いとひきいわし【

糸引鰯

】

itohikiiwashi

1. Not a puppet.; Not being led.

1. Was a small, easily led fish.; Was easily manipulated.

1. Thread-fin herring

1. It is not true.; It is not the case.

1. It's not a small fry.; I'm not a pushover.

1. Was a small striped fish.; Was a thread herring.

1. Not a weakling.; Not easily led.

1. Wasn't a sardine.; Wasn't string-pulled sardines.

1. Probably a small, silvery fish.; Probably a sardine/pilchard.

1. Was not a weakling.; Was not spineless.

1. Wasn't a thread-fin herring.; Wasn't a small fish.

1. Probably sardines.

1. Was not a small striped horse mackerel.; Was not a small sardine.

1. If it were a thread-pulling sardine.

1. If it were silk-thread herring; If [it] were silk-thread herring

1. If/when thread-pulling sardines…; When sardines are thread-pulled…