骨を折る

• Reading: ほねをおる
• Romaji: honewoworu
• Kanji breakdown: 骨 (hone) — bone, effort, core; 折 (o) — break, bend
• Pronunciation: /ho.ne.wo.o.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To take great pains; to go to considerable trouble; to make strenuous efforts on someone's behalf.

An idiomatic phrase used as a verb (Group 1 compound 折る). 骨 (bone) functions as a metaphor for one's inner effort or resolve; 折る (to break) suggests expending or sacrificing that effort entirely. Always used in contexts where the effort is for another's benefit, distinguishing it from 努力する (general effort). Often accompanied by expressions of gratitude.

Examples

1. ご紹介のためにわざわざ骨を折っていただき、誠にありがとうございます。 I am truly grateful that you went to such trouble to make the introduction.
2. 彼女の就職のために先生が骨を折ってくださった。 The teacher went to great pains to help her find employment.
3. 多くの人が骨を折ってくれたおかげで、プロジェクトは成功した。 Thanks to the strenuous efforts of many people, the project was a success.

Usage Guide

Context: business, gratitude, networking, formal speech

Tone: respectful, grateful

Origin & History

Classical Japanese idiom recorded from the Heian period. 骨 (hone, bone) was used metaphorically for one's core strength or inner effort, just as bone is the structural core of the body. 折る (to break/bend) implies the willingness to push that inner strength to its breaking point for another's sake.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical–Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Educated