February 2018 – Learning English and Japanese

Toru Feb 28, 2018Jan 02, 2024 achievement, admire, datsubou, give up, hat, Japanese, literal meaning, take off, verb

Datsubou (脱帽 – Taking One’s Hat Off)

Datsubou 脱帽 There is a Japanese term: 脱帽 (datsubou). 日本語には、「脱帽」という表現があります。脱 (datsu) means “to take off” and 帽 (bou) means Read More

Culture Essay Etymology Idiom Japanese tradition Slang Uncorrected

Toru Feb 27, 2018Jan 02, 2024 chapeau, hat, helmet, Japanese, kabuto, noun to verb, ojan, posharu, slang term, verb

Posharu (ポシャる – Falling Through)

Posharu ポシャる Yesterday, I introduced you to the Japanese term “ojan,” which means that a plan or a thing goes Read More

Culture Essay Etymology History Idiom Japanese tradition Onomatopoeia Slang Uncorrected

Toru Feb 26, 2018Jan 02, 2024 Edo period, fire, fire bell, hansho, jan, Japanese, ojan, onomatopoeia, wooden houses

Ojan (おじゃん – Falling Through)

Ojan おじゃん When a plan or a thing goes up in smoke, we refers to it as おじゃん (ojan) or Read More

Culture Essay Etymology Idiom Uncorrected

Toru Feb 25, 2018Jan 02, 2024 eel, etymology, metaphor, nobori, phenomenon, price, rise, salmon, theory, unagi

Unagi Nobori (うなぎのぼり – Spiral Rise)

Unagi Nobori うなぎのぼり When something such as price or status rises rapidly, we express the phenomenon by using the metaphor, Read More

Culture Essay Food Idiom Japanese tradition Kanji Slang Uncorrected

Toru Feb 24, 2018Jan 02, 2024 etiquette, expression, itadaki, Japanese language, leave, meal, oitoma, politeness, tachi, visit

Itadaki Dachi (いただき立ち)

Yesterday, I introduced you to the word “oitoma,” which is used when you leave a house you’re visiting. いただき立ち Today Read More

Culture Essay Etymology Idiom Japanese tradition Kanji Onomatopoeia Uncorrected

Toru Feb 23, 2018Jan 02, 2024 euphemism, go home, itoma, Japanese, kaeru, oitoma, polite, prefix, service, visitors

Oitoma (おいとま – Leaving)

Oitoma おいとま Over the past two days, I introduced you to the Japanese terms that related to service to visitors. Read More

Culture Essay Etymology Food Idiom Japanese tradition Uncorrected

Toru Feb 22, 2018Jan 02, 2024 gift, Japanese, karacha, miyage, motsu, omotase, refreshments, tea, URL, visitor

Omotase (お持たせ)

Omotase お持たせ Yesterday, I introduced you to the word 空茶 (karacha), which means to serve green tea without refreshments. 昨日は、お茶菓子を添えずに出すお茶を意味する「空茶」という言葉を紹介しました。 Read More

Corrected Culture Essay Food Japanese tradition

Toru Feb 21, 2018Jul 09, 2023 0 Comments empty, green tea, refreshments, serve, tea, visit

Karacha (空茶 – Served Tea by Itself)

Karacha 空茶 When treating visitors in Japan, we often serve green tea with refreshments (Japanese confectionery). 日本では来客をもてなすとき、お茶にお茶菓子を添えて出します。 However, if the Read More

Culture Essay Etymology Idiom Japanese tradition Kanji Proverb Slang Uncorrected

Toru Feb 20, 2018Jan 02, 2024 attitude, beautiful woman, culture, eight directions, expression, happou bijin, idiom, ironic, Japanese, pleasing everybody

Happou Bijin (八方美人 – Everybody’s Friend)

Happou Bijin 八方美人 A woman who tries to please everybody is called 八方美人 (happou bijin) in Japanese. 誰に対しても如才なくふるまう人のことを、日本語で「八方美人」と言います。八方 (happou) Read More