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 9
Zurui Meaning: Saying 'No Fair!' and 'Sneaky' in Japanese
Zurui (ずるい) means unfair, sly or sneaky. Among friends it is most often a playful, envious 'No fair!' when someone gets something you wanted, but said seriously it accuses a person of cheating or taking advantage.
10 min readDou Shiyou Meaning: どうしよう, 'What Do I Do?' in Japanese
Dō shiyō (どうしよう) means 'What do I do?' or 'What should I do?'. People say it to themselves in a moment of panic, but also calmly when deciding what to order, and the polite dō shimashō ka asks someone else how to handle a situation.
10 min readMoyamoya Meaning: That Unsettled Feeling in Japanese
Moyamoya (モヤモヤ) describes a foggy, unresolved feeling: something is bothering you, but you cannot quite name it or settle it. People say nanka moyamoya suru, something's bugging me, and the relief after talking it through is sukkiri, feeling cleared up.
9 min readNantonaku Meaning: Saying 'Somehow' and 'Just Because' in Japanese
Nantonaku (なんとなく) means somehow, vaguely or for no particular reason. It is the honest casual answer to 'Why?' when you do not have a clear reason, and it also describes half-understanding (nantonaku wakaru) and moods you cannot explain.
9 min readZutto Meaning: 'All Along', 'Forever' and 'By Far' in Japanese
Zutto (ずっと) means the whole time, all along or for a long time, and in comparisons it means by far or much. Zutto matteta is 'I waited the whole time', zutto mae kara is 'since long ago', and kotchi no hō ga zutto ii is 'this one is far better'.
9 min readChanto Meaning: ちゃんと, Doing Things Properly in Japanese
Chanto (ちゃんと) means properly, correctly or as it should be. It is the word behind a parent's chanto tabeteru? (are you eating properly?), a nag like chanto kiite (listen properly), and praise for a chanto shita hito, a reliable, decent person.
9 min readNantoka Naru Meaning: 'It'll Work Out' and Nantoka in Japanese
Nantoka naru (なんとかなる) means 'It'll work out somehow'. Nantoka means somehow or one way or another, and it builds a whole family of phrases: nantoka shimasu (I'll manage it), nantoka maniatta (I just about made it) and the polite plea nantoka narimasen ka (is there any way?).
9 min readKomaru Meaning: Komatta, 'I'm in a Bind' in Japanese
Komaru (困る) means to be in trouble, at a loss or inconvenienced. Komatta is a quiet 'Oh dear, I'm stuck', komatteru n desu is a polite way to ask for help, and sore wa komarimasu is a calm but firm 'That's a problem for me'.
9 min readKuso and Chikushou Meaning: Anime Swearing, Explained Safely
Kuso (くそ) literally means crap and is used like 'Damn!'; chikushō (ちくしょう) literally means beast and is used like 'Dammit!'. Both are rough, mostly heard in anime, sport and among close friends, and most adults vent with milder words like shimatta, ā mō or kuyashii.
9 min readYatsu Meaning: 'That Guy', 'That Thing' and '...tte Yatsu' in Japanese
Yatsu (やつ) means one or thing in casual speech, as in ano akai yatsu, that red one, and it is completely neutral when it refers to objects. About people it means guy or fellow, and it can sound rough or rude, except in warm phrases like ii yatsu, a good guy.
9 min readJapanese Words for Laughing and Crying: Geragera, Kusukusu, Shikushiku
Japanese describes laughing and crying with sound words: geragera warau is to roar with laughter, kusukusu warau is to giggle, shikushiku naku is to sob quietly and wanwan naku is to bawl. Choosing the right one tells your listener exactly what the scene looked and sounded like.
9 min readDattebayo Meaning: What Naruto's だってばよ Really Says
Dattebayo (だってばよ) is not a word with a meaning of its own: it is Naruto's personal sentence-ending tic, built from da, tteba and yo, and it adds a pushy, boyish "I'm telling you!" to whatever he has just said.
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