Tag - nihongo

 
 

NIHONGO

Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
May 27, 2019
Speaking up in Japanese for quality time off work
Decades ago, the mid-1980s to be exact, I complained to my mom that my dad worked too much. Like legions of middle-aged Japanese salarymen, my father was never home before 9 p.m. and spent his weekends on 海外出張 (kaigai shucchō, overseas business trips). He was also big on 休日出勤 (kyūjitsu...
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
May 27, 2019
Speaking of that, 'sore' and 'kore' can come in very handy
Karutago-tte iu resutoran ni itta-n-da kedo, sono mise, sugoku yokatta-n-da. (I went to a restaurant called Carthago and it was really good.)
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / NEWS IN NIHONGO
May 27, 2019
'Gundam' robots to greet Olympians from space
The 2020 Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games announced on the 15th a plan to launch into space model robots from the anime 'Mobile Suit Gundam' to broadcast messages of support for the games to Earth.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
May 20, 2019
Matching the ins and outs of two common kanji
From April 1, the 入国管理局 (nyūkoku kanri-kyoku, Immigration Bureau), which operated under the auspices of the 法務省 (hōmushō, Justice Ministry), was upgraded from a bureau to an agency. Its Japanese name changed to 出入国在留管理庁 (shutsunyūkoku zairyū kanri-chō), which can...
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
May 20, 2019
What's that we were talking about? Ah yes, the many uses of 'are'
The demonstrative pronouns related to 'ano' are for more than just describing what's 'over there.' For instance, Japanese uses them to convey sentimentality and in monologues.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / NEWS IN NIHONGO
May 20, 2019
Chadwick Boseman to play foreign-born samurai in film
The story of a black samurai known as 'Yasuke,' who served under warlord Oda Nobunaga in 16th-century Japan, will be made into a film starring African-American actor Chadwick Boseman, it was decided by May 7 [it was officially announced May 7]. The news was reported by U.S. entertainment media such as Deadline. The release date is undecided.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
May 13, 2019
When giving a public speech in Japanese, tears can be your trump card
There are certain occasions in Japan when showing emotion is expected. Deploying a few key phrases can also do the trick.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
May 13, 2019
You'd be considerably well off in Japanese by learning to differentiate between 'daibu' and 'kekkō'
The adverbs u3060u3044u3076 and u3051u3063u3053u3046 both convey a sense of degree.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / NEWS IN NIHONGO
May 13, 2019
Hiroshima museum unveils new atomic bomb-related items
The main building of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum reopened April 25, after it was closed from April 2017 in order to do exhibition renovations and quake-resistance reinforcement work associated with the building's aging.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Apr 29, 2019
A few parting words in Japanese for when you retire
Japan needed to pass a special law before the Emperor was able to 'retire,' but for the rest of us the process is a bit easier — as long as you know the vocabulary involved.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Apr 29, 2019
Raising your voice can convey a different meaning, 'deshō'?
The Japanese words 'deshu014d' and 'daru014d' can be said with different intonations to provide various nuances.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / NEWS IN NIHONGO
Apr 29, 2019
Naomi Osaka among Time's 100 most influential people
Naomi Osaka was named by Time magazine as one of the world's most influential people. Learn how that news came across in Japanese.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language
Apr 22, 2019
Kōshitsu yōgo: Terminology that's fit for an Emperor
With the Emperor's abdication approaching you may be hearing some interesting Japanese vocabulary that is used only on royal occasions.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Apr 22, 2019
Wondering aloud in Japanese about our Heisei Era memories
The words 'deshu014d' and 'daru014d' can help us put a little conjecture into the way we speak, but that's not the only thing they're used for.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / NEWS IN NIHONGO
Apr 22, 2019
Train etiquette posters prove to be a hit overseas
Use a Japanese news article on some fancy posters on Seibu trains to expand your artistic vocabulary.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Apr 15, 2019
'Uchi' is where the heart is
The Japanese word 'uchi' can have several meanings depending on the context it's being used in, but one common thread in all of them is an idea of closeness to the speaker.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / NEWS IN NIHONGO
Apr 15, 2019
Odd translations found on English website for tourists
Read an article in Japanese on translation errors and answer questions on what you've read.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Apr 15, 2019
使用? 利用? Make use of a dictionary to use your Japanese properly
As your Japanese improves you'll begin to find there are subtle nuances in the language that can stump even native speakers. That's when you turn to a Japanese dictionary.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Apr 8, 2019
What does Reiwa really mean to Japanese?
It's not the government but the people of Japan who ultimately signify the era of Reiwa, not the other way around.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Apr 8, 2019
Use 'shin' to make a new start in the Reiwa Era
Spring is the time for new life, the new school year, new coworkers and, in 2019, a new Imperial era.

Longform

Traditional folk rituals like Mizudome-no-mai (dance to stop the rain) provide a sense of agency to a population that feels largely powerless in the face of the climate crisis.
As climate extremes intensify, Japan embraces ancient weather rituals