October 2017 – Learning English and Japanese

Toru Oct 31, 2017Jan 03, 2024 French, green pepper, Japanese, katakana, loanword, mistranslation, peppers, pīman, piment, poivron

Pīman (ピーマン – Green Pepper)

Pīman ピーマン Do you know what “green pepper” is called in Japanese? “Green pepper” のことを日本語でなんと言うかご存知ですか？ As I wrote in this Read More

Culture Essay Etymology Idiom Japanese tradition Kanji Slang Uncorrected

Toru Oct 30, 2017Jan 03, 2024 beasts, birds, dislike, feelings, hair, instinctive, Japan, kegirai, kirai, politics

Kegirai (毛嫌い – Dislike)

Kegirai 毛嫌い Is there something that you don’t like instinctively without any specific reason. これという理由もなく、何かを感情的に嫌うことはありますか？ In Japan, we use a Read More

Climate Culture Essay Etymology Idiom Japanese tradition Kanji Onomatopoeia Uncorrected

Toru Oct 29, 2017Jan 03, 2024 bamboo, cool, ground, Japanese, old-fashioned, pelting rain, prod, rain, shinotsuku ame, weather

Shinotsuku Ame (篠突く雨 – Intense Rain)

Shinotsuku Ame 篠突く雨 Unfortunately, today’s weather is “shinotsuku ame” (篠突く雨). 今日の天候は「篠突く雨」です。 “Shinotsuku ame” means a pelting rain as much as Read More

Culture Essay Food Japanese tradition News Slang Uncorrected

Toru Oct 28, 2017Jan 03, 2024 anxiety, benjo-meshi, eating, friends, Japan, lunchmate syndrome, restroom, unattractive, workplace

Lunchmate Syndrome

These days in Japan, “lunchmate syndrome” has become a problem. ランチメイト症候群 Lunchmate syndrome is a symptom that causes a kind Read More

Culture Essay Etymology Japanese tradition Onomatopoeia Uncorrected

Toru Oct 27, 2017Jan 03, 2024 etymology, fish, fishing method, force, freshwater, gorioshi, Japanese, opinion, river, sucker-like

Gorioshi (ゴリ押し – Bulldozing)

Gorioshi ゴリ押し To push one’s opinion or way through forcely is called “gorioshi” (ゴリ押し) in Japanese. 自分の考えややり方を強引に押し通すことを、「ゴリ押し」と言います。 The “gori” (ゴリ) Read More