Subtle distinctions between words or a tacit implied sense of a word. An informal term.
8
votes
1answer
192 views
What is the difference between 部屋 and 室?
When referring to a room (in a building), what is the difference in usage, if any?
I looked up the definitions and checked some sample phrases, but I could not see any real difference.
I usually read ...
3
votes
3answers
219 views
〜くてform from a verb
I ask here my question because I couldn't find anything on internet.
My problem is about 〜くて form for a verb.
I asked to a japanese friend what does mean "会いたくて" for example.
She told me that there is ...
8
votes
4answers
157 views
What is the difference in usage between 準備 用意 and 覚悟
The dictionaries translate these three words roughly as preparation/preparedness or ready/readiness.
I don't think I undersand the subtleties of their usage.
Not to mention できる also has another ...
5
votes
1answer
92 views
For the word じき meaning “soon”, what is the difference between the kanjis 直 and 時期?
As discussed in this question, one meaning for じき is "soon, momentarily". Looking it up in my (English/Japanese) dictionary, I found both the kanjis 時期 and 直 for it.
I looked them up further ...
3
votes
1answer
162 views
What nuance brings “ですな”?
I often see ですな used in social text posts.
Examples:
こんにちわ、あついし、ひまですな。
いいてんきですなｗ
A Google search for "ですな" does not show me any explanation.
Here is how I understand ですな in such context:
...
6
votes
1answer
85 views
～の時 vs ～歳の時: What's the difference?
When referring to a time where one was a certain age, are there any differences in meaning, nuance or usage between saying, for example, 18の時 and 18歳の時.
I always thought you needed to have the 歳, but ...
3
votes
1answer
264 views
How do I interpret this question that ends with よ?
In the 7th book of the awesome High School of the Dead, there's this page:
The situation is that the main characters, a group of mostly teenagers who are surviving a zombie apocalypse, are walking ...
6
votes
1answer
206 views
What exactly is 我が家, and how is it used?
I know the phrase 我が家 means "our home" or "our family". My question is when would you use it, as opposed to say 私の家 or 私の家族? It seems poetic to me, or something that wouldn't exactly be used in ...
3
votes
1answer
274 views
What's the difference between 理系{りけい} , 理科{りか}, and 科学{かがく}?
In my dictionary, 理系{りけい}, 理科{りか}, and 科学{かがく} are defined simply as "science".
What, if anything, differentiates them?
Especially in terms of the feeling or nuance when used in everyday ...
5
votes
2answers
141 views
Nuance of 離{はな}れ
In my JLPT textbook, it has a section on the use of the term 離{はな}れ, "detachment". Some examples:
テレビ離{ばな}れ (detachment from television)
もの離{ばな}れ (detachment from things)
政治離{ばな}れ ...
8
votes
1answer
186 views
が and に interchangeability and difference in meaning
Consider these sentences:
だれ{が・に}これが出来るか
だれ{が・に}日本語が分からないか
When both が and に are acceptable, what is their difference in meaning and practical usage?
4
votes
1answer
169 views
Can 彼 be used as an indefinite pronoun like やつ or 男?
気取らない彼が好きです。 I like him, who doesn't put on airs.
My first reading of this sentence was to assume that 彼 was referring to the boyfriend meaning of 彼, and thus my interpretation was "I like an ...
4
votes
2answers
246 views
「雨が降っているぜ」の「ぜ」の意味について
さっき、お弁当を買ってきた三十代の男性同僚が、入室したら「外雨が降っているぜ！早く弁当買っといた方がいいかも！」と勢い良く言った。
その「ぜ」の意味はなんだべ？
「行くぜ」ならなんとなく分かるんだが、今の文脈だとさっぱり迷ってしまうんだ…
1
vote
1answer
131 views
u and Senryu placement
I am in the process of publishing a book on verse, more particularly, "American Haiku and Senryu -- 1008 Pauses Along the Path" and I need to ascertain whether or not the title is appropriate, i.e. is ...
5
votes
1answer
249 views
を vs が with use against 好き?
The difference between が and を with the potential form of a verb. and Is it true that all nouns must be able to accept a が particle and a を particle? are noted as possible duplicates; however, I ...
6
votes
2answers
227 views
酔う vs 酔っ払う: does it depend on how drunk you are?
酔{よ}う and 酔{よ}っ払{ぱら}う both seem to mean "to get drunk" but how are they different from each other? Does it depend on how drunk you are, and assuming 酔っ払う is worse than 酔う, exactly how drunk would you ...
4
votes
1answer
199 views
"一生懸命な”のニュアンスを説明してもらえませんか。Nuances of 一生懸命な
一生懸命な彼に申し訳ない気がしました。そこで、私は一度彼と会って面と向かって断ろうと思ったのです。
'I felt I had to do something so I decided to meet him face to face and tell him I wasn't interested.'
一生懸命を副詞として使ったら 'eagerly, with utmost ...
8
votes
1answer
297 views
How the ～にあって form works - situations, places, times, what?
I finally started going through some JLPT N1 grammar the other day, and one of the ones I'm looking at has me a bit confused: the ～にあって・～にあっても form. The book describes its usage as such:
...
7
votes
2answers
295 views
What is the difference between 言うな！ and 言ってんじゃねぇぞ?
1) What is the difference between 言うな！ and 言ってんじゃねぇぞ!, in other words can we use them interchangeably at all times?
2) which is ruder?
10
votes
3answers
494 views
When describing time span, are 間 {あいだ} and 内 {うち} interchangeable?
Both 間 {あいだ} and 内 {うち} can be used to describe time span relative to specific situations, similar to "while" in English. But are they interchangeable all the time? Are there any scenarios where one ...
2
votes
1answer
190 views
Plain verbs vs [conjunctive form 連用形]+をする (e.g. 間違える vs 間違えをする)
(Question 1)
Are there any differences in nuance and usage of conjunctive form of verb (連用形) + をする compared to the plain form of those verbs whose conjunctive forms can be used as nouns?
For ...
