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November 24, 2024
 

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Hitomi Tashiro
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Apr 1, 2019
Take your Japanese to the point where you can even use 'sae' and 'made' correctly
The particles u307eu3067 and u3055u3048 both emphasize degree, the former expressing the limits of time, space, quantity and so on. By attaching it to a noun (X), the construction Xu307eu3067 can translate to “until X”
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Mar 25, 2019
Whether something smells like rotten cheese or is just plain cheesy, 'kusai' is your go-to adjective
Kono otoko wa kusai. (This guy is sketchy.)
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Mar 18, 2019
Hay fever can make life hard enough to use the adjective 'tsurai'
A word that indicates hardship, agony and pain, you're most likely to hear it at this time of year because of spring allergies or hangovers from cherry blossom parties.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Mar 11, 2019
How to carefully express carelessness in Japanese
You might be surprised how often you will use the Japanese expressions for 'carelessness' and 'without intention' once you've learned them
Japan Times
LIFE / Language
Mar 4, 2019
Learning how 'lukewarm' can apply to food, drinks and people alike
Using the word for 'lukewarm' in Japanese can allow you to express your thoughts on your drinks and your dinner, but can also be used to describe your friends, colleauges and loved ones.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Feb 25, 2019
Use 'ijō' to go beyond the usual boundaries in Japanese
The term 'iju014d' usually translates as 'more than,' but it can be used for more than just that.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Feb 18, 2019
Understanding 'choshi' is a condition you should strive for
It's hard to translate the word 'choshi' into English directly, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't bother with it. Whether it's the condition of your body or your computer, choshi is rather useful.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Feb 4, 2019
After learning how to use 'irai' properly, you'll be able to look back with confidence
The word 'irai' translates as 'since,' and it can be tacked on to both nouns and verbs.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Jan 28, 2019
The '-ppanashi' structure is so useful that you'll want to keep using it over and over and over
Often used in casual conversation, '-ppanashi' is added to a verb to indicate something that is done for an extended period of time. It can also have the nuance that something has been left in an improper state.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Jan 21, 2019
Throw out idioms left and right using ... the Japanese words for left and right!
'Hidari' (left) and 'migi' (right) are used in several well known expressions in Japanese that indicate everything from a level of skill to a propensity for spending money.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Jan 14, 2019
Using 'kaneru' incorrectly is something we simply cannot do
The verb u304bu306du308b is slightly complicated. It translates as “being unable to” and is often attached to a verb (X) in its masu-stem form (the masu-form with u307eu3059 removed).
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Jan 7, 2019
Know the circumstances of using 'shidai'
Depending on whether it's used as a noun, an idomatic expression or as an adverb, 'shidai' can mean something entirely different.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language
Dec 31, 2018
At least learning the term 'sukunakutomo' will help you in your Japanese conversation
A holdover from Japanese past still makes for a convenient way to express the idea of 'at least' in daily conversation.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Dec 17, 2018
Finding the best way to chill out with the verb 'ochitsuku'
There are many ways to use the verb u843d(u304a)u3061u7740(u3064)u304f, which means to calm down, relax and be comfortable.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Dec 10, 2018
Watch what you say when offering your boss a coffee
When trying to figure out what someone wants in Japanese, your relationship with them is as important as their request.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Dec 3, 2018
Coming up with exceptions in Japanese can be tricky, but helpful
The word 'tada' and it's rarer counterpart 'mottomo' help link sentences in conversational and written Japanese.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language
Nov 26, 2018
'Aru' exists to serve more than one purpose
To indicate the state of a thing or matter, use the u3066-form of a verb (X) and add u3042u308b (to exist) on the end.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Nov 19, 2018
Two words that seem completely similar to one another — how do you tell the difference?
The words 'sokkuri' and 'sukkari' are used to show resemblance, but one can be used in entirely different situations.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Nov 12, 2018
To totally understand 'zenbu,' you have to learn all of its usages
u5168u90e8 and u5168u90e8u3067 have similar meanings but are not interchangeable.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Nov 5, 2018
A grammar point you won't need to be told twice
Today, we'll look at the Xu3088u3046u306bu8a00(u3044)u3046 pattern and some related expressions. Xu3088u3046u306bu8a00u3046 means to 'tell someone to do X,' and it's used when a person reports what they told someone to do, like how the mother told Takako to get milk.
U.S. aircraft carrier returns to Japan carrying navy’s ‘most capable fighter’
U.S. 7th Fleet Commander Vice Adm. Fred Kacher speaks to reporters shortly after the arrival of aircraft carrier USS George Washington at Yokosuka naval base in Kanagawa Prefecture on Friday.
Tokyo police care for lost umbrellas, keys and flying squirrels
An employee at the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department Lost and Found Center in the Iidabashi area of central Tokyo bags, tags and organizes thousands of items.
After Shohei Ohtani bump, Iwate ironware maker sees brighter future
Kaito Kikuchi's decision to send superstar Shohei Ohtani one of his company's traditional ironware tea kettles has paid off with a surge of interest from general consumers.
Japan approves ¥21.9 trillion stimulus plan
The policy chiefs of the Democratic Party for the People, Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito — Makoto Hamaguchi (left), Itsunori Onodera (center) and Mitsunari Okamoto — shake hands after reaching an agreement on an economic stimulus package on Wednesday.
Woman dies after train collides with car in Tochigi
A Moka Railway train car
133-year-old Kyushu railway station remains to be partially preserved
The remains of the original Moji Station in Kitakyushu
After Shohei Ohtani bump, Iwate ironware maker sees brighter future
Kaito Kikuchi's decision to send superstar Shohei Ohtani one of his company's traditional ironware tea kettles has paid off with a surge of interest from general consumers.
Shohei Ohtani wins National League MVP award
Shohei Ohtani celebrates after hitting a three-run home run against the Padres during the National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles last month.
The slow-burn success of ‘A Samurai in Time’
A 19th-century warrior gets struck by lightning and wakes to find himself in 21st-century Kyoto in Junichi Yasuda’s surprise hit “A Samurai in Time.”
Around a quarter of Japan married couples in their 20s met through dating apps
A survey released by an organization promoting “Good Couples Day” shows that 24% of couples in their 20s met their marriage partner through a dating app.

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