October 2009Archive

Japanese has the habitual greeting which is hard to translate into English.

 

Japanese people are the races which value a greeting.

Though the tendency has been becoming weak recently, originally the greeting education of the Japanese people is thoroughly carried out from childhood.

When working as a member of Japan society, salutatory foundations will be required.

 

Greeting at meal in Japanese.

 

"Itadakimasu" has how by two kinds of to use it.

1. Greeting at meal.

2. The word as "Expression that asks for permission"

<Greeting at meal >

In Japan, when beginning to eat a meal, the greeting "いただきます[Itadakimasu]" is said.
"Heart of thankfulness" is put into these greetings.

• Mind of thanks to person who prepared meal.
• Mind of thanks to people of agricultural worker and fishery worker, etc.
• Mind of thanks dedicated for sacrifice of life of animal and plant.

 

In Japan, there is a custom from ancient times, "it must have a meal after appreciating all."
The custom was simplified with the passage of the long tract of years.
And, it was established to people in Japan as the custom of a formal greeting by only the phrase.
But, even this "Minimum greeting by the phrase" seems to become omitted recently.

I think that man becomes very arrogant when the gratitude is forgotten.

In Japan, a young generation hardly says the phrase of the gratitude "Idadakimasu."
The young generation's self-centered human beings are increasing in number in Japan.

 

Now, though English which agrees with this greeting does not exist, the expression similar to this is the following.

• Thanks God for this food.
• Thank you for your meal.
• Let's eat.
• I start first.
• I hope you don't mind I go first.
• Let's dig in.
• Let's pray first.
• Let's pray before we start.

 

<The word as "Expression that asks for permission">

This is expression of requests for permission indirect about the third party's permission is obtained and things are done. and, oneself receives the benefit of something as a result.

Expression that asks for permission---"sasete itadaku"

 

Please see an example.

「それでは，説明させていただきます。」 Soredeha happyou sasete-itadakimasu. "Then, I explain."	「あした当店は休業させていただきます。」 「明日当店は休業させて頂きます。」 asu[ashita] touten wa kyuugyou sasete itadakimasu. "This store will be closed tomorrow."

 

...Is the interpretation of this expression difficult?

I am sorry not to be able to explain it well.
In short, this expression is "a modest expression."

 

Greeting after a meal in Japanese.

 

 

When writing, the type of a hiragana is used in many cases.

This is a greeting of Japan said when we finished eating meal.

 

These is greetings to express thanks, too.

 

 

Though English which agrees with this greeting does not exist, the expression similar to this is the following.

• I'm full/stuffed.
• I'm done.
• I can't eat any more!
• I'm satisfied!
• The food was so good!
• That was a great meal!
• I need/want the recipe.
• You are a great cook!
• Thank you for such a great meal!
• May I personally thank the cook for such great dishes?
• I really enjoyed the meal!

The following two are polite expressions.

 

 

Greeting of the morning in Japanese.

When writing, the type of a hiragana is used in many cases.

A usual greeting in the morning in Japanese is "ohayou[=Good morning.}"

 

I teach you a strange greeting custom of people in Japan.

When Japanese people meet a colleague and a boss at the time of going to office, time says a morning greeting without a relation.

Probably, it is culture peculiar to Japan.

A polite expression is mainly used to "the older person" and a "boss."

The following two are polite expressions.

 

 

Greeting of the evening and night in Japanese.

 

This is a greeting at night in Japanese.

This greeting is used like English "Good evening."

"Good evening" is "conbanwa
[ こんばんは -konbanwa-]."

There is no special usage only of Japan about this greeting.

But, as for this "Konbanwa", a character differs from pronunciation.

 

 

 

Greeting which goes out.

 

This is a greeting to go to the school and the company.

Though English which agrees with this greeting does not exist, the expression similar to this is the following.

I'm going. I'm leaving. See you. Bye.

 

 

 

 

Greeting to those who go out.

 

This is the greeting for answering to
"行ってきます[Ittekimasu.]"

Or, it is a greeting said for the person who goes out.

Though English which agrees with this greeting does not exist, the expression similar to this is the following.

Bye. See you. Take care. Have a nice day.

 

 

 

 

 

Greeting for the person who came back from outside to say.

 

This is the greeting used when it comes back from a place where person has gone out.

This greeting is used in its own house, company, etc.

Though English which agrees with this greeting does not exist, the expression similar to this is the following.

• I am home.
• I'm back.

 

Greeting to the person who came back from outside.

This is the greeting for answering to "ただいま[tadaima.]"

Or, this is a greeting because it is said for the person who returns from going out to the house etc.

Though English which agrees with this greeting does not exist, the expression similar to this is the following.

How was your work? How was your day?

The following two are polite expressions.

 

I summarized all these greetings in the table.
Please use it.

 

By Hararie

 

<Habitual Japanese greeting which is hard to translate into English.>

No.	Japanese	Kind for use	English
1	いただきます。 itadakimasu.	Greeting at meal.	Expression similar. Thanks God for this food. Thank you for your meal. Let's eat. I start first. I hope you don't mind I go first. Let's dig in. Let's pray first. Let's pray before we start.
		The word as "Expression that asks for permission."	none
2	ごちそうさま。 gochisou sama. ご馳走様。 gochisou sama. ごちそうさまでした。 gochisou sama deshita. ご馳走様でした。 gochisousama deshita.	Greeting at meal.	Expression similar I'm full/stuffed. I'm done. I can't eat any more! I'm satisfied! The food was so good! That was a great meal! I need/want the recipe. You are a great cook! Thank you for such a great meal! May I personally thank the cook for such great dishes? I really enjoyed the meal!
3	おはよう。 ohayou. お早う。 ohayou. おはようございます。 ohayou gozaimasu. お早うございます。 ohayou gozaimasu.	Greeting in the morning.	Good morning.
		When Japanese people meet a colleague and a boss at the time of going to office.
4	こんばんは。 konbanwa. 今晩は。 konbanwa.	Greeting at night.	Good evening.
5	いってきます。 itte kimasu. 行ってきます。 itte kimasu.	Greeting to go to the school and the company.	Expression similar. I'm going. I'm leaving. See you. Bye.
6	いってらっしゃい。 itte rasshai. 行ってらっしゃい。 itte rasshai.	Greeting for answering to "Ittekimasu." The greeting for the person who goes out.	Expression similar. Bye. See you. Take care. Have a nice day.
7	ただいま。 tadaima.	Greeting used when it comes back from a place where person has gone out.	Expression similar. I am home. I'm back.
8	おかえり。 okaeri. お帰り。 okaeri おかえりなさい。 okaeri nasai. お帰りなさい。 okaeri nasai	Greeting for answering to "tadaima." Greeting because it is said for the person who returns from going out to the house etc.	Expression similar. How was your work? How was your day?

 

Web page for you to convert English words and phrases into Hiragana and Katakana easily.

Because I found the web page of Japan that can easily change the word into the Hiragana and Katakana, I introduce it to you.

But, that web page is written in Japanese.

http://europe.s9.xrea.com/convert/convert_tool.html

So, I made the explanatory on the page for the reader.

But, on this website, you have to use a "Roman alphabet."
It may be difficult.

Please refer to this Hiragana chart for Roman letters input.
And, refer to this Katakana chart for Roman letters input.

The image expands by the click.

-文頭用 bunto yo <For beginnings of sentences>-

No.	Japanese	English
1	こんにちわ。 konnnichiwa	Hello.
2	久しぶり！ hisashiburi	It is been a long time.
3	元気にしてる？ genki ni shiteru ?	How are you doing ?
4	こっちは元気だよ！ kocchi wa genki dayo !	I'm fine.
5	メールありがとう。 me-ru arigatou.	Thanks for the mail.

 

-本文用 honbun yo < For the main body >-

No.	Japanese	English
6	ここからの文章、ひらがなと カタカナが多くなるけど、 ごめんね。 kokokara no bunshou, hiragana to katakana ga ooku narukedo, gomennne	Though a sentence from here, a hiragana letter and katakana increase, I'm sorry.

 

-文末用 bubmatsu yo < For the end of sentence >-

No.	Japanese	English
7	じゃあ、またメールするね。 jaa, mata me-ru surune	I will e-mail you again soon.
8	よかったら、またメールちょうだい。 yokattara, mata me-ru choodai.	Could you send me e-mail again?
9	日本に帰ったら連絡するね。 nihon ni kaettara rennraku surune.	When I returned to Japan, will contact you.

 

-絵文字 emoji <Emoticons>-

No.	Japanese	English
10	(笑)	Laughing mark
11	(苦笑)	Wry smile mark
12	(泣)	Crying mark
13	(爆)	Suicide bombing mark Burst-of-laughter mark
14	☆	Star mark
15	♪	Note mark
16	(^-^;	Laughing emoticon
17	(T-T )	Crying emoticon
18	(>_<)	Desperate emoticons
19	m(_ _)m	Emoticon of apology
20	＼(´▽｀)／	Happy emoticons
21	???	I'm sorry. I was not able to understand this emoticon.

 

-日時 nichiji <The date and time>-

No.	Japanese	English
22	一昨日 ototoi ; issakujitsu	Day before yesterday
23	昨日 kinou; sakujitsu	Yesterday
24	今日 kyou	Today
25	明日 ashita	Tomorrow
26	明後日 asatte; myougonichi	Day after tomorrow
27	先々週 sennsennshu	Week before last
28	先週 sennshu	Last week
29	来週 raishuu	Next week
29	再来週 saraishuu	Week after next

 

-曜日 yobi <The Day of the week>-

No.	Japanese	English
31	月曜日 getsu youbi	Monday
32	火曜日 ka youbi	Tuesday
33	水曜日 sui youbi	Wednesday
34	木曜日 moku youbi	Thursday
35	金曜日 kin youbi	Friday
36	土曜日 do youbi	Saturday
37	日曜日 nichi youbi	Sunday

 

-旅行 ryoko <Travel>-

No.	Japanese	English
38	旅行 ryokou	Travel, Trip
39	出発 shuppatsu	Departure
40	到着 touchaku	Arrival
41	宿泊 shukuhaku	Lodging, a stay
42	帰国 kikoku	Homecoming, Return,
43	空港 kuukou	Airport
44	電車 densha	Train
45	飛行機 hikouki	Airplane
46	地下鉄 chikatetsu	Subway

 

-連絡 renraku <Communication>-

No.	Japanese	English
47	連絡 rennraku	Communication , Report , Contact
48	電話 dennwa	Telephone
49	手紙 tegami	Letters
50	住所 juusho	Address
51	日本語 nihonngo	Japanese
52	英語 eigo	English
53	日本 nihonn; nipponn	Japan
54	欧州、ヨーロッパ oushuu, yo-roppa	Europe

 

Did you understand the explanatory drawing?
If this web page is useful for you, I am very glad.

 

By Hararie

When the Japanese say "Yes", is this what they really mean?

 

 

First of all, Japanese "Yes" and English "Yes" are not necessarily the same.

This occurs because of the structure of the Japanese language.

In English and most other European languages, a negative answer depends upon the key words of a question and is almost always negative.

Well, look at the example.

Question	Answer	English	Japanese
You didn't go to the museum yesterday, do you?	Yes, I do.	YES	NO
	No, I didn't.	NO	YES
Did you go to the museum yesterday?	Yes, I do.	YES	YES
	No, I didn't.	NO	NO
The Japanese doesn't answer "Result". The Japanese answers "Content of the question".
Don't you like American movies?	Yes, I do.	YES	NO
	No, I didn't.	NO	YES
Do you like American movies?	Yes, I do.	YES	YES
	No, I didn't.	NO	NO
If you change your formulating query like this, the Japanese says an opposite answer.
Don't you want to go there ?	I want.	YES	NO
	I don't want.	NO	YES
Do you want to go there ?	I want.	YES	YES
	I don't want	NO	NO
I am perplexed to the answer of English because I am Japanese though I might possibly have perplexed you.
Aren't you a member of the club?	Yes, I am.	YES	NO
	No, I'm not.	NO	YES

Recall this phrase if you feel the doubt in the Japanese people's answer.

-"The Japanese occasionally does a strange answer."

 

 

Impolite and strange answer of Japanese

Next, the Japanese always has the idea "I want to evade concluding answer".
Therefore, persons who isn't Japanese often say that it is difficult to understand what Japanese are thinking.

It might be "Cultural difference" in a word.

When an American or European says yes, their yes is always means "Yes".
But, occasionally when a Japanese says "yes," it means something else, or according to circumstances, the Japanese has the answer of "No".
An American or European will think, "How rude!"

But, the Japanese doesn't intend to have changed the answer.
We(the Japanese) try to withhold our personal opinions as much as possible.
And, the Japanese will try to tune own opinion to your opinion.
It is peculiar Japanese "Cooperation".

It can be said that it is mental aesthetics peculiar to the Japanese, and it might be wisdom of the island nation race who lives in the narrow land.
I think this is merely a cultural difference.

 

 

By Hararie