Questions tagged [meaning]
意味. The meaning of words or phrases within certain contexts, especially when it does not seem to match the standard definition.
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What does 食いあさる / 食い漁る mean?
I have looked all over the internet and I cannot find a decent definition for the word 食いあさる / 食い漁る.
For context, here is a scene in a manga where it is used. Character A (female) is rummaging through ...
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Is "しょっと" an informal version of "ちょっと" in "よい……しょっと?"
Context: A child is preparing his props for a play. My first guess was that this was a variant of ちょっと, but I tried double checking on Google and got really weird grammar details that don't match the ...
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What does 業者など、読者本人以外による mean?
また、業者など、読者本人以外による本書のデジタル化は、いかなる場合でも一切認められませんのでご注意下さい。
It's what's written in the last page of the book I was reading.
I'm not sure of what it means. Who is 読者本人? They talk about 読者係 before, is it ...
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What does ○○ていない + といけない mean?
I've recently encountered a simple sentence in a video that confused me grammatically.
(see 2:08)
子供が考える時には、待っていないといけないですよね。
My assumptions:
待っていない = negative continuous form of 待つ
といけない = have to
I'...
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Why can't I say 「電車に遅刻する」?
In the 2012 JLPT-official N4 sample test book, question #34, you are tested on the meaning of the word ちこく.
もんだい５ つぎの ことばの つかいかたで いちばん いい ものを １・２・３・４から ひとつ えらんで ください。
３４ ちこく
１ あの とけいは ちょっと ちこくして います。
...
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Understanding this particular sense of バーター
I have trouble comprehending this sense of the word バーター:
②俗に，人気のある俳優・タレントなどを出演させる見返りとして，同じ事務所の格下の俳優・タレントなどの出演を依頼すること。バーター出演。抱き合わせ出演。
It seems like in the entertainment industry, when two agencies ...
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Does 「2メートルくらい」 really mean "2 meters or slightly more" instead of "approximately 2 meters"?
From a tutorial contrasting ころ with くらい:
2メートルくらいの所に印をつけてください。 (Correct)
Please make a mark around the 2 meter point. (Natural Japanese, as an approximation is being discussed)
2メートルごろの所に印をつけてください。 (...
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Does 罪 in 罪を受ける literally mean "crimes"?
Even in English, I can almost imagine someone saying
I have received my crimes.
to be a short-hand way of saying
What goes around comes around, and I have received the consequences for my criminal ...
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What's the meaning of the expression verb + "ikitai to omoimasu"?
I found that the expression verb + "wo yaritai to omoimasu" means "I think I want to do" + verb, which makes sense to me.
However, I am not sure about the similar expression verb + ...
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Asking what's in a container
I was playing around with Google translate to try to figure out how to ask what's in a container, and it suggested the following two sentences:
箱の中は何ですか
カートには何が入っていますか
So, firstly, why did it give a ...
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添{そ}い遂{と}げる (soitogeru) = "to be with" or "to remain married to for life"?
Relative spoilers for Mushoku Tensei S2E11 (Jobless Reincarnation). A childhood friend girl meets with MC-kun years later, but doesn't reveal who she is. MC-kun falls for the girl, but is hesitant (...
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Interpreting その体 in the context of addressing a shape-shifter dragon
This question is asked of a huge shape-shifter dragon that is currently in human form and in a human bathroom:
体洗うのにその体の方がやりやすいんじゃないの
The translation that came with my Anki deck note is: "For ...
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Inferring the missing verbs from「世の中に知らしめるんだ 僕の存在を正義の裁きを下す者が いるってことを」
Here's a transcript segment from the first episode of Death Note, where the main character goes on an egotistical rant:
18:03
世の中に知らしめるんだ 僕の存在を
18:06
正義の裁きを下す者が いるってことを
The speaker then gets ...
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Meaning of であるだけ in Naomi by Tanizaki
I'm reading the book 痴人の愛 https://www.aozora.gr.jp/cards/001383/files/58093_62049.html. I don't understand what であるだけ means in the following sentence
私はなるべく彼女の趣味を啓発するように、ちょっとした買い物をするのにも自分一人では決めないで、...
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「お疲れ様でした」 word by word meaning vs. actual meaning?
お疲{つか}れ様{さま}でした is made of the following components:
お + つかれ + さま + でした。
A honorific affix (お).
Stem of a verb means to get tired (つかれる).
A Noun means appearance (さま).
And でした.
Literally, it means &...
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Any help with this phrase? [duplicate]
ジョンさんは日本語を上手に話します。
The thing is that I don't understand why 上手 has the particle に.
I'm reviewing an examination sheet, and this is the answer to one of the questions.
The only possible thing that I ...
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What does 亜字形図象 mean?
In particular I was not able to find 図象 in any dictionary; I wonder if it is perhaps a typo and the author meant 図像.
In the case that the author meant 図像, would it then simply mean "icon made up ...
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What does ようにと言う mean in 薬を飲んで様子を見るようにと言われました？
This is the context:
今朝はここちゃんを動物病院に連れて行きました。診断結果はスナッフルでした。うさぎにはよくある病気で、薬を飲んで様子を見るようにと言われました。
I know the expression ように言う, but why is there a と in ~ようにと言われました?
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What does ネームでよく動いてくれる mean?
こんなキャラはネームでよく動いてくれるので描きやすいです
The author wrote this on the side of the sketch of a character in a manga.
I know the words, but they have a few meanings/nuances and I don't understand what the author ...
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Is there any Japanese saying, proverb or idiom equivalent to the meaning of the biblical parable "The Mote and the Beam"?
I think I've come across the Japanese version of this teaching in the Bible as a saying (proverb?) but I'm having a hard time recalling and searching it.
The key takeaway in the parable is:
One can ...
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Meaning and pronunciation of 通目
Recently I've been reading 永田カビ's 一人交換日記, and have come upon the word 通目 there, used in every "chapter" heading. Judging from context, I think this word would mean something like "entry&...
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Is ためらうわけではなかった natural?
...だからといって、昨日も、山ほど宿題を出すのをためらうわけではなかった。 (official Japanese TL)
...but it hadn't stopped her giving them a huge pile of homework the day before (original Harry Potter text)
"It won't stop X doing ...
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Does the word 有不好的預感 mean いやなよかんがする in Japanese? [closed]
I also asked the same question in HiNative.
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What is the difference between 幸せ, 倖せ and 仕合わせ?
There are several ways to write the word しあわせ:
幸{しあわ}せ
倖{しあわ}せ
仕合{しあ}わせ
I would like to know what are the different nuances between them, and when is it appropriate to use each of them. For what is ...
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Is Saturday considered a weekday or weekend, or something else?
I'm confused about this sign. It states working hours. The first part is easy: weekdays is 9:30 to 20:00. The second part is strange. Instead of saying 週末・祭日 (weekends and holidays), it says "...
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What are the nuances around the different Japanese words for 'mountain' - specifically '丸'
The names of the mountains surrounding 檜原村 in western Tokyo are varied.
Examples include 三頭山, 練行峰, and 醍醐丸. Further afield, there are famous mountains like 八ヶ岳.
I have found some explanations for the ...
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What does それなりに means in this conttext?
So the character in the top panel asks how much a custom made order suits costs. After he gets told the price he points out is very expensive (高い) to which the other character replies それなりに
My ...
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Can I convey a meaning in a name with only kana? If not, what Kanji should I use for the name "Mimi" to convey "Beautiful Ocean"?
I'm working on a logo design project and was thinking of using the name "Mimi" as I saw somewhere that it might represent "beautiful ocean".
I don't understand much about the ...
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The use of 様子を見る + に in this sentence [duplicate]
でもあなたの様子を見るに
この件について何か心当たりがあるのでは
My understanding of "様子を見る" is akin to "wait and see" or "survey the situation"
So I took the whole sentence akin to "By having you ...
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Meaning of 足を引きずる
Jisho says that 足を引きずる means 'to limp'. My good paper dictionary seems to suggest that it means 'to drag one's feet' due to tiredness, for example. What range of meanings does 足を引きずる actually ...
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About omitting ということ in relative sentences
I was reviewing some concepts about the use of ということ in relative sentences, and there's something I still can't quite understand.
Looking at the sentence:
パンジーが食べられる花だということは知っている
(I know that pansies ...
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Can 手足 mean a limb?
According to jisho.org it means "hands and feet; limbs". But can it mean one limb (an arm or a leg)? I looked in Daijisen, and there I see 手と足. So it seems like it's arms and legs, not arms ...
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What exactly does "下ろしてもらい" in “帰りに私だけ駅前のカフェで下ろしてもらい...” refer to?
Context:
今日は母とお昼ご飯にパスタを食べに行きました。帰りに私だけ駅前のカフェで下ろしてもらい、...
From this context, is it possible to tell what kind of transport/vehicle is the author using?
Is the subject of "下ろしてもらい" the ...
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なるほど why it means "I understand" and usage as an adverb
I recently came across this phrase
しばらくは呆れていましたが、なるほど考えてみると
My questions are:
What is the meaning of this なるほど?
Why なるほど means "I understand" when used in isolation?
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What does "~から~" mean in "覚めてからその後寝られず"?
Context:
今朝は5時半に目が覚めてからその後寝られず、一日中眠たかったです。
What does "から" mean in this context?
If it means "after/later", are "から" and "その後" repetitious?
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塩気/塩っ気 (shiokke) = sass?
In Shinya Shokudou (Midnight Diner) S3EP06, and old mom meets with this old guy, and they're talking at a diner in front of the old mom's daughter (who's casual friends with the old guy). The old mom'...
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Can you suggest a name for an energy in a magic system that incorporates the kanji 真霊? [closed]
I have decided to choose a more flashy and direct title for my new work. Specifically, I am creating a magic system and I have chosen the name "Rei" (霊) for it, but I don't want to offend ...
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犬{いぬ}も食{く}わない having a connotation of getting involved in a lover's spat?
In SAO Progressive (2nd movie), Asuna and Kirito are arguing, and Kirito asks Argo to weigh in. Argo responds "犬｛いぬ｝も食｛く｝わない物｛もの｝に関｛かか｝わる気｛き｝はないよ～", which is officially translated as "...
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What's the meaning of 少フシテ?
I was reading this article on 香川県 in the early 明治 period when I encountered this phrase:
山峰少フシテ平地多ク
I've seen stuff like ふ meaning う (思ふ→思う), but that doesn't seem to apply here. I'm guessing this ...
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What does 「やっぱり申告制でひとつ」mean in this context? [duplicate]
Context: MC is asking 2 of his subordinates about their desired salary/ allowance, which he will pay for them. Since he has been isekai'd , he doesn't know about the average salary/ income or ...
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What does “~をあてに~” mean?
Context：
今日は午後からまつ毛パーマをあてに行きました。
What is the difference between "まつ毛パーマをしに行きました" and "まつ毛パーマをあてに行きました"?
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Understanding a meaning of 処遇
I found the word in an anime quite some time ago, and I wanted to finally confirm if I understood its meaning.
From the 新明解, the definition is:
人をある立場から評価して、しかるべき地位を与えること。
The context in which I ...
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Meaning of となつかしむなり in this context?
End of chapter 33 of the manga 課長島耕作.
先斗町 袖より合うも 春の夜の 他生の縁と なつかしむなり
先斗町 is the setting of the chapter.
I guess 春の夜 doesn't differ from its dictionary entry:
short spring night
I know 袖より合うも他生の縁 is ...
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When to use 今現在 instead of 今 or 現在?
I came across the word 今現在 and I can't figure out when to use it. I found out it means "just now; at this moment; at this point of time" but this information doesn't really help me ...
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What is the meaning of なのか in this sentences? Is it a grammar pattern?
私が家でよく作るのは、生姜焼きや唐揚げ、鍋料理などです。どれも、とても簡単ですよ！どんな料理なのかを、少し説明しますね。
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Probable meaning of "どかのじょ"in the title? [closed]
newest:In fact ,just a wrong spliting.By it,there is any else letter easy to split wrongly for beginner or how to avoid it(I think はーどもーmeans hi~hello because sounds like it@-@)
Original texts:Ok,I ...
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The actual meaning of 別に (べつに)
Though this question has been asked a lot, I do not find any explanation with the literal meaning and the logic behind the expression (with 別 referring to "distinction").
As a result, it's ...
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What does でしょうに mean in this situation
I found a related post: https://japanese.stackexchange.com/a/73037/50132.
It seems like the conclusion was that it added a feeling of "当たり前".
According to the other post, （よ）うに can express ...
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Meaning and reading of 益し加える
Reading in a book by 落合淳思 I wonder about (what looks like) the compound verb 益し加える in the sentence 「自は鼻の象形であり、それに声符を益し加えた繁文である。」 (繁文 is used by Ochiai as a technical term for the modern shape of a ...
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