All Questions
5
votes
1answer
271 views
寂しい can mean “pathetic”?
Is it true that 寂しい can be used to describe someone as "pathetic" ? (pathetic in the sense like someone is cheating in a game: pathetic. and like someone is robbing a grandma: pathetic. and like ...
14
votes
2answers
336 views
Exceptional compounding forms
There are a number of Japanese words which have distinct compounding forms:
-a/-e alternation: 天・雨、酒、上、風、目 — many examples.
-u/-i alternation: 神（[神]{かむ}[集]{つど}ふ）、月（[月]{つく}[読]{よみ}）
-o/-i alternation: ...
9
votes
1answer
188 views
Was sake always called nihonshu?
Was nihonshu (what English refers to as "sake") always called nihonshu, or was it only called that once western alcoholic beverages were introduced to Japan?
11
votes
5answers
652 views
What is the learning curve for learning Japanese writing?
What is the learning curve like for learning Japanese writing?
Are you able to use what you've learnt as you're progressing, or are you only realistically able to start reading real text once you've ...
8
votes
2answers
157 views
Proportion and Rate
How do I form a sentence pattern for:
The more/less X happens, the more/less Y happens
E.g. The more you stir, the faster the salt dissolves.
The colder the weather, the more ...
12
votes
1answer
298 views
Voiced or unvoiced syllables in compound words
Examples first.
First example: 空 {そら}. Almost all compound nouns for which 空 is the second component pronounce it as ぞら (zo ra): 青空 {あおぞら}, 夜空 {よぞら}, 星空 {ほしぞら}. There is at least one exception ...
12
votes
3answers
828 views
When to use 欲しがる instead of 欲しい
When does one use 欲しがる instead of 欲しい? For example, in phrases like:
先生は野菜を食べて欲し｛いです・がっています｝。
My incomplete understanding is that the がる form is more formal/polite, but it can only be used ...
5
votes
1answer
153 views
i-adjective specific intensifiers/qualifiers? e.g. 物凄い {ものすごい}
I noticed that some i-adjectives have specific prefixes that can be used to intensify the quality of the states that are described by the adjectives, similar to "flaming hot", "freezing cold" etc in ...
6
votes
1answer
180 views
Is it true that all verbs have a corresponding noun form?
Is it true that all verbs have a corresponding noun form (which is formed by making the -masu form and removing the -masu)?
Like 遊び and 遊びます
飲み and 飲みます
生き and 生きます
死に and 死にます
0
votes
0answers
295 views
is it a rumor that eating really loudly is considered polite? [closed]
Is it a rumor that while eating we should eat really loudly to be polite, or is it actually true?
In practice do people actually do that?
9
votes
2answers
156 views
How to use イコール to compare things? How is it different from 同じ?
I've heard sometimes that イコール is used sometimes to imply that things are similar. What would be a correct expression to use イコール? Furthermore, how is it different from using 同じ to say that things are ...
17
votes
4answers
1k views
Why is it 日本語がわかります instead of 日本語をわかります?
From what I understand, は is the topic marker, が is the subject marker, and を is the object marker.
One of the first sentences I learned doesn't seem to fit the rules I described above. The sentence ...
6
votes
2answers
301 views
その中( に / で / から ) What is the correct choice of particles?
Excerpt from a JLPT practice question:
Background information: the writer was looking for rental apartments.
次に行ったところは小さい会社ですが、そこの人は大変優しい人でした。 それにいいアパートもたくさんありました。 私はその中[Blank]好きな家を借りました。 ...
16
votes
1answer
841 views
Must do : ～なければならない vs ～なくてはいけない
What are the differences when using ～なければならない and ～なくてはいけない, or their colloquial contracted forms ～なきゃ and ～なくちゃ when saying "must do"?
For example, what is the difference in the nuance and usage of ...
13
votes
5answers
404 views
Modern names of the obsolete kana ゑ and ゐ
In modern Japanese, the kana ゑ/ヱ (we) and ゐ/ヰ (wi) are largely obsolete. Words formerly containing them now are pronounced with /e/ and /i/, so they were replaced by え and い, respectively.
But when ...
11
votes
2answers
321 views
Are foreign adjectives always な adjectives?
Sitting in a restaurant yesterday I saw a sign advertising a mango flavoured bagel. It was described as トロピカルな味.
That just got me wondering... whenever a 外来語【がいらいご】(word taken from a foreign language ...
2
votes
2answers
95 views
で used for abstract location?
Consider the sentence:
今度の旅行は全部で何人行きますか。
I would roughly translate it literally to:
For this trip, in the domain of "total"(abstract location), how many people will be going?"
And then ...
6
votes
1answer
344 views
the difference between じゃん (jan) and だろう/でしょう (darou/desho)
I would like to know what's the difference of じゃん and だろう／でしょう.
the meaning I know it's similar, but when I should use each of them?
Is it same to say:
これはすごいじゃん！ ＝ これはすごいでしょう！ ＝ これはすごいだろう！
...
2
votes
1answer
112 views
Can the ったら form of a verb be used to mean “after?”
Take this example:
AったらB
Could this mean, "After doing A, B happened?"
13
votes
1answer
273 views
まち: what's the difference between 町 and 街?
My impression is that 町 tends to be used for smaller cities and 街 tends to be used for larger ones. Is this correct? If not, what is the difference?
4
votes
1answer
471 views
What does 氏 mean after a name, how is it different from さん or 様?
If you look in the dictionary for the definition of 氏 you'll find it defined as: family name; lineage; birth.
However I have seen it used in such a way that it is doubtful that it means any of those ...
8
votes
1answer
233 views
What form is 恐るる?
In Final Fantasy VIII, Bahamut has a little speech:
…G.F.とは我らのことか
我らを力として使うとは…
恐るるべきは人間どもよ
I'd never seen two るs doubled up like that. Which conjugation is this? It seems to have plenty of ...
3
votes
1answer
260 views
7
votes
2answers
245 views
Is 見物{みもの} derogatory?
To say something is a 見物, does it have a derogatory nuance like we are making fun of that person / that thing?
If so, is it derogatory to the extent that even if I intended it as a fun joke it seems ...
7
votes
1answer
547 views
What is the phrase for “getting to know” someone or something?
My question is how is the concept of "getting to know" or "knowing" someone conveyed? How do you invite someone to get to know you better?
I was posting a message on mixi and could not figure out ...
5
votes
2answers
124 views
What is the subject of this following sentence:実際問題として、不倫が原因で家庭が崩壊したり、離婚に至る例も少なくないです。
Can it be 不倫の原因で家庭が崩壊したり？ What's the main clause and what is a subordinate clause?
8
votes
2answers
174 views
9
votes
1answer
217 views
Why did オレンジ replace 橙【だいだい】?
This question about colours got me thinking:
Why, and how, did オレンジ come to replace 橙【だいだい】 to refer to the colour orange?
It seems weird to me that a 外来語【がいらいご】(word taken from a foreign language) ...
14
votes
2answers
238 views
Why do 適当 and いい加減 refer to both considerate and inconsiderate things?
I understand that 適当【てきとう】 can mean both "appropriate" and "whatever/vague". How do you know 適当な人を教えてください means "please inform me of the appropriate person" as opposed to "please tell me about ...
9
votes
2answers
456 views
What are slang terms for Japanese money?
This question about alternate terms for coins focused on the use of ワンコイン, but it got me thinking about slang terms for money in general.
In all the years I've been in Japan, I don't think I've ...
5
votes
1answer
264 views
What does it mean if a sentence is in all-kana?
I came across this sentence in a manga:
なにすんじゃこんガキャ―――！！
There is no kanji use in that speech-bubble, making it hard to work out the meaning. In fact, I haven't been able to find the meaning of ...
8
votes
2answers
136 views
Which is better for a sales budget: 予算, 推計, or something I haven't even thought of yet?
I'm writing a short (3-5 page) business plan in Japanese.
I'd like to include an "estimate" of the sales for the next 3 years.
The question: what would you choose for the graph titled:
2012 ...
0
votes
3answers
469 views
How to speak in Kansai dialect
For someone who has studied standard Japanese, how hard is it to learn Kansai dialect? Is there a lot to learn, or not much? What are the basic things to learn in order to speak in this dialect? All I ...
8
votes
2answers
170 views
When are ふう and よう interchangeable?
Lately ふう has been on my mind. Often it seems interchangeable with よう:
これを｛こんなふう／このよう｝にしてください。 Please make it like this.
あれを｛どういうふう／どのよう｝に解釈しますか。 In what way do you interpret that?
...
5
votes
3answers
154 views
What would be the best way to express the term 'master', as in a master of some sport?
For example, 'a tennis master'?
5
votes
2answers
152 views
I've seen 達人and 名人used to indicate master or expert. What's the difference?
I'm not familiar with either word, but just looking at the characters, 達人 would seem to indicate 'accomplished' (ie an accomplished pianist). While 名人 seems more like 'renowned'. Is that a valid ...
9
votes
2answers
386 views
Is it true that the べつに when used to mean “nothing particularly” is pronounced differently from when it is used to mean “separately / apart”?
Is it true that the べつに when used to mean "nothing particularly" is pronounced differently from when it is used to mean "separately / apart" ?
Like am I right to say that these 3 examples belong to ...
7
votes
1answer
282 views
How to parse the proverb [艱難]{かんなん}[汝]{なんじ}を[玉]{たま}にす?
I found this particular proverb on WWWJDIC when I looked up for なんじ : [艱難]{かんなん}[汝]{なんじ}を[玉]{たま}にす. It is translated into English as: Hardship makes the man.
How do we parse the proverb? I know 艱難 ...
4
votes
1answer
207 views
Meaning of しやしま as sentence ender
Look at this conversation from Twitter. Do you know what dialect it is?
shohei110h: やっとdead stock手に入りました(´ω`)田舎にはなかなか無くて東京で購入しやしま
mao_sid: おれもど田舎だったから気持ちわかるなぁ。ありがとう。
The part I don't ...
10
votes
1answer
194 views
Contraction of particle の to ん before nouns in colloquial Japanese
I am familiar with contraction of の to ん before です (and variants で, だ, でした etc) but I noticed that の is also contracted before 家 in spoken set-phrases like あたしんち and おれんち.
Are there any other ...
3
votes
2answers
127 views
Are there names like ワンコイン for the other coins?
So ワンコイン refers to a 500円 coin, but is there other names for the other coins?
Also in conversation does ワンコイン refer to any specific currency or only to 500 yen (as in the sense of being a default).
13
votes
3answers
973 views
“You don't have to be so polite.” Really?
Sometimes a Japanese person will say to me:
そんなに丁寧な言葉を使わなくてもいいんですよ。
This is an invitation to be less formal. But how much less formal? As I have experienced, sometimes unintentional gaffes can ...
10
votes
3answers
266 views
The etymology of 関手【かんしゅ】
In Japanese mathematics, the word ‘functor’ is translated as 関手【かんしゅ】. What is the etymology of this word?
I suspect that it is a pun on 関数 (function). This leads to two further questions:
Why 関手 ...
14
votes
2answers
314 views
Plain verbs that end with ぬ other than 死ぬ
Are there any other verbs than 死ぬ whose plain forms end with ぬ? Why are they so rare? Is it because the verb 死ぬ itself has special etymology why it ended up having the ぬ ending?
5
votes
4answers
149 views
Kanji 行 with なみ, なめ, みち and アン pronunciations
I have only found 行 being pronounced as いく, ゆく and おこなう for kun'yomi and as コウ and ギョウ for on'yomi, but my dictionary software also lists down なみ, なめ, みち and アン as the other pronunciations of this ...
9
votes
3answers
376 views
Is there a polite saying like “May I?”
Looking for a phrase that has the same meaning as "May I?" in English. One that would work in situations that would indicate I would like to try to solve a problem at hand, or receive control over ...
5
votes
1answer
110 views
just by the phrase 試験を受ける, can we imply anything on the 試験?
since 受ける is the same verb associated with "sustaining damage", "incurring losses", "suffering injury", all 3 seemingly have negative nuances, I'm wondering when we use it (受ける) with 試験, does 受ける ...
8
votes
3answers
614 views
The difference between くらい and ほど in hyperbole
The following two sentences, I believe, are grammatically okay, however I'm not sure on how they differ in nuance.
もう歩けないほど疲れた！ (もうあるけないほどつかれた)
もう歩けないくらい疲れた！ (もうあるけないくらいつかれた)
Additionally, why is it ...
14
votes
4answers
1k views
Contrasting っぽい、らしい、みたい
For example, the following 3:
女っぽい (おんなっぽい)
女らしい (おんならしい)
女みたい (おんなみたい)
In what situations would you use っぽい over らしい？ Does っぽい have negative connotations? Are 女らしい and 女みたい interchangeable as in ...
7
votes
2answers
152 views
の performing back referral? の used adjectivally?
Consider the following sentence:
その薬は去年期限切れのだったので、捨てました。
I'm trying to explain what the bolded の does in the above sentence.
This is what I came up with:
の is used as a back referral
...
