Tag - language

 
 

LANGUAGE

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
LIFE / Language / NEWS IN NIHONGO
Mar 11, 2019
Japan's 2018 plastic waste shipments fall 30% after China's import ban
Following China implementing a restriction on the import of plastic waste, Japan has looked to Southeast Asia as a possible destination for its plastic rubbish.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language
Mar 4, 2019
Navigating the tricky world of permission when speaking Japanese
When speaking Japanese, getting the basics of language relating to permission can be helpful, from asking a colleague to pick up your slack to requesting a photo with a celebrity.
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.
LIFE / Language / NEWS IN NIHONGO
Mar 4, 2019
Japan sees high demand for coins in final year of Heisei Era
A set of commemorative coins, released to mark the final year of the Heisei era, has seen high demand from buyers, leading to a lottery for those who wish to purchase a set.
LIFE / Language / MORNING ENGLISH
Mar 4, 2019
Let's discuss Okinawa's referendum
With Okinawa having recently held a referendum on the relocation of a U.S. military base in the prefecture, we discuss the results.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / TELLING LIVES
Feb 27, 2019
Dogen: Humor that's not lost in translation
Living in Japan can, from time to time, present a fair amount of frustration for non-Japanese, especially if they can't speak the language well. Long-term resident Kevin O'Donnell, who creates YouTube videos about Japan under the name "Dogen," isn't afraid to vent but avoids any vitriol.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language
Feb 25, 2019
Japanese that's so beautiful it belongs in a museum
What if there was a Museum of Exceptional Japanese? Daniel Morales discusses the kinds of words he would like to see in such an institution, but what words would you donate?
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 / NEWS IN NIHONGO
Feb 25, 2019
Japanese city to use AI to predict seriousness of school bullying
The Otsu City Board of Education has decided to implement a digital solution to one of the country's most pressing problems.
ASIA PACIFIC
Feb 24, 2019
China aims to 'optimize' spread of controversial Confucius Institutes
China plans to "optimize" the spread of its controversial Confucius Institutes, the government said, institutions to promote Chinese language and culture that have been criticized by some for spreading Communist Party influence.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language
Feb 18, 2019
Money talks: Can you understand what it's saying?
Digital currencies and smartphone apps are changing the way we do business with the yen, but some monetary habits die hard.
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.
LIFE / Language / NEWS IN NIHONGO
Feb 18, 2019
Japan bolsters steps to aid non-Japanese in event of a quake
This Japanese news article introduces vocabulary that has to do with disaster preparedness, a topic we should all know a little more about.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Feb 4, 2019
Wake up and smell Japan through new vocabulary
The world is full of smells. Good smells and bad smells, pleasant and unpleasant smells, fragrant and pungent smells. Though the nose is not our most reliable advisor in perception — eyesight is far more important, as is well known — smells clearly have a say in our view of the world. And there is...
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.
LIFE / Language / NEWS IN NIHONGO
Feb 4, 2019
Osaka comments on Nissin 'whitewashing' controversy
A Japanese news article sums up the issue of Naomi Osaka's anime avatar and its controversial color.
JAPAN
Feb 1, 2019
Aeon rolls out real-time video interpreting service for non-Japanese customers in 10 languages
In light of an increasing number of foreign customers, supermarket giant Aeon Co. on Friday launched a real-time video interpreting service.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language
Jan 28, 2019
Whether it's a bar in Shinjuku or over a dating app with someone in Osaka, words matter when talking about LGBT topics
According to a recent survey, around 1 in 11 Japanese say they identify as LGBT. Therefore, knowing the language of this diverse community can help greatly with understanding.
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.

Longform

A small shrine perched atop rocks braves the waves hitting the shoreline during a storm in Shimoda, Shizuoka Prefecture. The area is under threat of a possible 31-meter-high tsunami if an earthquake strikes the nearby Nankai Trough.
If the 'Big One' hits, this city could face a 31-meter-high tsunami