Tag - vocabulary

 
 

VOCABULARY

Japan Times
LIFE / Language / Vocabulary Boost
Oct 28, 2022
A verb you're bound to wear out on Halloween
The verb 'kiru' (to wear) is a necessary bit of a vocabulary to know on a night like Halloween. Its usage is about more than just costumes, though.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Oct 21, 2022
Walk this way, talk this way: The Japanese vocabulary of going on a pilgrimage
Get back to nature and take a break from the rat race by embarking on one of Japan's many storied pilgrimages.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Oct 14, 2022
Planning a trip to Japan? Here are a few key terms you can use at your hotel.
Hotel staff speak an honorific form of Japanese that isn't always the first thing taught to budding language students. However, understanding it can give an insight into the culture.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Oct 7, 2022
I know Japanese. Why can’t I read signs in Hokkaido?
A lot of the readings for kanji on Japan's northernmost island are connected to the language and culture of the Ainu, who are indigenous to Hokkaido.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Sep 30, 2022
How can you fight climate change in Japan? Learn how to talk about it.
A good approach to speaking about hot-button topics in Japanese is to use so-called softeners so that your don't come off as too direct with your opinions.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Sep 23, 2022
What to say (and what not to say) at a Japanese funeral
With the state funeral of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe taking place in the next few days, we take a look at how the Japanese traditionally mourn the recently departed.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Sep 16, 2022
When breaking up in Japanese, be sure to give up the ghosting
It's hard to break up with someone in any language, but the inclination toward “ghosting” may make one side feel even worse.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Sep 9, 2022
The study of Japanese slang is challenging and never stops. Luckily, it’s also a lot of fun.
Wes Robertson set out to engage with other linguists on Twitter and wound up creating a database for modern Japanese slang.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / Vocabulary Boost
Sep 8, 2022
Climate talk reaches 'crisis' mode
Are you clued in to the “GX” taking place in Japan? If not, it's time to review your environmentally focused vocabulary lists.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Sep 2, 2022
Body language: Know your Japanese from head to toe
Whether it's the leg of a chair or the ears of your bread, Japanese is just as prone to assigning human body parts to inanimate objects as English is.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / Vocabulary Boost
Sep 1, 2022
Take some time to refresh your emergency vocabulary on Disaster Prevention Day
It was 99 years ago that a devastating earthquake hit Tokyo. As a result, Japan marks Sept. 1 by conducting disaster-preparedness drills at schools and companies nationwide.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Aug 26, 2022
On Japanese Twitter, don’t LOL when you can wwww
Just as in English, Japanese web-speak has developed a few key terms that are unique to the social media landscape of this country.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Aug 19, 2022
That's using your noodle: The linguistic joy of cooking
Looking to up your vocabulary in Japanese? Recipes are actually a great (and delicious) place to start.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Aug 12, 2022
Read between the lines when it comes to party invitations
Japanese people tend to avoid giving a clear 'no' when asked a question. Learn the sentences that infer a negative outcome early on in your studies here.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Aug 5, 2022
Trying to cool down without the air conditioning? Look to Kyoto and Brisbane for some ideas.
Temperatures are up and that means a lot of us are trying anything to beat the heat.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jul 29, 2022
Cherry blossoms, cranes and the language of Japanese symbols
The bald eagle of the United States and the orchids of China have deeper meanings in their respective cultures. What items do the Japanese give symbolic weight to?
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jul 22, 2022
A shocking incident provides an unexpected language lesson
When former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot and killed this month, the Western media called it an “assassination.” So why did the Japanese media avoid the term?
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jul 15, 2022
Retrieve your lost item in Japan with the right words
Connect verbs and adjectives using the te-form to describe your missing item and you're a step closer to getting back what you've misplaced.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language
Jul 1, 2022
Summer's here. It's time to find the perfect fit for your first yukata.
It's the season for festivals and fireworks displays, which is the perfect time to wear yukata, a lighter and more versatile version of kimono. Here's how to shop for your first yukata with confidence.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language
Jun 24, 2022
These senbei are making me thirsty! How ‘Seinfeld’ sounds in Japanese
Japanese students have been using “Seinfeld” on Netflix to bone up on their conversational English. Does the joke land when it's the other way around?

Longform

Rows of irises resemble a rice field at the Peter Walker-designed Toyota Municipal Museum of Art.
The 'outsiders' creating some of Japan's greenest spaces