Tags
A tag is a keyword or label that categorizes your question with other, similar questions. Using the right tags makes it easier for others to find and answer your question.
ダジャレ. A form of wordplay which suggests two or more meanings, by exploiting multiple meanings of words, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. Although puns are u…
49 questions
接頭辞. A type of affix prepended to the beginning of a word to change its meaning.
47 questions
助詞「でも」. Sometimes considered a single particle and listed as 係助詞 or 副助詞 in most dictionaries. This is derived from, but not the same as, the combination of either copular で or case particle で plus も.
47 questions
書き言葉. Words and language generally used in writing rather than speech.
46 questions
For the grammar and variants of Japanese words and phrases considered to be mainly used in casual speech or conversation.
46 questions
助詞「まで」. An adverbial particle indicating "to; till; as far as", or by extension indicating emphasis ("even").
45 questions
44 questions
Cultural or emotional association beyond a word's or phrase's literal meaning.
43 questions
役割語. Special language patterns and vocabulary used by fictional characters, often marking this character as fitting a stereotyped 'role' such as "the old man" or "the samurai". This includes キャラ語尾, w…
40 questions
送り仮名. Kana written after a kanji to complete the full reading of the word.
38 questions
連濁. A phonological phenomenon in Japanese by which the first consonant of the second component of a compound word often becomes voiced (k→g, s→z, t→d and h→b).
38 questions
比喩. An analogy that describes a subject by asserting that it is, on some point of comparison, the same as another otherwise unrelated object
38 questions
聞き取り. For questions involving the deciphering of spoken language.
38 questions
上代日本語. A historical stage of Japanese which has the oldest attestation in documents currently known. Typically seen in 万葉集 (Man'yōshū; late 8c).
37 questions
Questions about the Japanese language used in the context of computing.
Questions about technical support (e.g. "How do I input Japanese characters?") belong on Super User.
37 questions
品詞. The primary lexical categories such as nouns, verbs, and particles. In linguistics, often referred to as 'lexical class' or 'word class'.
36 questions
学術的文章. Questions about academic writing in Japanese.
36 questions
語用論. The branch of linguistics dealing with language in use and the contexts in which it is used.
35 questions
筆順. The sequence and direction of individual strokes of kanji.
35 questions
当て字. Kanji assigned to words based on their sound rather than their meaning.
34 questions
音読み. A Sino-Japanese reading of kanji. Usually divided into 呉音 "Wu sound", 漢音 "Han sound", 唐音 "Tang sound", and 慣用音; the first three for readings imported from the corresponding Chinese dynasties, the…
34 questions
二人称代名詞. Second-person pronouns like あなた, きみ, and おまえ (cf. English "you").
33 questions
33 questions
促音化. Gemination happens when a spoken consonant is pronounced for an audibly longer period of time than a short consonant. Gemination is distinct from stress and may appear independently of it. In Jap…
32 questions
使用域（位相）. A variety of a language used for a particular purpose or in a particular social setting.
32 questions
長音. Vowels held for twice as long as short vowels. Unlike in English, long vowels in Japanese are not diphthongs. Long vowels in hiragana are generally written an extra kana such as あいうえお; in katak…
32 questions
常用漢字. A subset of (currently 2136) kanji approved by the Ministry of Education.
32 questions
分裂文. Sentences "clefted" into two parts. In Japanese, these commonly take the the form 〜のは〜だ or 〜のが〜だ, putting focus on the precopular constituent.
32 questions