Questions tagged [culture]
文化. Where the linguistic aspects of Japanese culture and the cultural aspects of the Japanese language overlap.
198
questions
0
votes
0answers
39 views
Is おたくじじい a proper term to describe an old man who's into anime or is there another slang term for it?
So as the question states, is おたくじじい a proper term to describe an old geezer otaku or is there a better alternative?
0
votes
2answers
110 views
Using nicknames or first name with high school peers
I have a story set in Japan with Japanese high schoolers (around the ages 17-18). One of them is called Kiwatamura (family name) Ryuko (first name). He is Japanese and lived there as a kid but he ...
4
votes
1answer
164 views
When is it overkill to use suffix 先生{せんせい} when addressing someone in Japanese?
When I meet a lawyer (弁護士{べんごし}) or physician (医師{いし}) in Japan, I address them using the (augmentative) suffix 先生{せんせい}. To be clear, I am not a lawyer, physician, or teacher. (I read about how ...
3
votes
1answer
65 views
How to write and sing Shigin (Japanese way of chanting poem) properly?
1, Should Shigin be written in Yamato (old Japanese language)? Or an even older version of Japanese? Can I write it in modern Japanese?
2, Are there rules for Shigin? Such as setting rhythms, melodies,...
1
vote
0answers
79 views
Best Bible translation for my Japanese grandmother? [closed]
I will also be posting this in the Christianity site but I don’t feel like it fits very well in either category. If you can think of a better stack exchange site please let me know.
Some background:
...
9
votes
1answer
783 views
-1
votes
1answer
67 views
How should I start learning Japanese as a total beginner and a native English speaker? [closed]
I am thinking of moving to Japan in the future, and I know that I will have to pass JLPT exams in order to get a job. So how should I start learning?
0
votes
2answers
126 views
Trying to make sense of a sentence in Akutagawa's “Hell Screen”
Towards the end of chapter 10 of Akutagawa's Hell Screen,
その度にばさ／＼と、凄じく翼を鳴すのが、落葉の匂だか、滝の水沫とも或は又猿酒の饐ゑたいきれだか何やら怪しげなものゝけはひを誘つて、気味の悪さと云つたらございません。
Source
which translated to
The flattering of wings is ...
5
votes
1answer
666 views
Is there a story behind drawing a face with の as eyes, も as a nose and へ as a mouth?
In the first episode of the Zatoichi series there is a scarecrow whose face is drawn using various hiragana.
When I seen it it occurred to me that I've seen that done somewhere else before.
Is there ...
0
votes
1answer
108 views
ゆ has connotations for hot water and bathhouses, are there other examples of this shorthand?
You often see hiragana ゆ in bathhouses, and after reading this answer, I think I understand why. I have noticed hiragana nu ぬ at festivals on banners, and wondered what do these characters represent ...
1
vote
1answer
108 views
Definition of 'Scramble Road'
I was watching an MMD on YouTube called 'Tokio Funka' created by PizaCG and quite enjoyed the fact that they included an English language translation in the Closed Captions. I was able to lookup most ...
1
vote
1answer
95 views
Help me understand the first three lines from 松任谷由実’ｓ 「甘い予感」
あなたの耳のむこう
夕日がきれいね
息をかけたら消えそう
Source: http://j-lyric.net/artist/a000c13/l00f5ed.html
Song on the Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9Zm8sorINQ
Translating the three lines literally
The sun ...
1
vote
1answer
167 views
Cultural question: Why「本当？」and「んだ？」are so popular?
This style of communication is very different from English.
When saying something to someone, 本当？？ is a common response.
Also, for example if someone said 決めた！, a common response might be 決めたんだ！
できた！...
2
votes
1answer
154 views
Why is “学校があるからお休みが染みるんだなあ” a poem?
I was reading a web manga, and came across this panel:
The spring break (春休み) has just started for this character, and apparently she refers to the following as poem (as in 詩を詠んでしまった):
学校が
...
9
votes
1answer
278 views
Small あ after は?
I’m trying to read a book but I came across a sentence where there are small あs after はs and I’m not sure why. Do you know why that is and what it means?
その時【とき】、子供【こども】たちの声【こえ】が聞こえました【きこえました】。
「...
8
votes
1answer
2k views
Do Oda Nobunaga, Tokugawa Ieyasu, and Toyotomi Hideyoshi have a collective title in Japanese?
When reading up on Oda Nobunaga, Tokugawa Ieyasu, and Toyotomi Hideyoshi I often see them referred to as the "great unifiers" but I can't find what (if anything) Japanese people call them?
Is there ...
1
vote
1answer
547 views
Is there a meaning associated with upside-down kanji?
I'm watching an anime ("The Irregular at Magic High School"), and in one scene (Season 1, Episode 23, 0:45), the kanji 福 ("good fortune": https://jisho.org/search/%E7%A6%8F%20%23kanji Colors are ...
2
votes
1answer
116 views
A question about 依り代
I was reading a few articles about 依り代 and there's one thing I'm wondering about. Most of what I read say that 'yorishiro' are objects or sometimes people that attract kami. The following is just my ...
14
votes
1answer
245 views
Did the Japanese have a concept of “Asia” apart from the Eurocentric definition?
Japan had contact with China, India and the Mongols, among others. Is there a term they used for Asia (in the sense of "land mass where China is" or such) before "アジア"?
2
votes
1answer
2k views
Honorifics in Japan
I learnt alot of korean and also the fact that a younger girl would call an older girl 'eonni' or and older boy 'oppa'. Also a younger boy would say Noona (older girl) or hyung (older boy). Do ...
2
votes
2answers
5k views
Understanding censorship in the game “Vivid Army”
Recently I played a game which is call Vivid Army and there's a little conversation between me and this guy but I found that there's some word is censored.
7873 is me. As you can see I have written "...
-7
votes
1answer
183 views
What Japanese term would be used to describe the image that Japanese see when they look at the moon? [closed]
What do Japanese see when they look at the moon? In America, we see the face of a man. Is it the same in Japan? A fellow Japanese learner asked me this question online.
3
votes
2answers
154 views
Translation struggles - Kuroshio Current being mentioned in a patriotic song
I'm trying to make sense of an old Japanese patriotic song 五・一五事件 昭和維新行進曲 陸軍の歌, and there's a line that contains a reference to the Kuroshio Current. The event this song was written about (the so-...
0
votes
0answers
145 views
What are the special coins and notes used that honor the Olympics and the new Emperor called? [duplicate]
I understand that some new Olympic and Imperial coins/notes are being introduced into general circulation. I just want to know what these special Olympic and new Emperor coin/notes would be called.
3
votes
1answer
168 views
What are the social implications of being too polite lingustically?
Reviewing some basic keigo forms, I was wondering what happens if you express yourself too polite... I heared that is not uncommon for (elder) couples to use keigo to express their uttermost respect ...
1
vote
1answer
178 views
Difference between the words kakemono and kakejiku
Does anyone reading this site know of any nuance(s) differentiating these two words? Numerous online sites say that kakejiku is more commonly used, but I have found no information about whether the ...
2
votes
1answer
171 views
圧が強い what's the meaning?
What exactly means to describe someone saying "圧が強い" (atsu ga tsuyoi) . I know that's something related with "the person has a strong pressure" or "the pressure in that person is strong" but I was ...
0
votes
2answers
119 views
Word games in Japanese (similar to Newspaper games in English?)
I am a big fan of what I would call "word games" that are often found in English newspapers like crosswords, cryptograms, scrambled word games, etc.
Usually games like these somehow involve ...
6
votes
1answer
378 views
How would you express the sentiment of “Happy New Era” [duplicate]
Something like 良いお時代を。? Or would you specifically say 令和?
If not that, what would be a literal English translation?
3
votes
1answer
133 views
Is しかたない a characteristically Japanese response to a question?
It has been suggested in a comment here: How is しかたない an opinion about a product feature?
that しかたない might be a characteristically Japanese response to a question (that a Western person might never ...
9
votes
1answer
1k views
Why is ostracism called 村八分【むらはちぶ】?
While doing some reading of old questions, I stumbled upon the term 村八分【むらはちぶ】, which is apparently means ostracism. I'm curious what the 8 parts (八分) are and how this relates to ostracism.
12
votes
3answers
683 views
What are the stereotypical qualities of a gaijin trying to speak/write Japanese to a Japanese person?
There are plenty of stereotypical qualities of a Japanese speaking person trying to speak English, so, would I be correct in assuming the reverse is also the case, and if so, what would the most ...
9
votes
2answers
2k views
Why are Japanese fonts different to Chinese?
I’ve noticed that Japanese and Chinese writing tends to use different fonts. Japanese fonts tend use wider lines and more curves. Chinese fonts tend to use narrow angular lines and there are ...
1
vote
1answer
420 views
How to express that somebody apologized on behalf of somebody else
To help describe my issue, let's imagine following situation:
A foreigner comes to Japan.
He is in the company of a native Japanese person. Suppose they are friends.
During the day, the foreigner ...
0
votes
1answer
268 views
What do you say when you want to reject a gift without offending anyone?
If you are offered something that you don't want, what do you say to reject it politely?
5
votes
2answers
623 views
How do Japanese people think/talk about socioeconomic classes?
Every society has its own way of talking about socioeconomic class.
In America/Canada, people talk about the "poor", "(lower/upper) middle class", and "upper class", as well as the "1%" and ".1%"; ...
5
votes
1answer
179 views
Appropriate terms for indigenous people
I'm often asked about my home country by Japanese people and wish to discuss the unique polynesian culture of the indigenous people there. How do I describe them in Japanese? I understand that this is ...
4
votes
3answers
2k views
How do you say “hello” properly in Kyoto?
Rosetta Stone, which I use for learning, uses konnichiwa (こんにちは?) as a generic "hello". But when visiting Kyoto and places around there, I have never heard anyone actually saying it, not even a single ...
8
votes
1answer
370 views
Saying “I have no need for 'that'” ('that = insert any phrase') in three different circumstances and in various degree of politeness
Situation1: My close friends offer me 'something' that of no use for me. So I want to reject it by saying 'I have no need for 'that'.
(Situation 1-1: I want to sound really rude to my close friend as ...
6
votes
2answers
236 views
Why do people use the word “くそ”? [duplicate]
I don't know if it's written in hiragana but I have knowledge that kuso means "shit". Why do kids use that term so much? Isn't it offensive or considered a bad word?
I am asking this because it's not ...
0
votes
1answer
136 views
Can i use 戻りました or 帰って来ました after being offline for a long period to say i'm back online?
What do i say when i want to say i'm back online after being offline during a long period of time? Can i use 戻りました and/or 帰って来ました?
1
vote
1answer
125 views
How to answer to 精一杯頑張ってきます?
I was talking with my japanese penpal and he wrote to me 精一杯頑張ってきますよ! after I wrote him おはようございます！お仕事頑張ってきてね！ because he told me he was going to work. I don't know if there's an answer or not. In ...
6
votes
1answer
321 views
Does a bear sh*t in the woods? Rhetorical affirmations in Japanese. Is there any?
I could not find anything on this website nor with a (quick I admit) search on Google.
Does Japanese have any "yes phrase" (or more technically rhetorical affirmation) used to answer questions whose ...
25
votes
2answers
5k views
Why are police boxes labeled Koban (in roman letters) in Japan?
I understand that the word for police box is Koban or 交番 in kanji, but why is the signage always in roman letters - Koban.
My guess would be to make it easier for foreigners to read, but wouldn't ...
1
vote
1answer
287 views
Correct spelling of “Gemu Otaku”
In studies on contemporary Japanese culture, they use "Gemu Otaku" in the sense of "video game nerd", "game freak".
Is this an academic term only or do people actually use this term in Japanese ...
5
votes
1answer
950 views
What is the term used for a baby's age at birth?
Is a babies age determined by date of conception or date of birth? What is the term used for determining the age? A Japanese friend told me that a pregnancy is 10 months. I have always used tanjoubi ...
2
votes
2answers
134 views
What are the equivalents of millionnaire, multimillionaire and billionaire in Japanese?
I'm talking about the "cultural" ones, because with the yen currency the scale is completely different (millionnaire with yen is only about having approximately 10 000 usd so I don't think it's the ...
4
votes
1answer
194 views
Formality when talking to ex girlfriend
I am a 32 year old American male. I dated a Japanese female from Kobe for three years. She is now 35 years old, married with a baby. I met her in Kobe, where I lived as well. We haven't spoken in ...
2
votes
2answers
245 views
Implications of ヒロイン (Heroine) in stories
I've read that ヒロイン , meaning 'heroine', can also imply a romantic interest to the hero pretty much by default culturally in Japan's stories.
I can't seem to find any definitive source for this from ...
0
votes
1answer
116 views
Is it strange to say おはようございます to family members at home?
My teacher said that it is strange to say おはようございます to parents, brothers and sisters at home. Is it true?
