表現. A set phrase used commonly in the Japanese language.
4
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2answers
126 views
What is the difference between 何だと and 何ですと?
I noticed that in some anime (specifically, the Ace Attorney anime), the characters often switch between 何だと, 何ですと, and a few other slight variants. What is the difference between them?
4
votes
2answers
93 views
Meaning of 天秤に乗せる
In the Dead Tube manga I found this sentence:
いいでしょ… たまには自分の命を天秤に乗せたって
The protagonist is asking a group of people who usually don't risk their life to participate in a risky game. What is the ...
2
votes
1answer
130 views
What is the meaning of the slang ～じゃてえ?
I'd like to know what ～じゃてえ exactly means when located at the end of verbs and/or adjectives. Do young people use it rhetorically?
The whole sentence is:
なのにのう ズイブンじゃてえ
9
votes
2answers
99 views
Nuance of the structure “Verb (stem of negative form) + ざるを得ない” compared to “Verb + しかない”
I've browsed a bit throught the other posts and it seems like there is no clear explanation of the nuance of "V + ざるを得ない" compared to "V + しかない". Roughly speaking, they have the same meaning but is ...
3
votes
1answer
387 views
My Teacher just had a baby, how do I congratulate her
My Japanese teacher just gave birth and our long-term sub is having us make cards to congratulate her, we need to write something in Japanese, and I want to write something different than what she ...
0
votes
1answer
79 views
How to make sense of 呪縛から解放されるウソという名の魔法
I'm having problem figuring out the idea or meaning of a sentence while reading manga.
The context is that a character A told someone (character B) a big lie, and influenced by that lie, B started to ...
4
votes
2answers
89 views
What does「〜も何も」mean in this context?
I’ve been studying Japanese for a while now and came across the following dialogue:
A: 私のこと、知ってるんだ。(So you know about me then?)
B: 知ってるも何も、有名人じゃないか。
I'm not quite sure how to make sense of B's ...
8
votes
2answers
1k views
Japanese idiom equivalent to “that ship has sailed”
What is the closest expression in Japanese that conveys a similar meaning to the English idiom "that ship has sailed", referring to an "missed opportunity" and "it's too late (to do anything about it)"...
2
votes
2answers
115 views
What does this conversation from a novel mean?
「おまえ、よく命が続いとるなあ」
「これが生き甲斐でござる」
「とりあえず酒でも飲め。いや、呆れたもんだよ」店主が言った。
「奢ってくれるかい？」
「奢るとも」
“You, よく命が続いとるなあ”
“This is what I live for.”
“Anyway, let’s have a drink. いや、呆れたもんだよ” said the owner.
...
5
votes
1answer
76 views
Meaning of 世界観に入り込む in the following sentence
The following sentence is taken from the afterword of the final volume of a manga:
そんな風に名残惜しさを感じたり、世界観に入り込んで描くことができたのも、たくさんの人に読んでいただけて、キャラクターや作品が好きだと言ってもらえてものすごい励みになったことが一因だと思います。
I understand the ...
9
votes
1answer
171 views
書類や資料などの内容の引用について
My English isn't good, so I have always asked in Japanese, but Japanese isn't my mother tongue either. Sometimes, when I'm asking a question in Japanese, the question and the example are related to a ...
4
votes
2answers
104 views
Origin of expression ~てならない?
I cannot help but think about the verb なる when I hear or read the expression ~てならない.
Are the verb and the expression even related?
It feels to me as if it could be the modern shortened version ...
3
votes
1answer
123 views
What does 運を消費していく mean?
i'm asking myself what 運を消費していく means?
Context: My penpal won concert tickets and i congragulated him with おめでとうございます！ and he responded with ありがとうございます!!運を消費していく. Unfortunately i had not the time to ...
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vote
1answer
94 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 ...
1
vote
1answer
110 views
Is there any slang for 絞首刑?
In English it is quite common to use the expression "to get the chair" to refer to the death penalty. For example:
He committed such a terrible crime, I hope he gets the chair. *
The word 絞首刑, "...
5
votes
1answer
112 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 ...
3
votes
1answer
164 views
How to express “help someone with X”
I helped someone fix something, and I'd like to try and express that it was mostly the other person doing the work and I just provided assistance.
The best I can come up with is 「問題の解決に田中さんを手伝いました」...
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0answers
77 views
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1answer
276 views
Equivalent of “Yes sir/ma'am” for children
I have taught my kids to answer adults with "Yes sir/ma'am" as both a sign of respect, and as confirmation that they were actually listening.
I'm wondering if there's an equivalent in Japanese. My ...
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vote
1answer
85 views
How would you express “A demands B” in japanese
How would you express "A demands B" in japanese.
In the sense that 'demands' is being used as a synonym of "absolutely requires". But using this expression instead of "requires" has a nuance. To me ...
7
votes
1answer
588 views
How do I respond to よろしくお願いします after being assigned a task at work?
My supervisor at work tells me よろしくお願いします after she gives me a task to do in the office. What is the appropriate way to respond? I've looked around on the internet but have been unsuccessful in ...
2
votes
2answers
156 views
Meaning of 芯を通す and 芯の通る
In this manga about boxing I found the following unrelated sentences:
1) もっと探れ… 伏黒【ふくろ】さんの拳。小さくても攻撃を未然に防ぐため… 芯を通してくる。
2) 芯の通ったパンチを打ってこなくなって… 後退を優先してる。
In the first the protagonist is thinking ...
2
votes
1answer
203 views
What is the difference between dono hito and donata?
I got to know that dono hito specifically asks about a person while donata is for who in general, so does taht imply to all living beings?
Are both used in formal conversations?(If yes, which is ...
3
votes
2answers
150 views
Is 「今朝」 or 「今日の朝」 more natural?
I've come across several forums online detailing that 「今朝」 sounds either very formal or old-fashioned in that it is not used too often nowadays. However, it is also the one I see most commonly used in ...
2
votes
2answers
147 views
How is「言わんとする」normally used?
What is the level of formality of this expression? Is this a set expression or does it follow after a more generic grammatical pattern? Example sentences would be appreciated.
0
votes
1answer
344 views
What's the difference between そうですね, そうですか, そうです
How are the following different:
そうです (thats right)
そうですか (i see; is that so)
そうですね (thats right)
also what's the difference between いいです and いいですね?
reference or sentence in context much ...
2
votes
2answers
77 views
Showing gratitude for omiyage yet to be completely finished (ごちそうさまです？）
Can I say ～をごちそうさまです if I want to show gratitude for edible omiyage I’ve received but have yet to finish?
For example, I received a box of cookies recently and want to say thank you as soon as ...
3
votes
1answer
55 views
Can 影響がある・する be used to express all the concepts of 'influencing', 'inspiring' and 'affecting'?
See these example sentences:
Xsan's beautiful pictures inspired me to start traveling.
Who influenced your painting technique the most?
What factors affected your decision to become an ...
3
votes
1answer
130 views
“続けた結果誕生した” Meaning
I can't understand very well this "続けた結果" found in the following description, from a Pokémon videogame.
1人の 科学者が 何年も 恐ろしい 遺伝子 研究を 続けた 結果 誕生した。
It is talking about a Pocket Monster, and its general ...
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1answer
89 views
Japanese phrase about risk
I heard in anime a phrase related to risk, like "all or nothing". It sounded like "icka backa" but I can't find the exact phrase.
2
votes
1answer
115 views
What is the logic of the expression “冗談じゃない”?
Literally, 冗談じゃない means "it is not a joke" but actually it seems that the meaning of this is "something unthinkable even for a joke"( japanese definition:冗談にもそんなことを言ったりするな。).
「道楽に働いているんだろうだって? 冗談じゃない....
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votes
1answer
225 views
Discrepancy between Tae Kim's Guide and Tobira in regards to 思われる。
I'm just wondering if someone could help me with what seems to be a difference between Tae Kim's Guide and what I've read in Tobira. In grammar point 2 from chapter 4 in Tobira, it says that "考えられている ...
2
votes
0answers
51 views
Thank you speech for schools and city officials [closed]
I have to give speeches for a group of 5th grade students and their parents that thanks the schools and cities for hosting us and showing us around. since i am the only parent that somewhat knows ...
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vote
1answer
123 views
1
vote
1answer
122 views
How to express “play on guitar”?
I wanted to say the following:
"I am trying to learn to play Mexican songs on the guitar."
I know how to express try to, but I am not sure about the rest. Perhaps
メキシカンな歌{うた}...
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vote
1answer
104 views
Why is 「～といわず」 the correct expression in this sentence?
The following question is taken from a JLPT N1 grammar/expressions prep book:
彼女はよほど花が好きらしい。家の（ ）花でいっぱいだ。
１ 中といわず外といわず ２ 中といっても外といっても
３ 中はともかく外も ４ 中外もかまわず
In the book, no. 1 is ...
2
votes
1answer
81 views
Exact definition of 針千本 in the 指切り idiom
I'm trying to learn more about idioms and expressions, and I came across this (which is apparently said when making a [pinky] promise):
指切拳万{ゆびきりげんまん}、嘘ついたら針千本{はりせんぼん}呑ます
Casting the first part ...
0
votes
1answer
91 views
Indicating a subject and objective thoughts of inevitability
How do the Japanese show the nuance between the inevitable outcomes of actions based on their thoughts versus their findings?
After the Tsunami of 2011, Japanese Volcanologists predict an inevitable ...
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0answers
157 views
なんだけど Meaning and grammar patterns [duplicate]
I would like to know what (なんだけど / なんですが) means? I think these two forms are the same, but when I asked in class their meaning, I was told that they mean nothing, so I'm kinda confused.
For example, ...
3
votes
2answers
158 views
Why から is used instead of は/が?
I found several から quite confusing for me.
The context is about a boy and a girl, and she's trying to ask him out, but she eventually can't do so, and asks him to meet the next day:
Girl: あ…...
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vote
1answer
132 views
Is 二人の顔はそっくりだ a possible way to say “Both of their faces look the same”?
This is my attempt at translating the sentence "Both of their faces look the same":
二人の顔はそっくりだ
Does it make sense or is it completely wrong?
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votes
2answers
267 views
How to respond to ポイントカードが宜しいですか。
When I am paying for my goods at a supermarket or konbini, the cashier always asks me that question. On dictionaries, the meaning of 宜しい is "fine / good" and it made me confused, "What is good about ...
2
votes
0answers
134 views
What does 気が気ではなかった mean? [closed]
From:
その後も、その日一日、お嬢様に奇行が目立った。ずっと独り言を言っているし、突然叫び出す。私たちは気が気では無かったが、呼ばれた時にいつでも応えられるようにするだけで精一杯だ。
2
votes
2answers
126 views
腰の入ったすけべ連中が多いから
I have these lines from an old game, and wish to know what 腰の入った means. It is clear to me that it is some kind of fixed expression, because the parts do not make sense by themselves.
...
2
votes
2answers
119 views
How many is 数多の数?
Example from a 2017 website:
数多の数ある猫種、是非お気に入りの猫ちゃんを見つけて下さい。
Question: In what order of magnitude would you expect the number to be?
Or, since it probably depends on the context, what would the ...
0
votes
1answer
95 views
その通りで versus (X)その道理で: Does the latter ever make sense?
Context: I don't exactly remember how, but when I traveled in Japan three years ago, I somehow picked up this phrase: その通りです. I didn't speak Japanese then and I really still can't now, but the word 通り ...
2
votes
1answer
123 views
Question about the implications behind “私でよければ“
Does is contain any romantic implications? I’ve heard it can be used as a love confession or marriage proposal of some sort, but is that true? And is that a common phrase?
Thanks!
0
votes
1answer
95 views
…に間違い言わない - Meaning and grammar [closed]
I can't understand very well the meaning and the grammar in this sentence:
田中さんの言葉に間違い言わない！
Is possibile that the its meaning is something like "Tanaka-san is always right?"
2
votes
3answers
198 views
まったりとしてそれでいてしつこさがなく Pop culture phrase
I'm seeking help translating a phrase that appears in a video game, which seems to be a pop culture reference. My research on this implies it may originate from Oishinbo, but I was unable to confirm ...
2
votes
1answer
105 views
送ってくれた : Why is both “sending” and “giving” being used together here?
I encountered the sentence:
両親が私にはがきを送ってくれた。
I understand that:
送って translates to a verb meaning "to send", or I assume in this case "sending" due to the "te-form" being used.
I also understand ...
