All Questions
28,855
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What is the exact nuance of ガラ in ガラじゃない
こう見えて魔術師なんだよ! ガラじゃないのは解ってるけど!
いや 魔術は見た目ではなく天性の物だから。。。
Upon failing another sword fight, the character says this and another character adds the second line in answer.
My reading of the first line is ...
- 36.8k
1
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2
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236
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How to translate [How can it possibly take this long to....?!] sentences
In English, for example, if you say
"How can it possibly take this long [to release a game]?!"
you are expressing anger and impatience.
In Japanese, can you express that same anger and ...
- 672
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1
answer
63
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What does って時によ mean when used like this?
君は他にも誰かと秘密を共有しているのか?
あ?誰かとって。。。もしかして彼達に嫉妬してるのか?
別にっ。。。するわけないだろう！ 嫉妬なんて
スネんなよ。これからするって時によ
In the first like the girlfriend wonders how many people other than her and their friends know his secret.
To ...
- 306k
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1
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124
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How to count trains per day?
In this sentence, how does one read the counters?
1日あたり16本運行しています
There are 16 trains per day.
https://www.fnn.jp/articles/417130
I found several answers, such as...
1日【にち】あたり16本【ほん】運行【うんこう】しています ...
- 306k
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1
answer
76
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What does ; ; mean?
I exchanged messages recently with someone I met from Japan, and I noticed that he often uses ; ; during our conversation. I assumed it was some kind of emoji but I’m not sure what it is. I tried ...
- 306k
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1
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What is the etymology of おっこっている?
In this passage :
「あらお父さん、三人この中へおっこっているわ。もう死んだかもしれないわ」
おっこっている means "to fall" but as far as I know "to fall" in Japanese is the verb 落ちる (which I see a lot throughout the same ...
CommunityBot
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28
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3
answers
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So-called の-adjectives - how does の *really* work?
Ok, so there seems to be some controversy over whether we can really say that there are 'の-adjectives', or whether we simply use a noun in an "attributive" way (a term which I don't actually really ...
- 672
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1
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204
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Does the kanji 両 have the reading teru (てる)?
jisho.org's entry for 両 says
Kun:
てる、 ふたつ
If true, in what context do you use these kun readings?
- 4,568
3
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1
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172
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Term for "Letter"/Symbol name vs. pronunciation
I was trying to explain to someone why spelling & reading in Japanese (at least with kana) is easy because the name of the letter is its pronuncation. (Yes, I realize kana are not strictly "...
- 166
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2
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181
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徒花”と”咲いて散っていく = bloomed and fell away “as” a fruitless flower
What does 徒花と咲いて散っていくきみに mean ?
At first, I thought it means “To you and a fruitless flower”, but later I saw the lyrics translating to “To you, who bloomed and fell away as a fruitless flower”
So, ...
- 835
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1
answer
111
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What does と見て mean in this context? [duplicate]
I was trying to translate some phrases from an anime and と見て appeared, which I have no idea what it is. It all happened while the protagonist was watching the news.
本日未明桜見町の路地裏で
刃物で刺された女性の遺体が見つかりました
...
- 306k
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2
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What kind of nuance does どうでしょうか have in this senence?
どうでしょうか
職業柄器用だとは思っていますが
In the very first panel, upon reading a report, the character comments that the guy has no particular ability.
To which the character replies
どうでしょうか
職業柄器用なほうだとは思っていますが
My ...
- 306k
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1
answer
65
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Stating that the above terms are "open to discussion"
I'm writing a business message that outlines a proposed resolution to an issue/dispute - e.g. Party A pays Party B $X, Party B pays Party C $Y and does this and that.
I want to end the message saying ...
- 166
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1
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102
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Meaning and usage of 刺激（しげき）?
I've come across this word 刺激 a few times now, but although the dictionary says it means "stimulation" none of the contexts I've seen it in makes sense with that definition.
For example
「...
- 166
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0
answers
104
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Should I memorize Kanji readings? [closed]
I'm almost done with recommended vocabulary and Kanjis for JPLT N5, also finishing up Genki 1. The most time consuming so far is memorizing Kanji readings (not all of them of course, but those that ...
- 166
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1
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53
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What does ちょうどいっか mean here?
In the first bubble, the character comments that "We did a bunch (of the stuff we needed to do)".
Then in the second line as I understand he adds
冬までにほとんど 終わりそうだけど
Looks like we'll be done ...
- 306k
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1
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150
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Meaning of ものの。 in this sentence
だから、一緒に行動するなら、この気まずさを少しでもほぐしておきたい。
ここは、俺が大人になるとこだよなと思い、歩み寄ったものの。
What exactly is the use of ものの。 in this sentence? The character had a fight with his friend and because they need to work together, he ...
CommunityBot
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2
answers
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What does なあって mean here?
I'm trying to figure out what is the significance of なあって in the following sentence:
そのままからかいやすい西片でいてほしいなあって
It feels like it is there for emphasis or something but I just don't get where it comes ...
- 306k
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0
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54
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What does "なんだもんなあ" mean?
同じ部屋とかもう慣れてるはずなのに"
当たり前のようにダブルべっどなんだもんなぁ
In the first line the character is like "We should be already used to sleep in the same room and yet"
By context I can gather the character is ...
- 319
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3
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166
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Confusion with interpreting NHK title and subject scope when using て form
I read this article on NHK about Christmas cakes and it has this title:
クリスマスのケーキ 卵の値段が上がって高くなりそう
But I'm somewhat confused on how to properly interpret the title. I'm not sure what 高くなりそう (seems to ...
- 306k
4
votes
1
answer
120
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Which form is the correct causative-passive 聞く?
There is an exercise in スピードマスターN4 to put verbs in the causative-passive form:
つまらない話を（聞いて）、眠くなった。
The answer key says the correct form should be 聞かされて. While, for example, JLPT Sensei lists it as ...
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2
votes
2
answers
585
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What is the best way to say "online now" in Japanese?
I'm trying to figure out what is the best way to say "my friends are online now" or "I'm online right now".
So far, I have considered:
ネットでいます。
オンラインです。
For instance:
私は今ネットでいます。...
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1
answer
110
views
How to tell when 知らない is "I don't care"?
もし世の中君のような顔ばかりだったら それに慣れてしまって何とも思わなくなるのかな?
If everyone looked like you people would get used and it wouldn't be effective (your look)
知りません! そんなことは
To which the character answers
Is it possible ...
1
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1
answer
78
views
What does the 「いるん」in だれか好きな人がいるんですか。
Everything else in this sentence I understand except 「いるん」. Can someone tell me it's meaning/purpose? Why can't I just say だれか好きな人ですか。?
My textbook translates the sentence as: "Is there someone ...
- 8,803
2
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1
answer
111
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What is "のほうだろう" here?
So the old woman explains that in place of her dead husband her kid has been helping. Then she says the kid won't settle into a home much but
I assume この時節 in "these occasions" but how does ...
- 306k
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1
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89
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When do you add の after a country name? [duplicate]
For example, why is it アメリカの映画 for American movie and フランス料理 for French food?
- 306k
4
votes
2
answers
282
views
What is the difference in sound between 'あん' and 'えん'?
かん vs けん, だん vs でん for example. Sometimes, they sound the same to my ears. How to differentiate them? Or are they pronounced the same?
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"そのことですか" is this some kind of expression?
よかった。。。って言っていいもんかな
I wonder if it's alright to say "I'm glad"
何がです?
About what?
お前さんは何年追いかけた敵を討ったじゃない
You didn't kill the enemy that you chased for years (or you killed the enemy you ...
- 32.6k
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0
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N1 Goi practice question. Synonym of 凌ぐ [closed]
Solving some N1-Goi questions I run up to this one.
暑さを「凌ぐ」ために、多くの人が都会を離れて山や海で過ごしている。
つのる
ふせぐ
いのる
ふさぐ
I was pretty sure it was the second one 2) ふせぐ" but the solutions provided say its 1)つのる. ...
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0
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107
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Creating a Unique Japanese Name: Seeking Guidance on "てるかわ" for "Terukawa" [closed]
I have a question and I kindly ask for your patience, as my knowledge of Japanese is basic. I've been trying to create a Japanese name, and I came across the word "両側" (ryōgawa), which means ...
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0
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61
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How to search the 書き下し文 of a 漢文?
I want to search the 書き下し文 of a 漢文 such as 滕王閣序. Is there any reliable websites to search on?
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How is いらっしゃる used with nouns?
お客様は継続ご希望でいらっしゃいますか？ それとも解約ご希望でしょうか？
I understand the meaning of the above sentence and that いらっしゃる is the honorific form of be, come, and go, but I don't understand how//why it's being used with ご希望. ...
- 835
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votes
1
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259
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Meaning of さもあろう
In Mushibugyou there is this sentence:
実物の蟲もさもあろうというリアルな夢だな
The speaking character sees a giant mosquito (giant insects are common in the setting), thinks to be in a dream, and that he says that ...
- 306k
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60
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Historical meaning of an army's name in Sengoku era 美濃八千騎
美濃八千騎
I read a historical novel with Sengoku era setting , and there's a character mentioned about this name of an army. If you know about it's historical meaning please explain.
Context is an enemy's ...
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5
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1
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348
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Cases where として and にとって are overused/ cannot be used
I've been reading through Imabi, and one of the notes on the site was about inappropriate use of として and にとって in contexts of contrast and although phrases. These three were listed as examples of ...
CommunityBot
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3
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4k
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Rules for slang of Japanese numbers
I often hear Japanese using a different method for saying a number like "248" as によんぱ — especially for highways and license plates.
While this one is easy to understand, there are others that I don'...
- 1,496
3
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1
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284
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What is the で part in ではありません？
Ok, this might be more complicated or less complicated than I'm making it out to be but I'm assuming this question will be made up of two unrelated components but I can't figure it out so I'm shooting ...
- 36.8k
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1
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74
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Is "で一発だ an expression?
こりゃたまげた! あっという間に見つけちまうんだね
I'm shocked. You found the food in an instant
And his reply
ああ? 食い物なんて匂いで一発だ
From context I can gather it seems to be akin to ... I found it asap because of the smell but ...
- 32.6k
2
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1
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91
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Why use 耳元 rather than just 耳?
下で見ている人の悲鳴と交じり合って、風が耳元でヒューヒュー鳴った ...
The wind whistled in his ears, mingled with the screams of the people watching below ...
Would this sentence be weird if 耳元 was replaced with 耳? I'm trying to ...
- 32.6k
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0
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53
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How do you use もの? [duplicate]
I'm not very familiar with もの and have never been able to understand it well. I came across this phrase recently:
付き合い悪いもんあいつ
Why was もの used?
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1
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How is といわず used in this sentence?
うめえ。 5キロといわず もっといけたな
The sentence before this has nothing to do with it (the character is eating and not listening to the other character's speech) so he blurts out this.
The only context is that he ...
- 835
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1
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60
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Casually asking whether something particular is the reason
Up until now, I've been under the impression that it's acceptable in casual texting or speech to say ○○から？？ when you're asking whether ○○ is the reason for whatever the topic of conversation is.
For ...
- 32.6k
2
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1
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121
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キショキショ mean in this sentence?
In the first sentence the character says being in the same class as someone you feel at ease with, is fun.
But then he adds
こいつは昔からそういう感性なくてキショキショだけど
The sentence sounds odd to me. "But this guy ...
CommunityBot
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1
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Is 片付きます a word?
In the first lesson of みんなの日本語初級II (lesson 26), the word 片【かた】づきます shows up as "be put in order, tidy up." I looked in a couple of dictionaries, and can only find 片【かた】付【づ】けます, which has the ...
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0
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37
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Using AI to learn Japanese [migrated]
I've been using ChatGPT to learn Japanese specifically in getting vocab. My prompt is:
Always answer in this format for Japanese Word
Kanji(furigana)
JLPT level:
Commonness:
Formality:
Usually ...
- 65.3k
2
votes
1
answer
242
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Determining Pitch of 何より from Accent Dictionaries
I'm trying to learn how to determine the pitch accent of words from monolingual accent dictionaries. In this case the word in question is 何より, which can have Atamadaka or Heiban pitch. According to my ...
- 6,519
1
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1
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163
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How are が and は used here?
I am a fluent speaker (not a learner) but I can't explain why が and は are used in these lines when asked by a friend.
そんな私を拾ってくれたのがその時言い合いとなったお客様シェフなんです (from this video)
それを身を挺して助けてくれたのが誠司さん (video)...
CommunityBot
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2
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1
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What does 休まないでください mean in the given contex?
I'm going through listening comprehension examples, and though, I can recognise separate words (well, most of them), particles, grammar and so on and recall their meaning, I still have trouble with ...
- 65.3k
1
vote
2
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157
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What does nameはnameで mean? [duplicate]
井上は井上で待つだけじゃなく。自分から彼に話しかければいいじゃないか
I understand he's basically "You shouldn't just wait. Approach him on your own"
But what does the repeated noun here adds?
- 65.3k