problems, I was at the end of my rope.
408 hit the ground running 最初から全力で取り組む She hit the ground running on her first day and finished three tasks.
409 water under the bridge 過ぎたこと、済んだこと We argued years ago, but that’s water under the bridge now.
410 keep your eye on the ball 目標に集中する Don’t get distracted by side projects — keep your eye on the ball.
411 cut to the chase 本題に入る I don’t have much time — let’s cut to the chase.
412 the best thing since sliced bread 画期的なもの、最高の発明 My new coffee machine is the best thing since sliced bread.
413 when push comes to shove いざとなったら When push comes to shove, you’ll find out who your real friends are.
414 a taste of your own medicine 自業自得、しっぺ返し He was rude to everyone — and finally got a taste of his own medicine.
415 leave a lasting impression 強く心に残る印象を与える Her kindness left a lasting impression on everyone she met.
416 take with a pinch of salt 鵜呑みにしない Health advice on TikTok should be taken with a pinch of salt.
417 a penny for your thoughts 何を考えているの？ You look worried — a penny for your thoughts?
418 there’s no such thing as a free lunch タダより高いものはない The “free” app sells your data — there’s no such thing as a free lunch.
419 the bigger they are, the harder they fall 大きいものほど倒れた時の衝撃も大きい The scandal destroyed his career — the bigger they are, the harder they fall.
420 Rome wasn’t built in a day ローマは一日にして成らず Don’t expect results immediately — Rome wasn’t built in a day.

難易度別イディオム

イディオムの知識を段階的に積み上げたい方のために、優先順位を整理しました。

初級（A2〜B1）

まずはこれらから始めましょう。日常で最もよく使われ、理解しやすいイディオムです。

a piece of cake, break the ice, in a nutshell, hit the road, once in a blue moon, under the weather, 24/7, keep your fingers crossed, the bigger picture, time flies, better late than never, a no-brainer, from scratch, call it a day, the last straw, on cloud nine, go viral, get the hang of, the ball is in your court, hang in there

中級（B1〜B2）

これらは正しく使うために文脈の理解が必要です。

a blessing in disguise, the elephant in the room, hit the nail on the head, kill two birds with one stone, bite the bullet, burn the midnight oil, on the same page, cut corners, think outside the box, a double-edged sword, back to square one, cost an arm and a leg, go the extra mile, spill the beans, the tip of the iceberg, a red flag, make ends meet, on the fence, the early bird catches the worm, actions speak louder than words

上級（B2〜C1）

使用頻度はやや低いものの、洗練された英語力を示すイディオムです。

a wolf in sheep’s clothing, penny-wise pound-foolish, out of the frying pan into the fire, live on borrowed time, can’t see the forest for the trees, pull the wool over someone’s eyes, have your cake and eat it too, barking up the wrong tree, throw someone under the bus, move the goalposts, burn your boats, leave no stone unturned, come full circle, a paradigm shift, go out on a limb

練習用ボキャブラリー

イディオムでよく使われる以下の25語をLinglifyの辞書に追加して、間隔反復で復習しましょう。

affordable

形容詞

辞書に追加

手頃な, 買いやすい

例

- The government is working to provide affordable housing for low-income families.

- This restaurant offers delicious and affordable meals for college students.

commute

動詞

辞書に追加

通勤する, 通学する

例

- Public transportation helps people commute efficiently reducing traffic congestion.

- Workers commute daily between suburban homes and downtown offices.

conservation

名詞

辞書に追加

保存, 保護, 省エネ

例

- Water conservation becomes increasingly important during periods of severe drought.

- Wildlife conservation is essential for protecting endangered species from extinction.

demanding

形容詞

辞書に追加

要求の多い, 厳しい

例

- Medical school is very demanding and requires years of intensive study.

- She has a demanding boss who expects perfection in all tasks.

DJ

名詞

辞書に追加

DJ（ディージェイ）, ディスクジョッキー

例

- The DJ played my favorite song.

- The DJ took song requests all night.

heritage

名詞

辞書に追加

遺産, 文化遺産

例

- She inherited a rich heritage of family traditions from her grandparents.

- The ancient castle is an important part of our cultural heritage.

leisure

名詞

辞書に追加

余暇

例

- People enjoy various leisure activities during weekends and holidays.

- Reading books is popular leisure pursuit for many educated people.

luxurious

形容詞

辞書に追加

豪華な, 贅沢な

例

- She dreams of owning luxurious car with leather seats and sunroof.

- The luxurious hotel suite includes marble bathroom and ocean view.

memorable

形容詞

辞書に追加

記憶に残る, 忘れられない, 印象的な

例

- Graduation day was memorable occasion for entire family.

- The memorable speech inspired students to pursue their dreams.

nutritious

形容詞

辞書に追加

栄養のある

例

- Fresh vegetables are nutritious and support overall health.

- Nutritious breakfast provides energy for productive school day.

passionate

形容詞

辞書に追加

情熱的な, 熱烈な

例

- Passionate speech moves audience to take action.

- Passionate teacher inspires students to learn more.

pollution

名詞

辞書に追加

汚染

例

- Air pollution affects public health in cities.

- Ocean pollution threatens marine life worldwide.

privacy

名詞

辞書に追加

プライバシー, 私生活

例

- Hotel guests expect privacy during their stay.

- Internet privacy becomes increasingly important issue nowadays.

scenic

形容詞

辞書に追加

景色の良い

例

- Scenic overlook provides perfect spot for photographs.

- Scenic route takes longer but offers beautiful.

traditional

形容詞

辞書に追加

伝統的な

例

- Traditional cooking methods preserve authentic flavors perfectly.

- Traditional music reflects cultural history and values.

uneven

形容詞

辞書に追加

不均一な, でこぼこした

例

- Uneven ground makes walking difficult and dangerous.

- Uneven performance shows inconsistent skill level development.

volunteer

動詞

辞書に追加

志願する

例

- Citizens volunteer time for community improvement projects.

- Students volunteer at local charity organizations regularly.

substantially

副詞

辞書に追加

実質的に, かなり, 大幅に

例

- Her performance substantially improved after additional training and practice.

- Prices have increased substantially over the past few months.

liaison

名詞

辞書に追加

連絡, 連携, 調整役

例

- Military liaison officers coordinate operations between allied forces.

- She serves as liaison between different departments.

sustainable

形容詞

辞書に追加

持続可能な, 持続的な

例

- Company implements sustainable business model for long-term success.

- Sustainable farming practices protect soil and water resources.

acclaimed

形容詞

辞書に追加

称賛された, 絶賛された, 高く評価された

例

- His performance was acclaimed by critics.

- The acclaimed author received many awards for her novel.

cancellation

名詞

辞書に追加

キャンセル, 取り消し, 中止

例

- Due to weather, the flight cancellation was inevitable.

- The concert's cancellation disappointed many fans.

discretion

名詞

辞書に追加

判断力, 裁量, 慎重さ

例

- He exercised discretion in his decisions.

- Use your discretion when sharing information.

indication

名詞

辞書に追加

兆候, 指示, サイン

例

- The indication of his illness was clear after the tests.

- There was no indication that she was unhappy.

serenity

名詞

辞書に追加

平静, 静けさ, 落ち着き

例

- She maintained her serenity despite the chaos.

- The serenity of the lake was calming.

ライブラリへ移動

イディオムを効果的に学ぶ方法

1. ランダムなリストではなく、トピック別に覚える

上記の20のトピックカテゴリーには理由があります。”spill the beans”、”in a nutshell”、”a recipe for disaster” を食べ物のイディオムとしてまとめて覚えると、アルファベット順にバラバラのイディオムを暗記するよりも、脳がはるかに強い結びつきを作ります。

2. 能動的に学ぶ：自分の生活に当てはめた例文を作る

覚えたいイディオムごとに、自分の実体験に基づいた例文を書いてみましょう。「運転免許の試験の前に I had butterflies in my stomach だった」のほうが、教科書の一般的な例文よりずっと記憶に残ります。

3. 500ではなく、まず50から始める

このリスト全体を丸暗記しようとしないでください。自分が実際に話すトピックに自然に合う50個のイディオムを選びましょう。スポーツの話題を全くしないなら、スポーツのイディオムは後回しでいいのです。ビジネスで英語を使うなら、お金と仕事のイディオムを優先しましょう。

4. メディアの中でイディオムを探す

英語の映画、ドラマ、ポッドキャスト、音楽にはイディオムが溢れています。聞こえたら一旦停止して意味を確認しましょう。実際の文脈でイディオムを聞く経験は、どんな定義よりも使い方を深く教えてくれます。

5. 間隔反復を使う

覚えたいイディオムをLinglifyやその他のスペースドリピティション（間隔反復）システムに追加しましょう。研究によると、単語や表現が能動的な語彙として定着するまでに8〜12回の接触が必要です。週1回30分のまとめ学習より、毎日5分の復習のほうが効果的です。

語彙を科学的に記憶するアプローチについては、英単語の覚え方 をご覧ください。

6. イディオムの使いすぎに注意

学習者が犯しがちな最大の間違いは、イディオムを使いすぎることです。会話の中で1つか2つが自然な頻度です。一つの段落に5つも入れると、わざとらしく聞こえます。ネイティブスピーカーもイディオムは控えめに使います — あなたもそうしましょう。

学習法：トピック別に覚え、実体験で文を作り、間隔反復で復習

次に読むべき記事

この完全ガイドは、イディオムのリファレンスとしてお使いいただけます。以下は、特定のニーズに合わせた個別ガイドです。

数別：

試験対策：

関連する語彙ガイド：

よくある質問

英語にはイディオムがいくつありますか？

数え方によりますが、推定で10,000〜25,000と言われています。多くは地域限定（イギリス英語やアメリカ英語のみ）、古語（現在は使われない）、または専門分野限定（法律、医療、金融など）です。一般的な英語力として、200〜300の主要なイディオムを知っていれば、日常英語で出会うもののほとんどをカバーできます。

イディオムとことわざの違いは何ですか？

ことわざ（proverb）は、一般的な真理や教訓を表す短い言い回しです。例：”The early bird catches the worm.”（早起きは三文の徳）。イディオムは、直訳からは意味がわからない固定表現です。例：”kick the bucket”（= 死ぬ）。ことわざの中にはイディオム的なもの（意味が比喩的）もありますが、多くのことわざは文字通りの教訓です。見分け方のポイント：助言や普遍的な真理を述べている表現はことわざの可能性が高く、文中で特定の状況を描写するために使うフレーズはイディオムの可能性が高いです。

フォーマルな文章でイディオムは使えますか？

フォーマルな文章ではイディオムの使用は極力控えましょう。学術論文、ビジネスレポート、公式文書では、イディオムはカジュアルすぎる印象を与えることがあります。ただし、ブログ記事、オピニオンコラム、プレゼンスライドなどのセミフォーマルな場面では、1〜2個の適切なイディオムが文章に個性を加えてくれます。原則として、フォーマル度が高いほど、イディオムは少なくするべきです。

イディオムは言語間で翻訳できますか？

一部のイディオムには他の言語に対応する表現があります（”break the ice” は多くのヨーロッパ言語に類似表現があります）。しかし、大部分は直訳では通じません。”It’s raining cats and dogs” はほとんどの言語で意味不明です。日本語にも「猫の手も借りたい」「犬猿の仲」のように動物のイディオムがありますが、英語と同じ動物が同じ意味で使われるとは限りません。だからこそイディオムは学習者にとって難しいのです — 母語をショートカットとして使えません。英語のイディオムは、一つひとつ丸ごと固定表現として覚えましょう。

どのイディオムから覚えるべきですか？

上の「難易度別イディオム」セクションにある初級（A2〜B1）の20個から始めましょう。これらは最も頻繁に使われ、広く理解されているイディオムです。その後、中級リストに進んでください。自分が実際に話すトピックに合ったイディオムを優先しましょう — 仕事の話をしないのにビジネスのイディオムを暗記しても意味がありません。

イギリス英語とアメリカ英語でイディオムは違いますか？

主要なイディオムのほとんどは、イギリス英語とアメリカ英語の両方で通じます。ただし、一部は地域限定です。例：”Bob’s your uncle”（イギリス）、”knock on wood” vs. “touch wood”（アメリカ vs. イギリス）、”a home run”（アメリカ、野球由来）。このガイドの420個のイディオムはすべて、両方の英語圏で広く理解されるものです。地域別のリストについては、British IdiomsとAmerican Idiomsのガイドをご覧ください。

IELTSにはイディオムがいくつ必要ですか？

IELTSバンド7を目指すなら、Speakingで「自然かつ適切に」慣用表現を使えることが求められます。実際には、しっかり練習した10〜15のイディオムで十分です。バンド8〜9を狙う場合は、スピーチ全体を通じてイディオムが自然に出てくるレベルが必要です。試験に最適な50のイディオムについては、IELTSスピーキングのためのイディオム ガイドをご覧ください。

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