Questions tagged [definitions]

定義. The precise meanings of Japanese words or phrases.

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What does まんが in this passage mean?

まんが日本昔話みたいな婆ちゃんの声に、説得力があった。 Is it manga as in 漫画? If so why is it not 日本昔話まんが but まんが日本昔話?
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What does さばき切れます mean?

I ran across the sentence, さばき切れます, and I can't figure out what it means. Can anyone please explain? Thanks in advance
Marcela alvarez centeno's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
1k views

ガードがばがばになっから meaning

I'm having trouble making sense of this sentence. From what I've looked up, I think it's probably either "meme" talk, a dialect joke, or some combination of the two. Here's the full sentence: ...
Flash Trance's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
854 views

What does [私ったら] mean?

Is it conditional like the same as saying 「なら」?
Daniel Rigg's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
394 views

How do you use "iuno/いうの"? [duplicate]

I've seen this word a couple of times and am currently stuck on how to use it.. I know "いう" means "say" but I don't understand the の particle attached to it. Could someone provide a couple of ...
Blue's user avatar
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Meaning of 見る in 「1日から2日は見て」

In this JLPT N1 listening practice transcript, a manager at a company is talking to his employee: じゃ、お客様には、私の方からお詫びの電話を入れておくから。番号はこのメモの通りでいいんだよね。君は今すぐ管理部に連絡して、同じ商品の在庫があるか聞いてみて。...
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The meaning of 管を巻く

I stumbled upon this 管を巻く, and looking up, it says that in English, it meant 'to grumble over one's wine cups.' But I still did not understand what it means. Can someone help to explain?
Echollrain's user avatar
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What does カピカ mean?

I can't find this word in a dictionary. It appears on a bag of rice I bought. The sentence is: カピカ仕上げで、丁寧に磨いたきれいなお米です。 Is it a contraction of カピカピ, describing how the rice is dried out?
Marcus Emilsson's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
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Does 日本茶 ''mean'' green tea?

I was having a discussion with a Japanese friend and she said that the word 日本茶 ''means'' green tea. I have put the word ''means'' in brackets for emphasis. I replied that surely 日本茶 means Japanese ...
Kantura's user avatar
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Should I include my step-siblings as 兄弟?

If I'm asked, "兄弟がいますか。" and my only siblings are a younger step brother and younger step sister, should/can I respond "はい、いもうととおとうとがいます。"? Do I need to specify but still answer in the affirmative? Or ...
themathandlanguagetutor's user avatar
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Expressing action of taking off

Like saying I'm going to take off my hat as in 帽子{ぼうし}を抜{ぬ}きます. I believe 抜{ぬ} "nu" means to get ride of or dispose of, but I guess I'm certain context it could mean to take off or remove. I'm ...
greg's user avatar
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Difference between ~によって and ~を通じて (through, by means of)

It seems that both ~によって and ~を通じて (sometimes ~を通して) can be used to mean "through", "by means of", "via". Both seem moderately but not very formal. Are there any differences in nuance that dictate ...
Hikonyan's user avatar
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What does 見受ける mean?

I have found several related words that I think I have a better grasp of such as: 見掛ける・見て取る・認める 見掛ける is just simply visually seeing something 見て取る is close to 見て分かる, right? Seeing something that ...
By137's user avatar
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What are the nuanced usages of まず?

The following lines of dialogue is spoken by a girl to the narrative character in a book I'm translating. 「普通の人なら、あの状況{じょうきょう}ではまず間違いなくパニックになるわ。 自分の置かれた状況を把握{はあく}しようとして、混乱しているうちに殺されていたはずよ。 ...
Toyu_Frey's user avatar
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Is there some functional difference between デマ and ガセ?

According to gogen-allguide.com デマ comes from the German demagogie, so it would make sense for it to be similar to demagogy in English. But demagogy is used for political things like false claims and ...
By137's user avatar
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Meaning of はいてなかったり?

I recently came across the phrase はいてなかったり which has me stumped. For context, a character utters the phrase after dismissing the possibility of something: Character: Oh, those guys? Yeah, they're ...
Floating Sunfish's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
280 views

What is meant by 実感が欠けていく here?

To add some additional context, the character appears to have family problems (particularly father problems). Her birthday is on Christmas, however her father never celebrates it with her. I don't ...
tempy temper's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
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What does 迎える translate to in this context?

When 迎える is used in the sense of marking a special occasion or time, I have trouble translating it to English. I imagined that 迎える always means to "welcome" "receive" "greet". But it can also take ...
shade549's user avatar
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What does "gentle interrogative" mean?

While browsing Jishio.org, I come across this definition of こと. I tried googling "gentle interrogative Japanese", and found not much that explains what differentiates a "gentle interrogative" from ...
Toyu_Frey's user avatar
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What does “水着勿体ないんでよかったら今度のお休み” mean here?

水着勿体ないんでよかったら今度のお休み Context: this girl sent this guy a picture of her in her swimsuit while she lay in bed because she just bought it and thought it was cute and just found out that her vacation ...
Mordecai Hunter's user avatar
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What does ピクンッ mean?

I came across an image on Deviantart that has Japanese text written on it, so I am trying to translate it. You can see it here: https://www.deviantart.com/ryonapage/art/Dominated-710481249 (Warning: ...
Micheal Gignac's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
266 views

Difference between 泊まる and 留まる [duplicate]

I'm just studying Japanese, and i know that 泊まる is like you Staying a night like hotel / some place that temporary , but i just found 留まる is also meaning stay/staying too in Basic Kanji book , but i ...
lanolunip's user avatar
8 votes
1 answer
2k 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.
Ringil's user avatar
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Any differences between 領収書 and 受領書?

First time asking a question here. I was curious if there is any relevant distinction between these two words that mean receipt: 領収書 and 受領書.
Sergio Parreiras's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
155 views

Ambiguous use of 奥?

The standard english dictionary translation of 奥 is "interior" or "inner part". Being literal minded, I have had a hard time getting my head around its usage in a game I am playing. 館の手前にある壁か教会{...
Ubz's user avatar
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What does Ukiyo (浮世) mean?

I'm not very familiar with this specific term, but do know intermediate Japanese. "Floating world" seems to be a direct translation of the two characters: 浮 for "floating" and 世 for "world". However, ...
MXMLLN's user avatar
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I need help understanding 「虫が止まったみたいな扱いだ。」

I need help understanding this sentence, 虫が止まったみたいな扱いだ。 The Context is that the speaker is frustrated with what his conversation partner is doing/saying, but he is trying to help him as they have ...
user28000's user avatar
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0 answers
93 views

Difference between 防衛相, 防衛大臣 and 国防相

Reading a NHK NEWS article, I stumbled over three different expressions for minister of defence. Is there a difference between 防衛相, 防衛大臣 and 国防相?
CaRina's user avatar
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1 answer
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How to say "weeaboo" in Japanese?

What's the best translation of "weeaboo" in Japanese? I would define a weeaboo as a (generally derogatory term for a) non-Japanese person who is highly interested in manga, anime, Japanese video ...
mic's user avatar
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3 votes
2 answers
159 views

I don't understand a definition of one of the meanings of 途方?

From goo: 1 多くの方向。向かう方向。 「―を失へる敵どもを」〈太平記・一〇〉 I don't understand how 多くの方向 (that I think means "many directions") means the same thing that 向かう方向(that I think means "direction to ...
Jirei's user avatar
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7 votes
1 answer
290 views

What does ウ○ク mean in ウ○クの方の、中○、韓○嫌いは異常。?

So, I was looking on OKWAVE, because I wanted to know if anyone is asking about xenophobia in Japan. So there is a question asking, “外国人嫌悪症について、どう思いますか?” This can be translated as “What do you think ...
Micheal Gignac's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
77 views

what does "ぶっ飛んだ" mean [duplicate]

I have looked up dictionary but i found only one meaning "jump".I think it has other meanings .Help me
sai ten's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
156 views

What does どぼり mean?

I know that it's an onomatopoeia, and it's an adverb that can take the と particle. The context goes something like this. There is an object. The object in question is filled with a liquid. The object ...
Micheal Gignac's user avatar
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1 answer
274 views

I can't understand anything in this sentence. Please help

I'm still a beginner learning japanese, so I'm sorry if this is just a stupid question. I was reading a manga and a character says: だめ。シミが浮くとこ見てるから。 I can't understand what he means or what he's ...
Ryuusei-kun's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
159 views

What does どしゅっ mean?

I'm reading through this one story where it takes place in the feudal era of Japan. Two men are travelling through a forest and carrying a secret letter. An army of female ninja try to sneak up on ...
Micheal Gignac's user avatar
3 votes
3 answers
638 views

What does ヤラレ女/やられ女 mean?

I came across this term on the Internet. It is proving to be very tricky. 女 is not too hard. It can be translated as “woman”, “girl”, “female”, and possibly some other terms. ヤラレ/やられ is the part I ...
Micheal Gignac's user avatar
-2 votes
1 answer
320 views

"People" vocabulary usage distinction

I searched for Japanese terms related to the English word "people" and discovered an impressive variety of terms to choose from! I'm curious about the differences between each term and the usage of ...
jdkrensel's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
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I can't translate 天吼

Context: Mecha anime soundtrack. I know that 天 is akin to "heavenly," but I've never seen 吼 before, and I can't find a translation -- or even another use in Japanese -- online at all. In traditional ...
SilverbackNet's user avatar
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2 answers
3k views

Meaning of: いらっしゃいます。

I know what はじめまして means. It means, pleased / nice to meet you. When reading Manga at school to learn these expressions, I see the phrase quite often. But there was one Manga where I saw the phrase, ...
Mr Pie's user avatar
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3 votes
2 answers
194 views

About 同形の別字 and its meaning

I am doing a research on differences between kanji and hanzi and accidentally stumbled across the term 同形の別字. The article that refers to it doesn't elaborate on its meaning. Does that term mean ...
Jun Kyre-chan's user avatar
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2 answers
137 views

What definition does 入る take in this sentence?

Consider this sentence: さっきなぜかマイクが入らなかった。 This is translated as: "For some reason the microphone didn't work earlier." When I looked up the definition of 入る to enter; to go into to break into ...
shade549's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
3k views

Combining two words into a name [closed]

I've noticed that Japanese names are often made up of different words meaning different things, creating a combination of the meaning of the Japanese name. Is it possible if I could combine two ...
MizukiTan's user avatar
-1 votes
1 answer
1k views

what does した mean?

What does した mean? Google translate says it means "did", but once again i'm not convinced. Thanks!
Iamkindasortaprettymaybecool's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
709 views

What does 正規品 mean?

Recently, I came across this word: 正規品{せいきひん} None of online dictionaries that I know had registered the term at all. I could not find such word in search result of jisho.org or search result of ...
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1 answer
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Meaning of そ、in 「そ、 そんなこと言っても……」?

I need some help understanding what "そ," means in the following context, in which two fighters are being forced to fight and are conversing during the fight: Opponent:「死にたくなかったら、 本気できなさい」 “If ...
Toyu_Frey's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
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Meaning of 尻を持ち込む

In the 4th sentence of the 3rd paragraph of 坊ちゃん is: 古川の持っている田圃の井戸を埋めて尻を持ち込まれた事もある。 I am not sure what is meant by 尻を持ち込まれた. According to Weblio it means: 問題の後始末を他の人に頼む。 I take it to mean ...
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0 votes
1 answer
109 views

What does カラオケと遊ぶのが大好きです mean?

What does the following sentence mean? カラオケと遊ぶのが大好きです I know that it has to do with karaoke but whether it is playing karaoke or karaoke and playing is the problem which I don't know.
Zelmon Wolf Mccloud's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
3k views

To Underestimate: Nameru vs Anadoru 舐める vs 侮る

Other than one being to lick, any difference between the 2 for underestimating?
shoryuu's user avatar
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2 votes
2 answers
130 views

Why is その used here?

I found this definition of 食用{しょくよう}: 食べ物として用いること。また、その食べ物。「食用になる」 Which I read as 食{た}べ物{もの}として用{もち}いること。また、その食{た}べ物{もの}。「食用{しょくよう}になる」 Meaning A thing that can be used as food. Also, that ...
Bassie's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
185 views

~なあに at the end of a sentence

I borrowed a Japanese children's book from the library to practice and of course I'm stuck on the title. It is called ごあいさつなあに。I know the first part means greetings or welcome, but I can't find any ...
FirekeeperAnnwyl's user avatar