おに
鬼
　
の
い
居
　
ぬ
ま
間
　
に
せん
洗
たく
濯

expression

Idiomatic expression.
  1. playing while the cat is away, taking a break while the boss is out, doing what one wants when one is (finally) alone, relaxing while the demon is out.

Variations

Pronunciation Kanji Kana Is Common
おに
鬼
　
の
い
居
　
ぬ
ま
間
　
に
せん
洗
たく
濯
 鬼の居ぬ間に洗濯 おにのいぬまにせんたく

Contained Kanji Breakdown

ghost, devil
おに　キ (7th, N1)
head or face of a ghost, spirit, or demon
フツ　フチ　ヒ
katakana no radical (no. 4)
ヘツ　えい　よう (Kentei 1)
rice field, rice paddy
た　デン　たん (1st, N4)
legs radical (no. 10)
ジン　ニン　がい (Kentei 1)
I, myself, katakana mu radical (no. 28)
シ　ボウ　ム (Kentei 1)
reside, to be, exist
い.る　キョ　お.る (5th, N3)
corpse, remains, flag radical (no. 44)
シ　かたしろ (Kentei 1)
old
コ　ふる.い　ふゆ (2nd, N4)
ten
ジュウ　ジッ　ジュッ (1st, N5)
mouth
くち　コウ　ク (1st, N4)
interval, space
ま　カン　ケン (2nd, N5)
gate, counter for cannons
モン　かど　と (2nd, N2)
day, sun, Japan
ひ　にっ　ニチ (1st, N5)
wash, inquire into, probe
あら.う　セン　あらい (6th, N3)
water, water radical (no. 85)
さんずい
before, ahead, previous
セン　さき　ま.ず (1st, N5)
legs radical (no. 10)
ジン　ニン　がい (Kentei 1)
laundry, wash, pour on
タク　すす.ぐ　ゆす.ぐ (9th, N2)
water, water radical (no. 85)
さんずい
surname, kind of pheasant
ケキ　ジャク　タク
feathers, counter for birds, rabbits
はね　は　ば (2nd, N2)
learn(習) variant
hooked enclosure
two-stroke water radical or ice radical (no. 15)
ヒョウ　こおり (Kentei 1)
bird, old bird radical (no. 172)
サイ　スイ　とり (Kentei 1)
human radical (no. 9)
lord, chief, master
シュ　あるじ　ぬし (3rd, N4)
dot, tick or dot radical (no. 3)
チュ (Kentei 1)
king, rule, magnate
オウ　-ノウ　おお (1st, N3)
one, one radical (no.1)
イチ　いっ　ひと- (1st, N5)