Questions tagged [usage]
用法・使い方. How to use certain words, phrases, particles, endings, constructions, and their variants.
2
votes
1answer
612 views
What do all the different たすける's mean?
Today I noticed during practicing kanji that lately I've been going through a lot of kanji that all mean help / save / assist :
助ける
扶ける
救ける
援ける
輔ける
and I found two more that I had yet to learn (...
2
votes
1answer
89 views
Using 言う and ても to mean “even if you say”
I was trying to say something similar to "even if you tell me to not look, I will look", so my initial guess was something along those lines:
「見ないで」と言っても見る。
I was under the impression that Xて-form + ...
3
votes
1answer
59 views
さむいのはきらい vs さむいがきらい
I always thought that with construcions I like/I hate I should use noun +が + adjective +です, for example: ねこがすきです。
But lately I have heard in some japanese podcast above sentence with that のは ...
8
votes
1answer
128 views
What is the difference between 中国人, 華人, 漢人, and 唐人?
I looked at the dictionary definitions of 中国人, 華人, 漢人, and 唐人, and it appears that all of them mean "Chinese person".
Questions:
What is the difference between them?
Why are there so many ways of ...
1
vote
1answer
63 views
Utilising というのは
I am trying to write an ambiguous/evasive sentence.
The sentence is:
[PERSON A]，もしかして，あの人は一緒に，というのは，[PERSON B]ー
To the effect of "Person A, is it possible, that you and that person, that is to say, ...
2
votes
0answers
62 views
Please Explain the Grammer Pattern and use of 見てんの [duplicate]
Studying Terrace House subtitles. In Episode 1, someone says:
どういう気持ちで見てんの？
(please correct the following assumptions in case I'm wrong)
I understand どういう to be どう言う or "What would you say of"
気持ちで ...
1
vote
1answer
75 views
How can I express “a particular/a certain” thing?
I am studying vocabulary and I came across the word 然る, either read as さる or しかる (usually written in Kana) and means "A Particular/A Certain" noun. However, there was only one example sentence on ...
4
votes
1answer
107 views
Is その彼女/彼 correct in speech?
その人 is a common thing to say but その彼女 feels off. If it's always incorrect, what about そんな彼女?
0
votes
0answers
34 views
How is ように used in here? [duplicate]
準備ができたら呼びに来るように.
What does this sentence mean? I mean how is ように used here. ように is found there at the end of the sentence.
3
votes
1answer
74 views
Parsing the sentence 書く人物の顔が頭に入っていないと効果はない
This sentence is from Death Note, specifically on how to use it.
This sentence is written in-universe using English. It states, “This note will not take effect unless the writer has the person’s ...
1
vote
1answer
53 views
can a clause ending in ば be translated to “when”?
My question stems from item 4 and 5 in this picture, which is taken from a textbook of advanced Japanese reading. These two items fell into the normal present tense in English. In English, it would be ...
7
votes
1answer
168 views
How to express the subjunctive mood in Japanese
I recently learned the Vばよかった construction, which roughly means "it would be better had I done V". This got me curious about how to construct a sentence in subjunctive mood in Japanese, or even if it ...
2
votes
0answers
93 views
Why is “でしょう” the norm in weather forecasts?
In weather forecasts on the radio or on TV, I frequently notice the announcers suddenly starting to add "でしょう" to almost all their sentences. Now I know this is used to indicate uncertainty, which ...
9
votes
1answer
117 views
Difference between たっぷり and たくさん?
I understand that たっぷり and たくさん means "a lot" but how can you tell apart the right time to use one or another.
Please point me a couple of examples.
Thanks
まいど ありがと
1
vote
2answers
109 views
Difference in nuance between 元気 and 丈夫?
As I understand it, both of these approximately mean healthy or robust. I originally thought that 丈夫 was more appropriate for inanimate objects and 元気 for living things, but now I get the impression ...
1
vote
0answers
24 views
Why use で instead of とhere? [duplicate]
冬休みは家族でイタリアやイギリスへ行きました。
This sentence is very simple but I don't understand why で is being used instead of と here.
0
votes
0answers
94 views
Do I need to reply in this situation?
(In a game) I am a newbie(Lv29), and I saw B(lv100+) having filled his room's wall with numerous super-super-rare(SSR) posters, which can be only be earned with enormous effort. (I don't have any)
I ...
2
votes
1answer
145 views
Difficulties with an ambiguous sentence
新しく首相に就任した安倍晋三氏は、その著書『美しい国へ』（文春新書）において次のようなことを書いている。人は、自分が育った郷土に対して素朴な愛着をもつが、それはどこからくるのだろうか。それは、その国の歴史や伝統、文化などに接しているうちにはぐくまれてきたものである。だから「自らが帰属する国がつむいできた歴史や伝統、また文化に誇りをもちたいと思うのは、だれがなんといおうと、本来、...
1
vote
1answer
135 views
What is the usage of these 12 kanjis (彁, 墸,壥,挧,暃,椦,槞,蟐,袮,閠,駲,妛)+18 more in modern Japanese? How to read it?
I read from this interesting article that it's included in 幽霊文字 (yuurei moji/ghost kanji (character). I tried to look up each of those kanjis:
I use these sites to look up those kanjis:
a.jisho.org
...
2
votes
1answer
64 views
「に」used to signify addition? [duplicate]
There are several instances where I noticed people use に to mean something along the lines of "and". Here's an example: https://youtu.be/3cjyUg-XjjU?t=24
I think the narrator says, "修理人が使う道具は、牛の皮、...
3
votes
1answer
65 views
Meaning of 掃き溜める
Context: a boxer is telling another one that he is too weak to participate in a tournament.
潰し合いさせられるトーナメントに浮かれてんの出場者ん中でお前だけだぞ？掃き溜められたコトにムカつくけどよ… お前みてェな甘ちゃんと肩並ばされんのはもっとハラが立つ。
Looking in the ...
5
votes
2answers
103 views
What's the difference between 母方 and 母系? The same question goes to 父方 and 父系
I saw these words a while ago but just now I decided to ask it here because I didn't find the answer anywhere.
As the title says, I don't really know if there is a difference between 母方【ははかた】 X 母系【...
4
votes
1answer
96 views
Usage of デーハー in daily life or conversation as 'slang'
When I was looking for an equivalent word for 'loud' in Japanese, I stumbled on this word:
デーハー:
Slang
Na-adjective, Noun
showy; loud; gay; flashy; gaudy It also says: See also 派手 はで (...
0
votes
0answers
90 views
Why are some words (e.g., 処方箋) sometimes partially written with hiragana? [duplicate]
Some words with complex Kanji are sometimes written in a mixture of Hiragana and Kanji. For example 処方箋 (prescription) is often written as 処方せん in pharmacies. This is used by native speakers that have ...
8
votes
1answer
213 views
Saying “I have no need for 'that'” ('that = insert any phrase') in three different circumstances and in various degree of politeness
Situation1: My close friends offer me 'something' that of no use for me. So I want to reject it by saying 'I have no need for 'that'.
(Situation 1-1: I want to sound really rude to my close friend as ...
3
votes
1answer
626 views
Is 「〜られたくない」 in present or past form?
I've come across these two sentences and have been trying to wrap my head around them for a while.
「出られたくないんだよ」and 「縛られたくないんだよ」
Both use the potential verb form and 「くない」
When I look up the ...
4
votes
1answer
76 views
Should I use と or たら in that case? [duplicate]
I've got a task in uni today to put either と or たら. And there's a sentence I can't comprehend:
箸で食べて（みると、みたら）どうですか。
I don't quite understand which form I have to use here, so it would be great if I ...
3
votes
1answer
76 views
立ってそばを食べる vs 立ちながらそばを食べる
I have a question about grammar and usage. Please help.
たち食いそば屋は、座らないで「？」そばを食べる店です。
The question is what grammar form should be inserted there. My book answer is 立って not 立ちながら.
But what is wrong ...
4
votes
1answer
414 views
Time between meetings and use of 久しぶり
Generally speaking, how much time needs to go by before it would be natural to use 久しぶり?
Is 2 weeks too short? A month? Where is the line?
Does frequency affect the usage of 久しぶり? As in, you meet ...
4
votes
4answers
975 views
How does one say “bye” to a stranger they just met?
When one starts out learning Japanese, they're always taught to use the phrase “さようなら” to mean “goodbye.” However, it's now known that it's not that commonly used as people regard it as a kind of “...
2
votes
1answer
146 views
Why use the kanji 伸 for “no” instead of the hiragana の, and the kanji 手 for “te” instead of the hiragana て?
In an anime opening song, at 0:08, I read the following sentence:
omokage no naka te wo nobasu no
おもかげのなか 手を伸ばすの
Please, can you tell me:
for "no", why is the kanji 伸 used instead of the ...
0
votes
1answer
103 views
desu vs. arimasu (or imasu) when declaring existence
The difference between arimasu and imasu is clear, but how do I decide when to use desu and when to use arimasu (or imasu) when stating that something exists?
Consider this example sentence:
There ...
1
vote
0answers
53 views
Difference between 防衛相, 防衛大臣 and 国防相
Reading a NHK NEWS article, I stumbled over three different expressions for minister of defence. Is there a difference between 防衛相, 防衛大臣 and 国防相?
3
votes
0answers
65 views
Why does ―・appear on Japanese dictionary? [duplicate]
For example this definition of 臨む: 風景・場所などを目の前にする。向かい対する。面する。「海に―・んだ部屋」
Why does ―・appear instead of the word itself? What's the reason behind it, how do I call it and why that only exist in a ...
3
votes
2answers
101 views
How to use と with three or more nouns?
I just started learning Japanese and I recently learned something like:
このかめらと、あのらじおをください。
(Please give me this camera and that radio.)
Note that I have not learned Katakana yet so sorry for the ...
3
votes
0answers
69 views
っつー at the end of a sentence [duplicate]
What does っつー at the end of sentence mean, I get that its a form of と言う/っていう, but still don't quite understand use of it. And it isn't quotation.
some of the sentence I came across using them
...
3
votes
1answer
244 views
Confusing sentence using ~わけではなく and other forms
Note: I already reviewed many topics here regarding the use of わけ, but I still struggle to properly translate the sentence below. It's from the introduction to the book 日本語文法ハンドブック (a book for ...
1
vote
1answer
55 views
How and when to use 形（かたち、けい、かた）
What exactly are the scenarios where かたち、けい or かた would be used? For example, in this sentence 「 輪の形に動かす」, is it かたち or かた？
1
vote
2answers
90 views
What is the meaning of どうの?
Context: a former swordsman takes his daughter to attend kendo lessons. She doesn't seem happy, so he reminds her that she decided herself to go, at which che replies:
んだよ！...
8
votes
2answers
212 views
What's the difference between 意外にも and 意外に?
I was practicing writing for Japanese and I wanted to say, "We don't say it often, but surprisingly, it has the same meaning as "good luck""
My original sentence was "あまり言わないけど、意外に、「がんばって！」と同じ意味だよ。" ...
9
votes
2answers
120 views
Meaning of その in particular phrases
I know that phrases like [Noun A + to と+ sonoその + Noun B] can be translated as "A and his/her/its B".
However, when there is no 'to' と, I get a bit puzzled about the meaning.
For instance, which ...
6
votes
1answer
102 views
Referring to Korean people as an ethnic group and not as political entities?
While rereading a question and answer I posted here I started thinking about how one would refer to Koreans as an ethnic whole rather than as the currently separate political countries they are.
I ...
5
votes
3answers
168 views
-ています / present continuous form not used in habitual action
I have read this sentence in my book :
山田{やまだ}さんは毎朝{まいあさ}６時{じ}に起きます{おきます}。
Why isn't the present continuous used (起きています) since it is obviously a habit for Yamada-san to wake up at 6 every morning?...
9
votes
1answer
176 views
書類や資料などの内容の引用について
My English isn't good, so I have always asked in Japanese, but Japanese isn't my mother tongue either. Sometimes, when I'm asking a question in Japanese, the question and the example are related to a ...
5
votes
2answers
252 views
I want to know the difference between ここに and ここは
What is the difference between the following sentences:
ここは きょうしつ です。
これは きょうしつ です。
ここに きょうしつ です。
14
votes
4answers
321 views
Is using 人口 when referencing animal populations alright?
I am writing about that Isle of Dogs movie and I wanted to write 日本の犬の人口. Since it has the character for person in it, I was wondering if it is appropriate for animals. Any help would be appreciated!
1
vote
1answer
59 views
What is the meaning of とも in this sentence?
I need some help with the meaning of とも in this sentence
とも言えますが
I have tried looking the definition up but it doesn't seem to fit in this context.
I have the first part roughly translated as
...
2
votes
2answers
60 views
そう in “あなたはどうしてそう私を心配させるの”
I understand そう normally means "seems that way", "I think so", etc. In this case, そう comes after どうして and before 私. Which word before or after should be paid attention to in this case to derive the ...
2
votes
1answer
97 views
In what way does ちうわけで serve this sentence?
From my understanding, absent "ちうわけで", this simply means, "Is it OK if I go to break." Is it similar to "こういうわけで"?
1
vote
2answers
91 views
Direct objects of motion verbs and help with the difference between を and に
まちをぶらぶらあるく。
English translation: Walk aimlessly through town.
I understand that aimlessly walk takes the object town and that’s why we use を, but wouldn’t it make more sense to use に as the town is ...
