八面六臂(はちめんろっぴ)

はちめんろっぴ
noun
outstanding versatility; working on all fronts
formalwritten
1. outstanding versatility; remarkable all-around activity
Describes someone who is active and effective in many areas at once, handling multiple tasks or roles with great energy. Literally 'eight faces and six arms,' evoking a Buddhist deity capable of looking and reaching in all directions simultaneously.
彼女(かのじょ)は八面六臂(はちめんろっぴ)の活躍(かつやく)をした。
She was remarkably active on all fronts.
少人数(しょうにんずう)のチームで、全員(ぜんいん)が八面六臂(はちめんろっぴ)の働(はたら)きを求(もと)められる。
In a small team, everyone is expected to work versatilely on all fronts.
新(しん)プロジェクトの立(た)ち上(あ)げで、マネージャーは八面六臂(はちめんろっぴ)の活躍(かつやく)を見(み)せた。
During the launch of the new project, the manager showed outstanding versatility.

A four-character idiom (四字熟語(よじじゅくご)) from Buddhist imagery. 八面(はちめん) (eight faces) represents awareness in all directions, and 六臂(ろっぴ) (six arms) represents the ability to act in many ways at once, like the multi-armed deity 阿修羅(あしゅら).

Common collocations

  • 八面六臂(はちめんろっぴ)の活躍(かつやく): outstanding all-around performance
  • 八面六臂(はちめんろっぴ)の働(はたら)き: versatile work on many fronts
  • 八面六臂(はちめんろっぴ)ぶり: display of versatility

Usage

Almost always used in the pattern 八面六臂(はちめんろっぴ)の活躍(かつやく) to praise someone's energetic and wide-ranging efforts. It is a compliment, often used in written or formal speech. Rarely used for oneself.

Similar words

  • 縦横無尽(じゅうおうむじん): freely and without restraint — emphasizes unrestricted movement rather than multi-tasking
  • 獅子奮迅(ししふんじん): fighting with the ferocity of a lion — emphasizes intensity rather than breadth

Related Words

Compare: 縦横無尽(じゅうおうむじん) (freely and without restraint)
general
Added 2026.4.21 19:24 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
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