The differences between two or more words or phrases and how to select the best one for a given situation.
5
votes
1answer
125 views
What is the Japanese song-metric filler?
In English we have some common sounds that are used to fill spaces in songs like "ah" "la" "nah" "oh" "yea".
What do we use for Japanese songs?
So far I think I have only heard る used.
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 ...
4
votes
1answer
162 views
Help with には and にとって
I need help understanding why にとって cannot be used in this circumstance:
その仕事は私｛には/*にとって｝出来ない。 ( * denotes unacceptable)
This is what I read:
にとって cannot be used when it marks an experiencer ...
5
votes
2answers
255 views
How do you know when to use みな or みんな?
Are there any tips for deciding to write みな or みんな? If I'm not sure can I just go with 皆?
Also, in speech is there a distinction made? If not, which pronunciation is more common in standard Japanese?
...
3
votes
1answer
349 views
Difference between の代わりに and に代わって
I need help understanding the difference between の代わりに and に代わって.
This is how A Dictionary of Intermediate Japanese Grammar explains the difference:
の代わりに cannot be used when "replacement" is ...
4
votes
1answer
171 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 ...
10
votes
2answers
647 views
What is the difference between なぜなら、だから、and なので？
I'm trying to get clarification on how to use these three pieces of grammar and whether or not they all hold some kind of "Because" meaning.
16
votes
6answers
433 views
How can I differentiate agreement with the person and agreement with the idea?
A zillion years ago, before I came to Japan, I took a short introductory course on Japanese. In it, they showed a video of a business meeting where an American businessman is speaking to a Japanese ...
7
votes
1answer
215 views
When to use 種別 and when to use 区分 when programming
I am having trouble when naming a variable, deciding if I should use ABC種別 or ABC区分. I have been reading a lot of software specifications and the Japanese description usually uses 種別 and 区分 to specify ...
5
votes
2answers
469 views
Is there a form for “I have never heard of”?
Some examples of what I'm trying to convey:
I have never heard that song before.
I have never heard of Miyazawa Kenji
I have never heard of that before?
I've never heard of that store?
...
2
votes
1answer
107 views
The difference between 添削 and 訂正
I used to always use 訂正{ていせい} rather than 添削{てんさく} to mean "correction", but recently I haven't really seen 訂正 being used. When used in the context of correcting English translations etc, it seems to ...
6
votes
1answer
223 views
Usage of the suffixes 流, 風, 式, 的 and 様
If I was to put the suffixes 流{りゅう}, 風{ふう}, 的{てき}, 式{しき} and 様{よう} on the end of a noun etc, what would be the difference between them?
I could be wrong, but the following all seem to me to mean ...
3
votes
1answer
120 views
Does the word レストラン make saying 中国レストラン strange?
I see that the WWWJDIC emphasizes western style restaurants for the word レストラン. So would there be a better word to use in 中国レストラン?
3
votes
3answers
279 views
Does this use of だろうか indicate assertion of an opinion?
I always get a bit confused with だろう, which I've asked about before. In my other question, I got the impression that たろう meant a certain amount of assertion, and だろうか left some room for uncertainty.
...
11
votes
1answer
600 views
When to use: “say”, “speak”, “tell” or “express”
When browsing through journal entries by various people, I've recently been noticing the words 述{の}べる and 語{かた}る used fairly frequently but I'm not sure when they should be used over 話{はな}す and 言{い}う ...
8
votes
3answers
386 views
What exacty does ゆえ mean, and how does it fit this JLPT question?
I have this question in my JLPT textbook:
男女{だんじょ}平等{びょうどう}といっても、女性{じょせい}＿＿＿の差別{さべつ}はまだ残{のこ}っている。
A ゆえ B たる C なり D こそ
The book says the answer is A, which is weird to me because I thought ...
6
votes
2answers
161 views
What's the difference between 関{かん}する and 関{かか}わる?
This question is in my JLPT practise book:
親{おや}のしつけが子供{こども}の性格{せいかく}形成{けいせい}に＿＿＿＿ことは言{い}うまでもない。
A 通{つう}じる B 通{とお}す C 関{かん}する D 関{かか}わる
The book says the answer is D, but to me the ...
3
votes
1answer
117 views
what is the difference between 観察 and 観測
According to JDIC, both mean "observation".
Judging from the Kanji used, I'm guessing the difference is 観測 has a nuance of observing something and measuring some aspect of it or taking data, whereas ...
7
votes
2answers
256 views
Why does someone intend to die in this JLPT question?
This is a question in my JLPT practise book:
手遅{ておく}れかもしれないが、死{し}んだ＿＿になってやれば、間{ま}に合{あ}うかもしれない。
A もの B わけ C つもり D はず
None of the answers made sense to me, so I didn't even choose one.
The ...
9
votes
1answer
365 views
Aren't がる and たがる the same thing?
In my JLPT practise book, it has two different entries, one to explain がる and one to explaining たがる. It offeres these example sentences to differentiate them:
うちの子{こ}は新{あたら}しいものを見{み}ると、すぐほしがる。
...
2
votes
1answer
129 views
Why is に応{おう}じて the wrong answer in this question?
This question is in my JLPT practise book:
オリンピックの日本{にほん}代表{だいひょう}選手{せんしゅ}は、みんなの期待{きたい}____金{きん}メダルをとった。
A にこたえて B に応{おう}じて C に沿って D によると
I chose B, because it seems to me that it's ...
3
votes
2answers
239 views
Difference between Noun+な and Noun+だという
I came across this sentence:
四月だというのに、結構寒いね。 "It is April, but it is rather cold isn't it?"
Recalling what I learned about the のに conjunction, I can also make the sentence:
四月なのに、結構寒いね。
...
2
votes
1answer
130 views
What is the difference in these two keigo terms?
My JLPT practise book has these two sentences to help explain the difference between お目{め}にかける and お目{め}にかかる in a context of keigo.
それでは新製品{しんせいひん}お目{め}にかけましょう。
...
3
votes
3answers
248 views
“Instead” using 代わりに
Excerpt from A Dictionary of Intermediate Japanese Grammar:
Consider the difference in the sentences below:
[a] 昼間遊ぶ代わりに夜遊ぶつもりだ。
I intend to play at night instead of having fun in the daytime.
...
1
vote
1answer
184 views
What's the difference between “な感じ” and “という感じ” when written after quotation marks?
な感じ was crossed out and replaced with という感じ in a sentence that I wrote that was similar to this one:
その文には「それは私にはもったいない」 な感じ という感じ があると思う。
I think that sentence has a feeling of "that's more ...
8
votes
2answers
315 views
Would I have 牛乳 or ミルク with my cereal?
I've just found out that there's a couple of words for milk, and that they have slightly different meanings. Which one would I have with my Weetbix in a "viking style" breakfast in Niseko?
Based on ...
3
votes
2answers
257 views
“To call” or “To receive a call”
Consider these example sentences taken from SPACEALC:
[a] （人に）電話をかける。 "put in a call to ~"
[b] ~が（主語に）電話をかける。 "receive a telephone call from"
My observations: Both sentences use かける. ...
9
votes
1answer
342 views
Comparing 気にする vs. 気になる
Consider this example sentence from SPACEALC:
あなたがどうしているか気になっていた。
"I was concerned about how you were."
What is the difference when 気にする is used instead? I.e.,
あなたがどうしているか気にしていた。
～なる ...
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 ...
1
vote
1answer
95 views
Is ものを similar to けど?
Another sentence from my JLPT practise book, this time in a section explaining the use of ものを.
借金{しゃっきん}で困{こま}っていた友人{ゆうじん}を、助{たす}けようと思{おも}えば助{たす}けられたものを、見捨{みす}ててしまった。
I think this sentence is ...
0
votes
1answer
82 views
Not understanding 解{と}く in this sentence
This sentence comes from my JLPT practise book in a section explaining the use of 解{と}く:
練習{れんしゅう}問題{もんだい}は答{こた}えを見{み}ないで、自分{じぶん}で解{と}いてください。
I get that 解{と}く means to "unravel" or "solve", but ...
3
votes
2answers
105 views
あっけなく vs ものたりなく
I have been going over the JLPT test from 1999 and came across this problem that stumped me. For those planning to take the previous tests as practice you may want to avoid this question.
...
3
votes
1answer
111 views
Does そう imply vagueness in this JLPT question?
I have this question in my JLPT practise book:
明日{あした}は雨{あめ}が降{ふ}りそうな_____がする。
A 予報{よほう} B 予知{よち} C 予感{よかん} D 予測{よそく}
I chose A, mostly because of seeing 予報{よほう} used a lot when talking ...
4
votes
2answers
162 views
What is the metaphorical meaning of 手{て}?
I often see 手{て}, hand, used in a metaphorical sense to mean something along the lines of effort or presence... but I'm not totally sure.
For example, consider this sentence:
...
6
votes
1answer
162 views
How to use 乗{の}り出{だ}す
In my JLPT practise book, there is this question:
子供{こども}のけんかに親{おや}が_____きた。
A 乗{の}り越{こ}えて B 乗{の}り切{き}って C 乗{の}り出{だ}して D 踏{ふ}み込{こ}んで
I chose D, because it seemed to me that the meaning of ...
7
votes
2answers
187 views
たたく versus ぶつ in a JLPT question
In my JLPT practise book, there is a section demonstrating the difference between なぐる, たたく, 打{う}つ, and ぶつ. If I understand them, they are all variants of "hit", with subtle nuances to differentiate ...
9
votes
1answer
180 views
伸{の}びる versus 延{の}びる in a JLPT question
In my JLPT workbook, it gives these examples to explain the difference between 延{の}びる and 伸{の}びる:
髪{かみ}は１か月{いっかげつ}に１センチぐらう伸{の}びる。
会議{かいぎ}はいつも30分{ぷん}ぐらい延{の}びる。
They both mean "stretch", more ...
7
votes
2answers
253 views
Earnest and serious: when should each be used?
I've noticed there's a lot of overlap between the following words meaning "earnest" or "serious" when talking about a person:
まじ
真面目{まじめ}
真剣{しんけん}
本気{ほんき}
正気{しょうき}: (This word really means "sane" I ...
13
votes
2answers
319 views
When writing for general public, is there a general guideline for selecting kanji?
After reading numerous publications, I've spotted a trend or custom on determining whether kanji is or is not used for certain words. The most obvious ones are:
こと・事
…が実は犯人だったということがわかる。
...
18
votes
1answer
371 views
What is the difference between いえ and うち?
I am trying to understand the difference between using いえ and うち. I originally drew the conclusion that うち is used for your own house and いえ for others' houses, but my Japanese teacher said that this ...
10
votes
2answers
504 views
What do you say when giving something to somebody?
In English when you hold out something to someone, sometimes a vocal prompt like "here" or "there" is said to indicate that you are giving it to the person.
In Chinese (or at least in Singapore) we ...
2
votes
4answers
362 views
Why is this JLPT(N1) question a matter of practicality, not futile effort?
Here is a snippet of text from a JLPT(N1) question:
...
11
votes
1answer
212 views
What's the difference between 「この辺{へん}」 and 「この辺{あた}り」
What's the difference between 「この辺{へん}」 and 「この辺{あた}り」?
I used to always read 「この辺{へん}」as 「この辺{あたり}」 as I thought it would be confused with 「変{へん}」 but it apparently is different.
12
votes
1answer
423 views
What's the difference between 「うまく」, 「上手に」 and 「よく」?
What's the difference between 「うまく」, 「上手に」 and 「よく」, all seemingly meaning "well" in English?
Someone said that I should use 「よく」 rather than 「うまく」 in the following sentence. Can anyone explain why?
...
11
votes
1answer
171 views
Can I always use 色々な or do I have to use 色々の sometimes?
On the web I can find many occurrences of both 色々な and 色々の.
色々な seems to be used more often though.
Can I always use 色々な and get away with it, or is 色々の the only choice in some particular cases?
If ...
4
votes
2answers
233 views
What does 「つっぱしり」mean in this context?
I recently heard about a manga entitled つっぱしり元太郎, and I'm slightly confused about the meaning of the 「つっぱしり」 in its name. I've looked the word up in several dictionaries, but have gotten no results.
...
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 ...
7
votes
1answer
281 views
Usage of 忘れる, 忘れた, 忘れている, 忘れていた
Consider this sentence:
それは三十年前のことだから、もう[fill in the blank]。
The answer given by the workbook is 忘れた.
Choices are:
忘れる (forget)
忘れた (forgot)
忘れている (continued state of forgetting)
忘れていた (had ...
8
votes
2answers
274 views
“Should” in Japanese
The word "should" in English has these uses when not used as a question:
To express the expectation of the speaker (Probabilistic reasoning).
The train should arrive in 10 minutes.
To express a ...
6
votes
1answer
360 views
The meaning, usage and cultural significance of the word [苦]{く}[笑]{しょう}
I've looked in many dictionaries, but I can't fully grasp how the word [苦]{く}[笑]{しょう} is used. I've seen it in dictionaries as being a kind of "embarrassed laugh". It appears to be used to deprecate ...
