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May 06, 2024
 

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WELL SAID

Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Jun 3, 2019
Don't forget to use 'sokonau' to mark your failings in Japanese
Ikō to omotte-ita-n-da kedo, misokonatchatta. (I was going to go, but I missed it.)
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
May 27, 2019
Speaking of that, 'sore' and 'kore' can come in very handy
Karutago-tte iu resutoran ni itta-n-da kedo, sono mise, sugoku yokatta-n-da. (I went to a restaurant called Carthago and it was really good.)
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
May 20, 2019
What's that we were talking about? Ah yes, the many uses of 'are'
The demonstrative pronouns related to 'ano' are for more than just describing what's 'over there.' For instance, Japanese uses them to convey sentimentality and in monologues.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
May 13, 2019
You'd be considerably well off in Japanese by learning to differentiate between 'daibu' and 'kekkō'
The adverbs u3060u3044u3076 and u3051u3063u3053u3046 both convey a sense of degree.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Apr 29, 2019
Raising your voice can convey a different meaning, 'deshō'?
The Japanese words 'deshu014d' and 'daru014d' can be said with different intonations to provide various nuances.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Apr 22, 2019
Wondering aloud in Japanese about our Heisei Era memories
The words 'deshu014d' and 'daru014d' can help us put a little conjecture into the way we speak, but that's not the only thing they're used for.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Apr 15, 2019
'Uchi' is where the heart is
The Japanese word 'uchi' can have several meanings depending on the context it's being used in, but one common thread in all of them is an idea of closeness to the speaker.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Apr 8, 2019
There's nothing more important than learning how to distinguish between 'taisetsu' and 'jūyō'
When trying to convey the idea of importance in Japanese use 'taisetsu' for things that are sentimentally important and 'ju016byu014d' for things that are signifficant.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Apr 1, 2019
Take your Japanese to the point where you can even use 'sae' and 'made' correctly
The particles u307eu3067 and u3055u3048 both emphasize degree, the former expressing the limits of time, space, quantity and so on. By attaching it to a noun (X), the construction Xu307eu3067 can translate to “until X”
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Mar 25, 2019
Whether something smells like rotten cheese or is just plain cheesy, 'kusai' is your go-to adjective
Kono otoko wa kusai. (This guy is sketchy.)
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Mar 18, 2019
Hay fever can make life hard enough to use the adjective 'tsurai'
A word that indicates hardship, agony and pain, you're most likely to hear it at this time of year because of spring allergies or hangovers from cherry blossom parties.
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
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 / 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.
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.
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.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Jan 21, 2019
Throw out idioms left and right using ... the Japanese words for left and right!
'Hidari' (left) and 'migi' (right) are used in several well known expressions in Japanese that indicate everything from a level of skill to a propensity for spending money.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Jan 14, 2019
Using 'kaneru' incorrectly is something we simply cannot do
The verb u304bu306du308b is slightly complicated. It translates as “being unable to” and is often attached to a verb (X) in its masu-stem form (the masu-form with u307eu3059 removed).
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Jan 7, 2019
Know the circumstances of using 'shidai'
Depending on whether it's used as a noun, an idomatic expression or as an adverb, 'shidai' can mean something entirely different.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Dec 24, 2018
Redoing things with the help of naosu and kaesu
Sakki no shorui, tsukurinaoshita-n-desu kedo, mite itadakemasu ka? Those documents from before, I've done them over again. Could you take a look for me?
Japan says Biden's description of nation as xenophobic is 'unfortunate'
The National Diet building in Tokyo
G7 eyes plan on U.S.-led $50 billion aid package for Ukraine
A local resident visits the Lychakiv cemetery in Lviv, Ukraine, on Thursday. The U.S. is in talks with close partners to lead a group of allies that would give as much as $50 billion in aid to Ukraine.
Japan drops to 70th in press freedom rankings
A businessman reads a newspaper outside a train station in Tokyo.
Japan’s record-low children population weighs on growth
The number of children 14 years old or younger fell for the 43rd straight year to around 14.01 million as of April 1.
Biden calls ally Japan ‘xenophobic’ along with rivals China and Russia
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks in Syracuse, New York, on April 25.
'Monster' Inoue ready to tear down Luis Nery in title defense at Tokyo Dome
Naoya Inoue (left) and Luis Nery following a pre-fight news conference in Yokohama on Saturday, two days ahead of their super bantamweight title fight.
Debate on constitutional revision at a standstill despite Kishida's pledges
With less than two months left before the conclusion of the current session of parliament, any possibility that Prime Minister Fumio Kishida can deliver constitutional reform before the end of his term as Liberal Democratic Party president in late September, as he has promised, appears remote.
Sapporo court ruling on Ainu fishing rights presents tough questions
A traditional Ainu preserved food called <i>satchep</i> (dried fish) being made at the government-run National Ainu Museum and Park, nicknamed Upopoy, in the town of Shiraoi, Hokkaido, on Dec. 25. The Sapporo District Court ruled last month that the Raporo Ainu Nation's rights as an Indigenous people did not extend to having an inherent right to fish for commercial reasons.
With eye on China, defense chiefs agree to bolster interoperability
From left: U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Australian defense chief Richard Marles, Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara and Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro hold a joint news conference in Honolulu on Thursday.
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.

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