Questions tagged [word-usage]
語法. The usage of the words.
283
questions
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2answers
119 views
クビにします to mean “destroy”?
I'm translating a song and there's a certain part that's confusing me.
もしあたしが日本の
一番偉い人になれたら
即座にヤツをクビにします
(The singer is female, hence あたし)
So far, I can gleam the meaning of the first two lines to ...
0
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2answers
102 views
What does こなしてみせます mean?
次こそは... 完璧にこなしてみせます。
This is a speech from Shikamaru, a character from Naruto manga.
The nuance is, his very first mission as a leader ended in a giant failure with the rest of his team severely hurt ...
1
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2answers
107 views
How acceptable is it to use 持たす instead of 持たせる?
The following is an extract from 窓際のトットちゃん.
..ひいては、劣等意識を持たさないのに役立つのではないか..
Interestingly, jisho.org doesn't seem to have an entry for 持たす but other dictionaries like goo, do.
「持たせる」に同じ, 「もたせる」の文語形
...
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2answers
119 views
What does 誰も do in this sentence, and is it needed?
「日本語で話し相手が誰もいませんでした。」
"I didn't have anyone to speak Japanese with."
I feel like 誰も is unnecessary. As far as I can tell, 「日本語で話し相手がいませんでした。」 has every element needed to express the English above. ...
0
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1answer
58 views
What is the meaning of「もう」in this sentence?
もう一軒{いっけん}と参{まい}りましょう
I understand 「もう」to mainly mean "already" or "soon" but its usage in this sentence confuses me. Could anyone explain to me why it's natural here?
0
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2answers
82 views
When do i use は for きのう,きょう,あした? [duplicate]
Example from Minna No Nihongo:
Lesson 4 :
あした 6 時に起きます。
Lesson 9 :
きょう は 早く 帰ります。
Why is は sometimes used with such a time words and sometimes not?
2
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1answer
103 views
use of だって after 私
I was making some sentence cards and was wondering what だって in this case meant.
I got sth like "Even I am of use as splendid maid for Kobayashi."
for context: Lucoa was summoned by Shota but doesn't ...
2
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3answers
673 views
Can 変身 be used instead of 変化 in this case?
From this post, I gather that the difference between 変身 and 変化 is a matter of the transformation’s distinctness. However, I came across 変化 being used in the following sentence:
カメレオンは、環境が変わったとき、...
0
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1answer
61 views
What is the difference between 'ぼくたち' and 'ぼくら'?
What is the difference between 'ぼくたち' and 'ぼくら'? Both are written in kanji as 僕達 and mean 'we'. Are they equal in using?
3
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1answer
162 views
Why is 料理 used?
On page 158 of Genki 1, it has the sentence
ロバートさんは料理を作るのが上手です
Robert is good at cooking meals.
If I take the definitions of a couple of the words:
料理 = cooking
作る = making/preparing (food)
Then the ...
1
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0answers
106 views
How to break down the nuances of each Japanese word translating to “somehow” or “anyhow”?
There seems to be an endless supply of Japanese words and phrases that translate to "somehow" or "anyhow" in English. It's difficult, at least with J-E dictionaries, to understand the nuances of each ...
0
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1answer
107 views
what does いて mean in ここにいても [duplicate]
hi im doing subs2srs decks and im going through the cards looking at grammer and i found this card that says ここにいてもでくることはなさそうだな and i dont understand how いて works.
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0answers
40 views
ほか usage clarification [duplicate]
I was reading this article at NHK, and in it there is a sentence that reads:
感染者の中には、今月２日ではなく別の日にこのナイトクラブを訪れた人がいたほか、ソウル以外の地方から訪れた人もいたということです。
Which I think I understand the main point of to mean:
...
1
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1answer
57 views
Difference between 怒鳴る and 怒鳴りつける
Jisho says 怒鳴る is an intransitive verb and that 怒鳴りつける is transitive. But I have come across the following phrases:
止めようとしても母親は自分を怒鳴りつけるだけでした。
彼女は私を怒鳴った。
If Jisho is really right, why "私を怒鳴った” and ...
1
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0answers
120 views
What's the point of adding とした here in this sentence? [duplicate]
Here is the sentence of my question.
希望に満ち溢れていたはずの"あなた"がなぜあんなに荒凉とした場所にうずくまっていたの。
I can understand what it's trying to say to some degree yet it confuses me why とした is used in the sentence.
With the ...
6
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3answers
661 views
What is the difference between 盲目 and 目の不自由な？
Both words mean blind. I tried doing some research but I couldn't find the difference.
0
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2answers
80 views
what is the difference between 肝臓 and 肝 • 胆?
I saw that both can mean liver.
Is there a specific context for each of these words? Some situation where it would be more correct to use one and not the other.
And i read that 肝 is also used as a ...
1
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1answer
89 views
Why should one use the dictionary form instead of the potential form in this case?
The question:
映画が好きなので、時間とお金が ＿ 限り見に行っている。
Both "許す" and "許せる" are offered as choices, and the answer is "許す".
Is it because "時間とお金" are impersonal, so the potential form "許せる" would not be ...
0
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1answer
78 views
What is the difference in usage between 港 and 港湾?
According to my dictionary, 港湾{こうわん} and 港{みなと} both means harbour. What is the difference between the usage of these two words ?
2
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1answer
108 views
Why choose 見てからでないと in this question?
I came across the following question when preparing for the N2 exam:
マンションを買うときは実際に＿、心配だ。
a 見た上で b 見て以来 c 見てからでないと
I thought the answer is a but it's given as c.
That doesn't seem to be right since ...
0
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0answers
48 views
Meaning of “おめーさん” in “ところでおめーさん” if it's not someone's name [duplicate]
What does "おめーさん" mean if it's used to address a man but it's not his name? Google Translate says it means "mother" or "old lady" but I have my doubts.
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1answer
63 views
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1answer
95 views
Why does one have to use ながら instead of つつ in this sentence?
I'm going through an exercise book to prepare for the N2 exam, and I got confused by this question:
＿たばこを吸わないでよ
There are choices for 歩きつつ and 歩きながら, and the answer is 歩きながら.
What's the difference ...
1
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2answers
84 views
Just by: だけで vs ばかりに
I've been using Bunpro to review grammar and came across the following example sentence:
外国人だけど、着物を着る______、日本人みたいになった。
The site is looking for だけで (just by) as the answer, which I understand in ...
0
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0answers
35 views
Meaning of “大” in “軍部の大暴走”? [duplicate]
This is from an action novel I'm currently reading that involves an armed group and a hostage situation. In the earlier chapters, the expression used was "軍部の暴走", which to my understanding, is ...
4
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1answer
94 views
The difference between ありきたり and 平凡?
Both of them are Na-adjectives and both mean "ordinary, common". Are there any differences?
I saw a sentence:
そんな平凡でありきたりなことじゃないのかも
Why "平凡" and "ありきたり" are both used here?
1
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1answer
92 views
What's the difference between 「軽い」and 「身軽」?
Hellow everyone!
I would like to know what's the difference between 「軽い」and 「身軽」? When is good to use each one? Could you give me an example?
Thank you!
3
votes
1answer
72 views
Specific meaning of 屋上
Coming from a place that gets lots of snow, I think of roofs as being slanted and inaccessible. For me, the word 'roof' does not conjure an image of usable space. However, from the looks of it, the ...
3
votes
1answer
79 views
Use of その 結果 as "as a result'
I would like to know the use of その結果 "as a result"
Is it formal ?
Use in written language ?
Could it be replaced with some other expressions like "それで” ?
三ヶ月ダイエットを続けた。その結果、５キロやせた。 I continued my ...
0
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1answer
59 views
Use of かと思ったら / かと思うと (in the context of as soon as, just when)
かと思ったら / かと思うと mean "just when; no sooner than" but what is their use
(oral/written, formal/normal) ?
Do native use that construction naturally or is it replaced by another one ?
And I am also ...
0
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0answers
38 views
Difference between はもとより and はもちろん and their respective usage
I would like to know if there is some difference between はもとより and はもちろん in the sense of "let alone" , "not only ... but also".
On a side note, I would like also to know their respective usage (oral/...
0
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1answer
87 views
Meaning of 付いてくる and 付いていく
While it may appear as possible duplicate
The difference between "follow" using についていく、「あと？」をつける、「あと？」をついていく
, the specificity here is a school/training context which was not discussed ...
0
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1answer
80 views
What is the meaning of 地道 in this context? [closed]
it usually means "steady; honest; sober; straightforward" but it appears to have a different meaning in the following sentence:
地道な勉学にはあまり向かなかった、性格が明るく、多くの人に好かれた。
Source: it is a novel from Mr ...
1
vote
1answer
64 views
Meaning of 抱える other than “hold or carry in the arms”
I found some sentence and I am a bit perplexed by the 抱える, whose first meaning is “hold or carry in the arms”
I found it also meant : to have problems but how did it acquire its second meaning ?
...
0
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1answer
46 views
Meaning of 扱う in a context of 'deal with someone'
I know that 扱う means "to handle,to deal with".
But I cannot understand it in the following context
story: a new recruit arrives to the police department and is embarked on a case as soon as she ...
3
votes
2answers
119 views
How is 所載 used?
WaniKani taught me 所載, for which it offers the meaning "published".
On jisho I see: 1. printed; published; noted or mentioned (in a publication), but it is listed as a noun. And it definitely looks ...
4
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2answers
197 views
What is the difference between 振る and 揺る?
Both of these words seem to mean "to shake". From what I got:
振る is "higher frequency" shaking.
揺る is more like a swaying or rocking motion, "lower frequency".
Is this correct? An explanation would ...
2
votes
1answer
79 views
笑っちまう程 translation in context
I'm a beginner in Japanese. I don't completely get what
笑っちまう程 立場が 変わるぜ
means in the context below. Is it something like "The more I laugh the more the situation changes"? It makes no sense to me....
2
votes
2answers
77 views
What is the difference between 補う vs 埋め合わせる
Both words are defined as "To make up for". What is the difference and in what contexts are these words used?
Thanks in advance.
3
votes
2answers
160 views
Can 集合 be used to refer to a meeting between 2 people only?
Not a lot of context is necessary I think, just this line a person said to their friend: じゃあ、今からいつもの場所に集合ね
I'm not sure if this 集合 implies a group gathering between friends (more than 2) or if it ...
0
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1answer
140 views
When is it good to use “ダサい”? [closed]
When is it good to use "ダサい" (out of fashion, boring)? Is it an everyday word?
0
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1answer
77 views
Which situation for using 併せる and 合わせる and 組み合わせる? What is difference between them?
All of them are the same meaning, but I think in few situations, should only use one of them.
3
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3answers
156 views
What does 勝ったな mean?
I’ve stumbled upon the phrase 勝ったな and it was translated there as “he will win” but what conjugation is that?
3
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1answer
150 views
What is the difference between 祖先 and 先祖?
From my dictionary, both mean ancestor so I am wondering about what is the difference between them.
Is the difference in politeness ? For example [息子]{musuko} and [子息]{shisoku} both mean son, but the ...
2
votes
1answer
145 views
What does 本当たりえる mean
I am playing the eroge Tsui no Sora and have come across a passage containing this word:
当たり前だがノストラダムスの大予言なんて出来の悪い妄想だ。
まともに考えれば小学生にすらわかる事。
だがそんな事は重要じゃない。
[Nostradamus' prophecy is an amateur delusion;...
2
votes
1answer
223 views
じゃor じゃあ for meaning “well then”
Both of these translate to "well then", for example, both would be valid:
じゃ、またね！
Well then, bye!
じゃあ、パンをください。
Well then, the bread, please.
They are both more casual than でわ for example:
...
1
vote
1answer
169 views
Is あの兵に plural or singular?
Full sentence:生者は死なないあの兵士に意味を与えるまで
I read it as : The living won't die until those soliders are given meaning
Is it okay or is it about a single solider?
0
votes
1answer
109 views
Use ございます out of fixed expression
How common is using ございます in spoken Japanese, even in formal polite uses, outside fixed expressions like おはようございます or ありがとうございます
3
votes
1answer
291 views
What does 「選挙を追った」 mean here?
選挙カーも走らない静かな選挙戦だったが、投票率は何と８９・４１％。
飛び地の村の不思議な選挙を追った。
Source: https://www.sankei.com/premium/news/191209/prm1912090002-n1.html
An enclave town with a quiet election campaign without any cars running ...
8
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2answers
1k views
Is there any difference between 旅行者 and 旅人?
Is there any difference between the words 旅行者 and 旅人? Which one is more frequently used?
