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.
4,502
questions
42
votes
4
answers
14k
views
What does -komu (～込む) at the end of a word mean?
There are loads of words in Japanese which end in 込{こ}む, like 吸{す}い込む, 読{よ}み込む, 入{はい}り込む, 打{う}ち込む, 売{う}り込む, 送{おく}り込む, 押{お}し込む. How does adding ～込む change the meaning? What is the meaning that links ...
- 7,068
36
votes
2
answers
25k
views
Why does 今度【こんど】 mean "next time"?
The word 今度【こんど】, though its literal meaning is "this time" is in my experience used pretty heavily to refer to tbe next time or some unspecified point in the future. For example:
今度【こんど】こそ一緒【いっしょ】...
- 7,469
31
votes
5
answers
5k
views
Is it ok to use 電車 for non-electric trains?
電車 has the kanji for "electric" in it, but is it more or less ok to use it even for non-electric trains, such as steam trains? I saw a steam-powered train being used as the picture for that word in ...
- 16.1k
30
votes
2
answers
9k
views
What is the difference between "verb＋て＋みる" and "verb＋(よ)う+とする"?
In Japanese there are words which mean "to try something or attempt at doing something", e.g. 試す, 試みる and つとめる.
However, at the same time we also have two grammatical constructions "...
- 1,163
29
votes
4
answers
17k
views
How can I tell if a Japanese person's given name is male or female?
I am hoping that there may be some particular kanji and/or sounds used in determining if a persons given name is male or female.
- 6,657
29
votes
3
answers
3k
views
Adjectives functioning both as イ- and ナ-adjective
This question has made me think about the class of adjectives, which can function both as イ- and as ナ-adjective, e.g.
大きい 大きな
小さい 小さな
真っ白い 真っ白な (etc.)
細かい 細かな
暖かい 暖かな
四角い 四角な (etc.)
柔らかい ...
- 47.7k
28
votes
2
answers
57k
views
What does さあ (saa) mean?
I have seen this term used a lot in many different ways.
「さあ、忘れましょうその未来が」 saa, wasuremashou sono mirai ga — in this sense, I assume it means "come".
But I have also seen it used as
「でもさあ」 demo saa — ...
- 451
25
votes
3
answers
3k
views
Making sense of transitive usage of 行く and 来る - 「を行く」 and 「を来る」
I think it's known that some intransitive verbs can take を particle and be used as transitive verbs such as for example 「私のことを分かってくれない」. While using 分かる transitively would require specific scenarios ...
- 19.6k
25
votes
2
answers
9k
views
Why does 皮肉 mean "irony"?
I gather that 皮肉 can literally mean "skin-meat." I also see that one definition for 皮 is "mask (hiding one's true nature); seeming." So perhaps 皮肉 can be understood as "hiding the real meat," which ...
- 10.3k
24
votes
5
answers
41k
views
What is the meaning of のか and how does it differ from か?
What is the meaning of のか in the following sentences? Does it have the same meaning as のですか?
漢字はどう正しく書くのか、どう正しく読むのか、彼らは時々迷います。
参加するのか、参加しないのか、ここではっきり返事しなさい。
Also, I have found sentences of the same ...
- 477
23
votes
1
answer
4k
views
what is the difference between ごとに and おきに?
Both ごとに and おきに appear to mean "repeatedly at intervals".
What is the difference between these two expressions?
- 314
22
votes
2
answers
14k
views
What is the difference between [友達]{とも・だち} and [友人]{ゆう・じん}?
From a quick google search, they both refer to friend.
Are they completely identical or is there any difference between [友達]{とも・だち} and [友人]{ゆう・じん}?
- 649
22
votes
3
answers
3k
views
が and に interchangeability and difference in meaning
Consider these sentences:
だれ{が・に}これが出来るか
だれ{が・に}日本語が分からないか
When both が and に are acceptable, what is their difference in meaning and practical usage?
Flaw♦
- 19.7k
21
votes
2
answers
6k
views
Meaning of ぬ added to 連用形 / masu-stem, as in 風立ちぬ
What does the ぬ at the end of 立ち specify? I can't find a verb that is just 立ちぬ, is this some kind of special form? Can this be done with other verbs as well?
風立ちぬ, for reference, is Miyazaki's new ...
user3457
20
votes
2
answers
6k
views
Why is a baby called 赤ちゃん？
Why is a baby called 赤ちゃん? The term means red. Is the term "red" specific? Can the term refer to baby animals as well?
- 6,657
20
votes
2
answers
5k
views
What does the nakaguro (・) between these two words mean?
The first sentence on the Mac OS X article on the Japanese version of Wikipedia reads:
Mac OS X（マック オーエス テン）は、アップルが[開発]{かいはつ}・[販売]{はんばい}する、Macintoshコンピュータ[用]{よう}の[現行]{げんこう}オペレーティングシステム (OS) である。
...
- 2,398
20
votes
1
answer
6k
views
Difference between 下る、下りる、下がる?
I cannot, for the love of my life, understand the difference between
下る{くだる}
下りる{おりる}
下がる{さがる}
Don't they all mean the same, basically? Is there a difference, and if yes, how could I proceed to get ...
- 211
20
votes
2
answers
7k
views
I am struggling with the sometimes conflicting uses of 先
Rikaisama's definition of 先 includes meanings like previous; prior; former; some time ago. However it also includes meanings such as front; ahead; the future; destination. I am struggling to make ...
- 201
19
votes
3
answers
5k
views
What is the 中 in ダウンロード中？
I was downloading an update for a phone game I set in Japanese and on the screen it said 「ダウンロード中」and I don’t understand the use of 中. Middle? In the middle of downloading?
- 1,551
19
votes
1
answer
3k
views
What does verb+とする mean?
Take the below as an example
では私達は先に行くとするわ。ごきげんよう、皆さん.
What is the difference between saying 行くとする and 行く and 行こうとする
I've seen a lot of explanations for とする that use the meaning of "assume" ...
- 243
19
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Passive form - The exact difference between を and が
I've seen this question asked before, but i feel the answer didn't quite answer all my questions, so here goes.
Now, I am rather sure that this:
ケーキが食べられた
Means:
The cake was eaten. (by ...
- 2,338
18
votes
2
answers
4k
views
Japanese don't learn kanji meaning only readings? Does it make sense for a kanji to have a key meaning to identify it?
As I understand it works like this. By the time Japanese kids enter first grade they have more or less decent vocabulary of words they know. So when kanjis are taught I can't even imagine how to tell ...
- 1,237
18
votes
3
answers
2k
views
How do Japanese understand "non-standard" words without looking at kanji?
This question seems so "obvious" that there might be a duplicate but could not find any.
Anyway, while I try to think how to better rephrase the title, let me explain briefly what I mean.
I'll give ...
- 7,796
18
votes
2
answers
3k
views
Are the days of the week named after the planets?
I was studying the names of the planets and noticed some similarities. Are the days of the week named after the planets?
- 6,657
18
votes
1
answer
1k
views
How did 革 "leather" come to mean newness?
How did the character for "leather" - [革]{かわ ／ カク} - come to also convey the meaning for "newness"? 広辞苑 lists one of the definitions (under かく) as あらたまること, あらためること, and we can see this in some of its ...
- 43.5k
17
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Ups and downs: かみ・しも vs うえ・した
So, we have the kanji 上・下 which can be read as either かみ・しも or うえ・した, and as I understand it, those two are antonym pairs. But what are the differences between the two?
The thesaurus isn't very ...
- 4,830
17
votes
3
answers
4k
views
います and あります usage
I just learned about: います and あります.
I know I should use います for people and moving things and あります for plants and inanimate things.
I have two doubts:
Which one should I use with "dead body". For ...
- 552
17
votes
2
answers
6k
views
Meaning of 情弱乙 ?
I see 情弱乙 being used (as an interjection?) on many websites, but I can't find it in any dictionary, even online dictionaries. I guess the pronunciation is じょうじゃくおつ. What does it mean?
Examples:
情弱乙！
...
- 8,600
17
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Meaning of ところ in アメリカのいいところ
I feel as though I understand what the below sentence means, but what I think it means makes no sense.
日本に行ったら、アメリカのいいところも発見できるかもしれないですね。
My translation: If you go to Japan, you might be able to ...
- 433
17
votes
1
answer
820
views
i-adjectives that end in a 〜ない which doesn't seem to be 〜無{な}い
I noticed there are many 形容詞{けいようし} (i-adjectives) that end in 〜ない, where the な is not part of the kanji, and doesn't seem to have the meaning 無い.
Examples:
危{あぶ}ない means "dangerous", while 危 means "...
- 15.5k
16
votes
1
answer
2k
views
呉 is an ancient kingdom in china, how did it become "to give" in japanese?
I found in the Chinese dictionary that 呉 is the name of a kingdom. But in japanese it means "to give". How did it happen ?
Thanks a lot
- 277
16
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Asahi Dry Black beer can
What does ビアホール仕立ての黒 on Asahi Dry Black means?
Specifically 仕立て(sewing?) and ビアホール(via hole?). I tried searching it on japanese web, but it's kinda assumed as common knowledge and never mentioned ...
- 311
16
votes
5
answers
3k
views
Understanding the usage of もう with present tense verbs
I think when a lot of people first learn もう it's as "already', right? There's also the meanings of "anymore", "soon", "now", "more', "another" and its use as an interjection. That's a lot of meaning ...
- 706
15
votes
3
answers
8k
views
Other meanings of でしょう besides "probably"
でしょう can usually be understood to mean "probably." But does it sometimes mean the same thing as ですね? What other meanings can it have? Can it mean "you know?"
- 5,035
15
votes
3
answers
7k
views
How can you figure out whether 鍵【かぎ】 means "lock" or "key"?
Recently, I forgot whether 鍵【かぎ】 meant lock or key, so I looked it up quickly on my phone's dictionary... And then I found out that it actually means both.
What are the best ways to figure out if ...
- 3,377
15
votes
4
answers
11k
views
What's the difference between いいえ and English's "no"?
In "Japanese for Busy People I" page 2 (kana or romaji edition) it says that いいえ is 'virtually the same as "no"'.
It sounds like there are some differences, but they want to omit mentioning them for ...
- 16.1k
15
votes
1
answer
386
views
What does 尿が近い and 尿が遠い mean?
seeing 尿が遠い/尿が近い in some medical documents and sites, what does 遠い and 近い mean in this sense? Does it literally mean the urine is far(ranged)/urine is close (ranged)?
- 171
15
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Difference between 書かないようになった and 書かなくなった?
Example sentences:
ぜんぜん長い手紙を書かないようになった。
ぜんぜん長い手紙を書かなくなった。
My Translation: I never write long letters anymore.
I believe they both mean the same thing but there's obviously some difference I don'...
- 1,451
15
votes
4
answers
751
views
"Unsolvable problem"
What is the correct construction of "unsolvable problem"? Is it "解{と}けられない問題{もんだい}"？(Question 1)
Plain(intransitive): 解{と}ける "To be solved".
Potential form(of ...
Flaw♦
- 19.7k
15
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Nuances of: ふっと、ふと、ひょっこり、 どっと、 さっさ、不意に、唐突、突然、急に and いきなり。
I'm reading a beginner book and noticed that the author uses a lot of different words that translate to suddenly or abruptly which is interesting, so I have been trying to figure out the differences ...
- 153
15
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Comparing 気にする vs. 気になる
Consider this example sentence from SPACEALC:
あなたがどうしているか気になっていた。
"I was concerned about how you were."
What is the difference when 気にする is used instead? I.e.,
あなたがどうしているか気にしていた。
～なる seems ...
Flaw♦
- 19.7k
15
votes
2
answers
945
views
Why does 目 have a counting sense to it?
Why does 目 get used in situations like 二個目? How did it come about getting the meaning of eye as well as some counting meaning?
user3457
14
votes
6
answers
14k
views
What does イケメン mean?
I am in a Japanese 101 class. We are supposed to translate the following sentence:
日本ぶんかの先生は、イケメンですが、ぜんぜんやさしくないですから、あまり好きじゃありません。
I am having trouble with that word イケメン. So far, I have:
The ...
- 1,263
14
votes
3
answers
35k
views
What does チャラ mean?
What does チャラ mean? It was explained here that チャラ男 means light image. Does that mean cool image of a person? A cool person?
チャラ男とは言動が軽いさまを表す「チャラチャラ」またはこれが形容詞化された「チャラい」を男性名っぽくしたものである（単に「チャラチャラした男」「...
- 2,294
14
votes
3
answers
7k
views
Using 出る as opposed to 出かける
I have looked these two words up on WWWJDIC and there doesn't seem to be much difference. Are they interchangeable, or do they infer different things?
- 153
14
votes
4
answers
7k
views
What is the difference between ～すぎ and ～すぎる?
When I was playing a video game a few months ago, I noticed that some of the characters (mostly young teen females, in case it matters) kept saying ～すぎ instead of ～すぎる.
For example, when one of the ...
- 3,377
14
votes
1
answer
2k
views
What is Bowser saying in Super Mario RPG? よって！ (includes picture)
I'm watching a YouTube video that helps learn Japanese through Mario RPG found here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRBRLmhFy-4
I think Bowser is saying something like "I hate how you always ...
- 276
14
votes
2
answers
3k
views
どうしますか vs 何をしますか
I always interpreted 何 as "what" and "どう" as more of a "How or How about?" and thus was under the impression that if one wanted to ask "What will you do?" or "What did you do?" you would say 何をしますか ...
- 1,694
13
votes
1
answer
4k
views
What is the term for Japanese Language Stack Exchange in Japanese?
What is the Japanese Language Stack Exchange called in Japanese? I came up with 日本語のスタック交換.
- 6,657
13
votes
3
answers
8k
views
What is the difference between 得意 and 上手?
Both 上手 and 得意 seem to both mean something along the lines of "good at" or "skilled". However, I don't understand the difference (if there is one) between them. In fact, some of the sentences on jisho....
- 8,005