鼻にかける

• Reading: はなにかける
• Romaji: hana ni kakeru
• Kanji breakdown: 鼻 (hana/bi) — nose
• Pronunciation: /ha.na.ni.ka.ke.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To be full of pride; to be boastful; to show off about something one is proud of.

An idiomatic expression using 鼻 (nose) as a symbol of pride. Group 2 (ichidan) conjugation via かける. Always carries a negative nuance — unlike 誇りに思う (to take pride in), this implies annoying or off-putting boasting.

Examples

1. 彼は学歴を鼻にかけるところがある。 He has a tendency to be full of himself about his academic background.
2. 成功しても鼻にかけない人は尊敬される。 People who don't show off even after succeeding earn a lot of respect.
3. 語学力を鼻にかけて、周りから嫌われている。 He brags about his language skills and rubs everyone the wrong way.

Usage Guide

Context: interpersonal, criticism, social observation

Tone: critical

Origin & History

From the image of sticking one's nose up in the air with pride. The nose (鼻) has long symbolised arrogance in Japanese — compare 鼻が高い (proud).

Cultural Context

Era: Edo period

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal