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July 05, 2025
 

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VOCABULARY

Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Apr 30, 2021
With all due respect, here's how you give a speech at a Japanese wedding
Japanese uses a lot of set phrases on formal occasions, you'll need to know them if you're going to give a speech at a wedding.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Apr 16, 2021
'Bidenese' returns interpreters and translators to a linguistic safe zone
Japanese translators made news when they expressed difficulties in translating former U.S. President Donald Trump. So, how are they doing with Joe Biden?
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Apr 9, 2021
LDP Secretary-General Toshihiro Nikai gives us an object lesson in referencing proverbs
LDP Secretary-General Toshihiro Nikai was called out for using the term 'tazan no ishi,' which in English can be described as an 'object lesson.'
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Apr 2, 2021
Put your yen to work with the language of investing
If you're looking at investing in your Japanese ability, check out some terms that center around the stock market.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / Vocabulary Boost
Mar 26, 2021
COVID-19 continues to infect the way we speak Japanese in 2021
Rebounds, dominoes and life after corona are some of the English terms that have been popping up in Japanese conversations recently.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Mar 19, 2021
What makes beautiful Japanese? It's as simple as a morning greeting
A word that sounds good rolling off the tongue? Or an everyday greeting that lets people know you care? Japanese speakers sound off on what words they think are beautiful.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Mar 12, 2021
Achieving solidarity requires more than words
With the anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake, we're reminded of the solidarity of the people of Tohoku. Now if only we could find that unity in our politics.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Mar 5, 2021
Emergency Japanese that, fingers crossed, you'll never need to use
As with most disasters, it's better if you do your preparations for some scenarios while things are safer. Of course, that includes knowing the language of emergencies.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Feb 25, 2021
Japanese vaccine vocabulary is just what the doctor ordered
With coronavirus vaccines slowly making their way through the country, it's as good a time as any to administer a shot of new Japanese words and terms.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Feb 18, 2021
Make your feelings about a situation crystal clear with ‘okage de’ and ‘sei de’
The words “okage de” and “sei de” both mean “because of,” but they have opposite nuances, with the former expressing a sense of gratitude and the latter expressing blame.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Feb 5, 2021
The art of the Japanese pun: From classic poetry to dad jokes
Wordplay is used in a non-comical way even in traditional Japanese dishes at the holidays, with the names of ingredients recalling expressions of good tidings.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jan 29, 2021
Casting the demons out with some fiendish Japanese idioms
Setsubun comes before the arrival of spring and it's marked by efforts to cast demons out of your home. However, we can't get the demons out of the Japanese language.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jan 22, 2021
Radical recombinations: Capture the moment with created kanji
A yearly contest asks Japanese speakers to come up with new kanji to reflect modern times, providing a fun way to learn and understand the characters.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jan 19, 2021
A flurry of news means a ton of new Japanese vocabulary
The first few weeks of 2021 have been eventful to say the least. Make sure to take a note of the new vocabulary you're hearing in order to keep up with the talk of the town.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jan 8, 2021
Apologetic words abound amid a new wave of coronavirus cases
The vocabulary surrounding the state of emergency is back in the headlines as Tokyo gets set for new guidelines. When people go against those guidelines, well, the excuses start.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Dec 29, 2020
Raise your glasses to 2020: Good riddance!
Drinking culture changed in a lot of ways in 2020. On one hand, we drink alone more. On the other hand, we don't have to worry about the last train as much.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Dec 29, 2020
Learning how to use 'ira-ira' without getting frustrated
The onomatopoeic terms 'ira-ira' and 'unzari' can help express feelings of frustration and being fed up in general. Therefore, they're helpful during a pandemic-related lockdown.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Dec 15, 2020
Cook up a sweet Japanese lesson … and some good food at the same time
Following a recipe in Japanese can be a language lesson all on its own. Get some grammar, add some vocabulary and serve fresh.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Dec 1, 2020
I'm sorry, but I think you can complain a little bit better than that
Japanese is well-known for being an indirect language, but that doesn't mean you can't make your dissatisfaction with a situation clear to others.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Nov 24, 2020
A few tips on what to focus on in the final stretch leading to the JLPT
If you haven't started recapping for the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test yet, consider this your warning.
A prophesied disaster (likely) won’t strike Japan this weekend
A viral manga prediction of a July 5 disaster has gripped Japan with anxiety and triggered an economic impact, but experts warn that while such dates are unreliable, the threat of a massive earthquake remains real. 
Magnitude 5.5 earthquake jars Tokara Islands amid flurry of seismic activity
A strong quake struck off the Tokara Islands on Thursday afternoon, with the island chain having recorded around 1,000 earthquakes since a burst of seismic activity first began on June 21.
Japan to require flight passengers to keep power banks within sight
The transport ministry has announced new regulations requiring flight passengers to keep power banks within sight to mitigate fire risks while on board planes.
Ghibli’s Isao Takahata exhibit shows how beloved anime is made
“The man who planted Japanese animation” exhibition includes a variety of sketches, drawings and animation cels from Isao Takahata films such as color design for characters by Michiyo Yasuda from "Grave of the Fireflies."
Residents of Tokara Islands begin evacuation as seismic swarm continues
Details about evacuations from Akuseki Island, located in the Tokara island chain in Kagoshima Prefecture, is seen written on a whiteboard in the city of Kagoshima on Thursday.
Ghibli’s Isao Takahata exhibit shows how beloved anime is made
“The man who planted Japanese animation” exhibition includes a variety of sketches, drawings and animation cels from Isao Takahata films such as color design for characters by Michiyo Yasuda from "Grave of the Fireflies."
Flag football facing challenges and opportunities ahead
Japan’s women’s flag football team at the 2025 International Bowl in Los Angeles in June. The sport is enjoying continued growth in the country.
From Hokusai’s Great Wave, shinkansen to One Piece: a cultural treasure box for Lego Japan
Michael Ebbesen, general manager of Lego Japan, says Lego bricks based on Japanese culture have a rich global appeal and are sellable around the world.
With farmed fish, RelationFish swims against the tide in fine dining
Chef Hideaki Matsuo (middle) and the staff of Oseto Suisan Fisheries prepare to check on their sustainably farmed fish.
As Southeast Asia heats up, a Japanese cooling giant sees a major opportunity
An employee of Daikin Cambodia explains the use of different tools during an air conditioner installation training session in Phnom Penh. Daikin is one of Japan’s oldest air conditioning companies, but as Japan’s population falls, the firm is keying in on overseas growth.

Podcast

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

Longform

Mount Fuji is considered one of Japan's most iconic symbols and is a major draw for tourists. It's still a mountain, though, and potential hikers need to properly prepare for any climb.
What it takes to save lives on Mount Fuji
By Alex K.T. Martin

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