The meaning of words or phrases within certain contexts, especially when it does not seem to match the standard definition.
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2answers
247 views
Slang: What does テラス mean?
What does テラス means in the context of declining an invitation, like below?
うううううう！！いきたい！けどその時間帯もろに仕事だ：：：またやって！！テラスーーーーー
I guess it is slang?
I am familiar with テラワロス but it seems different in ...
3
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1answer
151 views
3
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1answer
92 views
What does 直打ち mean? also whats the reading?
Can someone help me understand this 直打ち, as used in the following sentence:
URLを直打ちしてアクセスされた可能性があります。
(this is an error message in a log file)
My dictionaries have no idea what this word means.
As ...
3
votes
1answer
201 views
What does なきや mean?
I assume this is some sort of idiom or verbal tic, but i'm not 100% sure. Anybody care to help me out?
If you need context, this is the phrase:
まだピチピチなんだからかんばらなきや
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1answer
50 views
Meaning of vb-たかった + しまいました
I am currently in my third year of japanese studies, and in lesson 29 of 皆の日本語, we learned to use vb-て+しまいます or しまいました to emphasize the action or its completion, or the embarrassment, regret of the ...
3
votes
1answer
116 views
What's the difference between どうして and どうやって?
I've read on stackexchange that どうやって can be used to mean "what did you do in order to x"
どうやってお医者になったか? - What did you do in order to become a doctor?
This definition makes alot of sense to ...
3
votes
1answer
146 views
Why does 赤 have a negative connotation?
赤 is generally understood as meaning 'red' (which can explain combinations like 赤子 (red face of a crying baby)). However, I have seen some words with 赤 that have a negative meaning, 赤 possibly ...
3
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1answer
78 views
Where is the personal comparison in this phrase?
I was browsing a language exchange site and came across:
私のように明るく、前向きな方がいいです。
And the text under it (translation from the user who posted the entry) was:
I'm hoping that you are cheerful and ...
3
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1answer
118 views
Tense of どういうつもりだ…
The full sentence is:
反撃の機会は幾度もあった… どういうつもりだ…
"There were many chances to counter attack... what is your intention".
But the event took place in the past so why is it not どういうつもりだった… "What was ...
3
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1answer
97 views
What does 彼のままだった mean?
In the following phrase:「時{とき}が過{す}ぎても彼{かれ}のままだった。」what does the「彼{かれ}のままだった」part mean?
My guess is that I can translate this phrase into something like "He's the same" or "he didn't change", but I'm ...
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1answer
200 views
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1answer
176 views
What is the meaning of ようで?
I think ようで means "to look/look like", but I'm having trouble understanding it in the context of this sentence:
感動に水を差すようで悪いのだが、さっさと爾子に乗ってくれ。でなくば、城とともに潰れるぞ。
Also, is でなくば another form of でなければ?
3
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1answer
139 views
Buddhist facilities
I am working on Japanese texts describing Buddhist temples in South-East Asia and there is quite a number of words I can't really translate in English. Here is a list with my tentative translations (I ...
3
votes
1answer
104 views
Does 諸元{しょげん} mean “Specification” or “Various”?
I am trying to name a library on a group of forms. The specification names the group 諸元管理画面.
I tried to search and the dictionary says it means "various factors or elements".
But on other examples ...
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3answers
203 views
How can I translate けど in this sentence?
I don't get these sentences; the first one ends with けど (plus I don't get why there is the use of !? at the end)
Here the sentences:
俺モデル!
顔命なの です
けど!?
んなに
硬くねーだろ>
I know that けど ...
3
votes
1answer
161 views
Dictionary entry and derived forms, were they equal at some point?
I will first state the dictionary entry, and then other formations that also yield the dictionary entry.
Consider the following :
思える - to seem/appear,
potential form of 思う - can think
合わせる - ...
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2answers
129 views
Is there a Japanese saying like その頑張りは、すべてむだというかそういう気持ちになる , related to the working conditions of doctors in a hospital?
On NHK NewsWatch 9 yesterday, they were talking about the shortage of emergency room doctors, and the resulting situations lately where hospitals were forced to turn away emergency patients. In many ...
2
votes
1answer
218 views
Why does 古希 / こき mean 70 years old?
I found out that 古希 / こき can mean a 70 year old person, or the occasion of turning 70 years old. Apparently its etymology derives from an ancient song where this line occurs:七十古希 【しちじゅうこき】 which means ...
2
votes
1answer
119 views
What does お察しいたします mean?
The context (manga) is that a family's son is about to die; I think the speaker is trying to express condolences. However, the dictionary meaning seems to be "I make a guess", and I don't think that ...
2
votes
1answer
121 views
The meanings of 写真{しゃしん}
I'm currently studying Japanese vocabulary following the JLPT programs. I'm doing the JLPT 5 and I've come across the word 写真.
According to my dictionary, the meanings are:
Photograph, photo.
...
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2answers
146 views
How to distinguish between the meanings of “quickly”, “soon” and “early” for 早く
At What is suffix 方 used for (when attached to a た-verb)?, I wrote that the 早く there means "early":
早く行った方が良かったでしょう。
It would have been better if (you) had gone early, would it not?
But I'm ...
2
votes
2answers
147 views
What is って doing in this sentence?
From Noir, Episode 2 (anime).
I don't get what the って is doing in this sentence. For context, the father came home early from work. He quickly answers his wife in the first sentence then in the ...
2
votes
1answer
82 views
Can 首 be used to refer to students who have just graduated and not yet found a job?
The example sentences in WWWJDIC all use the word "首" in the "fire" sense (e.g. 彼を首にしてやる) hence I was wondering is the term only used to refer to "firing" someone?
Or is it also used to refer to ...
2
votes
1answer
126 views
Alternate meaning of 見えない when used as an expression?
I've always learned that 見えない means "unseen" or "invisible".
However, lately I've been seeing quite a few Japanese people in online games that, upon failing to complete some (usually very difficult) ...
2
votes
2answers
129 views
Two definitions of けれども
In this dictionary I checked, there are two definitions for けれども. I also checked in my Japanese to English printed dictionary and there was only one definition, but in my Japanese to Chinese printed ...
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votes
2answers
144 views
What did 才六 and similar terms about Kansai residents mean?
While looking up the denonym for a Kansai resident (I've since found out it's 関西人{かんさいじん}), jisho.org described 才六, 贅六, 上方才六, 賽六 and 采六, with pronunciations (not necessarily in that order) of ぜいろく, ...
2
votes
2answers
403 views
What does ちょちょい mean?
I can't find this defined anywhere.
Here's an example:
タオルケットをちょちょいかけにきてくれる。
I am also interested in what this whole sentence says.
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votes
1answer
102 views
what does “媒介にして” mean ?
when i was reading Rosario+vampire s2 manga i read this sentence
''血液を媒介にしてのみ真祖は継承されるの”
血液＝blood
媒介＝Intermediary
のみ＝Only
真祖＝term in the manga indicates vampires ancestors
継承＝Inheritance
then ...
2
votes
1answer
109 views
Differences between 事実 and 真実
Both 真実 and 事実 means; fact,truth. So in Kanji Lesson I asked my teacher if there is any differences between them, he said yes but there was no time to explain.
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1answer
139 views
Explain what はめになる is and give some examples
I heard that it means something like "to get stuck with something."
Can you explain what this means and give some examples?
2
votes
1answer
52 views
Use of ご and にね
In the following sentence, how are にね and ご used in that first clause. I'm baffled. They seem to have no meaning.
で、そんなご身分にね、一年も経てばいよいよ引け目を感じますよ。
Thanks for your help.
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votes
1answer
74 views
What's the meaning of とこに?
Pretty much I couldn't find this とこに in my dictionary so I was wondering what it means.
Here the context to better understand:
あんなとこにタオル落ちてる
Also is あんな a slang for あのな?
Thanks in advance c:
I ...
2
votes
1answer
157 views
What is the meaning of 大奥婚?
This headline in today's zakzak news, related to actress Miho Kanno getting married.
堺雅人＆菅野美穂、“大奥婚”！ 電撃ゴールイン
What is the meaning of 大奥婚? I know 大奥 and 婚 by themselves, but not together. I ...
2
votes
1answer
119 views
What is the difference between 「Adj-さと言ったらなかった」＆「Adj-いと言ったらなかった」？
Could someone explain the difference between the following two expressions:
恐ろしさといったらなかった
恐ろしいといったらなかった
I am struggling with the first which my text book tells me means とても恐ろしかった. Why is ...
2
votes
2answers
331 views
Meaning of ~きて~ and ~しまいました in sentence
"あなたの本を車の中に置いてきてしまいました。" means "I left your book in the car." but what is the meaning of "きて" and "しまいました" in context?
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1answer
258 views
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1answer
102 views
Translation of 竜すらも恐るるに足らない
The full text is...
この魔剣があれば… メルヴィンの言うとおり 竜すらも恐るるに足らない…
Is this a double negative? "Even dragons to be not afraid is not enough" = "Even dragons are [will be] afraid".
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votes
1answer
122 views
What does the 「っち」 in ＠「見守りっち」 translate into?
What does Verb in 「ます」form +「っち」 mean?
What does the 「っち」 in ＠「見守りっち」 translate into?
2
votes
1answer
120 views
What does “僕が来る前からこーだったんですが?” mean?
Well, the title says it.
The sentence is from a manga, where a boy lives together with her very lazy aunt, so the boy has to take care of laundry, cleaning dishes, cooking etc. while she's drinking ...
2
votes
1answer
74 views
Interpreting 開ける when talking about 暇なとき
Earlier today I read the following excerpt from a message:
結局今日はゲームやらなかったよ！ また、暇なときに開けよう
The part I'm most unclear on is how to translate 開けよう.
First off, let me mention that I'm currently ...
2
votes
1answer
96 views
Lunar Seas and Sun Hills at a sports park?
I was reading the introduction page for Kirara Memorial Park (a public sports park) in Japan, and one of the features they listed was a 「月{つき}の海{うみ}」. As far as I can tell, in both English and ...
2
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1answer
98 views
How do I interpret 理不尽 in this situation?
I was talking with my colleagues about work and my friend described the following situation:
The boss asked my friend to make a report for a meeting that they had at the end of the day. He worked ...
2
votes
1answer
150 views
Lyric in this song: 気の思い?
There is an Indonesian song with titled "Aishiteru" which is fully in Indonesian language except for one line in Japanese (and a few "a a a aishiteru" lines).
YouTube link
The one line in Japanese ...
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1answer
151 views
Reversing the clause pattern “～ほう～より”
Consider the two sentences below:
(1) 私のほうが田中さんよりよく飲む。(I drink more than Mr. Tanaka.)
(2) 私はビールより酒のほうをよく飲む。(I drink more sake than beer.)
I think the pattern for the second one is a reverse ...
2
votes
1answer
78 views
Why use 分 in this question?
I have come across the following sentence :
そのダンボ－ルゴミに出す分ですか？
I understand it means something like "Are you throwing out this cardbox?". But what does 分 mean in this context and why is it at that ...
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votes
2answers
212 views
忙しさもひと休みといったところだ。 [closed]
I found this sentence: 忙しさもひと休みといったところだ。
And I cannot make it out anyhow.
Can anybody make it clear to me please?
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4answers
259 views
Why did this pirate get angry when he was given a bottle?
I was reading this and it didn't make sense to me. This pirate wanted a drink, but the store was sold out. So one of the guys offered to give him an unopened bottle, but it only made the pirate mad. ...
1
vote
2answers
109 views
What does「散々人を待たせておいて最初の一言がそれか」mean?
I am unsure how to translate the following phrase:
[散々]{さんざん}人{ひと}を待{ま}たせておいて最初{さいしょ}の一言{ひとこと}がそれか
My guess as to how this phrase translates is:
Is that the first thing people say to those ...
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vote
3answers
182 views
Translation of 出証意 and 長官殿
These are from a patent related document and I can't understand very well.
They are used like these：
1) 特許庁長官殿
2) 出証意2012
Can anyone help me?
1
vote
2answers
743 views
the meaning of word 'yoko'
I really like how the word "yoko" is pronounced, and I'll like to use it in my bussiness. I think that my bussiness will be named "yoko garage".
Do you know what yoko means? Does it have any bad or ...
