Vocabulary and phrases
Practical guides on speaking, grammar, pronunciation, listening, and study planning, written for learners who want to use Japanese in real life.
Vocabulary and phrases · Page 20
Atarimae Meaning: Obvious, Natural, and Of Course
Atarimae is the Japanese word for things that go without saying, and like its English equivalents it can sound either reassuring or dismissive depending on how you say it.
8 min readOtaku Meaning: Fans, Your Home, and How Japanese Use It
Outside Japan otaku usually means an anime fan, but in Japanese it is a flexible word for anyone deeply into a hobby, and it still has an older, completely different meaning.
8 min readKokoro Meaning: Heart, Mind, and Spirit in Japanese
Kokoro is often translated as heart, but it also covers the mind, feelings and inner character, which is why one Japanese word needs three English ones.
8 min readIi Kagen Meaning: Sloppy, That's Enough! and Just Right
いい加減 looks like it should mean "a good degree", and once it did. Today it usually means the opposite: careless, half-hearted, or "I've had enough".
10 min readTabun and Kitto Meaning: Probably, Surely and How Sure You Sound
Japanese speakers signal how sure they are before the sentence even gets going. Tabun, kitto and zettai are the words doing that work.
9 min readKekkō Desu and Ii Desu: Yes or No Thanks?
A shop clerk asks if you want a bag, you say ii desu, and you walk out with a bag. Or without one. Both phrases point in two directions, and the situation decides which.
7 min readDame Meaning: No Good, Not Allowed, and Hopeless
Dame is one of the first Japanese words children hear and one of the bluntest words adults use. It says no, it does not work, and it is not allowed, all in two syllables.
6 min readMuri Meaning: Impossible, No Way, and Too Much
Muri desu is honest, clear and short. It is also one of the fastest ways to sound blunt in a Japanese office. The word is essential; the question is when to say it aloud.
5 min readTaihen Meaning: Very, Serious, and That Must Be Hard
A colleague mentions they are moving house, and the natural Japanese response is not good luck or how exciting. It is taihen desu ne, which acknowledges how much work it is.
5 min readEnryo Meaning: Holding Back, Signs, and Don't Be Shy
A host tells you enryo shinaide, and a sign on the train says go-enryo kudasai. One invites you to take more; the other tells you not to do something. Both come from the same idea.
5 min readGaman Meaning: Putting Up With It, and When Not To
Gaman is often presented abroad as a noble national trait. In daily Japanese it is much more ordinary: holding off dessert, waiting for the toilet, or putting up with a noisy neighbour.
5 min readMendokusai Meaning: What a Pain, and Saying It Politely
Mendokusai is the word for every chore you would rather not do. It is also a word that can quietly damage how colleagues see you if it slips out at the wrong moment.
5 min readPractical guides
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