木村さん：きのう、取引先の課長をすもうに招待したんだ。これで、今度の取引はうまくいくかもしれないよ。
加藤さん：エビでタイを釣るというわけだね。うまくいくといいね。
Ebi de Tai wo Tsuru
Kimura-san: Kinoo, torihikisaki no kachoo wo sumoo ni shootai shitan'da. Korede, kondo no torihiki wa umaku iku kamoshirenaiyo.
Katoo-san: Ebi de tai wo tsuru to iu wake da ne. Umaku iku to ii ne.
Mr. Kimura: Yesterday I took one of our clients to a sumo match. I have a feeling this time the negotiations are going to go well.
Mr. Kato: Using small fry to catch a big one, right? I certainly hope everything goes well.
* * *
A direct translation of ebi de tai wo tsuru would be "to catch sea bream using shrimp for bait." In colloquial American English this comes out as "to use small fry to catch big fish." In British English: "to throw a sprat to catch a mackeral." In Japan, sea bream, or tai, is an expensive fish usually served on congratulatory occasions. This week's expression derives its meaning from the idea of using cheap shrimp as bait to catch expensive tai.
If Kimura's negotiations go well and he succeeds in closing the deal, the expensive sumo tickets will not have been wasted. Umaku, ebi de tai wo tsutta koto ni narimasu ne (He would have succesfully used small fry to catch big fish). Imagine his client didn't like sumo very much, however, and just came along to be polite. "Ebi de tai wo tsuro nante, muda da yo (Trying to catch a big fish using small fry? Don't waste your time)." And if the negotiations are called off, Kimura is bound to cry, "Yappari ebi de tai wo tsuru no wa muda datta ka (So, after all, it was a waste to try and use small fry to catch a whale)." Now that we're talking about shrimp, did you know that 86 percent of the shrimp consumed by Japanese is imported? That the amount of money spent each year on shrimp comes to $2.5 billion? That's more than what goes to corn, which comes in second place, and beef, which takes third. I was also surprised to find out that Japanese eat 32 percent of all the shrimp consumed in the world! Indeed one finds shrimp in tempura, in sushi and, of late, in cup noodles.
Indian fishermen sell a kilo of shrimp for about \440. The shrimp is then processed, refrigerated and exported to Japan. By the time it makes its way to the Japanese supermarket, the price is about \4,200. I wonder just how many non-Japanese Asians work to provide Japanese their favorite shrimp. As I eat shrimp, I'm reminded of the Asians in other countries who toiled on my behalf but were paid little for their efforts. There used to be so much shrimp, people would even use it as actual bait for catching tai. If shrimp imports were suddenly disallowed, one would be hard pressed to find shrimp in Japan anymore. The price would skyrocket, as well. Even then, this week's expression would remain in use, of course. Language is a funny thing....
The blooming roses on the table in front of me smell wonderful. They're a gift from my daughters. How sweet of them. I must decide what to get them in return. Moshikashitara, ebi de tai wo tsuroo to kangaeteiru no kamoshirenai (Maybe they're thinking about trying to use small fry to catch a whale). That's okay. I'll buy them both blouses in return for the flowers. I wonder if both will end up saying, "Ureshii-ebi de tai wo tsucchatta (Great ! We caught a whale with a minnow)."