O-furo-no kagen-wa dō-desu-ka. (How is the temperature of the bath?)

Situation 1: Mrs. Okubo talks to her husband, who is in the bath tub that she ran.

妻：　 お風呂の加減はどう？ちょっとぬるかったかしら。

夫：　 いや、ちょうどいい加減だよ。ああ、気持ちいい。

Tsuma: O-furo-no kagen-wa dō? Chotto nurukatta-kashira.

Otto: Iya, chōdo ii kagen-dayo. Aa, kimochi-ii.

Wife: How is the temperature? Is it still a bit tepid?

Husband: No, it's just right. Ahh, that feels good!

Today we will introduce the meaning and uses of the noun 加減 (かげん). Literally, 加(か) means to add and 減(げん) to subtract, and 加減する means to adjust something to an adequate level. In Situation 1 the wife, who ran the bath, asks her husband whether it is OK or not by using 加減. The noun 湯加減 (with 湯 (ゆ) meaning "hot water") is used to refer specifically to the temperature of bath water. There are a number of words that can be similarly placed before 加減: 火 (ひ, fire), 水 (みず, water),焼(や)き (baking/roast/grill), etc. Examples: ステーキの焼き加減はどうしましょうか (How should I cook your steak?). 手(て)加減する expresses the idea of adjusting one's power, level or performance to that of a smaller or weaker person. This term is used in the Bonus Dialogue.

Situation 2: Section chief Mr. Okubo asks staff member Mr. Mita about a pending matter with another company, and Mita answers.

三田：　 その件について、先方は今、社内で協議中で、今月 いっぱいには社内のコンセンサスが得られるだろうとのことですが...。

大久保：　 うーん、そんないい加減な返事じゃ困るなあ。

Mita: Sono ken-ni tsuite, senpō-wa ima, shanai-de kyōgichū-de, kongetsu-ippai-ni-wa shanai-no konsensasu-ga erareru-darō-to-no koto-desu-ga ...

Ōkubo: Ūn, sonna ii-kagen-na henji-ja komaru-nā.

Mita: They are now discussing that matter within their company. They say that they will be able to reach a consensus within the company by the end of this month.

Okubo: Hmm ... such a vague answer is a problem.

In Situation 1, the husband answers with いい加減 (good temperature). いい加減 means an agreeable adjustment to the condition of something, some situation or timing. Accordingly, it is also used, with negative connotations, to mean a temporary solution to get out of a difficult spot or to mean one reached without deep consideration, as in Situation 2. Example: うちの娘 (むすめ)といい加減(かげん)な気持(きも)ちでつき合(あ)うことは、 ぜったい許(ゆる)さない (I'll never let you go out with my daughter if your feelings aren't serious). いい加減にしなさい in the Bonus Dialogue is a set phrase meaning "Don't do it any more/Stop it at once," said with anger.

Bonus Dialogue: At home, the Okubo children are playing cards. Little Mariko runs crying to her mother and complains about her brother and sister.

まり子：　 あーん、お母(かあ)さん！

母：　　　 どうしたの、まり子(こ)？

まり子：　 おにいちゃんとおねえちゃんが、勝(か)ってばっかり！まり子だって勝ちたいのに。

母：　　　 [まり子の兄(あに)と姉(あね)に] 光男(みつお)もたか子も大(おお)きいんだから、少(すこ)し手加減(てかげん)してあげなさいよ。

たか子：　 そのつもりなんだけど、私(わたし)がまり子に勝たせようとすると、お兄(にい)ちゃんが本気(ほんき)出(だ)して、勝っちゃうんだもの。

母：　　　 光男ったら、お兄ちゃんでしょ。こんな小(ちい)さい子と本気(ほんき)で勝負(しょうぶ)するなんて、いい加減になさいよ。

光男：　　 人生(じんせい)は、そう甘いものじゃないということを、まり子に教育(きょういく)しているんだよ。

母：　　　 [ひとりごと] やれやれ！　光男にこそ、少しは社会 (しゃかい)のきびしさを知(し)ってもらいたいものだわ！

Mariko: Aw, Mom!

Mother: What happened, Mariko?

Mariko: Mitsuo and Takako are winning all the games. I wanna win too!

Mother: [To Mariko's brother and sister] Mitsuo, Takako, you're big enough to let Mariko win sometimes, aren't you?

Takako: I'm trying to, but whenever I try to let Mariko win, Mitsuo pulls out all the stops to win, and he wins instead!

Mother: Mitsuo, you're Mariko's big brother and big enough to know better. You don't need to compete so hard against a little girl.

Mitsuo: I'm educating Mariko by showing her that life is not all easy.

Mother: [To herself] My goodness! First, it'd be better if Mitsuo himself learned a bit about how tough life can be!