author

 
Menu
Search
 
November 24, 2024
 

Today's print edition

Home Delivery
Subscribe for more access

Meta

Hitomi Tashiro
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Feb 18, 2020
People won't throw you under the bus if you're able to use 'kuse ni' correctly
Using the grammatical structure 'X kuse ni Y' has the same effect as 'despite X, Y' and can be used to convey a feeling of ill will.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Feb 11, 2020
As long as you learn 'sae ... areba,' communication in Japanese will get easier
The 'sae ... areba' pattern is used to express ideas like 'if only' and can be used in several simple situations as well as more complex ones.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Feb 4, 2020
You should know how to use 'hazu'
The particle 'hazu' basically translates as 'should' in English, but can sometimes be rendered as 'no wonder.'
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Jan 28, 2020
Filled to the brim with tips on how to use 'zukume' and 'zukushi'
The suffixes 'zukume' and 'zukushi' express the idea of 'entirety' and 'variety,' and are sure to give you an edge in more formal situations.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Jan 21, 2020
At least 'semete' can help you describe the bare minimum in Japanese
The adverb 'semete' can mean 'at least' in English, but there's a nuance that goes with it that further specifies how it can be used.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Jan 14, 2020
If you study just one thing this week, make it 'bakari'
The word 'bakari' can be used in many situations in Japanese and can be seen in some of these cases as a replacement for the two different meanings of the English word 'just.'
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Jan 7, 2020
Despite the fact 'noni' is difficult for some, it's still a particle you should learn early
Whether it's used to connect sentences or simply to add emphasis, 'noni' is important to convey the idea of 'even though.'
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Dec 31, 2019
Uh, if you want to speak Japanese like a local, you'll, er, need to master 'eeto' and 'anō'
Words expressing hesitation and thoughtfulness can differ depending on the formality of a situation.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Dec 24, 2019
You've got nothing to lose if you start studying the meanings of 'motomoto'
The word 'motomoto' conveys a sense of 'originally,' but it can also be used to express that you have nothing to lose in a given situation.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Dec 17, 2019
The structure 'to itta' is a great example of the ways Japanese give examples
Not to be confused with 'to iu,' the structure that uses 'to itta' can help when you're providing examples for things in a designated category.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Dec 10, 2019
The grammar point known as 'to iu'
When you're trying to describe what something is in Japanese, the structure 'to iu' can come in very handy.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Dec 3, 2019
Add a touch of sparkle to your Japanese holiday vocabulary
The 'gira-gira' of the hot summer sun's glare gives way to the 'kira-kira' of festive lights decorating the streets for the holidays.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Nov 26, 2019
Work toward mastery of 'ni mukete' and 'o mezashite'
The structures 'ni mukete' and 'o mezashite' help express your working toward a goal, with the latter being the more concrete option.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Nov 19, 2019
Get some experience using 'keiken' and 'taiken'
Two words that convey the meaning of experience, 'keiken' and 'taiken,' have slightly different nuances when used in Japanese.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Nov 12, 2019
Here's some advice. If you want to help a friend out, stick to -tara ii desu
With your friends, giving and asking for advice in Japanese can be done in several ways. Just make sure you don't accidentally use these structures with your boss!
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Nov 4, 2019
Getting up front with 'omote' and then back to 'ura'
It's 4 p.m., do you know where your children are? Maybe they're 'omote,' which is a way of expressing that they're out in front of the house playing.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Oct 28, 2019
By the way, do you know how to use 'hanashi wa kawaru kedo' in a sentence?
Changing the topic in a Japanese conversation is easier than you think and two terms in particular can help. 'Tokorode,' have you been studying Japanese long?
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Oct 21, 2019
Expressing what you've been thinking about doing with 'to omotte-iru' and '-tai to omotte iru'
Using the 'tai' verb ending expresses desire in Japanese, but adding 'omotte-iru' can help convey the idea that your wants are not spontaneous.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Oct 7, 2019
Speak Japanese with certainty by using 'zettai'
The word 'zettai' has a feeling of absoluteness and certainty that can emphasize the confidence you have in what you're saying.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Sep 30, 2019
Figuring out how to count objects in Japanese? There are numerous ways
There's no one way to count in Japanese, it just depends on what you're counting. The most standard comes with a 'tsu' on the end.
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.
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
Japan will spend ¥325 million in government funds on Princess Yuriko's funeral
Princess Yuriko waves during the New Year's public greeting at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo in January 2019.
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.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

Construction takes place on the Takanawa Gateway Convention Center in Tokyo, slated to open in 2025.
A boom for business tourism in Japan?
By Kathryn Wortley

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

mission sustainability vol.12 : Kose Corp.Kose takes pride in creating beauty in the world
mission sustainability vol.12 : Kose Corp.Kose takes pride in creating beauty in the world

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTS note

Read more

SUPPLEMENTS BINDER