Questions asking for words or phrases to be translated.
3
votes
2answers
369 views
How do I convey “As you all know”?
Having been trying to write a "sakubun", I must say that I had some trouble to find a reliable translation for the phrase "as you all know" such as:
As you all know, the education system in our ...
3
votes
2answers
117 views
Understanding 〜たら良いか〜
The sentence 何と言ったら良いか分かりません means "I don't know what I should say."
But what is the literal translation of this sentence? What is the purpose of the か in 良いか?
3
votes
4answers
294 views
Parsing a specific sentence from a book
I have this following sentence:
横線――ＨＰバーの名で呼ばれる青いそれは、俺の生命の残量を可視化したものだ。
There are a few questions I came up with about this sentence:
The first part of the sentence is: 横線―――ＨＰバーの名で呼ばれる青いそれ, ...
3
votes
2answers
214 views
How and when to use 「そうですね」？
I only know the 2 meanings of it as follow:
Use when thinking - no meaning
Use to agree with others - the meaning is like "yes, I think so"
What else and what situation can it be used?
If someone ...
3
votes
1answer
221 views
Why “to iu na no” instead of “de” or “no”?
So I'm watching this anime a couple of days ago and one of the characters were describing a group of people. He ended his description with "GIGN to iu na no inu". The subtitle says that meant: "Those ...
3
votes
1answer
145 views
Dates, version strings, timestamps and numbers in Japanese. How are they formatted?
I'm writing a program and need to know how dates, versions, time, and numbers are formatted in the Japanese Language
Example (in English)
Version 1.0.0 (Build 0)
How would that look in Japan?
3
votes
1answer
164 views
How can I talk about old memories and important “firsts”?
How can I say old memories and first (talk, hug, kiss) kind of stuff?
3
votes
1answer
252 views
What does 叱ってやりたい mean in this context?
On twitter I saw this:
なのに風呂掃除したら100円もらってたおれ…叱ってやりたい！笑
What does it mean?
This is the previous tweet:
最近だなー。食ったらすぐ食器洗うのが習慣になったの。実家に居た頃は全部母親がやってたから甘えちゃってた。仕事もしてて家事も完璧にやってた母親、今更ながら尊敬します。
3
votes
2answers
239 views
What does 日本語で送っても読めますか？ mean?
I mean I understand all the parts separately but I can't lay my finger on the core meaning of the sentence.
Whole message:
Hi I'm maho !
17years old, from Japan.
your Japanese is good !
my ...
3
votes
3answers
249 views
Is there a reliable translation of the kangxi radicals?
Inspired by the Wikipedia page on Kangxi radicals I decided to study the meaning and writing of radicals before I tackle the much more numerous kanji. But in working my way through the list, I started ...
3
votes
2answers
133 views
Translation of Name and “saying” sentance
I have the following sentence I need to translate for my intro Japanese class.
私の友達の名前は、安田味子さんといいます。
There are 2 parts I am having trouble with.
First, the name translation. I think it should be ...
3
votes
2answers
123 views
What is an appropriate translation of 親和感?
In 1970, Masahiro Mori proposed the theory of the Uncanny Valley, which states that
"when human replicas look and act almost, but not perfectly, like actual human beings, it causes a response of ...
3
votes
1answer
151 views
Can't quite understand this sentence
この間、時間を見つけては、過去の歴史をひもといてみたのだが、再認識させられたのは、人間というのは、どれほど多くの涙とともに飲み下した教訓であっても、喉元を過ぎたとたんに忘れてしまう生き物であるということだった.
Especially what "忘れてしまう生き物" is supposed to mean in "喉元を過ぎたとたんに忘れてしまう生き物であるということだった".
3
votes
2answers
149 views
What's the best translation of アタリ in the context of drawing?
I'm reading through a book on how to draw in a classic Japanese manga style. Specifically, the book is about the basics of デッサン, "sketching".
They use the term アタリ a lot. For example, this typical ...
3
votes
1answer
94 views
人生に生き甲斐を求めてギターを習い始めた。 Can 求める mean give?
人生に生き甲斐を求めてギターを習い始めた。
I started learning guitar to give myself something to do with my life.
Is this translation a little too loose?
Can 求める mean give?
Or would another way of translating this ...
3
votes
1answer
112 views
Japanese word for Operation, in the sense of a project or task - slang
What would be the Japanese equivalent of the word operation, in the sense of a project or task?
Some examples would be:
Operation Infiltrate-the-Castle
Operation Human Shield (from South Park)
...
3
votes
1answer
251 views
How to call a wait pointer in Japanese?
In Japanese, how to call a wait pointer?
I am talking about a computer mouse pointer which becomes a spinning wheel or hourglass (depending on the OS) when the application is busy processing ...
3
votes
1answer
127 views
Can I refer to the March 11 earthquake without mentioning the word earthquake?
Is it possible to refer to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami and nuclear incident in everyday conversation, preferably without using the words earthquake or tsunami or nuclear incident?
For ...
3
votes
2answers
156 views
What does 血のしょんべん mean?
I'm trying to figure out what 血のションベン means. I understand the individual words and literal meaning. So assuming it doesn't mean "bloods urine", what does this mean?
Perhaps the full sentance is ...
3
votes
1answer
193 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
3
votes
2answers
136 views
How does 話{はなし}が噛{か}み合{あ}わない work?
I saw this phrase discussed on esaura.cc
話が噛み合わない
'There's a gap in their conversation.'
'They can't meet on common ground.'
'They have been at odds with each other.'
'They have not been ...
3
votes
1answer
83 views
What does 撥の音も加えたgliss. mean? (in sheet music)
I am a musician playing the Marimba. Because quite a bit of music for marimba is written by famous Japanese composers, occasionally I come across some Japanese text I would like to understand.
In the ...
3
votes
1answer
74 views
Help with a relative clause + を中心に
Here's the sentence:
あるいはまた、東南アジアを中心に世界各地で活躍するいわゆる華僑勢力の多くが福建省出身者である事実を見ても、福建人たちの「海外雄飛」のパワーを知ることができる。
My rough translation is something like:
"Moreover, looking also at the fact that a large ...
3
votes
1answer
143 views
Meaning of “何か来るんやろなとは思ったけどな”
I saw this pic on 9gag.com! I was able to read the following line perfectly (or maybe not): 何か来るんやろなとは思ったけどな. I'm not sure what it exactly means, but I have a feeling that this is slang.
来る means to ...
3
votes
1answer
66 views
Meaning of auxiliary ゆく/いく in this context
While translating a song, I've stumbled upon the following sentence:
落ちた希望を拾って明日に繋いでゆけば
Which got me wondering what the difference between the following two is:
落ちた希望を拾って明日に繋いでゆけば
...
3
votes
1answer
139 views
What does そこによるところは大きい mean?
could anyone help me with a sentence? It was from an article in the Asahi about the leadership change in North Korea. The full sentence is 拉致被害者の早い救出も、そこによるところは大きい。I understand the first part of the ...
3
votes
1answer
129 views
How are で and ばかりused in this expression?
来年は是非明るい年でありますように願うばかりです I hope that the next year will be great for you
Why is で used in 年であります? Is であります an older form of です? Also, what would the ばかり translate to here? I thought maybe it ...
3
votes
1answer
129 views
Is “bless” the best translation of 祝福{しゅくふく}?
As far as I understand it, 祝福{しゅくふく} means "bless". I came across it in this sentence, and it struck me as weird:
だれもが彼の成功をうらやむと同時に、心から祝福した。
My rough translation is, "At the same time that ...
3
votes
1answer
118 views
Meaning and translation 働かせっぱなし
Help me please with translation 働かせっぱなし in the following sentence
それって、朝からずっと働かせっぱなしの人間に対して、掛ける言葉じゃ、ないと思うんだけど
The main problem is that I cannot understand how to correctly translate 働かせっぱなしの人間, ...
3
votes
1answer
166 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
votes
5answers
316 views
Translation - Long sentence, uncertain of the nuance
I'm having trouble determining the meaning and nuance of this sentence. Can you help me out?
[技術]{ぎじゅつ}といっても、上手か下手かだけではなく、その技術を使う人の気持ちの持ち方まで[問題]{もんだい}にしているのです。
I think the closest I've been able ...
3
votes
1answer
266 views
How should I go about translating my company name in Japanese?
I'm trying to translate a company name ("puddle") in to Japanese. I put it into google translate, but when you translate words you're translating their meaning rather than the word itself, which is ...
3
votes
1answer
95 views
Term for health retreat accommodation
I've been trying to google some Japanese pages for health retreats. I've tried a few different combinations, but all I seem to get are yoga class studios or beauty salons. What term best describes the ...
3
votes
1answer
123 views
Understanding a JLPT practise question with ものなら
This sentence comes from a question in my JLPT practise book that is part of an explanation of the use of ものなら:
一度{いちど}仕事{しごと}を手伝{てつだ}おうものなら、それをいいことにあの人{ひと}は何度{なんど}でも頼{たの}んでくるから、気{き}をつけたほうがいい。
...
3
votes
1answer
96 views
Help translating this japanese sentence please?
I really really need help with this sentence I have tried everything but I don't get its structure and how to translate it so I'd appreciate if someone could help please?
オレ一人 ore hitori
...
3
votes
1answer
153 views
What does ぉ character mean?
Can somebody explain the purpose of ぉ character in the end of the following sentence?
What part of speech can be assigned to ぉ ?
Can the ending の be glued up with ぉ?
アドビにうまいことやられたのぉ。
3
votes
1answer
208 views
Trying to translate 遊ばにゃ損なってなもんだろうがおう！
I'm reading a manga and have run into a tricky phrase, so I am asking for help and some explanations:
...遊ばにゃ損なってなもんだろうがおう！
遊ばにゃ (or にや) - can't understand what the verb form is used here...
損なって - ...
2
votes
3answers
799 views
What does MC mean in Japanese?
Saw this on twitter:
MC挟んでいいなら♪( ´▽｀)RT @miri_sid: @mao_sid マオくんは全曲連続で歌えますか？(^-^)
Can't find the Japanese definition of MC anywhere. What does that say?
2
votes
1answer
280 views
Why is watermelon written in Hiragana, whereas melon is written in katakana?
For the two words, Watermelon, and Melon, Watermelon translates into "suika" (I don't have a Japanese keyboard right now), and melon translates into "meron".
Why is this set up this way? Is it just ...
2
votes
2answers
329 views
How to say “Slice of life anime”?
How do I say "slice of life anime/manga" in Japanese?
I've tried looking this up. Perhaps it is only english speakers who categorize anime this way?
2
votes
1answer
127 views
Verbs in application drop down lists
I am working on translating pick list items that appear in a piece of software from English to Japanese. There is a mix of verbs and nouns on the lists, ex: workplace, attack, wolf, assault, etc... ...
2
votes
1answer
169 views
What does 週一 mean?
Trying to understand this tweet:
日曜日は掃除の日。新しく買った掃除機が良すぎる！忙しいと週一とかになりがちな掃除機がけも、これでマメにやれそう♪( ´▽｀)ルンバと迷ったけどこっちにしてよかった！やっぱり掃除は自分でしたいしね。
I understood everything up to 週一. What does that sentence say?
2
votes
2answers
178 views
Question about 相手
I'm confused in describing 相手 here, I cannot understand is it "Partner who can show their true self" or "Partner to whom can show your true self"(sorry for a bad translation)? Oh, and here ぶつけられる is ...
2
votes
2answers
123 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
2answers
112 views
How to say “To familiarise onself with”
I've been trying to figure out how to say something like:
"I'd like to familiarise myself with XXX before the meeting so do you have any information that you can pass me before hand." (I.e. I have an ...
2
votes
1answer
162 views
What does 正宗で大根を切る。 言い出しっぺ。 mean?
I'm not sure if this off-topic for this site but I would like to know what "正宗で大根を切る。 言い出しっぺ。" means. I tried translating it through google but I don't think it translated it properly. I found this ...
2
votes
1answer
115 views
What does 本調子 mean in a musical context?
When looking at musical instruments online ([篠笛]{しのぶえ} and 竹笛{たけぶえ} in particular, but I guess this goes for more instruments), their 本調子 is always listed. Some flutes are ６本調子, some ７本調子 and some ...
2
votes
2answers
146 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
226 views
What is a シドギャ? ギャ doesn't mean girl, does it?
At first I thought ギャ meant girl, but after doing some googling, that doesn't appear to be what it is. What is シドギャ?
シドギャ is related to the band シド, the most popular Visual Kei rock band in Japan for ...
2
votes
1answer
200 views
“How did you know?” and “how do you know?” in Japanese
As explained in this question on the English site, there is a distinction in English between saying "How did you know?" and "How do you know?"
When someone makes an assertion, the distinction ...
