Any question that does not deal specifically with grammar or pronunciation. Includes questions about prefixes, suffixes, compound words, loanwords, dialectal differences, pragmatic usage, etc. In other words, phenomena that occurs at the level of the word.
2
votes
2answers
168 views
Is there a difference between these words for “hero”?
I've learned that hero could be translated as:
ヒーロー
えいゆう
ゆうしゃ
けっし
Aside from ヒーロー (which seems just to be roumaji version of hero), is there any usage difference among them?
5
votes
1answer
131 views
Is “V Vないにかかわらず” grammatical?
In my textbook, they list the example sentence:
来る来ないにかかわらず、連絡をください。
This「来る来ない」part looks strange to me. Is it incorrect? If so, then how should it be fixed? Would it need to be 「来る？来ないにかかわらず」?
...
4
votes
1answer
131 views
When does こいつ refer to a situation?
I've always heard こいつ refer to a person. (That guy!) However, in my JLPT Reading workbook there is a line where it refers to a situation. The explanation says:
｢こいつ｣が状況を表し．．．．ことに気づくこと。
It goes ...
5
votes
1answer
403 views
What are some good ways to say “how to spell” in Japanese?
I wanted to know the correct way to spell a compound word in Japanese, and was wondering if there is a verb that correlates to "to spell" in the Japanese language. I found 綴る, but was told this is ...
1
vote
4answers
217 views
When is マイ・ワイフ used?
While looking up マイカー in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_gairaigo_and_wasei-eigo_terms, I came across マイ・ワイフ. Is マイ・ワイフ used in real life, or mainly in anime?
If the former, what differences ...
3
votes
2answers
150 views
What is the difference between 「余計に」and 「余分に」?
In my textbook 「日本語総まとめN２」, they list the two vocabulary words 「余計に」 and 「余分に」. I am almost unable to differentiate between their appropriate usage.
Here are the example sentences from the book:
...
7
votes
1answer
129 views
Employed by one institution but work for another
I've worked my current job for a few years, and I can't believe I've never thought of this question. I have a unique employment situation. I am employed by a university, but the work I do is for the ...
5
votes
1answer
118 views
What may be the difference between the usage of 自尊心 ,誇りand 自慢?
I read a paragraph and the paragraph contains the word 自尊心.
I want to know meaning of 自尊心.
Dictionary says 自尊心 = pride.
Is it same with 誇り? or 自慢?
What may be the difference between the usage of ...
6
votes
1answer
141 views
What is the difference between キャリアウーマン, OL, and ビジネスウーマン
When I come across the titles キャリアウーマン, OL, and ビジネスウーマン, I seem to have a difficult time picturing what their position is or what they do. I'm wondering if anyone can elaborate on how they are ...
5
votes
1answer
147 views
Can ご無沙汰 be used in a sexual context?
I had asked my friend what uses of 「ご無沙汰」exist and the situations people use them in. Among others, she had remarked that it could mean something along the lines of "not having sexual intercourse for ...
10
votes
4answers
353 views
What determines whether a word gets a kanji compound or katakana?
I read electronics/computing articles, and I find an incredible amount of terms are written either in kanji (almost similar to Chinese) or katakana. There are times when it's confusing as to know why. ...
2
votes
4answers
283 views
How do I write “Hard Work and Smart Work”?
I want to write an essay, the title is "Difference between Hard Work and Smart Work".
I am trying to search japanese words to express those Hard Work and Smart Work.
I wrote "重労働とスマートな仕事の相違点".Would ...
3
votes
1answer
111 views
Difference between the usage of 知恵 , 知能 and 知力
I have read the sentence
"12歳の小児の知力しかない".
In this sentence , I would like to know the usage of 知力 .
In dictionary , it means "intelligence "
Can I use 知恵 or 知能 instead of 知力.
Is there ...
6
votes
2answers
167 views
Can someone explain the use of 水 in 水商売?
水商売 【みずしょうばい】 (n) (1) chancy trade (business) with a high turnover rate and uncertain profitability; (2) the entertainment, eating, and drinking business; (3) the night entertainment (nightlife) ...
13
votes
5answers
1k views
Is すごい slang or just informal?
Regarding すごい:
What is the right way to spell it?
Is it vulgar, or is it slang like the English "cool"?, or informal or colloquial? Is it archaic?
If it is slang, does it have a non-slang meaning?
...
2
votes
1answer
142 views
Can と and な have the same meaning?
I was told that the following uses of と and な after 色々 were the same.
彼女のために色々と甘いものを買ってきた。I bought a bunch of sweets and brought them to my GF.
彼女のために色々な甘いものを買ってきた。
If this is true, is this an ...
5
votes
2answers
311 views
How do I say “I understand much better than before.”?
Or "I understand much better now." If someone helped me with a translation and I responded with: どうもありがとうございます。前より上手に分かっています。 Would that be the correct way to express that in Japanese?
5
votes
2answers
203 views
Why are the words for prefecture so complicated?
The first level of Japan's political division is called "prefecture" in English. However, in Japanese, there are four words for it: 都, 道, 府, and 県, and depending the particular prefecture, a certain ...
6
votes
3answers
409 views
What does 思いっきりどうぞ mean?
I heard this phrase a few times but I still can't grasp its meaning. Does it mean, "as much as you would like"?
6
votes
1answer
276 views
Why does 一体 mean “what the heck?”?
the definition for 一体【いったい】:
Adverb :
...the heck (e.g. "what the heck?"); ...in the world (e.g. "why in the world?"); ...on earth (e.g. "who on earth?");
—Before an interrogative, forms ...
7
votes
2answers
185 views
What is the etymology of the word バレる?
What is the etymology of the word バレる, and why is it often written with katakana?
ばれる(P); バレる (v1,vi) to leak out (a secret); to be exposed (a lie, improper behaviour, etc.) (behavior)
...
5
votes
1answer
108 views
What is the difference between 直観 and 直感?
I'm trying to understand if there is a difference between the two words 直感 and 直観. After looking both words up in a dictionary, there entries both list "intuition / intuitive". I also tried looking up ...
6
votes
2answers
328 views
Using 伯母 / 叔母 to refer to one's aunt
Is it true that when we see 伯母 it usually (90%) means "parent's elder sister" and sometimes (10%) can be used to refer to the parent's younger sister?
On the contrary, when we see 叔母 does it always ...
3
votes
2answers
162 views
How is ちょっと、たべたら、どう used in this sentence?
This is from the second episode of Noir. The two women are sitting quietly eating dinner. One of the women says to the other:
ちょっとは美味しそうに食べたらどう？
For the life of me, I can't parse this sentence into ...
3
votes
1answer
190 views
What does で分かる mean?
I have a hard time understanding the use of でわかる. I'm guessing that it doesn't just simply mean that "something is understood". Instead I wonder if it means that "something was realized"? I read the ...
8
votes
1answer
168 views
Why is 「人口」 used to denote population?
I'm just curious at the appearance of 「口」 that makes this word mean "population". Why should it be 「口」 as opposed to any other body part or anything else? Is there a definitive reason or story ...
4
votes
1answer
93 views
What is the difference between 義務and 本分?
Now, I try to brush up my vocabulary in Japanese.
In dictionary, both 義務 and 本分 mean "duty". Is there any differences in usage?
And can I use 本分 instead of 義務 in following sentence?
...
5
votes
2answers
131 views
Analysis of もしかして (perhaps)?
I'm hearing this word a lot in Japanese drama and anime. What is the literal meaning of it? Does it have a Kanji form? What root(s) does it contain (I think there is a する in the second half of it? ...
7
votes
2answers
186 views
What is the difference between 意味 and 意義?
I have learned (意味) and (意義）as "meaning". I am confused these two words. Are they same or is there any difference in usage?
8
votes
2answers
178 views
What is the difference between 首相 and 総理?
I learned 総{そう}理{り} as the word for Prime Minister, but I've recently learned that 首{しゅ}相{しょう} is also used. Is there a difference in usage or meaning? Is one more polite than the other?
8
votes
1answer
184 views
Kanji use in these words, 今 vs 未
I'm learning vocabulary from 日本語総まとめN2. In one section they describe four words and group them together (I assume because they have slightly different meanings but somewhat similar). They group them ...
0
votes
1answer
147 views
Using だということ to mean “that”
I was helping to translate this passage on the website Lang-8.com:
Lang-8をやって良かった点は、どんな間違いをしても恥をかかないようになったという点と、ネイティブの人でも英語を話すときに同じような間違いをするんだということに気付いた点です。
The great point about having used ...
1
vote
1answer
114 views
Is there a word or phrase for “run around”?
I'd like to know if there is a phrase similar to the English phrase of "running around". To explain more clearly, it should mean to be able to go out freely and do whatever one like's without being ...
1
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?
4
votes
1answer
118 views
What is the meaning of ぶさかわ?
I was talking to my language partner and she mentioned ぶさかわ being used in situations when you want to describe something not pretty but nice. Apparently the word is relatively new and was first used ...
2
votes
1answer
214 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 ...
10
votes
5answers
605 views
Native word for “pen”
Is there a native, non-loanword for "pen" (the writing instrument)? Or is there only 「ペン」?
There is one for "pencil" (鉛筆), one for "ruler" (定規), one for "paper" (紙) and even though the one for ...
3
votes
1answer
184 views
What are the rules for saying “made of [blank]”
Take these words for example:
木{もく}造{ぞう}: made of wood; wooden
and
金{きん}製{せい}: made of gold
I have been under the impression that -製 is used for where an item has been manufactured ...
4
votes
2answers
208 views
What's the difference between 話せる and 話す?
I came across [話]{はな}せます in the Japanese WOTD chat room.
あなたは英語が話せますか？ Can you speak English?
What's the difference between it and [話]{はな}します?
(Googling got some hits, but they were from user ...
4
votes
1answer
112 views
Questions on the figurative meaning of 食って掛かる
If 食って掛かる is one word meaning "to lash out at someone" or perhaps closer in figurative language, "to bite someone's head off," how should I think of the 掛かる? If I want to understand the logistics ...
6
votes
1answer
154 views
What is the literal meaning of ”いいかげんにしろ！”?
Some translations for the expression いいかげんにしろ！ are:
that's enough!; cut it out!; get a life!
If the correct kanji of this expression is 好い加減, what is the literal meaning of both 好い and 加減 in ...
7
votes
2answers
159 views
Does バラの寝床 come directly from the English expression “bed of roses”?
I came across this phrase in a Haruki Murakami short story, and I was wondering if this is just a literal translation of the English phrase?
I tried googling the Japanese phrase, but I could only ...
8
votes
2answers
289 views
What is the difference between 記憶【きおく】 and 思【おも】い出【で】?
Is there any difference between the meanings or connotations of 記憶 and 思い出?
I started thinking about this after listening to the song 「タイムマシーン」 or "Time Machine" by 少女時代, where these two lines occur ...
18
votes
1answer
382 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 ...
6
votes
2answers
235 views
Why are there two words 算数 and 数学 representing different fields?
Why are different words 算数 and 数学 used for mathematics at and after elementary school? I understand that the quality is different in that, in the former, the method of solving an equation is usually ...
4
votes
1answer
85 views
Why does 音物【いんもつ】 contain 音?
When looking up the definition of 音物 (a present or a bribe), I thought it was very odd that it contained the kanji 音. I can't think of what 音 (sound) could have to do with presents or bribes.
Is ...
2
votes
2answers
185 views
Could someone explain the ironic(?) use of よくいうよ?
Dainichi was kind enough to tell me that よくいうよ means "to shamelessly say something you should be ashamed to say."
On spacealc, this explanation and translation is provided:
よく言うよ。
What are you ...
16
votes
4answers
740 views
Commonness of casual phrases like “あたし” and “ちっちゃい”
I came across a Japanese girl in Germany who talked using words like あたし instead of わたし, or ちっちゃい instead of ちいさい. When I asked her, she said that these words or usages of words are more common in ...
1
vote
1answer
121 views
Is 死ぬ the only verb ending in -ぬ? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Plain verbs that end with ぬ other than 死ぬ
死ぬ{しぬ} is the only verb that I know that is ending in -ぬ.
So, are there any other verbs ending in -ぬ?
3
votes
3answers
225 views
善くも as opposed to よく
I found this line in the song,”三年目の浮気”:
よくいうよ 惚れたお前の負けだよ
How can you say that...you fell for me and lost
At first I thought it was the よく meaning often, but someone told me it was an ...
