13
votes
Accepted
Why can't I say 「電車に遅刻する」?
To be fair, if you Google that phrase you can actually find a small number of examples of seemingly native speakers using it. They may be using it as a slightly more formal variant of 遅れる, and it is ...
- 50.6k
8
votes
Why can't I say 「電車に遅刻する」?
You have some good answers to your exact question with your exact sentences at HiNative and Đáp Án. I'll quote them here.
HiNative (translation from Japanese and emphasis mine):
「授業に遅刻してすみません」is ...
- 6,519
7
votes
Accepted
Are コミュ症 and コミュニケーション障害 informal/slang words in Japanese?
It's safe to say コミュ障 (or コミュ症) is 100% slang. As far as I remember, it has always been used in this short form since it began to be used a few decades ago. It's never used in serious medical contexts....
- 306k
6
votes
Accepted
What does 作文 actually mean?
作文 is closer to "composition", and it primarily refers to writing assignments such as those given as homework to elementary school or middle school students. The subject is not limited to ...
- 306k
3
votes
If you want to refer to a person as beautiful, would you use [綺麗]{きれい} or [美しい]{うつくしい}? What's the difference?
Agreed with other answers that 綺麗 focuses on the physical appearance, while 美しい also includes mental/situational aspects.
Does it matter what age a person is? Is one only appropriate if the person is ...
- 15.6k
3
votes
Accepted
輪廻's meanings (cycle) where does it come from?
The use of （を）輪廻する as a transitive verb to mean 'repeat something/some action' seems like poetic license considering the use mentioned is from a song. In other words, it's a stretch of the word's ...
- 4,538
3
votes
Accepted
Does 車輪 really mean tire as well as (vehicle)wheel?
I think Wanikani is being colloquial and a little loose in its translation. Whether that's forgivable, or an inexcusable meaning error, really depends on your use case for the translation.
Reading ...
- 36.8k
3
votes
Meaning of 重ね in a compound verb
It's parsed [笑みを交わし][てのひらを重ね][信じる].
That て should be 手. Strange that 手 isn't in kanji here; it's a basic kanji and using て really blends it into the previous word, and I misread it the first couple ...
- 2,723
3
votes
Accepted
What nuance does ドライブ have, compared to 運転?
Your assumptions are all correct. ドライブ in Japanese has a strong tendency to refer to driving a car as a recreational activity.
(1) - Yes. 電車の運転 is fine but 電車のドライブ is incorrect.
(2) - Yes. ドライブ is ...
- 306k
2
votes
What nuance does ドライブ have, compared to 運転?
I guess it is better to think about the corresponding verbs: ドライブする and 運転する.
ドライブする is an intransitive verb. It means to cruise/drive a car. It can be for going somewhere for fun, but at least ...
- 32.6k
2
votes
Is there a difference between these words for “hero”?
I was thinking about this old question recently. 勇者 as 'hero' may seem confusing to people who aren't big into pop culture, but in fantasy, especially fantasy video games (I think Dragon Quest may ...
- 11.2k
2
votes
Understanding かっ飛ばすin this context
かっ飛ばす is basically a baseball/golf term, but it can also work as one of those abstract verbs that mean something along the lines of "to go all out", "to smash", "to go full ...
- 306k
2
votes
If you want to refer to a person as beautiful, would you use [綺麗]{きれい} or [美しい]{うつくしい}? What's the difference?
They both could be used in that case. There is a slight difference in nuances, but it's not critical.
I`d use 綺麗 if I saw or heard someone or something gorgeous, showy, colorful. Someone or something ...
- 95
1
vote
If you want to refer to a person as beautiful, would you use [綺麗]{きれい} or [美しい]{うつくしい}? What's the difference?
Both of your cases are OK, and it can be used to any ages. However, I think 「綺麗な男」 is a slightly more unusual expression than 「美しい男」.
「綺麗」 has nuances of clean and clear. I think that is the ...
- 11
1
vote
What does 作文 actually mean?
作文 often means "a paragraph of literature homework/document" or "a piece of literature", depending on the context.
It can mean an essay that a professor at your university has ...
- 978
1
vote
Accepted
カモ に して やる！ I make you an easy target?
You shouldn't translate it literally. As it was mentioned in the comment section, カモにする is a set expression that has an established meaning: to easily attain victory.
A slang term using the word 'duck'...
- 95
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