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Imperative before と言う
Does using the imperative form (i.e., → ) before mean "[He] said I have/had to..."?
I saw this sentence used:
I think this sentence basically means: Because I dirtied the seat with sand, [the taxi driver] said I had to pay the cleaning cost!
So, can using the imperative form of a verb mean "...said I had to..."?
And, if that is true, then could I make the following sentences?
* says I have to go
* said I have to eat vegetables
| It's a simple imperative plus quoting particle. A basic "he told me to pay for the cleaning," or "tell me to go" or "told me to eat," essentially the same thing as what you offered as translations. It's a form of direct quotation and this doesn't really constitute a special case. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 4,
"question_score": 2,
"tags": "grammar, imperatives"
} |
Translation of 人となり
I cannot understand the meaning of in the following sentence:
> ****
Some sort of translation: If Mibu-san would be partner of that ghost than things that happened before seems strange. (Sorry for bad translation)
!enter image description here | []{} ≒ []{} (goo)
≒ aside from~~ (alc) | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 4,
"question_score": 3,
"tags": "translation"
} |
Questions with 辞書形 and raising tone and 辞書形＋の？
I was tonight with japanese friends and I noticed they rather used a simple form along with a raising tone to ask a question, although we learned in class that "non-polite" questions were formed with +. Is there a difference between the two ? From this topic "Is ending question sentences with really feminine?" I gathered that might have a feminine touch when used along with statements, but what about questions in general ? Can I use without sounding like a weirdo ? I also heard the two, along with no-verb questions in an anime I'm currently watching, Ergo Proxy, but I guess these are used whenever the verb and/or subject are well defined by the context... To summarize with examples :
*
*
*
What's the difference between the above examples ? Can I use any of those in any given situation ? Thanks, | > Can I use without sounding like a weirdo ?
Yes.
> Is there a difference between the two ?
Yes. A question with is usually asking about a reason, or following up on a piece of information. For example, means "are you studying?", and might have undertones of "is _that_ why (e.g.) you can't come out tonight?", whereas is a straightforward yes/no question. Compare ("I am studying") with ("(it's because) I am studying"). | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 3,
"question_score": 3,
"tags": "usage, particle の, questions, spoken language"
} |
Sentence ending with -とでも
> Konna ikari ni warawa ga hirumu _**to demo?**_ (Fairy Tail manga)
In this sentence does that mean,
> Should I be scared/afraid of this (little) anger?
> (a humiliation/mocking intent is directed in this sentence)
or,
> Do I need to be scared of this kinda anger? | used at the end of a sentence, can turn the statement into a question with a sentiment expressing resentment, astonishment, antagonism or just plain emphasis.
> []{}[]{}[]{}
> And you think that anger would make me flinch?
Examples:
>
> `You're going to verify THAT?'
>
> Like I need you to tell me that.
>
> 'What would you have it?' said the Queen. (from Alice in Wonderland)
>
> So what if I am gay? Is it a crime?
Source:
| stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 3,
"question_score": 1,
"tags": "grammar, translation"
} |
Is 「てまえ」an informal way of referring to someone?
I was recently flipping through a copy of the []{} manga and seem to recall a senior figure talking to a junior character, referring to them multiple times as .
It caught my attention as unless I misread it, it was not , which I could have understood.
Is this a way to refer to another (junior) person? | () literally in front of my/your hands. Besides having several meanings as a noun, it can be used as first person pronoun or as second person pronoun. (See dictionary entry, under 2 [].)
(as a pronoun) is also pronounced (and written) as .
Although historically being used for people of higher rank, / is now colloquial language for addressing someone of equal or lower rank and, in your situation, a synonym for (or , when used as first person pronoun). | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 5,
"question_score": 2,
"tags": "word choice"
} |
How is "しかい" used in this sentence?
I'm a bit confused about how "" is used in this sentence I came across while studying:
**** "I was the only one there."
My guess is that it is an ending to "", but I couldn't find any information supporting that. | It's actually the particle `` "nothing but/nobody but" plus ``, the negative past form of `` "to be/to exist" (animate). Your translation is right. It means "I was the only one there".
The particle `` is always paired with negative verbs like this. Taking an example from _A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar_ (p.401):
> **** []{}
> Nobody but Bob came. = Only Bob came.
The particle `` works the same way in your example. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 5,
"question_score": 3,
"tags": "translation, meaning, particle しか"
} |
How to read 前 on its own?
For example, when you're on a homepage, and on the bottom, you can go to the previous page with the button and the next page with the button. | It's []{} and []{} as in []{} and []{}. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 7,
"question_score": 4,
"tags": "usage, kanji, readings"
} |
Translating --「きめぜりふつかった」って？
Playing through a game, and I've encountered a verb / combination I've never seen before. The full dialogue is:
>
Am I looking at some stem of Or something else entirely? What's the statement mean?
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you! | Yes, it's the stem of plus (plus the past tense of ): []{}[]{} is one's "signature phrase".
The sentence is thus
>
> Did you already use your signature phrase on the princess?
I'll leave you to make sense of it in the context of your game. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 2,
"question_score": 0,
"tags": "grammar, words, conjunctions"
} |
Conjugation of negative auxiliary 〜ぬ
functions the same way as an adjective, and so it can be conjugated to , , and so on. As far as I can tell, this is not case for . Does it function as a standalone suffix, or is it able to be conjugated? If so, how would one put it into the past tense, etc?
Also, is the negative auxiliary in Kansai dialect a contraction of ? If so, does this form of the negative function in the same way as ? | The conjugation of (or, more properly, ) is as follows in classical Japanese:
* Predicative form ():
* Attributive form ():
* Adverbial form ():
* Realis form ():
As you can see, it is somewhat defective; the missing conjugations are sometimes supplemented by the corresponding forms of (more properly, ). In modern western dialects, the predicative form has been replaced by the attributive form, which has indeed been contracted to . This page has more details (in Japanese).
The classical ways of forming the past tense of are and (and in older writings, and ), but in modern western dialects it is supposed to be . Apparently and are also attested. Nowadays one also sees but this should probably be regarded as a contraction of rather than a continuation of something classical – the only has citations starting from the late 19th century. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 6,
"question_score": 2,
"tags": "negation, auxiliaries, auxiliary ず"
} |
Are 短（い） and 身近（い・な） related?
Is one derived from the other? `` means - amongst other definitions - "close/near to one(self)", so it's not that much of a leap to say that something near to you is a "short" distance away, and get `` from that. Is there any truth to this, or is it just coincidental? Or this there some other kind of connection between these words?
* Bonus Question: Does the correct spelling of `` use a `` or a ``? Related Discussion | The historical spelling () of uses a instead of a , so this rules out the possibility of an etymological relationship between and . | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 4,
"question_score": 5,
"tags": "words, etymology, homonyms"
} |
What is the use of the particle "の" and "ある方"?
I am a bit confused about this sentence I came across while studying:
"Please feel free to ask any questions."
I'm not sure about the "" part of the sentence.
My guess is that it would have to mean "to ask" in some way, but I can't figure out how. Is the possessive?
Thank's for the help. | here is (honorific 'person'), so means 'anyone who has questions'. is often used in relative clauses to mark subject (where might otherwise be expected). | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 3,
"question_score": 3,
"tags": "grammar, translation, particles, definitions, particle の"
} |
meaning of だけ in 分だけ
I'm confused in in the following sentence. As far as I can understand "The more you lack on magic energy, the more incomplete(?) distance(path) becomes." But I'm having doubts about it.
> ****
Thank you very much for help! | I think of this as meaning "to the extent that". The intuitively more easy use for me to understand and adopt was xxxwhich can means "Please do the best you can to **_" or "To the extent that you can, please __ __**". As this sentence shows, the word can take this sense with nouns aswell as verbs.
> "To the extent the magic power is lacking, the distance will be odd (off)"
[ is usually translated as "odd" but the skill of translation is not just to understand but to put these things things into natural English (in other words, my translation is still falls a bit short but the more you practice...)] | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 3,
"question_score": 3,
"tags": "grammar"
} |
How should I understand 今よりもっと?
> person:
>
> me: ... ;;
>
> person:
>
> person: I want to lose weight, now more than ever/especially now
>
> me: Me too... ;;
>
> person: Ya know-;)
Ok so is not an easy one to translate colloquially, but my question is about .
How are my translations above, and how is this parsing?
>
>
> now/more/more
or
> now/even more
Is this the that means "more," as in the following example?
> Since we can't find a better one, let's make the best of what we have.
Would anyone care to explain fully if my understanding is wrong? | It is often the case that some part, which a speaker thinks of while speaking is added to the end of a sentence, or even added as a new sentence.
In this case
> →
Of course, the first sentence just means
> I want to lose even more weight than now.
and the second sentence is just a rearranged version of the first. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 4,
"question_score": 2,
"tags": "words, phrases, spoken language"
} |
Question about 金欠で久しく in the sentence 金欠で久しくスタバに行けてないけど・・・
May I ask about the construction of this sentence?
> ****
I know the meaning is along the lines of ...but I don't have any money and can't go to Starbucks."
I understand ``.
What I'm not sure I understand is the construction of ``. Is the adverbial form of `` used in the same way as the form when multiple verbs are listed? In other words, is `` essentially "for a long time, and..."?
Thank you for your help! | adverbally modifies . I scrambled it back into a more common position here:
>
> out-of-money-SO starbucks-TO a-while go-POTENTIAL-TEIRU-NOT but
"Uh, I've been out of money, so I haven't been able to go to starbucks for a while." | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 6,
"question_score": 2,
"tags": "grammar"
} |
Hyakunin Isshu pronunciation; ちはやふる vs. ちはやぶる?
In the Hyakunin Isshu, the 17th poem (found here) has me stumped. In the manga/anime , the title is written and pronounced as , but on the card for the game the manga revolved around (also found here) it is written as in furigana. Is it pronounced as or ? If it's , then why is the title of the manga ?
EDIT: Saw on the second-to-last sentence I wrote twice... glad you guys knew what I meant :) | According to this, the original man'yougana version of this poem has , but this particular makura-kotoba in other poems is written either with or with spellings that could be read either way. At some point in the past this poem's version ended up changed to match the rest, but whether or not the original was supposed to be anyway is unclear.
As for the correct Heian-jidai pronunciation, it would be probably either [tiɸajaɸuru] or [tiɸajaburu], depending on which was the actual original version. (ɸ is the modern Japanese f before u; j is what in English is typically spelled y; and u is the modern Spanish u rather than the modern Japanese u, which is more like [ɯ].) | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 2,
"question_score": 1,
"tags": "pronunciation, classical japanese, anime, manga"
} |
What local dialect (if any) will I encounter/learn?
So, I'm going to Japan as part of the JET Programme, and will be staying in Minamiaizu, Fukushima Prefecture.
While I have about 18 months of Japanese, these were mostly night classes, and I could really use more daily practice (.... which I'm expecting to get); I've been informed that the local area has their own dialect - what am I going to end up learning (not necessarily deliberately), and what's going to be different for me? What are the characteristics of the local dialect?
(If it helps, the class was using this series, which I'm assuming is teaching 'Tokyo standard' Japanese) | Touhoku dialect? More details here: <
That being said, unless you're going way off into the boonies, I think if you've got a good understanding of standard Japanese, you'll be fine.
Here are some of my informal experiences with different dialects:
1. Only a problem if you're speaking informally, which most likely means with a friend - someone who will forgive your listening comprehension mistakes :)
2. That being said, most of the dialects I've encountered haven't been soooo extremely different from standard japanese that I couldn't understand what was being said. Usually the suffixes of verbs (verb conjugations) change a bit, and some local-only vocabulary might come into play.
Part of the fun of learning Japanese is learning these local dialects :) Hope this helps. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 1,
"question_score": 1,
"tags": "learning, dialects"
} |
What is 坊 in 朝寝坊する?
I always thought that in was a bit weird. At least in Chinese, means "small factory". Thus I assumed it was a pun about "went to work at the morning sleeping factory" though it seems a bit far-fetched. How come it is not just or even ? | in Japanese is fairly uncommon on its own, but it means something like 'kid' or 'boy' most of the time (originally it was 'monk', and it's shifted a bit semantically). is a somewhat playful term for someone who has trouble getting up in the morning, and as a verb means 'sleep late' or 'oversleep'. is basically the same thing.
's modern Chinese meaning is probably the result of it being used as the simplification of an unrelated character, but I could be wrong. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 3,
"question_score": 4,
"tags": "words, usage, etymology"
} |
Usage of お[冷]{ひや} ＆ お水
I just went out for lunch with a friend and when the waiter asked what we want to drink, I ordered '[]{}' whereas I noticed my friend asked for '[]{}'.
Which expression would be more common or is there some distinction on who, where or when to use either one?
| Both are used. is a bit more chic and it is only cold water (to drink) while is just _water_ in a general meaning.
You will never be repressed for using instead of , vice versa. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 9,
"question_score": 13,
"tags": "word choice, synonyms"
} |
What is the English equivalent of an 意匠ノート?
I came across the term as a type of notebook. Translated, I guess it would be a "design notebook," but I'm not sure what that means? A drawing book? A notebook with graph paper for architectural designing? If anyone has any insight, would appreciate it! | doesn't means 'notebook for designer'.
means ... Notebook that have not only notebook feature, but also good looking (or / and) more useful design.
* * *
For Example
This notebook cut obliquely to turn the pages easily. ( for more useful design ) <
This is a notebook with lacework. ( for good looking design ) <
Japanese stationery maker KOKUYO uses the word "" well. Those are slightly useful or slightly beautiful. (in Japanese or ). | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 6,
"question_score": 3,
"tags": "words"
} |
The usages of 厚い and 篤い
From what I read, is used when something is thick or abundant and is used when describing a serious illness. But what confuses me is that in a dictionary (Tagaini Jisho) both of these are in the same entry, is it because the kanji can be interchangeable? Is commonly used? And which kanji would be used for the second definition hospitable?
The entry: Alternate writings: ()
1. Thick, deep, heavy. [ () ]
2. Kind, cordial, hospitable, warm, faithful.
3. Serious (of an illness). [ () ]
4. Abundant. [ () ] | I guess you are referring to a dictionary entry like this one. I think that is not a reading (only is ), so that covers the meaning "serious illness", but is used often for this meaning. (Compare , meaning "serious illness".) I can't find the key for , but I'd guess that the little triangle means "beware, not ".
Note also that also means "kind", e.g. as in , so the meanings of and do overlap (but don't overlap with or ) and the choice of is partly a matter of personal taste. The dictionary provides an official guideline. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 2,
"question_score": 5,
"tags": "kanji, word choice"
} |
passive voice and potential voice
I'm having troubles with distinguishing between passive voice and potential voice in the following sentences, help me please.
* * *
!enter image description here
……
****
……
!enter image description here
`
””……
””
****
……
`
Some sort of translation: pic1 -
> When he was in kindergarten ? I was compared with him(this?), and she is saying "everything is fine", hey. - passive.
>
> When he was in kindergarten ? She could compare me with him(this?), and she is saying "everything is fine", hey. - potential.
pic2 -
> The results has been achieved only because of Miss McCunnen's help. - passive.
>
> We(?) were able to do it only because of Miss McCunnen's help. - potential.
As always thank you very much for help! | 1.
Passive. The subjects for and () are the speaker. (The subject of is . The speaker is saying that is comparing his with her little brother's ... and says "... and you think I feel fine(=)? Hey." )
2.
Potential. It's like "We managed/were able to do it only/precisely because we had Miss McCunnen's backup."
cf. weblio | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 1,
"question_score": 1,
"tags": "grammar, potential form"
} |
Why is 着 used for both "to wear" [着]{き}る and "to arrive" [着]{つ}く?
The usual situation with multiple _kun_ readings for a kanji is that they are closely related in meaning (like []{}, []{}). But with []{} and []{} I fail to see any semantic connection. Why is the same character used? Did one of the meanings formerly use another character that became the same by simplification? | Etymology aside, I see a semantic connection between the two verbs, in that and both have a meaning of 'attachment', with having at least some overlap with . is something attached to your body. It is a bit unintuitive but you can make the leap of arriving at a place as entering into it and becoming spatially attached to it as in .
I didn't find an 'official' source, but I found one QA site answer that supposes a similar thing:
Also see the link for lots of different opinions. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 3,
"question_score": 5,
"tags": "kanji"
} |
Why is the も particle used when asking to borrow something?
If I ask, "Can I borrow a pencil?" I might say:
Why do we use the particle here, since we're not saying **also** this or that? To express **also** is the main usage of mo I'm familiar with. | Of course, is not limited to borrowing, but rather any form of permission.
Being very literal...
> "to borrow a pencil"
> "Is it okay if I borrow a pencil?"
> **** "Is it okay **even** if I borrow a pencil?"
It is certainly not ungrammatical to have a there (syntactically, you can insert any {} between the and the following verb/adjective), and semantically it makes sense as well.
The fact that the form with the is more _popular_ , however, is just idiomatic. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 6,
"question_score": 4,
"tags": "grammar, particle も"
} |
What is the difference in usage of [実行]{じっこう}する and [実施]{じっし}する?
So at my office i see both []{} and []{} used a lot to mean "carry out" a task.
Any time I ask a Japanese person they tell me "they are the same".
Can anyone tell me any differences in usages, or any specific cases where one is preferred over the other? Or any specific nuances one implies?
Some examples straight from my email inbox:
*
*
* 0
*
* | In an IT context is execution in the sense of executing a program. , on the other hand, refers generally to putting some plan into action. and do have overlapping meanings in the sense that they involve setting something in action, but the IT meaning is exclusive to in most usage that I've seen (and in the dictionary) though there may be some overlap there.
In broader terms separated from IT, is something more labored and requiring some sort of judgment or effort beyond that which you would associate with , like "time to execute plan B!" I associate more with the English meaning of "conduct," as in "conduct an examination/experiment/survey/whatever." It refers simply to a real life implementation of something that is planned but that is not extraordinary in any particular sense.
There's a nice answer here that has a little more discussion about it: < | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 8,
"question_score": 3,
"tags": "meaning, word choice"
} |
What does 中 suggest when it's used with another word? (e.g. 世界中 and 絶望中)
I've heard it thrown about in different contexts, but I never quite under neither what it does or what dictates when the sound changes to in a context, as in . Anyone have any ideas? | roughly means "the space inside". In case of , it means "the space inside the world", which is "everywhere in the world". In case of , it means the person is within the time of despair (it probably helps if you imagine time to be long tube or something). | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 1,
"question_score": 0,
"tags": "words, kanji"
} |
Which one is the appropriate preposition for the sentence below?
I was playing some game where one has to choose the appropriate preposition. In the sentence below, is the correct answer as per the game but I got confused and didn't understand why is the correct one from the options AND
**** | "" is the topic marker and is used to mark the main topic/subject of the sentence, which in your case here is Japan. A lot of learning resources suggest that can be thought of as "As for..." so you could think of as "As for Japan..".
The particle marks the subject of the sentence and is slightly different from although of confused. You can read more about it here. <
The particles and have many usages chiefly though, is used to mark a method or means by which something is done e.g. (I will go by car), or the place in which an action takes occurs so it wouldn't be right here. As for , I am still not sure on when to use it correctly all the time but many times, it marks the direction in which an action occurs/the indirect object of the sentence. So it would be wrong here too.
Thus, the sentence translates to "As for Japan, the prices are high" i.e. "Japan is expensive". Hope this helps. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 1,
"question_score": 0,
"tags": "particles"
} |
Which reading is more common for 剣: tsurugi or ken
by itself can be read either way. What's the difference?
Clarification: In particular, when refers to a sword, which reading are natives more likely to use? | A little research leads me to believe that refers exclusively to double-bladed swords ({}{}) while can refer to any sword, including single- or double-bladed, as well as a bunch of other metaphorical meanings and referring to sword arts and whatnot.
See the answer here:
<
As for which is more common, it's . | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 7,
"question_score": 6,
"tags": "kanji, readings"
} |
Can はbe omitted as a shortcut in speech?
So I have this book, "Easy Japanese, A Direct Learning Approach for Immediate Communication".
I notice that is often omitted in sentences.
So instead of saying:
It might read:
Is the omitting of valid? It definitely would seem like the sentence is still easy to understand without the . And I've sometimes felt that the can start to feel repetitive, so I'd be happy to know if I can omit the at times.
But would the Japanese actually speak this way? Because if not I want to avoid such a habit. | Yes, it is often omitted. Many particles are omitted at various times in casual speech.
However...
If you want my two cents on the subject, you should probably try to stick to the rules as much as possible while you are a beginner (I'm going on the assumption that you are) because breaking the rules is a really nuanced thing that can sound strange if you don't have a solid understanding of where, when, why, and how it's done. Learn where you can and can't take shortcuts as much as possible through exposure to real Japanese, and please try not to form any habits except correct speech until you're comfortable enough to experiment with it. I can't tell you how many incredibly awkward conversations I've had with people learning English who are desperate to use slang and various English contractions and just sound strange in the process. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 2,
"question_score": 1,
"tags": "grammar, particles, particle は"
} |
Computing: How to say "optional parameters"
In programming, a function can have optional parameters, for instance getTemperature() could have an optional parameter "Unit" to say I want the temperature in Kelvin for instance. By default, when specifying no parameter, it would be in Celsius.
How to say `optional parameters` in Japanese?
ALC says ``:
> Both required and optional parameters are listed.
>
But I believe they are wrong, and their translation has a different meaning. | You are looking for
> / => required parameter(s).
and
> / => optional parameter(s) | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 3,
"question_score": 1,
"tags": "translation, computing"
} |
What is the meaning and grammatical construction of 人って?
I am trying to understand the grammar behind "[noun]".
I looked up some examples on space alc web, and seems to mean people, someone, or some person. I have seen other examples of the [noun] usage, so I guess its common but probably I am missing something. | is a colloquial particle and has two main functions.
1. Being used as a colloquial topic marker (instead of or ), e.g.
>
> People are awesome.
2. Being used as a quotation marker (instead of or ), e.g.
>
> She said you are a little weird.
>
>
> The word "hito" is kinda weird. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 13,
"question_score": 4,
"tags": "grammar, particles, colloquial language, quotes, particle って"
} |
Why are Japanese song lyrics often so seemingly ungrammatical?
For example, Natsukawa Rimi's has this has most of the verbs in plain with no apparent reason:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> etc etc
from Castle in the Sky has English word order:
> /
The way I understood that line it is equivalent to
> /
though I might be wrong and this is just two noun phrases standing by themselves.
The most weird song that I often listen to is from . The first stanza:
> /
I understand it as follows:
>
Though I might be wrong.
Some of the lines are half-grammatical but have weird meanings (Words I filled in to understand in brackets):
>
>
>
(Yeah right, knowing that blue sky is blue.)
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
(Why would a "body tending to zero" "fill up ears"? I'm reminded of < ...) | First example: Your misunderstanding as Earthling points out
Second example: Ending a sentence with a noun or noun phrase, which is very common in Japanese poetry or lyrics
Third example: Grammatically correct, though it uses the techniques like inversion of the word order and ending a sentence with a noun
I think, generally speaking, Japanese language, or we Japanese people, don't value logic or gramatical rules.
We value the feeling and the beauty in each words, especially in poems or songs.
That's why you feel weird for such a beautiful Japanese lyrics. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 5,
"question_score": 3,
"tags": "grammar, usage, syntax, song lyrics"
} |
Origins and meanings of って?
I hear everywhere, and in the case of I heard it was a shortening of . But in the case of things like questions, where does come from, and what exactly does it mean? | It is a contraction on , simple at that. It may be used with an omission (eg. but I am afraid you just have to accept it as this and get on with getting familiar with when it is used. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 1,
"question_score": 4,
"tags": "etymology, particle って"
} |
Usage of どういう意味
It seems strange to me that in Japanese the preferable question is while in English we ask "what is its meaning", rather than, "how do you say it's meaning." Although you can ask can you say This statement of making meanings how's and not what's is difficult for me to understand. Any suggestions? | and are pretty much fixed constructions with meanings similar to and . They're not limited to . For example, you can say
>
> What kind of house do you live in? | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 5,
"question_score": 2,
"tags": "etymology"
} |
Difference between Ｖるのにともなって and Ｖるにともなって?
I've been trying to work out the usage of , , and so on, but am having difficulty understanding the difference between placing the particle after a verb and before . One grammar resource that I have only gives the usage with as examples, while another only gives the usage without it as examples.
The first gives as an example:
The second gives as an example:
Is there a general rule for when to use each of these patterns? | The particle does not usually readily take on a postposition to a verb. That is why the nominaliser comes in to "rescue" the situation. Then as the structure becomes formed, the nominalisation is implicitly understood and forms the zero-nominalised form without the .
Zero-nominalisation is when nominalisation occurs without an overt particle.
If you have A Dictionary of Intermediate Japanese Grammar, I think you can refer to page 291. There is a similar situation with and . The dictionary notes that there is no difference between them.
Consider:
> * It takes a considerable amount of time in order to learn Japanese
>
> * (with overt nominalisation)
>
> * (zero-nominalisation)
>
>
The meaning is the same for both of them. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 1,
"question_score": 2,
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Pronunciation of 天爾遠波 (てにをは)
Straightforward question. `` (or ``) - written as `` \- is a term used to refer to the Japanese particles (``) or sometimes Japanese grammar as a whole (``). So how to do pronounce the `` at the end? Is it `` or ``? Presumably it's the former since it's describing particles, but I've never seen it definitively explained anywhere. | According to the entry about in :
> wa
Which is probably the source of confusion. If one thinks of it as a "word" then they might be inclined to read it as `te-ni-o-wa`.
However, according to the entry about in :
> ()
So, as you can see, it's more like an acronym of sorts than it is an actual "word" (as in it identifies the markup actually used in ``). Therefore, it is read as `te-ni-o-ha`.
* * *
Additionally, `` (i.e., ``) is read as `i-ro-ha` and not `i-ro-wa` (I have no sources to back up this claim, though, other than my own experience). | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 4,
"question_score": 5,
"tags": "words, pronunciation"
} |
Difference between 延ばす and 伸ばす
As far as I can tell, they both mean something like stretch or extend. When would you use each one? | Try converting into Kanji and your IME should have a pop up that tells you the difference.
Mine (Google IME) says:
> ****
> 1.
> 2.
> 3.
>
>
> ****
> 1.
> 2.
So...
> **** for
> 1\. Making something longer. Ex. growing your nails, extending a route.
> 2\. Making something straight. Ex. straightening your back or smoothing a wrinkle.
> 3\. Increasing things like power/momentum. Ex. extending one's influence or power.
>
>
> **** for
> 1\. Making the time of something later. Postponing something. Ex. extending a deadline or departure time.
> 2\. Adding to something already existing such as a route to make it longer (`` also OK for this). | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 4,
"question_score": 2,
"tags": "words, nuances, word choice"
} |
What form is this? おわってなさすぎ
>
There's te-form for owarimasu, and I see sugiru form. What does the "nasasugi" part mean? | = unfinished.
is a conjugation attached to the stem of a verb to mean "too much". However, when follows a negative form, becomes .
Therefore would mean "__ is too unfinished", and is its stem. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 2,
"question_score": 2,
"tags": "て form"
} |
What does '今よ' mean?
What does '' do when placed after a single noun like ''?
>
Would it be considered a question, like "Now?" ? | As for the meaning, it means just what always does as a sentence-final particle... it emphasizes the sentence is intended to convey information to the listener.
More important though is the fact that it is a sentence-final particle.
For some reason, the interjection `Now!`, said when you want someone to take a (prearranged, mutually agreed) action right at that moment, doesn't seem to work in Japanese with just the noun ``. It needs to be a sentence like `` ("[It, the time to act] is now"). A sentence-final particle achieves that.
The use of `` here in `` is another way to make `` into a sentence, and which compared to `` or `` has more of a feminine feel due to the dropping of ``.
(Here we start getting into role language and the difference in usage of `` and `` between genders in real life and fiction.)
> Wiktionary:
> ** ** _(at least in real life --Hyper)_
>
> *
> * ()
> | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 7,
"question_score": 2,
"tags": "meaning"
} |
Are there differences between 自動車{じどうしゃ} and 車?
According to the dictionary, both of these terms refer to the same object: car/automobile.
Now, I understand that is also used in compounds to provide the "vehicle" part as in , but I'm just referring to the meaning "car" in this question.
Is there really a difference between these two terms? Register? Formal/informal? None? | Nowadays, is used in much the same context as "automobile", just as is used in the same way as "car". Indeed, the kanji that make up literally translate to "automobile". Generally speaking, if you can't decide which is more appropriate to use in a given situation, just imagine if in English you would say "automobile" or "car".
That said, has more of a technical connotation to it. You'll primarily see it in technical documents, official forms (such as insurance forms), and the names of companies (e.g. ). "Car" is more common in casual speech. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 9,
"question_score": 8,
"tags": "words, word choice"
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Talking about people
first time asking a question on here. What is the difference in meaning between and if you know any others it would be nice to include those too.
How do you use them properly? | * human race as in []{} (where no one has been before)
* ("human thing") is not used to address other people. It is formal, and often used in the third person or referring to humans in general.
For example or .
* (=) emphasizes that there are more than one , as in "people."
* The hardest is , Chinese-based, and a Japanese word. The former feels more formal and abstract (like Latin vocabulary in English.)
The compound comes from.(), ie the interaction/relation of individual humans, and is often used with social connotation. ,
Here's a nice quote I found:
( from this page we can tell there's a philosophy behind vs. )
is used in phrases such as: []{}, but not .
is used in compounds with other ON-word: , , you cannot substitute for here.
can also be read and means []{}, . Eg []{}[]{}.
Also, note that the actual usage of these words is likely more complex than illustrated above, which should be regarded as a rule of thumb, a general tendency. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 5,
"question_score": 5,
"tags": "meaning, word choice, synonyms"
} |
What's the meaning of よーちぇん時 and おらん?
I am reading something but I can't decipher the meaning of this: and
The first one I can grasp the sense since it tells Mi-kun not to forget the time but is affixed before . Upon searching google, many of the searches returns something about time like "".
On the second one, I am confused if this means "I" as is a northen dialect for . However, the speaker speaks in Kansa-ben so maybe that's not it. I know there's in Kansai-ben which means in standard dialect. With affixed to it, does it mean negates ? | Never seen before but it must be a lazy pronunciation of {}
So: "I haven't forgotten it since kindergarten"
And no context in the question but will most likely be the negative of , yes. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 6,
"question_score": 3,
"tags": "time, kansai ben"
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Why does 「大雨」mean 「大量に降る雨」?
I've been thinking about the word and can't seem to ignore the kanjiin it. Why does mean (a great quantity of rain)? Wouldn't something like be more appropriate?
When I was first studying Japanese, and I saw the word my first impression was that it meant "the rain drops were large". Is there any reason why in was chosen to represent that "there is a lot of rain"? | The `` is probably used here to mean `` which means ``, ``, or ``. So it's more like "a great rain", where "great" could either mean `` or perhaps "big in scope".
Your logic with `` makes sense, but I've never seen that word until now. However, the definitions I see for it say "heavy rainfall" or "much rainfall". The "-fall" in those to me would indicate rain over a longer period of time, as opposed to one "instance" (day, afternoon, etc.) of rain. In fact, another definition shows `` | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 2,
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"tags": "kanji"
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modifying of 後ろ
I've got troubles with modifying in the following sentence. Can somebody please explain this part for me. As far as I understand the sentence "Kicking around piled up snow, I'm following him."
!enter image description here
As always thank you very much. | , , and are often used in Japanese as if they had their own volition, particularly in modifying clauses.
You can say that a person's is walking off into the distance () -- this really means **that person** is walking into the distance, and the perspective of the scene is (the speaker) watching their back as they go.
So in this case, the speaker is following their (i.e. behind them) as it (as they) ``, `advance in a manner of kicking the piled-up snow about`. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 5,
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(sentence) Usage of 圏外
I am confused by the usage of in this sentence. My translation would be:
I was named after a popular idol, Takuya, who was at the top of popularity rankings, outside the top 10.
The fact that the idol was outside the top ten most popular idols is strange given that he already said "at the top". I would understand if there was a "but", as in "at the top, but not in the top 10". The way it is currently, it seems like "outside top ten" is somehow reinforcing the "at the top" part, which doesn't make sense logically.
Clarification: This sentence is part of an explanation about self introductions and means 'named after' in this context. | I'm not sure how you got to your translation.
Isn't everything before a relative clause?
> Takuya-kun, who followed the example of popular idol(s) and ranked high last year, is outside the top ten.
Would this make sense in the context?
Edit: Thanks Marasai for pointing out that this is about baby names. So it translates like:
> Takuya, which ranked highly last year due to the popular idol (Takuya Kimura), is outside the top ten
The main point of the sentence is (Takuya is out of the top ten), but extra information about how it used to be in the top ten is added with the relative clause. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 3,
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"tags": "translation"
} |
When is 行く pronounced as いく, and when is it ゆく?
Are there any rules or guidelines as to when to pronounce as or ?
I looked it up on jisho.org, and the two pronunciations have the exact same definition. I tend to hear more often in songs, but that is just anecdotal. | The explanation in is:
>
My translation / synopsis is as follows:
has been seen from ancient times but from the Heian period both have been in use. has almost exactly the same meaning as but in olden times, was used more widely: Putting the use of double entendres and word play based on aside, then the use of in Japanese poetry (waka/tanka) or symbolism can almost always read as . As a result, when expressions such as are used stylistically in written language they are normally read as . However forms such as have stopped being used in favour of forms derived from such as and . | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 16,
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"tags": "pronunciation"
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Proper use of ため to thank someone for doing x？
I know can be translated into English as "for" such-and-such.
But is it appropriate to use it to thank some one for doing something?
For example, "Thank you for your email address." Would it be grammatically accurate to say:
Google translate seems to understand the sentence perfectly fine. But would a native speaker scratch their head at that use of in this manner? | Using as the 'for' in 'thank you for' is strange.
Off the top of my head I can think of 4 ways we normally use to say thanks for something.
> 1. masu-stem of the verb + (this one's particularly formal)
>
> Thank you for telling me your email address.
>
> 2. te-form of the verb +
>
> Thanks for telling me your email address.
>
> 3. noun +
>
> Thanks for your email address!
>
> 4. noun + +
>
> Thanks for your message
>
>
There's lots of other expressions which don't use like:
>
>
is 'for' as in for the benefit or purpose of someone/something.
> ``
> Thank you for throwing such a splendid party `for me`. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 11,
"question_score": 6,
"tags": "grammar, syntax"
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What's the difference between 限界, 限り, 制限 and 限度
While seems rather straightforward, the others don't seem as easy to pinpoint to me. What are the differences, and in which cases should I one over another? | has a feel of externally imposed man-made restriction, such as "speed limit" (), "my doctor isn't letting me drink" ().
In contrast, isn't an external limitation but rather because of inability or lack of capability. "this car can only go up to 75mph" (120km/h) "I can't run more than 5km" (5km)
is closer to . They both have some idiomatic usages, but aside from that I can't really explain what are the differences. For example, limit in speed is while limit in the amount of loan is and the maxiumum depth you can dive is . Perhaps has a legal / inflexible feel to it?
Finally, also refers to -like limit, but it is more often used to decorate other nouns and verbs, such as "today's special" (), "grass field all around you" (), "give it the old college try" () and this is a use that other 3 words cannot do. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 12,
"question_score": 9,
"tags": "nuances, word choice, definitions"
} |
Difference between ために and ように
I've got a question regarding difference in usage of + and + with verbs' dictionary forms, i.e.
*
*
The notion I get is that the first is used with non-action verbs, while the latter form is used with action verbs. Am I correct? | I find SSB's explanation rather complicated. It sounds correct but the most useful explanation I remember is that is used for situations where the speaker/actor has control, or ability to make something happen ("in order to"). is used when you cannot control the situation ("so that"). (: you cannot guarantee that you will come to understand but you study so that you may understand)
In your examples, you go to bed early to ensure you do not oversleep, but you cannot be sure it won't happen because you cannot wake your self up.
You raise your hand because that is the custom to ask a question. The teacher will notice and respond.
(There is a better English explanation in "A students guide to Japanese Grammar" by Naomi Hanaoka McGloin but this is how I remember it.) | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 32,
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"tags": "grammar"
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Plums: プルーン or プラム?
I bought these plums at a supermarket in Kyoto today and noticed that they were labeled (prune?). According to jisho.org, a plum is a . Is it common to not distinguish between prunes and plums in Japan?
!Supermarket plums | A quick Google lookup shows that some plum varieties are called Prunes in English, and they don't need to be dried to be called that way.
> A prune is any of various plum cultivars, mostly Prunus domestica or European Plum, sold as fresh or dried fruit.
In the Wikipedia article about prunes you can see a photo of fruit looking strikingly similar to what you bought. Japanese Wikipedia and Goo Jisho indicate that in Japanese has the same meaning that it has in English
> (prune) (Prunus domestica)
This Japanese page gives further insight on the difference between plums and prunes.
I'm neither a biologist, nor a native English/Japanese speaker, but it seems most likely to me that the fruit you have bought are indeed called prunes in these two languages.
(I just copied my earlier comment by Nicolas' advice with minor edits.) | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 3,
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Etymology of 小説
The word {} seems to be used as a translation of "novel", but it is composed of the characters for "small" and "opinion/rumour/theory". I have seen it used to describe works such as {}'s "{}", which in English would probably be considered a short story, to {}'s "{}", which I believe was at one point the longest novel ever written. From what I can tell, any work of prose fiction can be called a regardless of its length. If that is the case, what is the origin of the word? | A simple search reveals the answer. I will offer a brief translation.
<
Basically in China there were regular reports of the goings on and ramblings of the general public that were compiled and presented to leaders. These were referred to as . Through common use the meaning evolved to refer to "worthless" or "meaningless" stories. Eventually this meaning was taken and adapted as a translation for the English word 'novel.' Therefore the term does not refer to the length of a work. Rather it is a word applied to the English word 'novel,' referring to the 'value' of the work instead.
There are some more details about how it came about, but the short version is that its modern use is based on the Chinese equivalent of the term 'novel' in English. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 7,
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Can someone explain the form: xに関するどんな
I apologize in advance for the poor title. I'm really not sure how to phrase my question. I often see in Japanese sentences structures like the following:
In the above, (let's call it 'A') seems to stand on it's own as some clause that, to my eye, doesn't seem clearly attached to the remainder of the sentence. Then we have ('B') that makes sense on it's own (e.g. 'B' meaning "What facts were highlighted?")
Is, , modifying in this case?
In many Japanese sentences, I often see a clause ending in plain form that just sits before (or after) the rest of the sentence. But it's not joined to the remainder of the sentence with any particle like , , , , etc. So it's simply "A + B" with no particle to join them and it doesn't always look like an adjectival clause.
Am I just confused? Is the above just an adjectival clause for or is this a common structure I'm just not aware of?
(P.S. Please let me know if I need to provide more examples.) | In this case, `` is a relative clause, so it modifies the following noun phrase. Since `` is not by itself a noun, we can conclude that it's part of a larger noun phrase. In this case, the only possible such noun phrase is ``.
Note that unlike English, Japanese doesn't have a distinct class of words called _determiners_ which terminate the expansion of a noun phrase. That is, in English you cannot say phrases like * _the red this house_ , because the determiner _this_ cannot be further modified by the string _the red_. In Japanese, however, you can place modifiers before words like `` or `` without a problem. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 4,
"question_score": 1,
"tags": "grammar, syntax"
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Difference between tatami mat counters 帖 and 畳
What is the difference between tatami mat counters and (both pronounced )? | is used only for tatami and is included in the Joyo list. can be used for folding screens, stage curtains, shields, batches of nori seaweed, batches of Washi (traditional paper), or traditional books as well as tatami, and is not included in the Joyo list.
is often used as the counter for tatami mats when describing room size on a floor plan.
![enter image description here]( | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 7,
"question_score": 5,
"tags": "usage, counters, word usage"
} |
あれが for "that must be it"?
I'm watching an anime where the protagonist says, according to the subtitles, "that must be it!" But what it sounds like he's saying "" instead of "". I know I may be hearing incorrectly, but is it possible for "" to be said in a way that would translate to "That must be it"? | I think the only way for it to be `` and make sense is if it's in response to some question. Although that would be emphasizing the **_that_** in "That must be it".
> * → What's the best/greatest one (thing)?
> * → That one (is)! / That must be it!
>
If you're sure the pronunciation isn't ``, there's a slight possibility they could be saying `` where `` is the Kansai-ben equivalent of `` and slightly mistakable for `` if said fast enough. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 1,
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"tags": "phrases, particle が"
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How to translate "objective" as in name of section in a resume
Usually resumes contain the "Objective" paragraph which provides the summary of things a person thinks he does best and what he wants to do. Will simply using {} work or there is a more specific term. | I would look at standard Japanese {} rather than translating from an English resume format.
A common section is {}{} which is a reason for applying (to that particular job/company), and tends to contain the sort of thing you're describing - why you want to work in that field and/or for that company, combined with any skills and experience you have that makes you right for the job. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 3,
"question_score": 1,
"tags": "translation"
} |
Translation of 終わらせる
I'm having trouble with the translation of in the following sentence, and as far as I understand it likely translates here as "die". But I never found this meaning for in vocabulary, and why is it in form ?
> ****
Some sort of translation: "Until a moment ago, I though it was Shion-san. But she is dead. In this case I think that Maya-san is safe now... or - already **dead**." | It's hard to say without understanding the whole twisted plot, and I can't really come up with a plausble interpretation.
The reason "dead" is unlikely in this sentence is that as dead would normally mean committing a suicide as . The subject of this sentence is Maya-san, so this becomes "or Maya might have committed a suicice, and I don't think it flows very well.
Another possibility is "[the killer had achieved his/her objectives and] the killing has ended", which I would say more natural use of , except that this won't explain .
I think it's fair to say this text isn't particularly well written. I think more sentenes that follow might help disambiguate. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 3,
"question_score": 1,
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Question on the idiom 頭が回転しない
I found the following dialogue on lang-8:
> A: B:
>
> A: Oh no, I drank too much so I can't concentrate on it. B: Why not do your work tomorrow?
So does mean "able to concentrate" or am I misunderstanding it? In English when ones head spins, it is a euphemism for being drunk or dizzy but I guess in Japanese having ones head revolve quickly (maybe describing the speed of thoughts turning over/ideas coming) equals being quick-witted. Would anyone be kind enough to explain this idiom? | It's just based on the metaphorical idea of something turning meaning that something is functioning normally, as in a machine. In English we have sayings about the gears not turning. You can't really try to draw parallels between idiomatic phrases. For example, in English if you're dizzy then your head is spinning, but in Japanese it's your eyes that spin ().
Look, for example, here. Particularly at definition 3, which reads:
> ――
The definition of includes the idea of something 'moving' metaphorically in such a way that it fulfills its functions. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 7,
"question_score": 5,
"tags": "idioms"
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Does Japanese have short versions of weekdays?
Like in English we could type the days of the week as "Sun, Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat."
Does Japanese have shortenings for weekdays? Like:
,, , , , ,
Instead of:
, , , , , ,
Or:
, , , , ,,
Instead of:
, , , , , ,
Or do the short versions not make sense? | Yes. You can address any day of the week by its first kanji, and you can refer to it in short using the respective onyomi. For example, you can say {}{}{} In fact you often hear the weekend referred to as (). You can also go half way and abbreviate it just to , as in .
Outside of spoken language you see the kanji used to represent days of the week all the time, so you might see on a poster something like . Other abbreviations that you might see that are related to the day of the week are (when somewhere is closed), (for holidays), (for weekdays), and probably some others. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 8,
"question_score": 4,
"tags": "time"
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The に in ように... Is it consistent?
Is the particle in consistent in all its uses?
For example...
1/
or
I understand the here to be a target particle for what you are wishing for or trying to achieve.
2/
Here it seems like it is more like it is making into an adverbial form.
Is there an interpretation that encompasses both uses? | Both are {noun+ or verbal phrase X}{verb Y }, ie to do Y in a way of X, do Y like or similar to X.
Most literally you could interpret all these sentences in such a way:
I (shall) act such that [in a way that] I remember
[I am wishing] In a way that the weather be clear tomorrow.
To teach in a way a teacher teaches.
The nuances follow quite intuitively.
"in a way such that it is nice tomorrow" starts to make sense once we add the implicit "I/We wish or hope in such a way" or "please act in such a way, {some deity}!".
, from its literal meaning, has become one standard expression for your goals.
Generalization (extended sense) and concretisation (restricting to one sense), as well as.metaphors are common in language, and I think it's not too hard to see what all these three sentences have got in common. | stackexchange-japanese | {
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What kind of organisms can be covered by 益虫, 害虫 or 虫?
I came across someone describing a Nihon yamori / gekko as a , and using "useful insect" in English. Gekkos aren't insects, but it made me curious what it actually does mean.
jisho.org only describes as meaning "useful insect". The English edition of Wiktionary lacks a description of , has a terse description of its antonym (harmful insect), and a slightly longer definition of , but not one that'd cover gekkos.
What kind of organisms would be covered by , , or , and what kind of animals wouldn't be covered by ?
(BTW: I'm aware that English has words for non-monophyletic groups, so no mockery is intended) | The Japanese Wikipedia has an entry for `` which links to the English Beneficial insects, while `` links to Pest.
However, unlike the English term it _does look_ like `` include not only insects (``) but also other small animals:
> : Beneficial insects
>
> "Beneficial insects(?)" refers the the various small animals, such as insects, which benefit human activities in different ways.
I guess geckos count because they are insectivores. The article itself gives `` (tadpole shrimp), which is no insect, as an example.
As for ``, the Wikipedia states:
>
My attempt at translation (I'm not too certain about some terms):
> The Japanese word "mushi" had different meanings depending on the historical period or point of view, but in modern times mainly refers to **arthropods** (except those living underwater). More generally, it can be applied to all small animals except mammals(?), birds and fish.
The article goes into more detail and seems to be pretty informative. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 7,
"question_score": 6,
"tags": "meaning, animals"
} |
What's the difference between 治す{なおす} and 治る{なおる}?
My dictionary says they are both cure/fix, so I am wondering what the difference is and how to use them?
Is it an active/passive difference, or transitive/intransitive? Or just a subtle nuance? I couldn't find a good example of usage.
I found this question, but it just refers to the different kanji, not the different words.
Thanks | `` is transitive.
>
> to heal a wound
>
>
> Most ailments can be cured without medicine.
`` is intransitive.
>
> my cold got better
>
>
> My wound did not heal, so I visited the hospital again. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 11,
"question_score": 5,
"tags": "words, nuances, word choice"
} |
An adjective for annoying
Often I see people write urusai to mean annoying, and I've also seen meiwaku, but I was wondering if there was an adjective closer to meaning annoying. Mendokusai means bothersome, but in a different sense, right? | Here's a bunch of words which can mean "annoying" or something related:
* `` (also ``): something that requires effort but you don't feel like doing or dislike doing for whatever reason; bothersome
* ``: lit. "noisy" or "loud"; can also be used to refer to annoying people, their words or actions
* ``: something or someone who raises your blood pressure, ticks you off
* ``: to get annoyed by something/someone
* `({})`: obstinate or insistent (person) who is pestering you with silly questions etc.
* `{}{}`: to get angry/furious/pissed off
* `{}()`: something/someone who's a hindrance, in your way literally or figuratively.
* `` (often said as ``): can mean many things: annoying, bothersome, gross, nuisance etc. Used mostly by young people; apparently very offensive to the point of leading to bloodshed or suicides.
Other words from dictionaries which I haven't encountered myself so not certain of their nuances.
* ``
* ``
* ``
* `[]{}` | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 7,
"question_score": 5,
"tags": "adjectives"
} |
How to say "I have class now"
When said in English, this sentence means that you have class in the near future, despite using now. Is it okay to omit in the sentence below, or does that change the meaning?
> **** | You can omit `` and the meaning will be unchanged.
Just saying could be okay but I think it conveys that the class is already going on at the moment. is usually like "from right now" or just "now" like in your example.
To say "from now on" implying a continuity, it would be "" or "".
By the way, you are mixing different level of speaking in your sentence. is quite familiar compared to your `` and `` which are a bit heavy. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 2,
"question_score": 2,
"tags": "meaning"
} |
What does カッコいいじゃーん mean?
I've sent some pictures to a Japanese friend, and she replied saying . I don't get either the Hiragana and Katakana mix in that word as the last ...
Could anybody please get me out of the doubt? | Writing a word in katakana is often used to put emphasis. is kind of colloquial way of saying "isn't it?", while the long vowel mark in between, once again, puts more emphasis.
I'd translate the sentence the following way:
"He/She/It is sooo cool, isn't he/she/it?"
`
PS. Next time, it'd have been better if you provided more context if you want something translated. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 3,
"question_score": 4,
"tags": "words"
} |
What does the とは mean in this phrase?
I'm pretty new to Japanese and I have a question.
So I know this is supposed to be something like "he differs from his former self" but I can't really make sense of what is supposed to mean in this particular situation:
> | This is just a case of `` acting as emphasis. The `` is used with `` to say that something is different than something else
> AB → A is different than/from B
Adding the `` is placing the focus on the relationship (`` and ``), not the analysis of the relationship (``).
> * → He is different than his former self (neutral statement)
> * → As for him and his former self, they differ
>
Fundamentally, they mean the same thing. The difference is the focus. Don't know if I'm explaining that well. Take a look at this related question. It does a good job explaining in-depth how adding `` to another particle affects the meaning.
What is the difference between “” and “”? | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 2,
"question_score": 2,
"tags": "words, meaning"
} |
What's the meaning of ブチブチ?
I'm having some trouble to find the meaning of this word. I already saw this 2 times in a game and I can't find the meaning in any dictionary that I use.
Examples:
> …
>
> ……
and...
>
>
> … | From context (such as **** ), it looks like `` has the same meaning as ``, which is onomatopoeia that corresponds fairly well to _grumble, grumble_ , as when dissatisfied or complaining. See sense five for in the Progressive J-E for examples, or look up `` in your favorite dictionary.
I also found Google results with `` and `` together, which seems to confirm that they're variations on the same thing. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 6,
"question_score": 4,
"tags": "words"
} |
What is the meaning of りゃ in this phrase?
I came across this phrase while reading an interview.
> ****
I think it means "At a time like that, such a reply/response is good."
But I don't understand the usage of . I couldn't find any reference as a suffix or conjugation. | It's a contraction of ``. More generally, `eba` contracts to `ya`:
kotaer **eba** → kotaer **ya** ****→ ****
ok **eba** → ok **ya** ****→ ****
i **eba** → i **ya** ****→ ****
naker **eba** → naker **ya** ****→ ****
(As you can see, the pattern is easier to see and describe when romanized.) | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 32,
"question_score": 25,
"tags": "grammar, usage, contractions"
} |
How do you say thank you for or sorry for?
the "for" should be followed by an arbitrarily long and complicated sentence like:
> Thank you for waiting for me after the football match!
or
> Sorry for spilling my drink on the carpet that you got for your birthday. | Use the form.
| stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 6,
"question_score": 7,
"tags": "translation"
} |
What does にゃ mean at the end of a sentence or as a particle?
From the title of a YouTube video:
>
From the song :
>
I suspect the second usage might be a contraction of and the copula , but I'm not sure. Did the first one come from <= <= ? | There are a few places where is used in place of certain constructions, but is it possible that these are just someone trying to be cute?
The first one is a contraction of the phrase , which is a children's game similar to 'red light, green light.' Seems possible that using is just trying to be childish/cute/catlike in its pronunciation.
The second one is a contraction of , which also might not be directly related to dialects and simply a contraction based on speech. So while this isn't really _cute_ per se, it certainly could be, but otherwise it just strikes me as a normal contraction. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 6,
"question_score": 2,
"tags": "grammar, particles, dialects"
} |
How do you read simple arithmetic equations in Japanese?
My dictionary (EN → JP) suggests to translate "Three multiplied by four is twelve" as
> 3 × 4 = 12
without giving a hint as to how to read this in Japanese.
How do you read simple arithmetic equations (involving only +, –, × and ÷) like the one above in Japanese? | `+`: {}
`-`: {}
`/`: {}
`*`: {}
And you just say the terms normally in order. So your example of `3 * 4 = 12` would be . Note that = becomes , similar to how we use "is" in English. As @blutorange mentioned, you can use to mean "equals," however in most situations you'll be good using .
You learn these things quickly when listening to students recite their {}.
For some bonus terminology, you can refer to exponents by using #{}, so like or . Similarly you can refer to roots with #{} (although as @jovanni points out it's normal to use {} for square roots). | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 25,
"question_score": 19,
"tags": "readings, mathematics"
} |
What does 何+(counter)+も+volitional mean? e.g. 何機も買おう
I found this sentence as an answer to the question: "What are some of the symbols of Japan's wealth?"
>
I'm not sure whether it means they're buying a lot of next-generation fighters, or none at all.
I think it's a bunkei I have yet to learn, and I can't find it in the textbook. | There is no relation here. It is simply `` followed by the form ``. The `` corresponds to the combat planes because planes are counted with ``. The ` + counter + ` pattern just means "several" or an undetermined amount of that thing. For example
> * → There are several / There are a number of students in the cafeteria.
>
So your first translation is correct. "They will try/intend to purchase several combat planes next." (+ `` to answer the question). | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 5,
"question_score": 2,
"tags": "grammar, counters, particle も, volitional form"
} |
Is it possible to write anything long completely in 和語?
I sometimes wonder how feasible is it to completely avoid loanwords, i.e. and , but still using Modern Japanese (i.e. not simply just using Old/Classical Japanese vocabulary). Is the inventory of _Modern_ Japanese still intact enough to express arbitrary ideas, or at least enough to write article-length things? I suppose some workarounds would be needed (say, as ?) but would it be technically possible, or has enough supplanting happened that some concepts are just impossible to express without loanwords? | I think the answer is "yes, it's possible...but you'd be inventing a whole other language." To be able to describe modern concepts in an old language, you'd still have to invent new words, and if you restrict yourself to only using it's not going to be comprehensible to Japanese people.
Such an experiment is happening right across the sea, in Korea. While South Korea has occasional use of Hanja (that is, Kanji) and _beaucoup_ loanwords, North Korea has taken a firm stance forbidding Hanja, and discouraging usage of loanwords.
As quoted here: "South Koreans puzzle over what North Koreans mean by a "vehicle that goes straight up after takeoff," when the simple English word "helicopter" will do." | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 2,
"question_score": 3,
"tags": "words, history, loanwords"
} |
Use of どうして わかりましたか
` `
My teacher said this in a conversation and my brain translated it to _"Why did you understand?"_ (which didn't make much sense given the context!) but I think what she meant was _"How did you notice?"_.
The context:
Me: {} {} {}
Her: {}
Am I understanding this correctly? If so, why did her question start with instead of ? | Your teacher means 'Why did you know I like dogs?' `` means different things depending on context. Here it translates 'to know' as opposed to 'understand'.
As a language, Japanese is heavily tied to context. There are often different translations of the same word to English depending on the context. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 5,
"question_score": 2,
"tags": "questions"
} |
Meaning of 話になんない
I have a quote from this anime, FLCL: . In the official translation it's translated as "nothing can happen until you swing the bat".
Now my japanese is pretty rusty, as I haven't used it in five years. I understand the meaning of the first part () and that seems to match the translation correctly. But I don't understand how does translate to "nothing can happen". Any explanation is welcome. | ``=``
Literally you could translate `` as "won't become a story". However, as a phrase it generally has two meanings:
1. Not worth discussing; be beneath mention; out of the question; unthinkable.
2. Be pointless (waste of time) trying to discuss the matter with smb.
So, the quoted phrase could be translated more literally as "Anyway, there's nothing to talk about unless you swing the bat". Depending on the context, "nothing can happen" is not a bad equivalent. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 4,
"question_score": 3,
"tags": "translation, meaning, anime"
} |
あくまで compared to あくまでも
I never really thought about it before; but, I'm having a hard time explaining the difference concisely, and when to use which.
What are the differences in nuances between and ? When is the use of preferable to , and vice versa? | The `` just adds emphasis. As you probably know, the `` in `` is the word ``. This is an "old"/literary version of the word `` meaning "get tired of", "be fed up with", "have enough of", almost always with a negative connotation. So `` would be "until one gets tired of" or "until you've had enough of" -- or "to the end/last", "persistently", "stubbornly" as most dictionaries have it defined. So adding `` would just make it " ** _even_** to the end" -- emphasis.
> * → Resist (it) to the end
> * → Resist (it) to the _very_ end
> | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 2,
"question_score": 4,
"tags": "nuances"
} |
Choice of さしあげる in お電話さしあげる
I'm a bit confused by the usage of in this sentence from Kanji in Context:
We have a guest at the moment, so we'll call you later.
To me, or even are more grammatical. Maybe it's really ()? (I'll give you a call). | []{}[]{} is []{} for words like and , as well as . By itself it means _to give_ (with a sense of great respect), and as a subsidiary verb ([]{}[]{}[]{}[]{}), it adds a great sense of respect (for the person receiving the action) to the verb it is helping.
[]{} is basically for .
`` can be thought of as: "to call".
`` can be thought of as: "to give a call".
In the sentence, the callee is telling the caller to expect a call back. This creates a sense of "waiting"; so, instead of just "calling", the person will " _give_ a call back" (i.e., ). However, in business situations is preferred on the phone. So, the frank-sounding `` becomes ``.
As to ``, converting back from would yield ``, which is blatantly incorrect. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 3,
"question_score": 3,
"tags": "grammar, politeness"
} |
Difference in usage between exclamations: クソ vs. しまった
I apologize in advance for the possibly vulgar language, but I am asking purely from an academic perspective.
My understanding is that both and translate roughly to the English "damn" when used as interjections. My question is, is there any particular difference in usage between the two? From what I have observed, it seems that is more likely to be used in reaction to circumstances that were under the control of the speaker. But I have heard enough exceptions that I have my doubts. Can anyone verify this? And are there any other differences in usage? | As @jovanni said: literally means "shit" (feces), as well as being used as an interjection ("Shit!") in essentially the same way it's used in English.
is also an interjection but is not vulgar. It's also not as colloquial as . It comes from the word , which means "to finish ...; to do ... completely" (usually with a connotation of reluctance or regret). could perhaps be taken to mean "Now I've done it..." (as an expression of regret).
Your observation that is more likely to be used when the speaker had some control over the situation is almost certainly because specifically has that connotation of regret (though, well, you can certainly feel bad about something out of your control). | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 7,
"question_score": 4,
"tags": "word choice, nuances, interjections"
} |
Does Japanese have any infixes?
In English, we have prefixes, like "pre-"; suffixes, like "-ize"; and arguably, expletives that function as infixes (one classic example is "abso-fucking-lutely").
In Japanese, we also have prefixes, like , ; and suffixes, like , {}. Does Japanese have any infixes, though? I'm interested both in any modern, productive infixes that may exist that I'm not aware of, as well as any historically-productive infixes that are now fossilized. | To the best of my knowledge there are none. Infixes are really pretty rare crosslinguistically, so it's not that surprising. English's expletive ones are pretty unusual even by English's standards, and as far as I know they're not particularly productive (I can't think of too many words you're actually allowed to use them with). | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 6,
"question_score": 8,
"tags": "etymology, linguistics, morphology"
} |
What is the nuance of 鬼 in 「鬼十則」?
{} created the {} while working for :
> 1.
> 2.
> 3.
> 4.
> 5. ……
> 6.
> 7.
> 8.
> 9.
> 10.
>
The phrase {} seems to be uniquely related to the Dentsu guidelines. alone is used quite frequently on the other hand. When looking for what the meant (why he selected the name) I came across this:
>
Perhaps this is less a usage question than a cultural one, but I am a bit confused as to what the implication of the is in {}. | referring to a person often means someone who is something like an (fierce, unrelenting, merciless, etc). It is also used as a prefix (, for example), but in this case I think you should take it as , where he is using to describe himself/the sort of person you should become to succeed in business.
is a common phrase. Such a person may be very hard working, very good at what they do, but also very hard on their subordinates, ruthless when it comes to business competitors, etc. Judging by those rules, I would not be surprised if people had used this exact term to refer to . | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 5,
"question_score": 1,
"tags": "set phrases"
} |
Use of は with 自分 in a subordinate clause
Another sentence from Kanji in Context:
> ****
>
> Those who think highly of themselves and look down on others will eventually themselves be looked down upon (by others).
I've been puzzling over the choice to put (instead of ) after . It's the only in the sentence and presumably marks the topic. Actually I find the topic itself unclear, if this was meant as a warning the topic could well be the listener, or this could just be a general observation of people.
What bothers me most is the usage of in a subordinate clause (of ) and nowhere else. Is this a sort of shorthand for not stating the topic explicitly? i.e. could this be reworded as etc? | I agree with you that sounds better in this case.
I think what is going on here is some direct/indirect quote confusion, i.e. a mix of and .
Direct and indirect quotes are less syntactically distinguishable in Japanese than, say, English, so I'm guessing that this sort of thing is more likely to happen. As mentioned, I prefer the too, but might not notice the in passing. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 2,
"question_score": 2,
"tags": "grammar, particle は"
} |
What are the differences between 広める and 広げる and between 広まる and 広がる?
I find the difference between () () and between () () to be complicated.
Can someone explain? | The entry for explains the difference between and in the section:
To paraphrase, describes something spreading out naturally, like a scenic view or a wildfire, whereas describes something spreading as the result of an intentional attempt to spread it.
also has the meaning of physically opening up or being unfolded. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 13,
"question_score": 19,
"tags": "grammar, nuances"
} |
What is 「何しに」 in 「YOUは何しに日本へ？」
Title basically says most of it. To add more context to that YOU is a name of a japanese TV show, found it on YouTube. They meet random foreigners at the airport and ask them this question. I can make an intelligent guess that this is contacted form of , but I have doubts, since why would they ask a question with slangy words to people who can hardly speak the language? On the other hand the use of YOU might indicate that this whole phrase can be slangy from the start. Many thanks. | [Verb Stem] or , such as (I came here to try it), means to come or go for the purpose of doing the verb.
X is a common usage which applies this for X verbs.
SoYOU is short for You, meaning "what did you come to japan to do", or perhaps more fluidly and less literally, "what did you come to japan for?" | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 13,
"question_score": 4,
"tags": "translation"
} |
Grammatical justification for でしかない
The song eX Dream by Myuji (which appears in an anime OP) contains the sentence:
> []{}
The general point of the sentence is fairly clear, meaning "a dream is just a dream". But what is the best way to think of the construction?
At first I saw it as , as in, "a dream is a dream and...", but now I'm wondering how correct this is or if it's correct at all.
Is it better to look at it as a separation of the parts of ? Does this happen in many other cases, where you use a qualified followed by ? | Let's start with something common:
> 'Dreams are dreams.'
Let's negate it (using instead of its contracted form ):
> 'Dreams are not dreams.'
is a {} ("binding particle"). Any fits in this spot. is also a :
> 'Dreams are nothing but dreams.'
* * *
The "modern" grammatical analysis of this stuff is that is the {} ("continuative form") of the copula which results in and falling nicely into this general rule:
> ( of something) + (optional ) + ( or )
Some other instances of this rule are `````` | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 15,
"question_score": 7,
"tags": "grammar, particle で, copula"
} |
What's the difference between 何【なん】 and 幾【いく】 when referring to amounts?
Is `` simply more literary/archaic than ``? Can `` only be applied to certain words whereas `` is more versatile? | As far as the meaning, there is no difference. To say otherwise would be nitpicking.
The only (and important) difference is the way the words using and as suffixes sound in our native-speaking ears. It is the classic "softer-sounding kun" vs. "sharper-sounding on" difference.
For instance, sounds much softer than though these words mean exactly the same thing --- "multiple folds" or "how many folds". One would opt to use the former in a poem or story, but if one used it in a daily conversation, one would look like a weirdo.
One could say is more versatile because that is what we use much more often in real life. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 4,
"question_score": 9,
"tags": "words, nuances"
} |
Use of く-form over くて in an い-adjective
> ****
> All things are difficult before they are easy.
I've never seen an -adjective used in this way (). Would using **** (which is what I would have used) change the meaning of the sentence? | There are two ways to form sentence conjunctions using {} (inflectable words) in Japanese sentences:
* the -form; e.g., ,
* the {}; e.g., ,
It is called the {} when you use the as a conjunction.
Nuance-wise, using the is a little more literary, so it can give a more formal feel to the sentence. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 8,
"question_score": 6,
"tags": "grammar, て form"
} |
Why isn't ある's negative form あらない?
is listed in dictionaries as having , which would suggest a negative form of . However, that form does not exist. Why not? | In modern Japanese, instead of the conjugation []{}+[]{}, another word is used to express the plain negative, namely .
This a process called suppletion, supplying a certain conjugational form with a different word. It exists in English as well. You don't say _good and gooder_ , you talk about _better_ , which comes from Proto-Indo-European *bhAd- _good_. Further examples include _bad_ \- _worse_ , and _be_ \- _is_ \- _was_.
However, this kind of conjugation exists in Classical Japanese. Here the negative is expressed via +, and is no exception: . , or perhaps better known in its form , is the helper verb of negation.
> []{}[]{}[]{}[]{}[]{}[]{}[]{}[]{}[]{}
Even in modern Japanese, you can still say (Kansai dialect).
Lastly, although rare, there are attested instances of the form (see , entry )
>
>
>
There is also , but the here is analyzed as the -nominalization of . | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 17,
"question_score": 16,
"tags": "verbs, conjugations, irregularities exceptions"
} |
What does おせわになってます mean?
> **** .
What does the above sentence mean?
I'm confused about the `` part. | means "It's because I'm always {indebting myself to you|being taken care of by you}, isn't it".
The "isn't it" part corresponds to , a detail we should not lose in the translation.
Why we might translate it as "indebting" or "always being" is because / is an -iru progressive verb: something going on rather than a finished action.
The particle is tricky because of its multiple meanings. It can indicate an action toward something, but it also means "by" in passive senses, which is essentially the reverse. For instance "anata ni moratta X" means "the X given to me by you", which can also be expressed as "anata kara moratta X". | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 2,
"question_score": -3,
"tags": "grammar, words, translation, meaning"
} |
Word order and particles in 能仕事に能力を生かす
I wanted to express the idea "performing to one's full abilities at work", and the obvious thing to write was []{}[]{}. Indirect object before direct object. But a look on google indicates is a much more popular word ordering. Is there any reason for this?
Also, is admissible? (Treating work as a location now). | Perhaps one might think of as "at/while work(ing)" and as "at/for/to work".
You might also say something like []{}[]{}[]{}. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 1,
"question_score": 2,
"tags": "grammar, particle に, particle で"
} |
Function of の particle in the title 「進撃の巨人」
I came across the anime/manga title and I am a bit confused about the usage of the particle there.
I know that has several uses, but I'm not sure which one applies in this case. I looked at the possible ways can be used with a noun and tried figuring out which one might apply:
* It seems like it would indicate possession, but that would make it "giants of charge", which sounds weird to me (as opposed to "charge of the giants", , which is what I would have expected).
* I know can also be used for nominalization, but is already a noun, so that doesn't seem likely to me. This isn't really a subordinate clause either.
* Wikipedia also lists another function of , with the following example:
> - Toyota the car [company]
This one doesn't seem to apply in this case either, I think.
None of these possible meanings of make sense to me in this case. Can you help me understand how/why is used in this title? | You've already figured out what's going on in your first bullet point - the in functions in its usual role of forming a {....} (a modifier; 's role in forming possessives is one example of this function of ).
The only issue is that you've done your translation in kind of awkward English. Rather than "giants of charge", you probably want something more like "the charging giants" (which is, after all, basically what the anime/manga is about). | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 5,
"question_score": 7,
"tags": "particle の"
} |
Pre-Kana Kanji readings
1. How did Japanese know how to read kanji before invention of kana? (having only kanji to write a language)
2. Without kana and romaji, if they heard a new word - how could they look it up in a dictionary? | 1. Kanji were originally from Chinese. Japanese used extremely accented Chinese (sorta like what they do with English now) to pronounce Middle Chinese words, which eventually became . For example /njit.pon/ became /nippon/. For , they simply find the nearest native Japanese word in meaning. You can imagine an English person seeing and pronouncing it "run". Remember that "literacy" in Japan back then basically meant knowing a significant bit of Chinese.
2. First of all, most people were not literate, and thus had no need of looking up things in dictionaries. Dictionaries back then do give readings in (manyougana), which basically is a finite set of kanji used _only_ for sound. It's like giving the kanji reading entirely in other kanji, used all as phonetic (ateji). Example of equivalent in Modern Japanese: => | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 11,
"question_score": 4,
"tags": "kanji, kana, manyōgana"
} |
How Do You Say "I read it wrong" in Japanese?
How Do You Say "I read it wrong" in Japanese?
Is there such a word like or something like that in Japanese?
Thanks! | Yes.
The word for it is , as you hinted at. Some other words that seem to be more limited to metaphorical instances of reading people or situations include {}{} ("misread the political picture" ) as well as {} ("misread a signal," or )
These examples and others can be seen here. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 6,
"question_score": 5,
"tags": "expressions, english to japanese"
} |
meaning of でも～くらい
I cannot understand what is means in the following sentence. I'd translate it like - "I felt so akward, that my voice trembled"
>
Thank you very much for help! | There's no need to connect into one construction. Rather you're looking at [][][]
So if you break that down it's just basically [even me][to an unsightly (or whatever you want to translate it as) degree][voice started trembling]
Note that it is ++, so it's using as amount/degree and using as a simple na-adjective to describe the extent.
The translation that you offered is slightly off. refers to how the trembling voice made the speaker look, not to what caused the trembling in the first place. So it would be closer to something like "Even my voice started trembling awkwardly," to use your choice of awkward. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 3,
"question_score": 0,
"tags": "grammar"
} |
The correct usage of 召し上がる and お召し上がる
A Japanese friend of mine explained to me that many people often _incorrectly_ use the honorific in the example sentence. The correct sentence is without the .
I have two questions regarding this point, has anyone seen, or heard this mistake? Secondly, can anyone explain the rule that is governing this particular part of language and why the is incorrect in this case. | I don't think anyone would say . However, some people do say and . It shows that the speaker is trying to add _more_ respect to the listener.
Here's an interesting short Q&A about . | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 1,
"question_score": 1,
"tags": "honorifics"
} |
What is the origin of ゟ (より)?
`` is a digraph that is read . Where does it originate from?
Is it a ligature, like `& <- et`, or German `ß <- ſs -> ss`? (Wikipedia claims this, citing no source.) Also, if it _is_ a ligature, what did the ligation process look like (e.g. what are the intermediate forms between `` and ``)?
Alternatively, could it be a derivative of `` or another kanji? (Another non-authoritative source which I have now lost track of claims this.) | There are quite a few old (17th century) letters on this page which use the digraph as ligature of and . For example see the fifth line from the left of the following letter, which reads .
!
As @ZhenLin points out, it is not too far a stretch of your imagination that comes from joining and in vertical writing. All that is really lost is the loop of the . | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 12,
"question_score": 7,
"tags": "etymology, orthography, hiragana, calligraphy"
} |
How similar is the Japanese spoken in Taiwan to the Japanese spoken in Japan?
I've heard that Japanese is spoken by some Taiwanese people who were old enough to have lived during Japanese rule, along with some people who've learnt it for other reasons. For younger people, I've been told Mandarin or English would be the best means of communication, but I have a tendency to socialize a lot with retirees.
How similar is the Japanese spoken in Taiwan by native speakers to the Japanese used in Japan? Did the two diverge after 1945? Are words that entered Japanese after 1945 also used in the Japanese spoken in Taiwan? | As far as I know, there is no difference, because Japanese is mainly used as a language to talk to people in Japan which is right close by, and to enjoy media and products from Japan. Japanese is still widely studied in Korea for the same reasons. Japanese textbooks in Taiwan seem to demonstrate an eagerness for fluency and avoiding confusion in business conversation.
Taiwan was under Japanese administration until 1945 and the language has not changed significantly since then.
On the other hand, the Japanese used in Hawaii and Brazil, among the lower-class immigrant Japanese communities there, may preserve some older forms. That immigration happened around 1900. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 11,
"question_score": 14,
"tags": "dialects"
} |
the use and the meaning of the verb 実感する in the given example
I would like to ask for help with translating the following sentence:
I understand parts of it for example
But my problem is putting them together in translation of the sentence above. Also, I found out that means "have a feeling", "my actual feeling" is or "to realize", but I can't make it out which one is the right one here.
So basically, I have problem with the use of the verb , furthermore with the translation of the whole sentence. | Something like
>
> Today I experienced the sad line "the fact of not having practised doesn't lie" for myself.
If you gave some context there might be a more fitting translation. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 1,
"question_score": 0,
"tags": "words, syntax"
} |
What's the difference between 体育 and スポーツ?
This may be my Chinese getting in the way of my Japanese again, but doesn't and both mean "sport"?
What are the differences between them, and when is one used over the other? | is physical education, a class taken at school where students exercise and play sports.
is sports in general, including professional sports or sports played as a hobby. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 3,
"question_score": 2,
"tags": "word choice, sports"
} |
Questions about 背負う
`` is pronounced ``, but many dictionaries also list a second pronunciation as ``.
1. I've never heard it pronounced as `` in practice. In what situations does it have this pronunciation? Is that only an archaic pronunciation, or is it still in use? Is it a regional/dialectical thing? Is one free to pronounce it with either way, unrestricted?
2. `` (or ``, rather) conjugates as a ``. Does `` also conjugate as a ``?
> * →
> * →
> * →
> * →
> * →
> * →
> * →
> | The only difference I perceive is that sounds slightly more "intimate" as if it's a regional dialect. But this doesn't mean is less of everyday language. Probably I feel this way because the pronunciation is a naturally slurred version of (i.e., /seo/ -> /syo/), which is most likely the result of a natural sound shift like .
The tricky thing is that here is not a homonym of as in , , and . While they look exactly the same in kana, as does not have the double mora . It's as one mora plus as another mora, i.e., it's not the same pronunciation as .
As for its conjugation, it's as you guessed. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 4,
"question_score": 7,
"tags": "words, usage, conjugations, dialects, homophonic kanji"
} |
Alternate の particle usage
I've come across two similar examples of a usage of I am not familiar with.
I kinda understand how it is supposed to work but feel like I could parse it better if I were to hear how they are supposed to be broken up mentally.
Like this OR like this ()
In other words... I want to know if it is saying that he is a man of good fortune or saying that is is a man good of fortune.
ALSO: How often does this come up? Is it any different in meaning to ? Is it more polite or something? | I think it carries the technical name " conversion" and both and mean the same thing. The conversion occurs when a phrase modifies a noun. The subject of the modifying phrase is then marked by instead of . It should be parsed as (). This construction works not only with "i-adjectives", but also with verbs, for example:
>
> a man of courage / a brave man
>
>
> a person with beautiful skin | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 2,
"question_score": 1,
"tags": "particles, particle の"
} |
Usage of particles with 出てくる
> []{}[]{}
In this instance, does mean "left the mountains and came to the city" ()? Also, I would normally interpret as "leave and come back", but maybe from the viewpoint of someone in the city it makes sense. | * means simply "to go out/leave/exit" with no sense of direction with respect to the speaker
* means "to go out [away from the speaker]"
* means "to come out [toward the speaker]"
In other words, the sentence is written from the point of view of someone in the city.
>
> The villagers, coming out of the mountains for the first time, were surprised about everything they saw. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 2,
"question_score": 1,
"tags": "grammar, particle に, particle から"
} |
Usage of particles で and に with ~的
A sentence from JapanesePod 101:
>
>
> In North America and Europe a skirt is thought of as something a woman wears, but in many countries men wear skirts.
I don't see why it's rather than , especially when is used in the first clause. seems to fit both clauses (location of action). | makes into a ("na-adjective"), which, when functioning as adverb, turns into . is simply ungrammatical. | stackexchange-japanese | {
"answer_score": 14,
"question_score": 2,
"tags": "particle に, adverbs, particle で, na adjectives, に and で"
} |
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