揚げ足を取る

• Reading: あげあしをとる
• Romaji: ageashi wo toru
• Kanji breakdown: 揚 (yō/a) — raise, lift; 足 (soku/ashi) — foot, leg; 取 (shu/to) — take, grab
• Pronunciation: /a.ɡe.a.ɕi.o.to.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To jump on someone's verbal mistake; to trip someone up. Finding fault with minor slips in what someone says.

An idiomatic expression using Group 1 (godan) verb 取る. Originally a sumo term meaning to grab an opponent's raised leg to topple them. Now used figuratively to describe nitpicking someone's words or seizing on trivial errors to undermine them.

Examples

1. 彼はいつも人の揚げ足を取ってばかりいる。 He's always picking apart what people say.
2. 議論の場で揚げ足を取るのはやめてほしい。 I wish people would stop nitpicking during discussions.
3. 上司に揚げ足を取られないよう慎重に発言した。 I chose my words carefully so my boss couldn't find anything to jump on.

Usage Guide

Context: arguments, workplace, daily life

Tone: critical

Origin & History

From sumo wrestling, where 揚げ足 refers to a raised leg during a throw attempt. Grabbing (取る) that raised leg to trip the opponent became a metaphor for exploiting someone's verbal misstep.

Cultural Context

Era: Edo period

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal