木乃伊取りが木乃伊になる

Japanese
Kanji in this term
木 乃 伊 取 木 乃 伊
Grade: 1 Jinmeiyō Jinmeiyō と
Grade: 3		 Grade: 1 Jinmeiyō Jinmeiyō
Irregular

Alternative forms
  • ミイラ取りがミイラになる, ミイラとりがミイラになる
  • (shortened) 木乃伊取りが木乃伊に, ミイラ取りがミイラに, ミイラとりがミイラに (​mīra-tori ga mīra ni)

Etymology

Literally “The mummy-taker becomes the mummy.” Attestable to at least 1881, when this expression was used in a kabuki play by Kawatake Mokuami.[1]

Pronunciation
  • (Irregular reading)
    • IPA(key): [mʲiːɾa̠ to̞ɾʲi ɡa̠ mʲiːɾa̠ ɲ̟i na̠ɾɯ̟ᵝ]

Phrase

木乃伊取りが木乃伊になる (hiragana and katakana ミイラとりがミイラになる, rōmaji mīra-tori ga mīra ni naru)

  1. the searcher becomes the searched
  2. the preacher becomes the converted

References
  1. 1988, 国語大辞典（新装版） (Kokugo Dai Jiten, Revised Edition) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan
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