Questions tagged [nouns]
名詞. A part of speech typically denoting a person, thing, place or idea.
171
questions
3
votes
1answer
356 views
黒い VS 黒 What is the difference between them?
I was wondering why the translation for a black cat is 黒猫 and not 黒い猫. It has come to my understanding that 黒い is an adjictive, so that's what should be used when modifying a noun. While 黒 is just a ...
0
votes
0answers
148 views
Who does お増{ます} designate? [duplicate]
I am currently reading a short Japanese novel targeted at learners of intermediate levels, entitled 野菊の墓. In this novel, multiple times a character is named only by お増{ます}。Based on the below examples ...
1
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1answer
138 views
How would I write Animal in Japanese when it refers to the Muppet's character Animal
I am creating a present for a Japanese Taiko drummer. He is my teacher and is celebrating his birthday tomorrow.
The present will be the Muppet character Animal sitting at a shime daiko, his bachi at ...
1
vote
1answer
94 views
Do particles like を、で、に、and へ、form noun-phrases?
Can particles like を、で、に、and へ be used like nouns?
Can you do something like:
[ 学校 + に ] + の + 学生 + です。= 学校にの学生です。
[ School + at ] + *'s + student + is. = To-be at-school's student.
Is this kind ...
1
vote
1answer
805 views
(noun) + な versus (verb) + な
Actually, I want I'm figuring out a specific sentence, which is 「暇なので相手して。」And I thought that it means "I am bored because of my companion."
暇 [hima] - "leisure" / "fun"
な [na] - Negative imperative. ...
4
votes
1answer
426 views
Translation of “technically speaking” / What is this villain saying?
This is a fan-made Japanese version of an English song on a children's show, LazyTown.
I'm trying to find out what the (second) villain was saying (second line) at 0:03. The English translation of the ...
1
vote
1answer
180 views
Distinguishing 「話し」 する and 五段 usage
Facts
The noun はなし can be written 話 or 話し.
In colloquial contexts, you can omit 「を」 from 話{はなし}をする, making it 話{はなし}する.
There is also a 五段 verb, 話す{はなす}.
The continuative (連用形) form of both 話する and ...
4
votes
1answer
2k views
use of particles on direct object
When is the use of correct particle (を or が) on the direct object of a transitive verb, for example:
shigoto o owarimasu
shigoto ga owarimasu
What is the exact meaning in each other, please.
3
votes
1answer
624 views
Do the adverbial forms of verbs and nouns exist?
I know there are adverbial forms of:
adjectives (Adj), 形容詞{けいようし} (連用形{れんようけい} - 早い→早く);
adjectival nouns (AdjN), 形容動詞{けいようどうし} (連用形{れんようけい} - 上手だ→上手に).
Are there adverbial forms of nouns (名詞{...
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vote
2answers
4k views
Using とる to say I took a picture of my dog in the park
I see the を particle is used with the verb, but I don't know how it works in the sentence. Is it:
わたしはこうえんでわたしのいぬのしゃしんをとりました。
Or:
わたしはこうえんでわたしのいぬをとりました。
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2answers
545 views
What is the difference between 会社 and 社 when referring to a company?
Both terms refer to a company. I want to know if there are differences on when one term would be preferred over the other.
0
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1answer
142 views
-1
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1answer
123 views
Position of な in this sentence
静かな人
人な静か
Which comes first the subject and then the adjective, or the adjective then the subject?
1
vote
3answers
198 views
Confused on why 日の出 and 日の入り mean what they do
So, it is my understanding that 日の出 means sunrise and 日の入り means sunset. However I'm having difficulty understanding why. 日の出 to me would mean, "The sun's exit", and 日の入り to me would mean "The sun's ...
3
votes
1answer
191 views
Tense in noun modifying clauses?
When modifying nouns, if the noun you're modifying is a person, can the noun modifying clause be past tense? So if I wanted to say:
The person I saw yesterday is here again today.
Which is correct?
...
2
votes
1answer
223 views
What does this mean? - help with 続き and なら
日本語で[続]{つづ}きをよむならてつだいますよ！
[続]{つづ}きをよんでほしいです
I'm confused about tsuzuki and nara. Going by it's definition of continuation... it doesn't really make much sense to me plus the conditional...
I get ...
4
votes
5answers
713 views
What is the Equivalent of Adding -er to a verb to make it “One who does x”?
In English, to make a verb into "someone or something that does x" we add -er to the verb. Examples:
crush → crusher
teach → teacher
run → runner
spin → spinner
Is there a similar rule or pattern in ...
0
votes
1answer
160 views
What do 限定 and ポイント mean in this sentence about marketing?
限定とポイントで買わないことを損にする
I am currently working on a difficult translation
to do with marketing that has very little context with a lot
of sentences in isolation. It is to do with behavioural economics.
...
7
votes
7answers
3k views
What is the difference in meaning between 先生 and 教師？
Apparently, the terms mean the same thing. They both refer to a teacher.
2
votes
1answer
138 views
ベジータが家族旅行! is 旅行 here a verb or a noun?
I found this phrase
約束リゾートへ! ベジータが家族旅行!
translated as
Vegeta Goes on a Family Trip?!
I was wondering if here 旅行 is a verb or a noun. Is the literal translation of this phrase "Vegeta goes on ...
2
votes
2answers
2k views
How to form a comparative adjective?
How to form a comparative adjective in Japanese (e.g. colder, warmer, deeper, higher)? Does it need to be compared to something?
2
votes
3answers
739 views
Is the word Canon キヤノン (camera brand) related with キャメラ?
I am not sure whether it is on-topic here, but the following question was asked on English Language and Usage.
What does the word “Canon” (the digicam brand) mean?
I searched the word and its ...
2
votes
1answer
249 views
“Joinery” as a place name in Japanese?
I've been working on the incorporation of a community center LGBTQIA+ people and allies to hang out and feel safe.
I learned "kin tsugi" means golden joinery after I woke up with the memory of a door ...
1
vote
2answers
577 views
How to translate the construction “noun + で”
When going over a summary of Japanese grammar I came across the following sentence:
私は学生で友だちはいしゃです。
How should this be translated? It supposedly covers the construct of noun+で. Is it the te-form?...
0
votes
0answers
69 views
What meaning does ため have in this particular sentence? [duplicate]
On http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/easy/k10010492331000/k10010492331000.html,
you can find
大きな揺れだけではなくて、地面が動いたため、建物が倒れたり、山が崩れたりして大きな被害が出たと思います。
I don't understand what ため means in this sentence.
What ...
4
votes
2answers
116 views
Help with grammar number
I have trouble translating the next:
よしおさんの車は赤と白です。
What is the correct translation to the sentence?
Yoshio-san's car is red and white
Yoshio-san's cars are (one) red and (the other) white
3
votes
2answers
122 views
Japanese Nouns problem
Okay, this is my first question on this page so bear with me, I was studying Japanese nouns but I'm not sure if you use ではありません or じゃない to deny a noun, so if someone could please explain it to me, ...
7
votes
1answer
288 views
What is the difference between 「進行」 and 「進歩」?
What is the difference between 「進行」and「進歩」？ In what situations are they used ?
2
votes
2answers
142 views
木 を 切り に VS 木 を 切る に in the ももたろう tale
In the ももたろう tale there's a sentence that goes like:
おじいさんが山{やま}へ木{き}を切{き}りにいけば、
おばあさんは川{かわ}へせんたくにでかけます。
Which translates as
If the old man went to the mountain to cut trees
the old woman ...
6
votes
1answer
101 views
What is the meaning of 店頭分?
I visited a shopping website, and I read 予約を含め在庫がなくなった場合、店頭分をご用意できない場合がございますことを予めご了承ください。I couldn't understand 店頭分 properly. What does it mean?
10
votes
1answer
131 views
What is the meaning of 両岸 in this context?
I was reading a news article but I am not sure what 両岸 means in this context.
中台の間では経済や人的(てき)交流が進んでいるとしたうえで、両岸の関係は過去６６年間で最も平和的な状態にある.
Dictionary search result is as follows:
りょうがん
両岸
...
9
votes
1answer
382 views
Etymology of 姪 and 甥
姪 "niece" is often pronounced [[me.i]] rather than [[meː]] (see e.g. this comment in chat). I think the reason for this is that there is a morpheme boundary in 姪, presumably
姪 = 女【め】 + イ = female イ
...
2
votes
1answer
243 views
What are the differences between nouns created by renyoukei and the formal noun 「の」?
I have been getting confused with these two ways of creating nouns and been wondering if there's any differences between them.
For instance, are the following sentences correct or not?
映画を見に行った。
...
4
votes
2answers
263 views
When did the word 「女性観」 come into standard usage? Is it a more politically-correct form of 「婦人観」?
I need to know when 「女性観」 was coined and, more importantly, when it became widely known/used. Was 「女性観」used in the early to mid-19th century? Did it replace 「婦人観」later on?
Nitobe Inazo used 「婦人観」 in ...
3
votes
1answer
354 views
What makes 『青年』 and 『少年』 different?
It seems like they both mean the same, young man. What is the difference between them?
6
votes
2answers
582 views
人間 vs 人 to refer to an individual?
Some context:
Person A and Person B both went through a trying situation dealing with Person C, someone that Person A has known for many years. They are now talking about how awful it was. Person A ...
3
votes
1answer
2k views
Can a sentence end in a noun?
This is a complete sentence from a book.
おいしいお料理に、とても楽しい雀の踊り。
(There was??) delicious food and a fun sparrow dance.
For context, in the previous sentence an old man is introduced to the bird ...
3
votes
2answers
785 views
verb versus noun + する
In the book I'm reading I keep seeing constructs where I would expect a verb but get the noun form + する. Here's an example:
鬼は、大笑いして、「小さな小僧、お前から食べてやろう。」と言いました。
The ogre laughed loudly and said "I ...
1
vote
1answer
3k views
Qualifying Nouns With verbs and adjectives in japanese [closed]
If possible could someone explain this to me? I have the Genki I book that explains it pretty well but I guess I'm still having difficulty grasping it. I'll leave a example sentence in case my ...
5
votes
1answer
531 views
How does 一目 work in this sentence?
Trying to make sense of this sentence:
自分は死ぬ前に一目{ひとめ}思う女に逢｛あ｝いたいと云った。
Daijirin lists 一目 as a noun. However, it doesn't connect with 思う according to normal rules (there is no particle). To connect ...
11
votes
1answer
7k views
Adverbial Nouns and Temporal Nouns
I'm wondering about the difference between adverbs, adverbial nouns, and temporal nouns.*
I know that adverbs modify verbs, adjectives and other adverbs. They usually tell amount, weight, time, ...
2
votes
1answer
166 views
“Ikkigomi”? Single comment in Japanese
At least that's what I think is being said, "ikkigomi". It means like "single comment" or "impressions" or something, but I don't know how it's written in Japanese. If someone could enlighten/correct ...
11
votes
5answers
12k views
What is the difference between 仲間 and 友達?
I've seen nakama used in One Piece a lot, but I've learned tomodachi in my text book. Is there a different in usage?
1
vote
1answer
221 views
Requirement of の in this sentence? [duplicate]
I have come across this sentence:
毎日同じ物を食べるのは、面白くない
And I'm unclear as to why the の particle is required here since the noun has been established using 物; is it okay to omit the の in this case or ...
3
votes
1answer
420 views
How is the adjective 多い being used as a noun 多く here?
I know 多い means 'many' but I don't really understand how it's being used in the sentence below as a noun 多く.
多くの人々がすべてを失い、多くの人が亡くなった。
My best translation - 'Many peoples have lost everything and ...
4
votes
2answers
294 views
Most correct “noun suffix” for “living in X” or “resident of X”?
Not sure if that is the best title, but I wasn't sure the best way to word it. We all know you can say "(originally) (comes) from X" as simply X出身.
私はニューヨーク出身です → I'm from New York
鹿児島出身の平田さん ...
2
votes
1answer
564 views
Can ～もの be applied to all verbs to make them a noun?
I understand that ～もの converts the verb into a noun. So たべます meaning "to eat" becomes たべもの meaning "food". Can ～もの be applied to all verbs?
eg. ききます meaning "to listen" becomes ききもの meaning "music"?
1
vote
2answers
373 views
Compound words with 漢字 and カタカナ? (例えば：新メニュー）
Today, a magazine about restaurants in my area arrived in my mailbox. It proudly proclaimed :
１０月の新メニュー！
I am quite curious as to the following points:
How is this pronounced ? I would have gone ...
3
votes
1answer
594 views
In “[Vます stem] + し+ [noun]” what does し mean? [duplicate]
I've seen this in multiple combinations, but the one I was specifically looking at was:
「背負いし者」
...from 「宿命を背負いし者」.
Similarly,
「かつて来たりし者」
Scouring through all my grammar books, I can't find ...
3
votes
2answers
312 views
Use of おく and 方 in this sentence
このたなの一番おくの方にございます。
They are at the far end of this shelf.
This is an example sentence from one of my textbooks but I don't understand what おく means and I'm a bit confused on the use of 方 as well, ...
