Questions tagged [translation]
翻訳. This site does not provide a translation service. However, questions about translation are welcome provided that they have some academic merit. For example, questions about translating uncommon words, phrases that have different meanings in different contexts, and other non-trivial topics.
3,797
questions
1
vote
1
answer
182
views
Can 冒険する translate as "to venture"?
It's the closest verb I can think to use as "to venture". Specifically when using it in a context like ーへと冒険していく。 To venture into...
Is this correct? Or is there a better/more natural verb I ...
- 307k
1
vote
1
answer
156
views
Literal meaning of マタンゴ?
The movie Matango: Attack of the Mushroom People is a very creepy 1963 movie in which fungus causes the transformation of humans into, indeed, Mushroom People. Google translate is no help and one ...
- 36.9k
0
votes
2
answers
84
views
Help with understanding roles and meaning of this phrase: 脳が処理をしないかのどちらかなんだ
The phrase is part of this following line:
普段の生活の中に埋もれている何気ないことなど気にも留めないし、知覚したとしてもすぐに忘れるか、脳が処理をしないかのどちらかなんだ。
Actually I'm also unsure about the role and meaning of the か in the second to last clause ...
- 307k
0
votes
1
answer
65
views
What does "なくす" mean in this phrase?
カメラで人を見つけて踏切の事故をなくす
I don't know a meaning of "Nakusu" in this phrase. Can someone help me with this?
- 6,688
2
votes
1
answer
275
views
Understanding ある as a 連体形
The sentence
人間の背丈ほどもある雑草の中を探検すると蛇に出くわした。
translates to
I ran into a snake when I was exploring through weeds as tall as a person.
Question: What is ある connected to? Is it a 連体形 modifying 雑草, as ...
- 1,565
2
votes
1
answer
80
views
Meaning of the "Ni Naru" in this phrase
14年前に秋葉原で7人が殺された事件 男が死刑になる
Does anyone know what's the translation? i'm unable to translation because of "ni naru". i know "ni naru + noun" means "to became", but i don'...
- 43.9k
0
votes
1
answer
56
views
Help breaking down this sentence: 配役も、今やったので良かったと思う
Context:
Rui:
それで——みんな、(ショーは）どうだい？
軽くとおしてやってみたけれど
Tsukasa:
うむ！ 申し分ないと思うぞ！
シチュエーションも場所に合っているしな
Nene:
配役も、今やったので良かったと思う
I can understand each word's meaning, but I'm a little confused as to what to ...
- 65.3k
0
votes
1
answer
92
views
しかし used as filler
Can しかし be used as a filler word in certain contexts? In a script I'm translating, a character says:
しかし嬉しいな。昔考えてた演出を、ここでできるなんてね。
His previous line is about a stage direction, so it has nothing to ...
- 307k
1
vote
2
answers
295
views
Understanding second 人
I came across the following sentence on HelloTalk, and can't figure out what the second 人 after 思ってた is doing.
いい人だなって思ってた人が、実は話しかけてきた目的が変だと気づいた時、本当に残念な気持ちになる。
I can see when using a translator that ...
- 2,074
1
vote
1
answer
159
views
What is the meaning of そうない
I was listening to twice's more and more japanese version and they sing:
止められそうない
Is it perhaps an abrreviated form of そうにない or some other grammar point? What's the explanation for this?
- 4,568
3
votes
1
answer
5k
views
What does してて mean?
I was watching an Easy Japanese video on YouTube.
At 1:37, the interviewer says:
素敵。やっぱり普段生活してても感じる？あ、優しいって。
What does してて mean? Or is it a typo? して makes sense here, but I don't understand してて. It'...
- 65.3k
1
vote
1
answer
80
views
Translating 人は、城であり、かつ、セキュリティホールでもあります。
人は、城であり、かつ、セキュリティホールでもあります
Trying to translate this sentence found in an article about personnel issues at work. For now, I have:
People can be a fortress or a security risk.
But 城 literally means &...
- 307k
0
votes
1
answer
108
views
How to properly use 離れる
I'm trying to translate the sentence, "New York is over three hours away."
Right now I have, ニューヨークは３時間以上離れている。
Is what I have correct? Or is there a more natural way of saying this sentence?...
- 32.6k
2
votes
1
answer
105
views
Different meanings of やはり produce very different, but plausible, translations
A recurrent problem I have with the word やはり (also やっぱり) is that when I apply the various standard definitions for this word, I end up with translations that are quite different from each other, and I ...
- 32.6k
0
votes
1
answer
132
views
What does 本当のところ means in this context?
もっとも内面的には、今とさほど変わらない、未熟な精神的幼稚園児と言うしかない気もする。当時と今で、僕の人間性に大きな違いがあるとも思えない。だが、これはあくまで本人がそう思っているだけであって、過去を美化していたり、現在を卑下していたり、あるいはその逆だったり、そんなこんなで辻棲を合わせているだけで本当のところは色々あるのだろう。
So , here the writer speaks ...
CommunityBot
- 1
1
vote
1
answer
70
views
Wondering if this translates to exactly what i am wanting
My friend is really into Japanese stuff and manga, and he's also learning Japanese. I wanted to make him a shirt with an inside joke/nickname I have for him, and I was planning on putting it in Kanji, ...
- 1,293
1
vote
1
answer
91
views
Other uses for の?
In this sentence
そうして将校の部屋に行くべく木に登るものの、
窓まで伸びていた木の枝は切られてしまっている
The "の" is followed by a "," So my first guess of it being the feminine version of "よ" doesn't seem correct....
- 36.9k
2
votes
1
answer
111
views
Understanding 「私の知識など先生のそれとは比較にならないほどお粗末なものでございます。」
The sentence
私の知識など先生のそれとは比較にならないほどお粗末なものでございます。
is supposed to translate to
My knowledge is not even comparable to that of the teacher's.
However, when I break this down into constituent ...
- 29.4k
3
votes
1
answer
101
views
Understanding 「鈴木さんは見た目より若く見えますね。」
The sentence
鈴木さんは見た目より若く見えますね。
apparently translates to
Mr. Suzuki's not as old as he looks.
However, if we break this sentence down a bit:
見た目: appearance
若く見えます: appears-youngly (or more ...
- 4,568
2
votes
1
answer
52
views
Understanding 足はこの程度なら医者に行くほどのこともない。
The sentence
足はこの程度なら医者に行くほどのこともない。
translates to
If your foot is only this bad, there's no need to go to the doctor.
Questions:
Where does the notion of "this bad" come from? Purely ...
- 307k
2
votes
1
answer
145
views
Which of the meanings of いい加減 apply in these cases?
I recently came across the word いい加{か}減{げん} for the first time. Here's the definition I found:
いい加{か}減{げん}:
1. 無{む}責{せき}任{にん}で、当{あ}てにならない様{よう}子{す}。
例 仕{し}事{ごと}の後{あと}始{し}末{まつ}がいい加{か}減{げん}で困{こま}る。
2. ...
- 32.6k
1
vote
1
answer
228
views
Can't understand どんなに変わっていこうと笑い飛ばしてよ
I have already passed N2 exam, but I can't understand this sentence...
どんなに変わっていこうと笑い飛ばしてよ
Please laugh away by "どんなに Let's change it" ??
It doesn't make much sense??
CommunityBot
- 1
1
vote
1
answer
56
views
Understanding 「彼を見てるのが気の毒なほど悄気てる。」
The sentence
彼を見てるのが気の毒なほど悄気てる。
apparently means
Just seeing him makes me feel bad.
But I'm having troubling parsing it.
Questions:
Is 「彼を見てるのが気の毒な」 a complete unit/logical clause (連体形)? Or is 「...
- 32.6k
3
votes
3
answers
1k
views
The role of どうも in 「犬は好きですが、猫はどうも･･･」
In an IMABI tutorial on the は-particle, the following sentence is presented:
犬は好きですが、猫はどうも･･･
which translates to
I like dogs, but cats...
What's throwing me off here is どうも. According to the ...
- 32.6k
0
votes
1
answer
436
views
Did I say "I shall bring glory to God in all that I do." right?
I have to write a list of goals for this year for my Japanese class and one of them is "I shall bring glory to God in all things" or something of similar meaning.
Using my many Japanese grammar, ...
CommunityBot
- 1
2
votes
3
answers
647
views
"If I want to start doing something"
How to ask for advice if I want to start doing something, for example:
If I want to start watching Tv-shows, from which should I start?
If I want to start doing exercises, how should I start?
Is ...
CommunityBot
- 1
0
votes
1
answer
72
views
What is ''A, hoping to B'' in Japanese?
I'm making Japanese lyrics, and I'm trying to say:
I try to escape(wake up) from fate
Hoping to open my eyes
and ended up writing this:
運命から逃れ(起き)ようとする
目を覚ますように
For 逃れ(起き)よう, I'm doing the thing ...
- 1,293
1
vote
0
answers
102
views
Meaning of くらい in this sentence
The Sentence
「君たちはお金をもらって会社で仕事を教えてもらい、鍛えられている。給料をもらうなんて話が逆だろう。会社がもらいたいくらいだ。授業料、持ってこい」
From my estimation (and thanks to @chocolate) this translates to: (?)
You guys are paid to be taught the work and ...
- 726
1
vote
1
answer
316
views
Parsing the branching order of「帰京する飛行機の直前に到着する時刻のバスにしか間に合わなかったこともあります。」
I'm having a really hard time parsing the branching order (to find out what is modifying what) in
帰京する飛行機の直前に到着する時刻のバスにしか間に合わなかったこともあります。
I know that parsing sentences like this will become natural ...
- 19.5k
0
votes
1
answer
103
views
"うとましく思う" meaning?
Google gave me "disagreeable" for just "うとましく" and "to be shy" for "うとましく思う"
These obviously don't have the same meaning. What's more, when I put the full ...
- 2,074
2
votes
1
answer
113
views
Meaning of 鼻を鳴らす?
I am reading 煙草と悪魔 by Akutagawa, and came across a phrase which has me stumped. The sentence reads as follows:
伊留満は、これを聞くと、小さな眼を輝かせて、二三度、満足さうに、鼻を鳴らした。"
My current understanding of this sentence ...
- 65.3k
2
votes
1
answer
781
views
0
votes
1
answer
78
views
Understanding「そうなるとやはり犯罪者かしかしあまり大物でもマズい」
From the first episode of Death Note, I'm having trouble understanding
そうなると やはり犯罪者か
しかし あまり大物でもマズい
Why is there a と after そうなる?
Is やはり's reading "矢張り"?
Is あまり's reading "余り"?
...
- 256
0
votes
1
answer
3k
views
How to write a bulleted list in Japanese
What's the correct way to show a bulleted list of items in the Japanese language? Considering the fact that interpuncts are often used to separate and identify foreign words, I'm not sure of the ...
- 125
1
vote
1
answer
102
views
What is the meaning of 根拠となる土台?
The 概説 for the word 奉仕 on Wikipedia reads the following
往々にしてその根拠となる土台には宗教的な信念や、宗教的な意味合いの神奉仕[1]の形として、神ではないもののその代わりとしての、困難な場面におかれている隣人に手を差し伸べ、できる限りの援助を与えるというケースがある
Which I understood as: often 奉仕 is ...
- 32.6k
-2
votes
1
answer
131
views
I need help with meaning: 「それは気の毒に...年頃だしな」 [closed]
それは気【き】の毒【どく】に...年頃【としごろ】だしな
How would you read this sentence?
"It is unfortunate...that age"
? It doesn't make sense to me
Edit: The context is a bit tricky because it seems to me like the ...
- 41
8
votes
3
answers
2k
views
In a language without articles, how would one translate the significance of titles starting with "The"
For a title starting with "The" such as "The Wall", how would one translate it while still conveying the same significance? A literal translation such as「壁」does not seem to carry ...
- 41
3
votes
2
answers
236
views
"これが喜ばずにいられると思うかい？" meaning?
I'm working on a translation and am having trouble making sense of this phrase. I tried looking up the meaning each individual word and putting the phrase through Google Translate, but something doesn'...
- 19.5k
0
votes
1
answer
87
views
What is the meaning of this sentence (specifically 前まで)?
ちょっと前まで、ちょっと前まで暑かったです。
I'm following a video, and trying to translate line by line. This sentence I got stuck on.
I'm trying to break in down into parts.
I know ちょっと is "a little."
What is ...
- 649
3
votes
1
answer
226
views
What's the meaning of つく when it comes to spelling words?
I found a Japanese children's book called あっちゃんあがつく たべものあいうえお. Based on the context, I understand あがつく to mean "words containing あ", so my guess is that つく in this context means "to be ...
- 157
-2
votes
1
answer
77
views
What does ヤキ入れ here? [closed]
i cant find a clear translation but in the anime it is translated as "beating someone up" or something similar. any idea
- 32.6k
-2
votes
1
answer
99
views
What does this highlight text mean? [closed]
First bubble: 制服姿もあと何回見れるか分からないなって
Second bubble: いふえおひえはう。。。っ
So the speaker in the second bubble is giving a blowjob to another person and I can't search it up in a dictionary😅 Please help me ...
- 326
2
votes
2
answers
228
views
Translating 既にニュースにもなっているが昨夜７時頃、会長の大栗さんがテニススクールの帰り道に夕摩川河川敷で河原にあった岩で殴り殺された事件だ
So I am currently trying to translate a sentence from Japanese to English, but it's quite long and I'm having issues with how to optimally put it, without it being too messy or without losing too much ...
- 11.4k
1
vote
1
answer
106
views
The meaning of ある in this sentence and in other situations
Konnichiwa, I was reading 人間失格 by Dazai Osamu and I was confused with the meaning of ある in it :
只顔を赤らめて笑って、何も答えませんでしたけれども、しかし、実は、幽か【かすか】に思い当る所もあったのでした。
Does it mean that "he had something he ...
- 32.6k
2
votes
1
answer
185
views
Dictionary verb or verb stem before noun
What's the difference between dictionary verb + noun and verb stem + noun? Why would you use one as opposed to the other?
For example, 飲む人 vs 飲み人.
- 32.6k
2
votes
1
answer
579
views
What does this (うつつを抜かす)ことなんてありません mean?
In Steins;Gate 0, there is this line between a hikikomori kinda like girl and a professor who always teases her by pairing her and one of his male acquaintances together romantically.
Girl: ...
- 307k
1
vote
1
answer
118
views
Meaning of a sentence with ああも+potential
I came across this line in a game recently:
Aが焼き芋を勧めてきたけれど、焼いただけの芋をああもよく喜んで食べられるね
I've been struggling to decipher the second part of the sentence. From another line showing the other character's ...
- 32.6k
2
votes
2
answers
68
views
the meaning of 出張ってくる？
３年が出張って来たらマサルの名前出せばいいもんな
If any3-year tries to mess with us, we just need to Name-Drop Masaru-kun.
Is this right?
- 307k
1
vote
2
answers
104
views
Understanding 「いたずらもここまで手が込んでくると まあまあかな」
From the first episode of Death Note, the main character ponders some crazy claims made in a notebook he finds. He eventually mutters to himself:
いたずらもここまで手が込んでくると まあまあかな
Literally speaking, this ...
- 11.4k
1
vote
1
answer
81
views
まさかこれから毎回ここまで来て言うのか？
So I'm making a translation for a scene from a video game, and stumbled upon this phrase. I understand every word individually, but I'm struggling to make sense of all those words together. The ...
- 307k