Wordplay - which is quite difficult for me because of the homophones, where is the joke?


I've recently been reading a novel in which there happens to be some pretty
crazy wordplays, which I can't really grasp the meaning of. Maybe one of you
has a clue or can give me a suggestion on how to understand these, or where
the joke lies from a Japanese perspective...appreciate your help! And merry
Christmas to y'all, soon ;)

This is the sentence:

> でも、人生とはクジャクの求愛みたいなものよ？」  
>  「どういう意味？」  
>  「いるのよ、ヒントはね」  
>  「品と羽か。相変わらずかしこい」と私を褒めてくれました。

The character always makes comparisons about life, just like Forrest Gump
kinda, and in here she says its like the mating behavior of a peacock, cos it
has beautiful feathers I guess and the most beautiful male peacock might get
chosen from the female? Is that the connection here? Cause what does 品と羽
imply, like there is a certain "elegance" 品 and "feathers" 羽, which also
sounds like "ヒントは" - sorry, maybe some of you can better understand that!
Would help me a lot! Thanks!




> 「でも、人生{じんせい}とはクジャクの求愛{きゅうあい}みたいなものよ？」
>
> 「どういう意味{いみ}？」
>
> 「いるのよ、ヒントはね」
>
> 「品{ひん}と羽{はね}か。相変{あいか}わらずかしこい」と私を褒{ほ}めてくれました。

This, to me, looks like a cross between puns and なぞかけ, the latter of which is
explained in [this
Q&A](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/24792/meaning-of-
sentence/24798#24798).

I also had to watch [this
video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VNZdLUnIyc&t=1s) about the mating
behavior of a male peacock to really appreciate the 「品」 ("class and elegance")
and 「羽」 ("feathers") parts of the wordplay in question.

Some things might get lost in translation, but the following is what I
personally take this wordplay to mean.

> "But life is like the mating behavior of a peacock, you know?"
>
> "What do you mean by that?"
>
> "I mean you need **_hints_** in life." ← 「要{い}るのよ、 **ヒン[ト]{and}はね** 。」
>
> "Ah, 品{ひん} [と]{and} 羽{はね}, I see! You're clever as ever!", s/he complimented
> me.

The two distinguished features in peacock mating...




> 「でも、人生{じんせい}とはクジャクの求愛{きゅうあい}みたいなものよ？」
>
> 「どういう意味{いみ}？」
>
> 「いるのよ、ヒントはね」
>
> 「品{ひん}と羽{はね}か。相変{あいか}わらずかしこい」と私を褒{ほ}めてくれました。

This, to me, looks like a cross between puns and なぞかけ, the latter of which is
explained in [this
Q&A](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/24792/meaning-of-
sentence/24798#24798).

I also had to watch [this
video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VNZdLUnIyc&t=1s) about the mating
behavior of a male peacock to really appreciate the 「品」 ("class and elegance")
and 「羽」 ("feathers") parts of the wordplay in question.

Some things might get lost in translation, but the following is what I
personally take this wordplay to mean.

> "But life is like the mating behavior of a peacock, you know?"
>
> "What do you mean by that?"
>
> "I mean you need **_hints_** in life." ← 「要{い}るのよ、 **ヒン[ト]{and}はね** 。」
>
> "Ah, 品{ひん} [と]{and} 羽{はね}, I see! You're clever as ever!", s/he complimented
> me.

The two distinguished features in peacock mating...

