Questions tagged [expressions]
表現. A set phrase used commonly in the Japanese language.
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questions
6
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1answer
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How do I apologize for unintentionally saying something linked to other people's private difficulties?
I was in conversation with an acquaintance. They start talking about their kid, so I said something intended as a compliment to their child, but that led to them telling me about their kid's ...
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1answer
74 views
What is the proper way to say "beating egg whites"? [closed]
I want to say "beating egg whites" (video for reference). How do you say that in Japanese ?
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1answer
71 views
Is there any meaning/usage difference between 罠を掛ける and 罠を仕掛ける?
From my understanding, both of them mean "to set a trap" (in order to catch something).
I encountered 罠を仕掛ける in the story カチカチ山:
おじいさんはタヌキのいたずらにがまん出来なくなり、畑にワナをしかけてタヌキを捕まえました。
However, ...
2
votes
0answers
80 views
Is there a similar expression as "elbow grease" in Japanese?
The idiom elbow grease, and in French "huile de coude" means that the only thing that is required is putting some manual efforts into an action (scrubbing, washing, mixing...). The term ...
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1answer
90 views
What is うれション a portmanteau of?
I recently came across the phrase うれション, referring to when a dog accidentally urinates out of excitement. Fairly obviously the first part is derived from 嬉しい, but what else comes together to form ...
3
votes
1answer
486 views
Why can だらしない be used in this sentence?
I was trying a JLPT mock test and there was a question in which you had to pick the sentence in which the given word was used correctly. In one of those, the given word was だらしない, and the answer was ...
3
votes
1answer
225 views
Why does 物腰の低い mean “well behaving” and not the opposite?
If 物腰 means “(good) manners” and 低い means “low, bad”, how is it possible that 物腰の低い actually means “of good, gentle manners”?
I found this expression in an article on keigo and was surprised that in ...
5
votes
1answer
264 views
How to give a "professional" compliment as a brief aside ("I just wanted to say…", "As a side note, I really…", etc.)?
Say you're having a conversation with someone broadly in the same line of work as you whom you don't know very well, in an only mildly informal setting—like, near the snack table after a talk you both ...
2
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2answers
140 views
言うか？言わないか？どちらでしょうか？Why do 馬鹿を言うな and 馬鹿を言え have similar meanings?
It seems to me 「馬鹿を言え」 and 「馬鹿を言うな」 are pretty much interchangeable. Corresponding expressions in politer form also exist, 「馬鹿を言いなさい」 「馬鹿を言いなさんな」 So what nuances of meaning do they each have? And what'...
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0answers
67 views
Which one is more accurate or makes sense? 笑った者勝ち or 笑ったもん勝ち [closed]
Which one of these is more accurate or makes more sense or more commonly seen?
笑った者勝ち or 笑ったもん勝ち.
5
votes
1answer
456 views
How bendy is the referenced past with この前?
Sentence taken from the first volume of 「となりの信國さんは俺のことが好きな気がする」
この前にお弁当食べとるとは思えんパンの食べっぷり
Context: Two girls are sitting together during lunch break when one of them starts eating bread, then the ...
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2answers
75 views
Is 押しても引いても a set expression?
I came across this sentence in an anime I am watching. I am wondering if this is some kind of expression that means something like "no matter which way you look at it"
I can't seem to find ...
0
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0answers
69 views
What does this expression 引き気味 mean in English ? [Manga] [duplicate]
Context: MC's thought about a character's reaction (A-san), after she is observing MC and his team talking. She looks surprised because she has never thought that they will decided to help her and ...
1
vote
1answer
74 views
What does 散々見てた means in this sentence?
掻き込んで食べるのは、散々見てたけれども
Is this "rarely saw" or "I saw many times"? Much appreciate if someone can explain to me the correct meaning here o/
0
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1answer
81 views
What does this expression mean in English ? いや俺も俺だけど [Master/servant]
Context: MC is talking with his servant about the fact that when he was still a student like her, he also forgot everything the moment after the test was over.
G1: 昔、白蓮ちゃんたちと一緒に風鈴先生のところでやったはずなんだけど。...
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1answer
120 views
Is 世の中の渡り方 an expression?
世の中の渡り方を知ってる
My guess is that it's an expression because the literal translation is weird. It would be something like "The way to cross the world".
I feel like 世の中の方 would make more sense ...
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1answer
83 views
Translation of 無理に取ろうとしないで [closed]
Can someone tell me what the expression 無理に取ろうとしないで means? I tried searching for the different parts in dictionary and the internet, but did not succeed.
Any help appreciated
0
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1answer
103 views
How to use "なんとかなる" in the context "it's okay, I'll make things okay"?
I want to know how to properly write なんとかなる.
I've seen multiple ways: なんとかなるさ、なんとかなるよ.
I saw something somewhere saying that なんとかなるよ was like saying "everything will be okay" or "I will ...
1
vote
1answer
154 views
Is a long "yes" written "はははははい" or "はーい"？
How do I write a long はい？ I mean like when in anime, students all say "yeeeeees" to their sensei, is it written "はははははい" or "はーい"?
0
votes
1answer
130 views
ホワッとした子 >>What does this mean about a girl? [closed]
when reading i came across this expression ,that describe a girl
ホワッとした子 >>Please explain to me what does this mean thanks
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2answers
149 views
To be hit by the sun verb
I found three ways to say "If I'm too exposed to the sun, I get a headache". Can you confirm that these three sentences are right? And if there are some nuances between them?
...
0
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1answer
191 views
Connotations of 身もふたもないこと
My question is about the expression "身もふたもないこと".
I know that "身もふたもない" means blunt or point-blank, but is there any additional connotation such as "stupid" or "silly&...
5
votes
1answer
859 views
Meaning of せないかんのよ
Reading Tokyo Ghoul I found this sentence:
カミさんやらチビたちにまだまだ家族サービスせないかんのよ
After looking around I more or less understand it, expect the せないかん part: I'm guessing のよ are just ending particles and せない is ...
1
vote
1answer
131 views
高校生か死神っぽい動機 meaning
There's this scene in this LN where the main character unexpectedly accepted an invitation to a karaoke, and when questioned about it, the character responded by saying:
「やることもなかったし」
Then one ...
2
votes
1answer
170 views
腰が逃げそうになる >> What does this mean about a person's hip? Does it mean that it became disjointed/tired?
腰が逃げそうになる
When I searched this phrase on Google, it showed me some images about golf, so my guess is that it means a person's hip became dislocated and/or tired due to excessive exercising.
Can ...
2
votes
2answers
136 views
What does "大したもんだ" mean?
I usually see this phrase in Shonen manga from an antagonist, referring to a "persistent" character.
I remember a quote that goes like this:
ほう 大したもんだ。
It was from a character called "...
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votes
2answers
110 views
俺は自分だけが勝手に高ぶってしまわないよう >>What does this mean ?( In order to prevent myself from getting too excited ?) [closed]
俺は自分だけが勝手に高ぶってしまわないよう
What does this mean? My guess is "In order to prevent myself from getting too excited"?
If you can please break down the grammar for me to understand
2
votes
1answer
61 views
心を鬼にする >>What's the meaning of this expression ? (I've decided to become ruthless /evil ?)
心を鬼にする >> Can anyone explain to me what is the meaning of this expression ?
I guess it's like "I've made up my mind to become ruthless (though I don't want to) "?
I'm not so sure so ...
2
votes
1answer
283 views
キミの心が、綺麗なのがいけないんだよ? >> What does this mean ? "Why is your heart ,it's beauty made me so hopeless/defenseless against you ?"
Context is a girl talking with MC ,looks like they're about to H
Girl: キミとひとつになるってことに……私、期待してる。
身体の奥、熱くなって……胸の鼓動が早くなって
なんだろう、この気持ちは……もしかして、一目惚れってやつなのかな。
私にはそんなこと、絶対にないと思ってたのに
キミの心が、綺麗なのがいけないんだよ?
I ...
0
votes
1answer
90 views
What does 妙に調子もいいし mean in this context?
3 characters talking with each other after being transferred into a strange world:
C1: そっちで勝手に話を進めないでほしいものね。こちらは訳も分からないまま巻き込まれた形なのだけれど？ (I want you to stop doing things arbitrarily. Even I've been ...
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2answers
87 views
キッチリした性格の人 >>What does this mean about a person characteristic?
Context : 2 character are talking ,they're seems to be the student at a magic school
C2: あ、あはは…なんか、ここって愉快な人が多いのかしら。ちょっと思ってた感じとは違うなあ
C1: もっとキッチリした性格の人とか、捻くれた魔術士ばっかりだと思ってた?
Later on C2 thanks C1 ,...
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1answer
792 views
What does kore wa kore wa mean?
I am watching a taiga drama, Tokugawa Ieyasu, and I hear people say kore wa kore wa often. I also here sore wa sore wa.
The translation in the subtitle is "well well".
I am only a beginner ...
0
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0answers
54 views
少しとろけ始めた表情 >> What does this face expression mean?
I came across a line describing a character face
少しとろけ始めた表情 >> I don't understand this ,my guess is "A little bit relaxed face/expression "?
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1answer
63 views
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3answers
270 views
どんな風にする expression
I want to know the meaning of "山田さんはどんな風にしていましたか。" and understand the grammatical construction. Does it means "How Yamada looked like ?" or "In what way Yamada did it?" ?
...
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votes
2answers
882 views
Why does 「もう待てないよ！」 mean "I can't wait any longer"?
I've just learnt that the expression 「もう待てないよ！」 has similar meaning in English as "I can't wait any longer", but how to interpret 「待てない」 from a grammar point?
Shouldn't the "te-form&...
0
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1answer
77 views
A question about 目を合わせる
So the thing is that I found the next sentence:
目を合わせて逸らさない、というのはそれだけで真摯に見える。
I understand the whole sentence and all, but that 「目を合わせて逸らさない」is troubling me.
I asked what it meant, and it was ...
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1answer
132 views
"Strategies" to speak in 1st, 2nd or 3rd person without pronouns
My level of Japanese is still very basic. So sorry if I what I'm saying doesn't make sense.
As I understand it, Japanese do not like the usage of pronouns to express if a sentence's subject or direct ...
3
votes
2answers
169 views
「褒めても何も出ないよ」「褒めても何も出さないよ」
I think this is what people commonly say:
褒めても何も出ないよ
But I feel iffy about the switch of subject here. 褒めても of course talks about the listener. Why does the subject switch to an inanimate thing in ...
2
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1answer
387 views
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1answer
47 views
What do 条件付運航 and 状況待ち mean in practice?
A ferry company serving Yakushima offers a real-time status/schedule page with this handy key:
○：通常運航
△：条件付運航
※：状況待ち
欠：欠航
The first and the last are clear enough (normal operation and cancelled, ...
2
votes
1answer
158 views
Logical explanation for '高を括る'? phrase
Just came across this phrase and upon breaking it down it looked like it would have the opposite meaning to what it really has (高を括る-to make light of). Have I missed something and there's actually a ...
2
votes
1answer
169 views
What does こき mean?
I've seen こき being used in expressions such as in こき使う (with the meaning of work someone hard) and 嘘こき (used to refer to someone who lies a lot, apparently). I haven't found this expression's meaning ...
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1answer
126 views
Can I use "dou" to offer something?
I understand that "dou" means how, and for example おちゃはどうですか means that I'm asking how is the tea? But, in Busuu app it says that I can use the same question to offer something, as if I'm ...
2
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0answers
131 views
Why use 一本 in the expression 一本取る
I was watching an episode of ファニエスト外語学院 on judo.
At 6:26, the judoka remarked how his opponent ボビー could win him just by his horrid face, saying 「顔で一本取られた」って感じです.
I am interested in understanding why ...
0
votes
1answer
77 views
Is there a short phrase/ slang for " hating the people you love most"? [duplicate]
I'm looking for a phrase that means something that means something along "I hate the people I love the most"
I know 愛憎関係 means love-hate relationship but was wondering if there was something ...
11
votes
1answer
283 views
Why doesn't 「毎日学校に行ってきます」work?
This question stemmed from comments under another Q&A where @Chocolate points out that「毎日学校に行ってきます」doesn't work but 「今から学校に行ってきます」is fine. But I am still not quite sure why it doesn't work? When ...
5
votes
2answers
346 views
How to talk about completing a series?
I was wondering how to convey "today I've completed reading a manga series" or "I've completed watching a TV series". Does "Verb(ます stem)+終わる" sound wrong? Should I use &...
5
votes
1answer
156 views
Meaning of って意味 in this context
In the sentence
俺は人にモノを教えるのは得意じゃない。人には向き不向きがあるだろ？
正直、勉強を教えるって意味じゃ俺なんかより、堀北や櫛田のほうが向いている
I'm not a good teacher.People have different strengths and weaknesses, right ?
To be honest, Horikita and ...
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1answer
161 views
How to say, "I made/wrote this based off _____"?
To clarify, using "based off" in a way that's citing inspiration for a creation (vs. backing something up with a fact). I found にもとづいて, but I'm not sure if it's the most natural choice for ...
