January 2011Archive

Let's learn three Japanese words

One or some Japanese words accompany each English word.
They are used most in Japan.
Because Japanese is a language with three scripts (hiragana, katakana, and kanji), the form is various.

*Choice of script type in Japanese writing: The scripts used most are in the illustration.

1. a sweets, Japanese snacks

a sweets, Japanese snacks
Kanji	菓子(kashi)
Kanji & Hiragana	お菓子(okashi)
Hiragana	かし(kashi)/おかし(okashi)
Katakana	カシ(kashi)/オカシ(okashi)
Example	Would you like some chocolate[cookie, pie, tart, candy] ? お菓子はいかがですか？ okashi wa ikaka desuka?
Annotation	Kashi or okashi is the generic name of "a sweet snack for snacks and a salty snack". Therefore, the candy, the chocolate, the cookie, the pie, and the tart, etc. are included in "Kashi or okashi".
	a box of cake; a box of candy: 菓子折り(kashi-ori)
Kanji homophone	樫(kashi): an oak (tree)
	下肢(kashi): the lower limbs; the legs
	可視(kashi): visibility
	華氏(kashi): fahrenheit
	歌詞(kashi): words, the woeds to a song,
	仮死(kashi): be in (a state of) suspended animation.

お菓子(okashi): Japanese snacks

 

2. a dish (a main dish, a side dish)

a dish (a main dish, a side dish)
Kanji	御数 (This kanji is an etymology, and it is not used.)
Kanji & Hiragana	----------
Hiragana	おかず
Katakana	オカズ
Pronunciation	okazu
Annotation	Okazu is a Japanese word meaning a side dish to accompany rice. They are typically made from fish, meat, vegetable, or tofu and designed to add flavor to the rice. In modern Japanese cuisine, Okazu can accompany noodles in place of rice. Okazu is also used as a referent for something used for masturbation or other acts of sexual gratification aside from sexual intercourse. While this is usually a reference to actual pornography, it can refer to anything used for masturbation purposes. It is also a slang term for lesbian sex. This secondary meaning has currency as a loanword in other languages among fervent manga fans, or OTAKU.

3. money

money
Kanji	金(kane)
Kanji & Hiragana	お金(okane)
Hiragana	おかね(okane)/かね(kane)
Katakana	オカネ(okane)/カネ(kane)
Example	pays out money お金(金, カネ) を 払う。 okane(kane, kane) wo harau .
	draws out money お金(金, カネ )を 引きだす。 okane(kane, kane) wo hikidasu.
	deposit money お金(金, カネ) を 預ける。 okane(kane, kane) wo azukeru.
	saving money お金(金, カネ) を 貯める。 okane(kane, kane) wo tameru.
	makes money お金(金, カネ) を 稼ぐ（もうける）。 okane(kane, kane) wo kasegu(moukeru).
	raise money お金(金, カネ) を 工面する(集める)。 okane(kane, kane) wo kumensuru(atsumeru).
	pays back money お金(金, カネ) を 返す(返済する)。 okane(kane, kane) wo kaesu(hensaisuru).
	spends money お金(金, カネ) を 使う。 okane(kane, kane) wo tsukau.
Kanji homophone	鐘(kane): a bell, a gong, a chime, a peal

Hararie

List of Japanese Noun Words

 

In this page, I used the image of this book.

Namae no Kotoba Ejiten (なまえのことばえじてん）

なまえのことばえじてん [namae no kotoba e-jiten]   1000 Japanese nouns were collected to this book. This book is for the infant. However, I think that this book is a very good teaching material for your studying Japanese. It is because "The fundamental noun which Japanese people use daily" is collected to this book. And, you will be able to learn a Japanese noun easily by the noun and the illustration in English. *You can buy this book in Japanese Amazon. (It is not sold outside Japan.)

 

How do you say "walk" in Japanese?

• The dark gray characters is "送りがな[Okuri-gana]".

English	walk/go on foot
Action
Hiragana	あるく
Kanji & Hiragana	歩く
Pronunciation	aruku

English	walk fast	walk briskly/walk in haste
Action
Hiragana	はやくあるく	すたすたあるく
Kanji & Hiragana	早く歩く	すたすた歩く
Pronunciation	yayaku aruku	sutasuta aruku

English	walk slowly	walk slowly/walk sluggishly
Action
Hiragana	のんびりあるく	のろのろあるく
Kanji & Hiragana	のんびり歩く	のろのろ歩く
Pronunciation	nonbiri aruku	noro-noro aruku

English	toddle	stagger/reel
Action
Hiragana	よちよちあるく	よろよろあるく ふらふらあるく
Kanji & Hiragana	よちよち歩く	よろよろ歩く ふらふら歩く
Pronunciation	yochi-yochi aruku	yoro-yoro aruku yoro-yoro aruku

English	walk on
Action
Hiragana	あるきつづける
Kanji & Hiragana	歩き続ける
Pronunciation	aruki tsuzukeru

English	walk one's legs off/to be tired from walking
Action
Hiragana	あるきつかれる
Kanji & Hiragana	歩き疲れる
Pronunciation	aruki tsukareru

English	lumber/walk heavily	hard to walk
Action
Hiragana	のっしのっしあるく	あるきにくい
Kanji & Hiragana	のっしのっし歩く	歩きにくい
Pronunciation	noshi-noshi aruku	aruki nikui

 

Hararie

*Category: カテゴリ(kategori), Tag: タグ(tagu)

 

Let's learn three Japanese words

One or some Japanese words accompany each English word.
They are used most in Japan.
Because Japanese is a language with three scripts (hiragana, katakana, and kanji), the form is various.

*Choice of script type in Japanese writing: The scripts used most are in the illustration.

1. a crosswalk, a crossing

a crosswalk, a crossing
Kanji	横断歩道
Kanji & Hiragana	----------
Hiragana	おうだんほどう
Katakana	オウダンホドウ
Pronunciation	oudanhodou
Example	cross at a crosswalk 横断歩道を渡る oudanhodou wo wawtaru

2. a motorcycle

a motorcycle
Kanji	小型自動二輪車(kogata jidou nirinsha) *This name is a word used in the classification. It is not used so much in the daily conversation.
Kanji & Hiragana	----------
Hiragana	おーとばい(ōtobai/ootobai) ばいく(baiku)
Katakana	オートバイ(ōtobai/ootobai) バイク(baiku)

3. mom

mom
Kanji	--------
Kanji & Hiragana	お母さん(okāsan/okaasan)
Hiragana	おかあさん(okāsan/okaasan)
Katakana	オカアサン(okāsan/okaasan)
Annotation	Name that indicates various mothers in Japanese

Hararie

List of Japanese Noun Words

 

In this page, I used the image of this book.

Namae no Kotoba Ejiten (なまえのことばえじてん）

なまえのことばえじてん [namae no kotoba e-jiten]   1000 Japanese nouns were collected to this book. This book is for the infant. However, I think that this book is a very good teaching material for your studying Japanese. It is because "The fundamental noun which Japanese people use daily" is collected to this book. And, you will be able to learn a Japanese noun easily by the noun and the illustration in English. *You can buy this book in Japanese Amazon. (It is not sold outside Japan.)

 

Japanese expression various meaning of sitting

• The dark gray characters is "送りがな[Okuri-gana]".

English	sit down/sit/take [have] a seat/be seated	sit cross-legged
Action
Hiragana	すわる	あぐら を かく
Kanji	座る	胡座 を かく
Pronunciation	suwaru	agura wo kaku

English	sit on the floor (in) Japanese style	sit down/take a seat/seat oneself
Action
Hiragana	せいざ を する	こし を かける/こしかける
Kanji	正座 を する	腰 を 掛ける/腰掛ける
Pronunciation	seiza wo suru	koshi wo kakeru/koshikakeru

<正座(seiza)>:sitting up straight with one's legs folded underneath.

English	sit at (one's) ease	sit with one's legs crossed
Action
Hiragana	あし を くずす	あし を くむ
Kanji	足 を 崩す	足 を 組む
Pronunciation	ashi wo kuzusu	ashi wo kumu

English	squat down/crouch	kneel (down)/fall on one's knees/go down one's knees/get down one's knees
Action
Hiragana	うずくまる	ひざまずく
Kanji	蹲る	跪く
Pronunciation	uzukumaru	hizamazuku

English	sit down/crouch	crouch/stoop/squat
Action
Hiragana	すわりこむ	かがむ/しゃがむ
Kanji	座り込む	屈む/踞む
Pronunciation	suwarikomu	kagamu/shagamu

 

Hararie

*Category: カテゴリ(kategori), Tag: タグ(tagu)

 

Let's learn three Japanese words

One or some Japanese words accompany each English word.
They are used most in Japan.
Because Japanese is a language with three scripts (hiragana, katakana, and kanji), the form is various.

*Choice of script type in Japanese writing: The scripts used most are in the illustration.

1. an excursion, an outing, a picnic

an excursion, an outing, a picnic
Kanji	遠足
Kanji & Hiragana	----------
Hiragana	えんそく
Katakana	エンソク
Pronunciation	ensoku
Example	We went on a school trip[excursion, outing, picnic] to Hiroshima. 私たちは学校の遠足で広島に行った。 watashi tachi wa gakkou no ensoku de hiroshima ni itta.
Annotation	Day trip picnic for Japanese kids that is called "Ensoku" In Japanese schools, they have the event that is called "Ensoku". Every grade from elementary to high school does ensoku, which is usually a day trip to a somewhat local place. The youngest of the bunch, maybe 1-4 graders, visit someplace local within their own town and usually go by foot. In that case, all children wear the color hats. The hats are so the teachers won't lose anyone. In addition, each child has his/her own small Bento(lunch box) and thermos.

2. a pencil

a pencil
Kanji	鉛筆
Kanji & Hiragana	----------
Hiragana	えんぴつ
Katakana	エンピツ
Pronunciation	enpitsu
Example	a colored pencil 色鉛筆/色えんぴつ iro enpitsu
	a red pencil 赤鉛筆/赤えんぴつ aka enpitsu
	an HB pencil HBの鉛筆/HB鉛筆 ecchi bii no enpitsu/ecchi bii enpitsu
	a 2B pencil 2Bの鉛筆、2B鉛筆 ni bii no enpitsu/ni bii enpitsu
	a pencil with an eraser tip 消しゴム付きの鉛筆 keshigomu tsuki no enpitsu
	a blunt pencil 先が丸くなった鉛筆 saki ga marukunatta enpitsu
	a sharp-pointed pencil 先がとがった鉛筆 saki ga togatta enpitsu
	a hard-lead pencil 芯の(が)かたい鉛筆 shi no(ga) katai enpitsu
	sharpen a pencil 鉛筆を削る enpitsu wo kezuru

3. a tail

a tail
Kanji	尾(o)
Kanji & Hiragana	尾っぽ(oppo)
Hiragana	しっぽ(shippo), おっぽ(oppo)
Katakana	オ(o), オッポ(oppo), シッポ(shippo)
Example	droop one's tail 尾(しっぽ, 尾っぽ)を垂れる o[shippo, oppo] wo tareru
	keep one's tail low 尾(しっぽ, 尾っぽ)を垂らしている o[shippo, oppo] wo tarashiteiru
	raise[erect] one's tail 尾(しっぽ, 尾っぽ)をピンと立てる o[shippo, oppo] wo pin to tateru
	The dog wagged its tail. 犬は尾(しっぽ, 尾っぽ)をふった。 inu wa o[shippo, oppo] wo futta

Hararie

List of Japanese Noun Words

 

In this page, I used the image of this book.

Namae no Kotoba Ejiten (なまえのことばえじてん）

なまえのことばえじてん [namae no kotoba e-jiten]   1000 Japanese nouns were collected to this book. This book is for the infant. However, I think that this book is a very good teaching material for your studying Japanese. It is because "The fundamental noun which Japanese people use daily" is collected to this book. And, you will be able to learn a Japanese noun easily by the noun and the illustration in English. *You can buy this book in Japanese Amazon. (It is not sold outside Japan.)

 

Japanese expression various meaning of stand

• The dark gray characters is "送りがな[Okuri-gana]".

English	stand/stand up	stand up[get up] from the chair
Action
Hiragana	たつ	せきを たつ
Kanji	立つ	席を 立つ
Pronunciation	tatsu	seki wo tatsu

English	stand up/get up/rise/ [get] to one's feet	stop/pause/ stop suddenly/ come to a sudden stop
Action
Hiragana	たちあがる	たちどまる
Kanji	立ち上がる	立ち止まる
Pronunciation	tachiagaru	tachidomaru

English	go up/rise	These days I often feel dizzy when I get to my feet
Action
Hiragana	たちのぼる	たちくらみがする
Kanji	立ち上る	立ちくらみがする
Pronunciation	tachinoboru	tachikurami ga suru

English	bend[draw up] one's knees	stand pencil (on a table)
Action
Hiragana	ひざをたてる	（つくえに）えんぴつをたてる
Kanji	膝を立てる	（机に）鉛筆を立てる
Pronunciation	hiza wo tateru	(tsukue ni) enpitsu wo tateru

 

Hararie

Sanshodo-Kotoba tsukaikata ejiten

三省堂ことばつかいかた絵じてん [sanshoudou kotoba tsukaikata e jiten]   In this page, I used the image of this book. This is a book for children in Japan to learn basic Japanese. In this book, the word of Japan that we use in daily life is explained with the image, and it is very convenient. This book will be very useful for you who is learning Japanese. *You can buy this book in Japanese Amazon. (It is not sold outside Japan.)

*Category: カテゴリ(kategori), Tag: タグ(tagu)

 

 

Let's learn three Japanese words

One or some Japanese words accompany each English word.
They are used most in Japan.
Because Japanese is a language with three scripts (hiragana, katakana, and kanji), the form is various.

*Choice of script type in Japanese writing: The scripts used most are in the illustration.

1. an apron

an apron
Kanji	----------
Kanji & Hiragana	前掛け(maekake)
Hiragana	えぷろん(epuron)/まえかけ(maekake)
Katakana	エプロン(epuron)/マエカケ(maekake)
Example	an applique'd apron アップリケがついたエプロン appurike ga tsuita epuron
	I made an apron with the material my sister had left unused. 私は姉の使い残した布地でエプロンを作りました。 watashi wa ane no tsukai nokoshita nunoji de epuron wo tsukurimashita.
	Sushi chef's apron 寿司職人の前掛け sushi shokunin no maekake
	put on an apron エプロン（前掛け）をかける epuron(maekake) wo kakeru
	wear an apron エプロン（前掛け）をかけている。 epuron(maekake) wo kakete iru.

2. a picture book

a picture book
Kanji	絵本
Kanji & Hiragana	----------
Hiragana	えほん
Katakana	エホン
Pronunciation	ehon
Example	picture books for little children 幼年用絵本 younenyou ehon
	read a picture book to a child 子供に絵本を読み聞かせる kodomo ni ehon wo yomikikaseru

3. an elevator

an elevator
Kanji	----------
Kanji & Hiragana	----------
Hiragana	えれべーたー
Katakana	エレベーター
Pronunciation	erebeetaa/erebētā
Example	an elevator building エレベーター付きビル erebeetaa tsuki biru
	get out of an elevator at the third floor. 3階でエレベーターから降りる sangai de erebeetaa kara oriru
	get into of an elevator at the third floor. 3階でエレベーターに乗る sangai de erebeetaa ni noru
	take an elevator up to the third floor 3階までエレベーターで上がっていく sangai made erebeetaa de agatte iku
	take an elevator down to the third floor 3階までエレベーターで降りていく sangai made erebeetaa de orite iku
Annotation	a walk up building: エレベーターがない建物 erebeetaa ga nai tatemono
	an elevator operator: エレベーターガール erebeetaa gaaru

Hararie

List of Japanese Noun Words

 

In this page, I used the image of this book.

Namae no Kotoba Ejiten (なまえのことばえじてん）

なまえのことばえじてん [namae no kotoba e-jiten]   1000 Japanese nouns were collected to this book. This book is for the infant. However, I think that this book is a very good teaching material for your studying Japanese. It is because "The fundamental noun which Japanese people use daily" is collected to this book. And, you will be able to learn a Japanese noun easily by the noun and the illustration in English. *You can buy this book in Japanese Amazon. (It is not sold outside Japan.)

 

 

Many ways for you to say "I'm sorry" in Japanese

 

The most polite way to say I'm sorry is to say "すみません(sumimasen) or すいません(suimasen).
Another basic Japanese word for offering an apology is "ごめん(gomen)".

The Japanese typically apologize more frequently.
This results from cultural differences between them.Apologizing is considered a virtue in Japan.
When apologizing the Japanese often bow.

If you are apologizing that something has been done, "申し訳ありませんでした(moushiwake arimasen deshita)" can be used.
Like "すみません(sumimasen)", "申し訳ありません(or ございません）Moushiwake arimasen(or gozaimasen)" is also used to express gratitude.

Here are some expressions used to apologize.

English	Japanese & Pronunciation
I'm sorry	ごめん gomen
	ごめんなさい(polite) gomen nasai
	すまん suman
	すみません/すいません(polite) sumimasen/suimasen

English	Japanese & Pronunciation
I'm very(so)sorry	どうもすみません。 doumo sumimasen.
	If you are apologizing that something has been done, どうもすみませんでした。 doumo sumimasen deshita
	申し訳ありません。/申し訳ございません。 moushiwake arimasen/moushiwake gozaimasen
	If you are apologizing that something has been done, 申し訳ありませんでした。/申し訳ございませんでした。 moushiwake arimasen deshita/moushiwake gozaimasen deshita

English	Japanese & Pronunciation
Sorry, I said too much.	言いすぎてごめん。 iisugite gomen
I'm sorry, I said too much.	言いすぎてごめんなさい。 iisugite gomen nasai. 言いすぎてすみません。 iisugite sumimasen.

English	Japanese & Pronunciation
Sorry, I didn't it(that).	ごめん、そんなつもりじゃなかったんだ。 gomen, sonna tsumorija nakattanda.

English	Japanese & Pronunciation
Sorry, if I'm wrong.	ちがってたらごめん。 chigattetara gomen.
I'm sorry, if I'm wrong.	ちがってたらごめんなさい。 chigattetara gomen nasai.

English	Japanese & Pronunciation
Sorry, if I'm mistaken.	まちがってたらごめん。 machigatte tara gomen.
I'm sorry, if I'm mistaken.	まちがってたらごめんなさい。 machigatte tara gomen nasai.

English	Japanese & Pronunciation
Sorry, my bad.	ごめんごめん、私のミス。 gomen gomen, watashi no misu.

English	Japanese & Pronunciation
I'm sorry [Sorry], I was wrong.	ごめんなさい[ごめん]、私がまちがってた。 gomennasai[gomen], watashi ga machigatteta. ごめんなさい[ごめん]、私が悪かった。 gomennasai[gomen], watashi ga warukatta.

English	Japanese & Pronunciation
Sorry, I'm late.	遅れてごめん。 okurete gomen.
I'm sorry, I'm late.	遅れてごめんなさい。 okurete gomen nasai. 遅れてすみません。 okurete sumimasen.

English	Japanese & Pronunciation
Sorry, I bothered you.	じゃましてごめん。 jama shite gomen.
I'm sorry, I bothered you.	じゃましてごめんなさい。 jama shite gomen nasai. じゃましてすみません。 jama shite sumimasen.

Hararie