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.
10
votes
4answers
279 views
Greeting for meeting a friend by chance
How can I greet a person in a manner similar to "Nice to find you in here!" (— meaning meeting a friend by chance somewhere)?
3
votes
1answer
268 views
Is there a specific term that refers to female sword fighting?
The "Lonely Planet Tokyo" iPhone app describes female sword fighting as a bygone form of male entertainment:
Surprisingly, striptease almost failed to catch on due to the popularity of a rival ...
6
votes
2answers
336 views
Does なかなか (with negative verb) mean “by no means” or “considerably”?
WWWJDIC defines なかなか (with negative verb) as by no means
But shouldn't it have been considerably ?
By no means means 100% not
considerably means like 85% not
So does なかなか (with negative verb) ...
10
votes
4answers
417 views
Am I coming or going? 戻ってくる vs 戻っていく
A little while ago I was in a shop, and about 5 minutes after I left, they phoned me to tell me I had left my USB stick there. I said I would head back and pick it up.
I used 戻って行く to mean "I'll go ...
7
votes
1answer
109 views
Do the various verbs pronounced つく differ in intonation?
Related: Dissecting つく verbs
There are many verbs which are pronounced つく, and I was simply wondering: Do their intonation patterns differ?
If so, what are the intonation patterns of the most ...
8
votes
1answer
288 views
加える/増やす and 加わる/増える or even 増加する/殖/足, various kanji for “adding things”
I'm a bit confused regarding the choice between the 加 and 増 kanji for any meaning related to "adding one thing to another".
I assume that, as usual, the suru-verb combination 増加する is somewhat more ...
9
votes
1answer
204 views
Small towels to wipe sweat off
I was in Japan recently and am trying to remember the name for a small towel the Japanese may use to wipe the sweat off their faces in the summer. I was hoping to buy one for myself in the U.S.
Do ...
5
votes
1answer
116 views
The difference between 書物、図書 and 本
What are the differences between these three words. They all seem to translate to "books".
書物、図書 and 本
5
votes
1answer
143 views
The difference between 書店 and 本屋
What is the difference between:
書店 and 本屋
Are there any specific places where you can use one over the other? Or is it simply like the English Bookstore/Bookshop, and are perfectly interchangeable?
...
5
votes
1answer
181 views
What is the meaning of ちょうど一本 in this context?
If I've understood correctly, ちょうど followed by a counting word usually means something like "just x" or "exactly x" depending on the context, but I can't figure out what it means in this opening ...
4
votes
3answers
185 views
Is 門 read as かど or もん?
Is it more common to read 門 as かど or もん?
e.g. how would we pronounce the 門 in 彼らは門が開くのを待っていた。
7
votes
3answers
338 views
Are there any common Japanese words which were borrowed from Ainu or other indigenous languages?
I know plenty of Japanese words that came from English and a few from other European languages (obviously tons from Chinese), but what about words from Japan's indigenous languages such as Ainu? Also ...
6
votes
2answers
181 views
What is the difference between 蔵, 倉, and 庫?
The word 【くら】 can be written with any of the kanji 蔵, 倉, or 庫. However, WWWJDIC lists them all under one entry, defined as:
(n) warehouse; cellar; magazine; granary; godown; depository; treasury; ...
6
votes
1answer
148 views
regarding the kanjis 嗚呼; 於乎; 於戯; 嗟乎; 嗟夫; 吁; 嗟; 噫; 鳴呼
This question has 2 parts.
Why is it that ああ has so many different kanji 嗚呼; 於乎; 於戯; 嗟乎; 嗟夫; 吁; 嗟; 噫; 鳴呼 (source)
and is the average japanese (16 yr old and above) able to recognize them all?
9
votes
1answer
353 views
Which is the “official” kanji for さい, 歳 or 才 ?
Well if I'm not wrong, usually when a word has multiple kanji's one of them is selected as the "main" or more commonly used one.
But is it true that both 才 and 歳 are both the "main" kanji for さい?
5
votes
1answer
272 views
Phoenix: 不死鳥【ふしちょう】, 鳳凰【ほうおう】, 鳳/鵬【おおとり】, フェニックス… How many lives does this bird have!?
All of the following words and kanji (and a few more obscure ones) seem to be used in Japanese, to describe a bird that is translated by "Phoenix" in English:
不死鳥【ふしちょう】
鳳凰【ほうおう】
鳳【おおとり】/鵬【おおとり】
...
6
votes
2answers
157 views
What may be the difference between the usage of チャンス and 機会 ?
What may be the difference between the usage of チャンス and 機会 ?
For example:
1) これは機会だぜ！
2) これはチャンスだぜ！
15
votes
3answers
248 views
What is the difference in meaning between “husband and wife” 夫婦【ふうふ】 and 夫妻【ふさい】?
I see that those two compounds mean husband and wife, as a married couple. But is there a difference in usage or context?
10
votes
2answers
202 views
Which verbs have 辞書形 (dictionary forms) that look like ~ます conjugations?
I recently confused 励ます (hagemasu) for the ~ます form of 禿げる (hageru).
Although this actually lead to a rather amusing conversation, I'm wondering if there are other examples of this to watch out for?
7
votes
3answers
534 views
低い鼻 vs 短い鼻 and 高い鼻 vs 長い鼻 ?
After reading this thread: When would you use 低い vs 短い, I'd just thought of something.
I once heard that a long nose (witch / Pinocchio) is called 高い鼻 and not 長い鼻 whereas the opposite (short nose) is ...
5
votes
2answers
123 views
what is the difference in the nuances / usage of 気に病む and 心配する ?
I was wondering what is the difference in the nuances / usage of 気に病む and 心配する ?
(E.g. If I want to tell my friend not to worry about a test (albeit an important test), is it more appropriate to use ...
4
votes
3answers
134 views
ambiguity with すっと
WWWJDIC says すっと means "quickly / all of a sudden" yet it can also mean "quietly / gently / softly"
So basically I was wondering how do we tell if すっと means "quickly / all of a sudden" or "quietly / ...
2
votes
2answers
188 views
What's the difference between the に祈る【にいのる】 and を祈る【をいのる】 forms?
What's the difference between the に祈る and を祈る forms?
Like what's the difference between 1) and 2):
1) うまく行くのに祈ってくださいね。
2) うまく行くのを祈ってくださいね。
==
EDIT:
What's the difference between the ように祈る and ...
10
votes
3answers
306 views
What is the *proper* differentiation between 来る and 行く?
In many beginning Japanese classes, 来る【くる】 and 行く【いく】 are presented as "to come" and "to go," respectively. Dictionaries generally also define them this way. However, every once in a while in more ...
9
votes
3answers
183 views
is it true to say that 亡くなる is a polite form of しぬ?
is it true to say that 亡くなる is a polite form of しぬ?
Like what is the difference in nuance between these two sentences:
1) ディックは１０歳のとき亡くなった。
2) ディックは１０歳のとき死んだ。
15
votes
1answer
235 views
is there a difference between さみしい and さびしい？
Both mean "lonely" and appear to be valid readings for 寂しい.
Is there a difference in nuance? Is this difference due to dialect?
1
vote
2answers
145 views
are the usage of うるさい to mean “fussy” and the usage of 草 to mean “substandard” archaic? [closed]
I was thinking what things could be described with 草 (3) not genuine; substandard;)
Can we describe someone who is a ゴミ as 草? Like say:
アイツはどうおもう？ くさだ！
Or is the "substandard" meaning of 草 already ...
25
votes
3answers
765 views
How indistinguishable is blue from green really?
青 ao seems to be used very much interchangeably for both blue and green. Why is that so, and how does 緑 midori play into this?
6
votes
2answers
129 views
What's the difference in the nuances that 呪縛【じゅばく】 and 呪い【のろい】 convey?
Is 呪縛 usually used to refer to a good spell or a bad one (like a curse)?
I mean the dictionary writes the english meaning as: spell/curse but I was wondering what sort of nuance would be attached to ...
8
votes
2answers
502 views
way to use さっぱり (sappari) and すっかり (sukkari)
Maybe it's just me, but I keep mixing up
As in
すっかり忘れてた
I've completely forgot
and
さっぱりわからない
I haven't the faintest idea / I really don't know
are there other expressions to use ...
9
votes
4answers
1k views
How can I say “some X ” in Japanese?
I was thinking, and I can't express the word "some" in Japanese.
Examples:
There were some fruits on the table. (I would say "テーブルの上に果物があった）
Maybe 少しあった - but then I would translate as "there ...
9
votes
1answer
167 views
what's the difference between 返事 and 答え？
both have the similar English of "answer," but when do you use one over the other?
7
votes
2answers
161 views
Origin/etymology of こころ～ words
There are three unique words that begin with こころ～:
快い （こころよい）、 試みる （こころみる）、 志 （こころざし）
What is the origin of these words in relation to "heart/spirit/mind", if any??? Or is this just something ...
3
votes
1answer
110 views
Can 差す be an intransitive verb?
WWWJDIC lists 差す as an intransitive verb, but in all of the example sentences I've seen it looks more like a transitive verb.
So my question is, is 差す a transitive or intransitive verb?
4
votes
1answer
127 views
～まくる as a suffix, what does it mean and how is it used?
I found this phrase 「家族に突っ込まれまくった」 and I believe it means "[my] family really stuck it [to me]" but I'm not familiar with the suffix まくる.
Any examples and clarifications would be appreciated.
6
votes
3answers
135 views
“Statistically speaking … ”
I am looking for a way to express the equivalent of "statistically speaking, ..." (followed by a quote from a paper, or something like that), or pretty much any other grammatical construction that ...
7
votes
1answer
685 views
What's the difference between “マグロ” (maguro), “ツナ” (tsuna), and “シーチキン” (shiichikin)?
It seems that there are (at least) three words for "tuna" in Japanese:
"マグロ" / "鮪" / "まぐろ" (maguro) - Seems to be the native name for the creature and used at least in sushi
"ツナ" (tsuna) - Seems to ...
8
votes
2answers
234 views
When is 酒【さけ】used to mean 日本酒【にほんしゅ】?
The fermented rice alcohol called "sake" in English is usually referred to as 日本酒【にほんしゅ】 in Japanese, while 酒【さけ】 merely means "alcohol" in general.
Yet, all dictionaries list both "alcohol" and ...
6
votes
2answers
315 views
What is the difference between 特殊 and 特別?
I've got two questions. Firstly, what is the difference between 特殊 tokushu and 特別 tokubetsu?
Secondly, is it true that all these grammar forms are correct:
特別な tokubetsu na ＋ [noun]
特殊な tokushu na ...
11
votes
2answers
254 views
Nuances between the different kanji spellings of あける：明ける vs. 開ける vs. 空ける
開ける, 明ける and 空ける are all read as あける.
From their kanji, it is obvious that 開ける has to do more with opening (a door etc), 明ける with dawning and 空ける with emptying...
However, JMDict gives the exact ...
3
votes
1answer
212 views
超 vs めっちゃ + explanation [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Significance of the kanji 「茶」 in the set phrase 「滅茶滅茶 / 目茶目茶」 {めちゃめちゃ}
So, in Kansai they use めっちゃ, and in Kanto 超. But what about the other parts of Japan? And from ...
7
votes
2answers
267 views
What's the difference between “巻寿司” (makizushi), “海苔巻き” (norimaki), and “巻物” (makimono)?
It seems there are three words for the same Japanese food item, a kind of "sushi in a long roll":
"巻寿司" (makizushi)
"海苔巻き" (norimaki)
"巻物" (makimono)
Are they all identical / synonyms? Do they ...
17
votes
3answers
335 views
Use of 自分【じぶん】as a personal pronoun in direct speech
Yay, yet another first-person-pronoun question!
I know that 自分 is commonly used as a personal pronoun in indirect speech, e.g.:
マイクは、自分はなんと不注意なのだろうと言った。→ Mike said that he was very careless.
...
11
votes
3answers
259 views
When is it appropriate to refer to yourself by これ?
I have occasionally heard and read instances, where a person has referred to themselves as これ. My Japanese dictionary also lists "Me, I." as a definition of これ.
Now, this obviously isn't used as ...
12
votes
1answer
579 views
Words/characters for fast food meal sizes: 並, 大, 特
When dining at Yoshinoya I never know how to ask for the size meal I want.
Their sizes are 並, 大, and 特.
I only know that "大" means big, but it also has two readings so I have no idea whether to ask ...
3
votes
1answer
214 views
Is “ガール” (gāru) now considered a Japanese word? What about “ガールズ” (gāruzu)?
In my wanderings around Japan giving my kana knowledge some practice I've noticed both the words "ガール" (gāru) and "ガールズ" (gāruzu) in use at least in signage. Obviously they are borrowed from English ...
12
votes
2answers
305 views
What does とな mean (and how do I use it)?
I came across this on Twitter, it seems to be mostly a question but sometimes an exclamation. Is it とは, or maybe とか? How do you use it? My dictionary has a とな as word that come at the end of a ...
9
votes
1answer
321 views
ならば vs なら. both are totally interchangeable without affecting the nuance of the sentence?
is it true that なら is merely a short form of ならば and as such, both are totally interchangeable without affecting the nuance of the sentence?
Also, a second question is is ならば more "formal" than "なら" ...
7
votes
4answers
312 views
遅刻 / 遅い when we wanna say “Hey hurry up! you'll be late!” which would be more appropriate?
when we wanna say "Hey, hurry up! you'll be late!" which would be more appropriate?:
遅刻するぞ！
遅くなるぞ！
？
7
votes
1answer
748 views
Common 四字熟語 that use/are 当て字
Are there any commonly used known 四字熟語 that use/are 当て字 besides the following? Just crossed my mind, and now I'm curious.
滅茶苦茶 (めちゃくちゃ), 夜露死苦 (よろしく), 無理矢理 (むりやり)
