Translation guide
A cock-and-bull story is a wildly exaggerated or completely made-up tale, often used as an excuse. In Japanese, there are several ways to express this, ranging from direct translations to more natural idioms.
To describe a story that is clearly false or highly exaggerated, often told to deceive or entertain.
This is a common and natural way to say a story is nonsense or made-up. 'でたらめ' means 'nonsense' or 'rubbish', and '話' means 'story'.
彼の言っていることは全部でたらめな話だ。
Everything he's saying is a cock-and-bull story.
Literally 'tall tale' or 'boastful story'. It implies an exaggerated, often humorous story that is hard to believe.
To refer to a story used as an excuse that is clearly fabricated or hard to believe.
でたらめな話 emphasizes that the story is nonsense or false, while ほら話 often implies a tall tale told for entertainment or boasting. 作り話 is more neutral, simply meaning a fabricated story.
彼の冒険談はほら話に過ぎない。
His adventure story is just a cock-and-bull story.
There is no direct Japanese equivalent of 'cock-and-bull story'. Translating it literally as '雄鶏と雄牛の話' would be meaningless. Use the idiomatic expressions provided instead.
彼はまたほら話を始めた。
He started telling another cock-and-bull story.
Means 'fabricated story' or 'fiction'. It's a straightforward way to say something is made up.
それは全部作り話だよ。
That's all a cock-and-bull story.
An idiomatic expression meaning 'a pack of lies' or 'nothing but lies'. It emphasizes the sheer number of falsehoods.
彼の説明は嘘八百だった。
His explanation was a cock-and-bull story.
Refers to a 'big lie' or 'whopper'. It's more casual and often used for boastful exaggerations.
あの話は大ぼらに決まってる。
That story is definitely a cock-and-bull story.
Means 'excuse'. When used with adjectives like 'でたらめな' (nonsense) or '信じられない' (unbelievable), it conveys the idea of a cock-and-bull story as an excuse.
彼はでたらめな言い訳をした。
He gave a cock-and-bull story as an excuse.
Literally 'painful excuse', meaning a flimsy or unconvincing excuse that sounds made-up.
遅刻の理由が苦しい言い訳だった。
His reason for being late was a cock-and-bull story.