Japanese learning blog
Practical guides on speaking, grammar, pronunciation, listening, and study planning, written for learners who want to use Japanese in real life.
All articles · Page 70
Wagyu Beef Cuts and Grades: What A5, Shimofuri and Rōsu Mean
Wagyū (和牛) is beef from four Japanese cattle breeds, which is narrower than kokusangyū (国産牛), beef raised in Japan. In the grade A5, the letter is the yield of meat from the carcass and the number is meat quality on a scale of one to five, so A5 is the top of both.
7 min readJapanese Breakfast Words: Washoku or Yōshoku, Nattō and Baikingu
At a Japanese hotel the breakfast question is Washoku to yōshoku, dochira ni nasaimasu ka: Japanese-style or Western-style? Washoku (和食) means rice, miso soup, grilled fish and small side dishes; yōshoku (洋食) means bread, eggs and coffee.
7 min readTakoyaki and Osaka Street Food Words: Toppings, Counting, Dialect
Takoyaki (たこ焼き) are balls of batter with a piece of octopus inside, topped with sauce, mayonnaise, aonori and katsuobushi. At the stall you say how many, then answer one question about toppings: Zenbu kakete daijōbu desu ka, is it all right to put everything on?
6 min readGyoza Types and How to Order: Yaki, Sui, Age and the Dipping Sauce
In Japan the default gyoza is yaki gyōza (焼き餃子), pan-fried until one side is crisp. Sui gyōza (水餃子) is boiled and age gyōza (揚げ餃子) is deep-fried, and you order by the portion: Gyōza o ichinin-mae kudasai, one portion of gyoza, please.
7 min readJapanese ばかりに: When One Cause Leads to an Unwanted Result
ばかりに points back to one circumstance the speaker wishes had been different.
4 min readJapanese をきっかけに: Marking a Turning Point or Trigger
をきっかけに names the event that set a later change in motion.
4 min readJapanese に応じて: Adjusting to Needs, Conditions, or Results
に応じて says the next action or amount changes to fit a stated condition.
4 min readJapanese に沿って: Following a Plan, Route, or Guideline
に沿って keeps an action aligned with a route, plan or guiding principle.
4 min readJapanese に基づいて: Grounding a Decision in Evidence or Rules
に基づいて identifies the foundation used to justify a conclusion or action.
4 min readJapanese をめぐって: Debating or Acting Around an Issue
をめぐって places an issue at the center of several views or actions.
4 min readJapanese に反して: A Result Against Expectations or Rules
に反して highlights a result that goes against a named standard or expectation.
4 min readJapanese 次第: Taking Action As Soon As Something Is Ready
Verb-stem 次第 promises that the next action will follow promptly once the first finishes.
4 min readPractical guides
Turn Japanese knowledge into speaking confidence
Practice with Unihongo's AI Sensei in an immersive 3D classroom, with roleplay missions, pronunciation coaching, useful feedback, and learning games that build your vocabulary while you play.