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May 02, 2024
 

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Hitomi Tashiro
For Hitomi Tashiro's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan Times
LIFE / Language
Oct 22, 2018
Lowering expectations in Japanese with 'tada' and 'tatta'
Introducing two expressions — u305fu3060 and u305fu3063u305f — that are used for emphasis.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language
Oct 15, 2018
Know your 'wake de wa nai' from your 'wake ni wa ikanai' in Japanese
Introducing two expressions that use u308fu3051 — u308fu3051u3067u306fu306au3044 and u308fu3051u306bu306fu3044u304bu306au3044.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Oct 1, 2018
Impress with your powers of prediction in Japanese by using 'yappari'
Introducing the adverb u3084u306fu308a and its casual spoken version, u3084u3063u3071u308a, which is frequently used in Japanese conversation.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Sep 24, 2018
Know your spicy from your sweet in Japanese with 'karai' and 'amai'
Introducing the meanings and uses of u8f9b(u304bu3089)u3044 (spicy) and u7518(u3042u307e)u3044 (sweet), two adjectives that relate to taste.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Sep 17, 2018
Living and working — choosing the right verb in Japanese
Introducing the differences between the verbs 'sumu' and 'kurasu,' as well as 'tsutomeru' and 'hataraku'
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Sep 10, 2018
Chilling in Japanese with 'hieru,' 'hiyasu,' 'sameru' and 'samasu'
Introducing the verb u51b7(u3072)u3048u308b (to become cold) and its related words and expressions.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Sep 3, 2018
In Japanese, turn to 'omoi' when something weighs on your shoulders or mind
Introducing the i-adjective u91cd(u304au3082)u3044/u91cdu305fu3044 (heavy).
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Aug 27, 2018
Using 'zenzen' in Japanese is no problem at all
Introducing some of the usages of the adverb u5168u7136(u305cu3093u305cu3093, never/not at all), which is often heard in conversation.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Aug 20, 2018
A little Japanese primer on using 'chotto' in Japanese
introducing some uses of the adverb u3061u3087u3063u3068, which comes up in all kinds of situations.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Aug 13, 2018
The good, the bad and the 'by all means' of 'zehi' in Japanese
A closer look at u662fu975e(u305cu3072), which means 'good and/or bad' or 'by all means.'
Japan Times
LIFE / Language
Aug 6, 2018
Raise a glass, count your squid, say you're full but watch your tone with 'hai'
Introduce the word u4e00u676f (u3044u3063u3071u3044, one cup) and its related expressions.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Jul 30, 2018
In Japanese, 'sorosoro' shows what's coming slowly and carefully, or what's coming up
The adverb u305du308du305du308d can be used to indicate that an action is done not only slowly but also carefully, or that it is almost the time for something.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Jul 23, 2018
Much ado about 'nothing but' in Japanese with 'shika nai'
Introducing some uses of the phrase Xu3057u304bu306au3044/u3057u304bu3042u308au307eu305bu3093 (There is nothing but X).
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Jul 16, 2018
There's quite a lot you can do in Japanese with 'nakanaka'
Introducing some uses of the word u306au304bu306au304b (quite)
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Jul 9, 2018
'Beki,' the little Japanese word that's 'should'
Introducing some uses of the word u3079u304d (should).
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Jul 2, 2018
Take care in Japanese when using 'sewa' or you could offend
Introducing some uses of the noun u4e16u8a71 (u305bu308f, care) and related expressions.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Jun 25, 2018
Vent in Japanese about bother and hassle with 'mendo' and 'yakkai'
Introducing u9762u5012(u3081u3093u3069u3046)u306a, u5384u4ecb(u3084u3063u304bu3044)u306a and some related expressions
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Jun 18, 2018
Learn how to use 'to tomo ni' while also tackling 'ni tomo natte' in Japanese
Introducing u3068u3068u3082u306b and u306bu3068u3082u306au3063u3066, which express two related changes of action or state.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Jun 11, 2018
Drawing conclusions in Japanese with 'sore ja' and moving things along with 'sate'
Introducing two words — u305du308cu3058u3083 and u3055u3066 — that are used at the beginning of sentences.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Jun 4, 2018
Giving a reason or pinpointing a cause with 'riyū' and 'gen'in'
Introducing u7406u7531 (riyu016b) and u539fu56e0 (gen'in), words that have similar meanings.
'So hot you can't breathe': Extreme heat hits the Philippines
A pedestrian cools himself with a folding hand fan as he waits for a ride along a road in Manila on Wednesday, as extreme heat hit the Philippines.
Did Japan intervene to prop up the yen? Analysts think it did.
A man walks past an electronic board displaying the exchange rate for the yen against the U.S. dollar (right) in Tokyo on Tuesday.
Town to block view of Mount Fuji in response to overtourism
The town government of Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi Prefecture, decided to set up a 2.5-meter-high screen to prevent tourists from taking pictures of Mount Fuji looming behind a convenience store.
Number of vacant homes in Japan hits record high of 9 million
A vacant house in Tokyo is seen demolished in January 2020.
Weak yen fattens tourist wallets in Japan
People visit the Ameya Yokocho market in Tokyo's Ueno district during the Golden Week holiday on Tuesday.
Kishida sets sights on energy and climate in South America trip
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will use a policy speech in Sao Paulo to set out his vision for ties between Japan and South America, almost 10 years after former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe advocated for stronger ties between the two in the same city.
Yellow sand allergy: A health issue made worse by climate change
A screenshot of the Meteorological Agency's satellite image of clouds and yellow sand (in pink) on Sunday.
Climate change, chalky grains and the risks for Japan’s rice farmers
A farmer plants seedlings in Satsumasendai, Kagoshima Prefecture. Japan’s self sufficiency rate for rice is nearly 100%, compared with 38% for food overall, on a calorie basis.
Japan wants you to spend more with ‘luxury tourism’
Performers play a traditional drum unique to Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, in the prefectural capital of Kanazawa on March 16 to mark the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen line to Tsuruga Station in Fukui Prefecture.
Theaster Gates’ ambitious ‘Afro-Mingei’ brings Black Chicago to Tokyo
Theaster Gates' “A Heavenly Chord” lines up church pews before seven speakers and a Hammond B3 organ, a type of electric organ prevalent in Black American churches.

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