1.
self-serving; drawing water to one's own rice field
Acting in one's own interest; interpreting situations to one's own advantage; being self-serving in arguments or actions.
彼の意見は我田引水だ。
His opinion is self-serving.
我田引水な解釈をしないでほしい。
Please don't interpret things to suit your own interests.
その論文は我田引水な主張が多い。
That paper has many self-serving arguments.
STRUCTURE: 我 (my/one's own) + 田 (rice field) + 引 (draw/pull) + 水 (water). The image is of a farmer diverting irrigation water to their own field, leaving less for neighbors.
USAGE: Used to criticize someone for being self-serving, biased, or interpreting facts to favor themselves. Often used as a na-adjective.
COMMON PATTERNS:
- 我田引水な意見 (a self-serving opinion)
- 我田引水な解釈 (a self-serving interpretation)
- 我田引水に考える (to think in a self-serving way)
SIMILAR EXPRESSIONS:
- 自分勝手 (selfish)
- 手前味噌 (self-praise, tooting one's own horn)
- 利己的 (selfish, egotistical)