1
vote
1answer
117 views
What might be the meaning of the word or phrase 'こよかな'
I cannot really comprehend koyokana in the following short sentence:
shoppu itte koyokana.
What meaning does koyokana give to the "shoppu itte" part.
How could I divide koyokana in mind:
koyo ka na ...
1
vote
2answers
134 views
Is 千{せん} a “current” number construct?
The reason why I ask this question is because of the pattern I've seen with Japanese numbers. Once you have to repeat a number to describe itself, you get a new unit. For example, 十十 = 百, 百百 = 万, 万万 = ...
1
vote
1answer
128 views
～なければならない and ～によって auxiliary meanings
I am having trouble with the bold part of this sentence from wikipedia:
バブル経済（バブルけいざい、economic
...
1
vote
1answer
88 views
Does subject marker が always have to be before the conjugated verb?
むかし、 むかし、 ある ところ に おじいさん と おばあさん が いました。
Here's what I got so far:
(adv. time), (adv. time), (to be - infinitive) (somewhere) (ni particle), (old man) (to - conjunction) (old woman) (ga subject ...
1
vote
2answers
95 views
一ヵ条: いちっかじょう? いちかじょう? いっかじょう?
This recent question brought to mind a question of my own.
The Japanese name for the Twenty-One Demands made by Japan in 1915 to the Republic of China is romanised on the wikipedia page as 対華二十一ヵ条要求 ...
1
vote
1answer
132 views
How is “rack” (as in billiards or pool) expressed?
In pool/billiards, "to rack" means to set up the game by placing the balls into the triangle frame. What is the corresponding (technical) term in Japanese if any?
I came up (via circumlocution) ...
1
vote
3answers
122 views
Comment dire “dossard” en japonais?
Un dossard est un morceau de tissu qui identifie les sportifs dans un marathon:
Comment dire ça en japonais ?
日本語では、フランス語の「dossard」と同じ意味の言葉がありますか？
In Japanese, is there an equivalent for the ...
1
vote
1answer
102 views
1
vote
1answer
133 views
1
vote
2answers
180 views
もらえる, 見える rules
From what I learned,
もらえる = もらうことが出来る
'can be got'
見える = 見ることが出来る
'can be seen'
This looks like there is some kind of a more general rule for this transformation.
If there is a ...
1
vote
1answer
112 views
Can things hope?
This sentence in my JLPT book is explaining the nuance of 映{は}える, but actually it's the use of ほしい that's a puzzling me a bit:
このピンクのスカーフが映{は}える服{ふく}を選{えら}んでほしい。
This is saying that the pink ...
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 ...
1
vote
1answer
129 views
Does には in this sentence imply vagueness of the source?
This comes from a friend's post on Facebook. The situation is that my friend had injured his leg a while back, but it has since healed and he's now in for a checkup. His leg is in great condition, so ...
1
vote
1answer
155 views
“一目ぼれから長持ちする関係は望めません。” この表現のニュアンスを説明して頂けませんか？
一目ぼれから長持ちする関係は望めません。
Falling in love at first sight won't bring you a lasting relationship.
I found this sentence and translation without any other context, and
have a few questions about ...
1
vote
1answer
399 views
1
vote
2answers
322 views
What does コピー mean in this context?
A: 他にもラルクコピーしてましたか？
B: じゃあ最後にもう一度聴いてくれ…虹。ってやってた
I know that ラルク is the band L'arc En Ciel. What does コピー mean here? What does the first sentence say?
1
vote
1answer
168 views
What is 漕ぎに来てくれるフラグ in English?
これは漕ぎに来てくれるフラグ?
I read that on twitter. This is the tweet, if it helps to make sense of it.
自信…なくないです( ´ ▽ ` )ﾉ笑RT @yamadamic: あらマオにゃん!これは漕ぎに来てくれるフラグ?（笑） RT @mao_sid: 出勤時に聴いてましたよ（＾∇＾）RT ...
1
vote
1answer
36 views
What exactly is this でね construction?
The following dialogue is from the video game Final Fantasy VI:
宿屋{やどや}の[親父]{おやじ}は、[余所者]{よそもの}が[嫌]{きら}いでね。
I think I understand this sentence. It means something like "the old man at the inn ...
1
vote
1answer
91 views
Question about subject
I cannot understand what is the subject in the following sentences, mainly in the second one 「迂闊に手が出せなくなった・・・・・・」. Is it 「強力な力を持った天魔には」 ? Something like 強力な力を持った天魔には迂闊に手が出せなくなったのも、当然というものだろう。 ?
...
1
vote
1answer
150 views
Use of はじめて and どれだっけ?
I don't really know where to ask for help, usually I got the meaning of a sentence on my own but, well this sentence is giving me a hard time, it seems easy but I can't figure out what's the use of ...
1
vote
1answer
148 views
What is the meaning of “beta”?
Can somebody please explain what "beta" means in the following sentence:
Tsugi no mokutekichi wa beta da keredo, Shikago.
1
vote
1answer
143 views
What is particle と means here
I'm a bit of confused with と in the following sentence, what does it mean here and how can we translate the whole sentence?
その名に恥じず放置すればするだけ存分と進行してくれればそれは非常に楽だけど。
Thank you very much for help!
1
vote
2answers
161 views
しゅみについて meaning
My Japanese lesson has an oral exam, the title is しゅみについて. Can anyone explain what is the meaning of the title? Can I start the conversation with this? しゅみについてどう思いか？
1
vote
1answer
98 views
Can't parse sentence with 「へったくれもない」
In my JLPT textbook, they have this sentence:
自分{じぶん}のない者{もの}に表現{ひょうげん}もへったくれもない。
The book provides a translation, which is this:
You can't talk about expression if you have none (of your ...
1
vote
1answer
120 views
Is this sentence using はず complete?
I have this sentence in my flashcards, which I pulled from a JLPT textbook of mine a while back. Long enough ago that I've lost the source. It looks strange to me now, though, and I wonder if maybe I ...
1
vote
1answer
207 views
Meaning and translation お納めになられる
Tell me please, what is the meaning of お納めになられる in the following sentence.
Is it just passive ?
Thanks for help!
1
vote
1answer
91 views
meaning of から in following sentence
Tell me please, what is から means in the following sentence?
本当のところを言うと、この時間に悠馬さんがここを通るからと、夏目さんに教えてもらったので、待っていたんです。
Thank you very much for help!
1
vote
1answer
129 views
What あらそう does mean?
I would like to know if someone can help me with the word あらそう. Dictionaries online translate it like "to compete" or "to oppose", but in the context of the whole sentence, this definition makes no ...
1
vote
1answer
108 views
A question about the usage of ため and spacing
上下のフロアを繋ぐ階段は各層にひとつのみ、その全てが怪物のうろつく危険な迷宮区画に存在するため発見も踏破も困難だが、一度誰かが突破して上層の都市に辿り着けばそこと下層の各都市の≪転移門≫が連結されるため誰もが自由に移動できるようになる。
There were 2 things I didn't get in this sentence (or maybe a paragraph...?):
...
1
vote
1answer
107 views
the reading of this kanji combination 炊煙 and meaning of 人家
I have encountered another sentence while translating some text of Japanese history
The sentence is:
人家の竈（かまど）から炊煙が立ち上っていないことに気づいて租税を免除します。 jinka no kamado kara 炊煙 ga
tachiagatteinai koto ni ...
1
vote
1answer
105 views
形容詞 ending in /ei/ and /ii/
This page discusses the "adjective" べき and mentions that if it had evolved like other adjectives, it would have been べい.
That made me think: Why are there no 形容詞 ending in /ei/ or /ii/ (except for ...
1
vote
1answer
71 views
How is ものがある used?
So I came across this sentence: あなたをむかえるものがある。 My take on it is: There is a thing that will meet you. I know that's wrong. So how is ものがある used?
ADDED: Is there a difference between ことがある and ものがある？
1
vote
1answer
120 views
What is the meaning of 疾風伝?
I am trying to understand the title of an anime series called: Naruto Shippuden. Searching google, I found that shippuden can be translated as hurricane chronicles or legend. I looked for hurricane in ...
1
vote
1answer
110 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
1answer
109 views
Contraction of や, the variant of は
In an answer to this question, Tsuyoshi Ito correctly points out that you can sometimes change the consonant や, a variant of は, into a glide but sometimes you cannot.
聞きやしない
聞きゃ(ー)しない
...
1
vote
1answer
202 views
Why does “お侍ちゃん” sound funny?
I recently noticed a Japanese comedian named お侍ちゃん. It indeed sounds funny. Why is it?
1
vote
1answer
103 views
Differences between 出るand 去る when expressing someone leaving
When expressing "to leave," as in "I left the store," or "I can leave the country," is there a difference in nuance or meaning between the verbs 出る and 去る?
まあ、少なくとも、この国を出ることはできるな。
Well, at ...
1
vote
1answer
117 views
The etymology of the word バックシャン
What is the etymology of the word バックシャン?
I understand it commonly refers to a woman beautiful only from behind. See this definition-
女性のうしろ姿が均整がとれて美しいこと。また、その女性。多く、前から見ると失望するような
場合にいう。
I ...
1
vote
1answer
227 views
At what level should we be able to understand Yojijukugo?
In my experience, Chinese language learners are introduced to these 4-character phrases at an early stage (around Chinese 3 in my high school); what I want to know is there a certain aptitude level ...
1
vote
2answers
185 views
What does 御用の向きとは mean + usage of うぬ in the meaning of “you”
I have two questions:
What's the meaning of a phrase: 御用の向きとは? Is it a set expression? I found a few examples where it was ended with a question mark, in some cases preceded by addressing an ...
1
vote
1answer
204 views
With MS IME, how do I type パーティー? [closed]
With MS IME, how do I type パーティー? I can't seem to get the tiny イ. I am typing pa-tei- and getting パーテイー.
1
vote
1answer
116 views
How does this で work?
日本女性で電車の中で化粧をする人を見ると恥ずかしいくて嫌な気持ちになる。
In my understanding, the で following 日本女性 could correspond here to the english "of," or "speaking of."
Thus one interpretation of this sentence (though in ...
1
vote
1answer
105 views
what does 卵からかえったばかりの魚 mean?
This sentence was from a JLPT N2 prep book.
卵からかえったばかりの魚は体が透き通っている。
I don't understand the part that modifies 魚.
Here is how I parsed it:
卵から かえった ばかり の 魚
From egg/returned/just/noun modifier/fish
...
1
vote
1answer
185 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 ...
1
vote
1answer
163 views
How do the two ideas in this sentence come together?
I have this sentence as part of a question in my JLPT practise book:
スリのグループがボスの合図{あいず}で乗客{じょうきゃく}から金{かね}を盗{ぬす}むのを目{ま}の当{あ}たりにして恐{おそ}ろしかった。
Part of the sentence means, "the pickpocket group ...
1
vote
1answer
133 views
What is ~なかって and how is it formed?
Taken from alc.co.jp:
家{いえ}の鍵{かぎ}が見{み}つからなくて、玄関{げんかん}のベルを鳴{な}らしたけど、君{きみ}、家{いえ}に居{い}なかってし、ここでずっと待{ま}ってたんだよ。
(I rang the doorbell because I couldn't find the house key, but you weren't home, so ...
1
vote
1answer
110 views
Is ゴールデンウィーク wasei-eigo?
A native speaker of Japanese has asked if ゴールデンウィーク is wasei eigo.
The Wikipedia article on Golden Week in Japan claims that the term was created in 1951.
However, a google ngram search for English ...
1
vote
2answers
119 views
What is the difference between 怖い and 恐い
As a follow-up to Would 私は怖い mean "I'm scared" or "I'm scary"?
We know that 怖い can mean both "to be scared" and "to be scary to somebody".
What about the difference ...
1
vote
2answers
118 views
What separates the different ways to ask a question in Japanese?(I.E. 何, どう, どんな and so on)
It's been something I've thinking about for awhile, but could never answer in a more concrete way. This is most apparent when I compare the functions of 何 and どう. I know that 何, どう and どんな are great ...
1
vote
1answer
135 views
pronunciation and meaning of the word 干支崩年
I have this sentence from a text which mentions the death of two emperors, but I cannot find the meaning and pronunciation of 干支崩年 in it. The sentence is:
...
