くさいものにふたをする
kusai mono ni futa o suru
A test with a terrible score, pushed to the back of a drawer… Japanese people call that kusai mono ni futa o suru (くさいものにふたをする).
I’m Arasen, an elementary school principal and calligrapher in Japan. It’s the Japanese version of “sweeping it under the rug” – but much smellier!
Quick Facts
| Japanese | くさいものにふたをする |
|---|---|
| Reading | くさいものにふたをする |
| Romaji | kusai mono ni futa o suru |
| Literally | Putting a lid on something smelly |
| Meaning | Hiding a problem just to get through the moment. |
| English cousin | to sweep something under the rug |
What Does It Mean?
To hide something bad that you don’t want others to know about – just to get through the moment, without really fixing it.
It is also used when people look away from things they don’t want to see.
Word by Word
| くさいもの | kusai mono – something that smells bad |
|---|---|
| にふたをする | ni futa o suru – to put a lid on |
Where Does It Come From?
If you put a lid on something smelly, the smell goes away – for a while. But the cause is still there.
A Word from Arasen
When you do something wrong or make a mistake, and it would be inconvenient for others to find out, you try to hide it just for now. That’s what this proverb means. We also use it when we look away from things we don’t want to see.
Even with a lid on, if the source of the smell is still there, it’s only a temporary fix. Take the lid off, and it still stinks. In fact, it might smell twice as bad!
Hiding what you couldn’t do makes it invisible – but only for a while. That’s the advice from people long ago.
(Translated from Arasen’s original Japanese.)
How to Use It
A Short Skit
What a terrible score, even for me… Heh heh, I’ll hide it in the usual place. Once it’s hidden, nobody can see it.
われながら、ひどい点数だ・・・。フフフ、いつもの場所にかくしてしまおう・・・。かくしてしまえば見えません。フフフ。Yusuke! What did you just hide in your desk?!
勇輔、今、机に何をかくしたの！！！Mom… um… this is… don’t look…
お母さん、、、いや、、、これは、、見ないで・・・Yusuke! Show me! What—a test?! FIFTEEN points?! Stop trying to put a lid on what stinks!
勇輔！！見せなさい。何！！テストじゃないの！！！１５点！！！勇輔、くさいものに蓋をするのはやめなさい！！Mom, I’m sorry!
お母さん、ごめんなさい！！“Chan-chan” is the little “ta-da!” sound that closes a comedy skit in Japan.
Example Sentences
- Hiding a bad test score from your parents is just kusai mono ni futa o suru – your grades won’t go up.
テストの悪い点を親にかくしても、くさいものにふたをするだけで、成績は上がらない。 - Plugging the leak with a cloth is like putting a lid on what stinks. It will leak again soon.
水もれを布でふさいだだけでは、くさいものにふたをするようなもので、すぐにまたもれてくる。
Similar Japanese Proverbs
- 頭かくして尻かくさずAtama kakushite shiri kakusazu
“Hide your head, leave your tail showing.” Thinking you’ve hidden everything when you haven’t. - その場しのぎSono ba shinogi
“Just getting through the moment.” A quick fix that doesn’t last.
The Opposite
- 過ちて改むるに憚ること勿れAyamachite aratamuru ni habakaru koto nakare
“Do not hesitate to correct your mistakes.” From Confucius.
Similar Sayings in English
- to sweep something under the rug (carpet)
- Out of sight, out of mind.
Quick Quiz
What does kusai mono ni futa o suru mean?
- A. Hiding a problem for now instead of solving it
- B. Learning from a failure
- C. Working together as a team
Show the answer
The answer is A. You hide the problem for the moment, without fixing its cause.
Watch the Lesson (in Japanese)
On my YouTube channel “Kyō kara tsukaeru kotowaza kōza” (Proverbs You Can Use from Today), I explain proverbs with short comedy skits. It’s in Japanese – a fun challenge for learners!
Free Worksheet for Teachers
Teaching Japanese? Download a free printable worksheet for this proverb – with the skit, a fill-in-the-blank, a quiz and a writing task (10 proverbs, A4, with answer key).
Read More
- 50 Japanese Proverbs (Kotowaza) with Meanings – all in one place
- Atama Kakushite Shiri Kakusazu (頭かくして尻かくさず) – Hide Your Head, Leave Your Tail Showing
- Usotsuki wa Dorobō no Hajimari (嘘つきは泥棒の始まり) – A Liar Is a Thief in the Making
- Kabe ni Mimi Ari, Shōji ni Me Ari (壁に耳あり障子に目あり) – Walls Have Ears, Paper Doors Have Eyes
- くさいものにふたをする（日本語の記事）
- ことわざ 目次（250+ proverbs in Japanese）
