Questions tagged [word-usage]
語法. The usage of the words.
211
questions
2
votes
1answer
58 views
Difference between ばかり, ところ, and 今?
I’ve gathered that these all can be used like “just” (right?) so I’m wondering what the difference in usage is between them.
今終わった。
終わったばかり。
終わったところ。
Are these all basically the same?
(...
2
votes
1answer
135 views
How politely to say “you”?
I found many variants in the internet, but they include あなた, which as I know isn't polite and better not to say it to a stranger.
So, if I don't know the name/last name of the person, don't know the ...
2
votes
2answers
137 views
What's the difference between 知り合い & 付き合い?
I have answered this 知り合い but in answer's sheet it was 付き合い and I don't get the difference.
2
votes
1answer
116 views
Particle to use with 順番
I am writing a report in Japanese, describing how I conducted an experiment. The first two lines are (some information changed for NDA stuff):
Aを30ｇぐらい秤量し、すり鉢で細粒化しました。受皿、粉砕用ふるいの順番でふるい振とう器に乗せ、...
14
votes
1answer
2k views
Why is 一日 used instead of 日 to ask how your day is?
I spoke with someone from Japan on Tandem and she said to me “今日はどんな一日でしたか?” and I’m wondering why 一日 was used since I thought that meant the first of the month?
2
votes
2answers
233 views
What is the meaning of ゴト in the context of 鮎
I ate in a place with 鮎ラーメン. The store employee can't explain it but I think it's something to do with the cut of the 鮎. It was butterfly cutted.
For cutting what would be the kanji for go-to. 毎? 丸毎 ...
-3
votes
1answer
84 views
Order of sentence's parts in building sad-mooded rhetorical question
太陽を最後に我々は見たのはいつだ?
literally: The Sun last time we saw-state when are?
meaning: When did we last time saw the Sun, f**k!?
context: it is a sad rhetorical question about bad rainy weather.
It is not a ...
0
votes
1answer
78 views
歩道 vs 舗装 when meant part of road for people to walk (sidewalk, pavement, footpath)
As I understand 道 [michi] means any road or street, where people can walk and cars may drive.
But when we mean that part of road which was build to be used only by people to walk: sidewalk, pavement, ...
0
votes
0answers
54 views
お つくる こと に しました - proper way to say “and decided to create”
Is this the proper way to say "and I decided to create"?
For instance:
"and decided to create a list of Japanese Colours"
soshite nihon no iro no risuto o tsukuru koto ni shimashita
そして にほん の ...
3
votes
1answer
179 views
Is なきにしもあらず~なきに a set phrase?
This sentence recently appeared in one of my N1 training books:
彼女が合格する可能性はなきにしもあらずだが、彼がパスする可能性はなきにひとしい。
My translation: While she may have a slight chance of passing the exam, it is hopeless ...
-1
votes
0answers
94 views
「いらしゃいませ」as “Goodbye”?
Today (Friday) I was working, and the boss left the office for a work trip right before lunch began, and he wouldn't be returning to the office until Monday.
As he was leaving, instead of the typical ...
4
votes
1answer
251 views
What does 「１歳遅らせる」 mean?
Context:
５月の素案で示した「７０代での発症を１０年間で１歳遅らせる」という初めての数値目標は参考値に格下げし、患者の精神的負担にならないよう配慮した。
Source: https://www.sankei.com/life/news/190618/lif1906180018-n1.html
I understand the sentence in bold as,
...
5
votes
1answer
196 views
Meaning of “足生やす”
I was wondering if the above is some kind of expression or set phrase? I saw this in in a novel actually where the speaker was remarking about his opponent in battle who was summoning hundreds of ...
7
votes
1answer
387 views
Ways to specify “intra-” or “extra-” usage of 北・南・東・西
I Was trying to describe that a certain castle was located south of Kyoto, I would expect the phrase to be:
「伏見桃山城が京都の南にある。」
I was then thinking, how would I say that it is in Kyoto, but the ...
0
votes
1answer
55 views
What does this sentence containing 「犯人意識」 mean in Osamu Dazai's 「人間失格」?
また、犯人意識、という言葉もあります。自分は、この人間の世の中に於いて、一生その意識に苦しめられながらも、...
I understand this as,
There's something called criminal consciousness. Even if I am suffering from this consciousness in this world of ...
3
votes
1answer
113 views
What does 「自分の生きている姿勢」 mean?
I am reading Osamu Dazai's 「人間失格」.
また、犯人意識、という言葉もあります。自分は、この人間の世の中に於いて、一生その意識に苦しめられながらも、しかし、それは自分の糟糠の妻の如き好伴侶で、そいつと二人きりで侘びしく遊びたわむれているというのも、自分の生きている姿勢の一つだったかも知れないし...
When I read this sentence as a ...
1
vote
1answer
80 views
Meaning and use of 悪くないか
悪くないか
Scenario 1: a young boy comes home and says (to his sick mother)「母さん悪くないか」。
Scenario 2: two men are moving a tv and one thinks 「なんかバランス悪くないか？！」。
I’m not following the meaning of it
20
votes
3answers
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?
5
votes
0answers
68 views
暮らし and 生活: meaning and usage [duplicate]
Are 暮らし and 生活 interchangeable? For example:
日本での暮らし （is 日本での生活 OK?）
日本の生活に慣れた。（is 日本の暮らしに慣れた OK?)
2
votes
1answer
78 views
Difference of 減量 and 減少
What is the difference between 減量 and 減少? What about 増量 and 増加?
I found these following examples on my workbook, but there is no explanation whatsoever about how to use them.
人口が減少する。
...
2
votes
1answer
158 views
Which is more common for “I miss you”: 会いたい or 寂しい？
When saying “I miss you” which of these is more frequently used? Do they have different nuances?
7
votes
1answer
127 views
Comparing the usage of というのは and ということは
As far as I know, both というのは and ということは can be used to give definition/explanation.
留学するということは、海外で勉強するということだ。
ユートピアというのは理想郷の意だ
And are also used to make inferences.
ご意見がないということは賛成ということですね。
...
6
votes
2answers
116 views
What are some special ways to use よく besides “often” and “well”?
I’ve seen よく used in a variety of contexts outside of the basic “often” and “well”.
「よくよくのことがないと実家には帰らない。」
「よく聞いたら試験は、明日だった。」
「よく言うよ！」
Just a few examples. What are some different ways it can be ...
4
votes
1answer
108 views
Are です and あります／います ever interchangeable?
I feel like （私は）彼の前です。 means the same thing as （私は）彼の前にいます。 (I am in front of him.)
Also 本はどこですか。and 本はどこにありますか。 (Where is the book?)
Correct me if I'm wrong, but is there a rule for determining ...
1
vote
0answers
92 views
How to use the colloquial word 「アリ」？ [duplicate]
Recently I saw it used and I don’t quite get it. The only source i found said it was like asking if you would do something or if it’s normal to do something? Please help!
3
votes
2answers
192 views
Why is こと used in 「私に何かできること」？
How does it turn this into a noun clause? All I get from it is “I can do something” but I don’t see where こと fits in.
1
vote
1answer
173 views
Meaning of とか and こう in context なんかお店とかに、こう歩ってて
なんかお店とかに、こう歩ってて、なんかっす、こう、スベッ、スベッて転んだことが。痛い！
What is the meaning of こう how it’s used in this context? And what is the purpose of とか？I know なんか is similar to “like” and っす is short for です so it seems ...
0
votes
0answers
35 views
やっぱり to mean “after all” + other uses? [duplicate]
i just saw やっぱり used to mean “after all” and another place it was translated as “definitely”. later on was the sentence 「やっぱりこういう風になると」and the translation was “But, when you became like this”
...
0
votes
0answers
84 views
How often are です and 〜ます used among friends?
since they are polite forms are they ever often used in informal settings among friends? or would people think you’re being overly polite?
-1
votes
2answers
118 views
Difference between 〜といい and 〜ように for “I hope…”
I've learned that both of these can be used to mean “I hope that...” or “I wish that...” but what is the difference in meaning?
「明日晴れといいな。」vs 「明日晴れように。」
Do these have the same meaning?
2
votes
1answer
64 views
Uses of 「四つ角」in quizlet as intersection？
I am making my way through a very large quizlet flashcard deck that has already had a few mistakes that I have caught. I just came across[ 四つ角]{よつかど} which it lists as intersection and shows a picture ...
4
votes
2answers
871 views
Use of さ as a filler
how often is さ used as a filler like our “like”? is it very common?
for example, could i say 「私さスタバへさ行ったさ…」？
0
votes
1answer
78 views
Using ダメ with なくては？
I read that しなくてはダメ means “to have to do something” but someone said ダメ cannot be used with なくては to mean “have to”. I get different answers from different sources, both being Japanese speakers. What ...
4
votes
1answer
394 views
Meaning of「〜てみたいと思います」
I've gathered that と思う means to think about but isn't it a little redundant to add the みたい？
彼らに聞いてみたいと思います。
The みたい adds the sense of looking like or seeming but so does 思う so I don't quite ...
1
vote
1answer
107 views
0
votes
0answers
68 views
Difference between なきゃand なくちゃ [duplicate]
i understand that they’re short forms of なければ and なくて but i don’t understand the different nuances between them. thanks!
ex.
勉強しなきゃ。
vs
勉強しなくちゃ。
4
votes
2answers
199 views
What does らん in 「強からん事を祈る」 mean?
I came across this sentence while reading Osamu Dazai's Ningen Shikkaku. The sentence is pretty long, so I have only included the relevant part.
あまりに人間を恐怖している人たちは、かえって、もっともっと、...
3
votes
1answer
129 views
Sentences without topic particles?
how common is it for there to be sentences like 「私、死んでるよ！」or 「これ、怖い」？ is it super informal? any guidelines on when to speak like this?
2
votes
2answers
117 views
Usage of こいつ, あいつ, etc
When can I use こいつ, あいつ, etc?
I’ve seen that they can mean he/she/this/that in various contexts but when is it appropriate to use them versus 彼 or 彼女？
-1
votes
1answer
99 views
0
votes
1answer
114 views
Reason for using じゃないですか in this sentence?
「えとー、隣に人乗る時ありますけど、なんかこう前が壁じゃないですか。」
The translation in the subtitle was “Because, sometimes people do sit next to me but there’s a sort of wall in front of you.”
I don’t understand where the じゃない ...
0
votes
1answer
61 views
5
votes
1answer
1k views
What does のそ mean in this picture?
What does のそ mean in this picture?
A friend of mine said that it was "a moment later...", but I'm not really sure if that's the real meaning. What does this annotation mean?
1
vote
1answer
95 views
Help translating English idioms
Can someone use 涙ぐむ in a way to say "could bring a man to tears" or something along those lines?
Wanting to translate some English phrases or sayings into Japanese in a way that could be either ...
4
votes
1answer
210 views
Sentence order: Where to put もう
This is the sentential question I found in Sou Matome :
母親「さあ、もうねなさい。」 こども「この_ _ * _ ちょっとまって。」 A. おわる、B. もう、C. ゲームが、D.まで
I answered: ゲームがもう終わるまでちょっとまって。
but the answer is :
...
2
votes
1answer
89 views
What's the difference among 夜中, 真夜中 and 夜?
I've found 3 words with the definition of the night/midnight.
But some difficulties appeared. This is the answer have found:
Is 夜中 or 真夜中 is more correct for exactly midnight? At about 00:00. ...
4
votes
1answer
162 views
Difference among evening words 夕方, 夕べ, 晩, 夕?
I've found several words in the book, which means evening. What's the difference among them?
I've found only this information:
夕 - 5pm to 7pm
晩 - 7pm to 10pm
夜 - 10pm onwards (night, late evening)
...
8
votes
2answers
1k views
What does ひと匙 mean in this manga and has it been used colloquially?
I’m reading this manga and I came across this scene that the character is describing the new member of the school team that
音駒【ねこま】にあとひと匙【さじ】 欲しかった決定力になり得る存在
*Note: 音駒 is the highschool name.
For ...
4
votes
1answer
194 views
So I understand 人外 is an anagram of 外人, but does 外人人外 mean evil foreigner?
Title says all. This is purely 100% out of curiosity and by no means meant to offend anyone. Problem is, I very rarely see 人外 used anywhere.
1
vote
0answers
43 views
Difference in reading 下に: When to use しも.に or した.に [duplicate]
As I observed, 下に can be read in two ways: しも.に and した.に.
As far as I know, した.に can be used to indicate objects spacial arrangement.
How about しも.に? Dictionary says that it also means down; below; ...
