こと
言
ば
葉
　
に
さや
鞘
　
が
　
あ
　
る

expression, Godan verb (irregular verb)

Idiomatic expression.
  1. to be evasive, to be not entirely truthful, to not be frank.

Variations

Pronunciation Kanji Kana Is Common
こと
言
ば
葉
　
に
さや
鞘
　
が
　
あ
　
る
 言葉に鞘がある ことばにさやがある

Contained Kanji Breakdown

say, word
い.う　こと　ゲン (2nd, N4)
dot, tick or dot radical (no. 3)
チュ (Kentei 1)
one, one radical (no.1)
イチ　いっ　ひと- (1st, N5)
mouth
くち　コウ　ク (1st, N4)
leaf, plane, lobe
は　ヨウ　よ (3rd, N3)
grass, grass radical (no. 140)
table, flat pieces of wood, slip
ヨウ　うすいきふだ　まど
generation, world, society
セ　よ　セイ (3rd, N4)
twenty
にじゅう　ジュウ　ニュウ (Kentei Pre-1)
fishhook radical, (乙 variant)
tree, wood
き　モク　こ- (1st, N5)
sheath, case, margin
さや　ショウ　ソウ (Kentei Pre-1)
leather, skin, reform
カク　かわ (6th, N2)
twenty
にじゅう　ジュウ　ニュウ (Kentei Pre-1)
mouth
くち　コウ　ク (1st, N4)
ten
ジュウ　ジッ　ジュッ (1st, N5)
resemblance
ショウ　あやか.る (Early High School, N1)
month, moon
つき　ゲツ　ガツ (1st, N5)