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【No. 0142】There is a mandarin orange on an aluminum can.

May 9, 2015 19:42
Today, I'd like to introduce a very famous pun in Japan.

It is "アルミ缶の上にあるみかん (arumi kan no ue ni aru mikan)."

"あるみかん(arumi kan)" の上に "あるみかん(aru mikan)," haha.....sorry.

"アルミ缶" means "aluminum can," "上に" means "on," "ある" means "exist," and "みかん" means "mandarin orange."

That is, the pun means "there is a mandarin orange on an aluminium can."
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【No. 0141】Counting of Rabbit

May 8, 2015 17:37
In Japan, there are so many counter words.

Since there are also some strange one, even Japanese sometimes mistake their use.

For example, the counting of rabbit.

According to the general definition, rabbits should be counted as "1匹, 2匹, ...(one animal, two animals, ...)," but we count rabbits as "1羽, 2羽, ...(one bird, two birds, ...)."

The reason why we count rabbits as if they are birds is based on historical and religious backgrounds.

In the former Buddhism in Japan, it was forbidden to eat quadrupedal animals.

However, Japanese wanted to eat rabbits, and the rabbits hippety-hop, so they considered the rabbits as birds.

It is definitely quiddity, haha.

Actually, both "う(cormorant)" and "さぎ(heron)" of "うさぎ(rabbit)" means birds.
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【No. 0140】X-ray Spectral Analysis

May 7, 2015 20:35
Today, I patiently did X-ray spectral analysis.

While the tube voltage and the tube current are varied little by little, I observed the changes of the continuous X-ray spectrum.

However, after about 5 hours, I noticed that the data could not be taken well.

Woe is me.

I'll try again tomorrow.
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【No. 0139】English proofreading

May 6, 2015 20:43
Today is the last day of Japanese long-term holidays, but I was writing my graduation thesis in English as well as yesterday.

Since there are so many technical terms in the thesis, I'm concerned about whether my sentences make sense.

Therefore, when I finish writing the thesis, I will ask native experts to correct.

It costs 12 yen per one word, so one page that was written about 500 words cost about 6,000 yen.

It seems my doctoral thesis be more than 100 pages (because my master's thesis was about 100 pages), when I ask to correct all the pages, it will cost more than 600,000 yen.

I don't know whether this price is expensive or not, but maybe I should invest such money for writing a good doctoral thesis.
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【No. 0138】Doctoral Thesis

May 5, 2015 21:44
Today, I started writing my doctoral thesis in English.

Since it's so difficult for me, I could only write a few pages though I spent almost all day.

I'd like to finish this work in the near future by continuing patiently.
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【No. 0137】Engineering and Medical Science

May 4, 2015 22:37
Today, I had a meeting with a director of a dental office about our studies.

Although he is a dentist, he had wealth of knowledge about engineering and medical science, so we could engage in an interesting conversation.

The main purpose of this meeting was to talk about CT, but we had an animated conversation about fusions of endoscopic operation and leading-edge engineering.

Currently in Japan, since there is little cooperation between engineering and medical science, new technologies such as medical devices can not be developed very much.

When I got a post of a university, I'd like to develop new equipment by providing my techniques that were developed through my college life to medical field.
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【No. 0136】Common Cold

May 3, 2015 21:20
Today, I have had a pain in my head and throat, and felt awful almost all day.

I think I probably caught a cold.

I'd like to recover from the cold by getting enough sleep.
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【No. 0135】Hike Uphill

May 2, 2015 23:04
Today, graduates of my laboratory and I went hiking to a nearby mountain that the altitude is about 2000 m.

Since it was very sunny and the air was clear, I felt good, but I got suntanned.

Also, I tried using iPhone's panoramic shooting function first time ever, and took some pictures.

http://kano.arkoak.com/daily/kurumayama1.jpg
http://kano.arkoak.com/daily/kurumayama2.jpg

Actually, we went to near the top of the mountain by car, but I'd like to climb there by bicycle next time.
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【No. 0134】Paper Submission

May 1, 2015 23:01
Finally, I submitted a research paper today.

I felt some relief, but I should write a next paper starting tomorrow.

Tonight, graduates of our laboratory came to my university, and now we are holding a drinking party.

Therefore, when I finish writing this diary, I will go back to the party.
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【No. 0132】Natto

Apr 29, 2015 21:57
Today, I ate natto.
今日は納豆を食べました。

Since I really like natto, I eat it almost everyday.
私は納豆が大好きで、毎日のように食べています。

Some people might not like the smell, but natto, which includes rich nutrients such as calcium and vitamins, has great benefits for our health.
匂いが苦手な方もいるかもしれませんが、納豆はカルシウムやビタミンなど体に必要な栄養素が豊富に含まれている、とても健康に良い食品です。

Biotin contained in natto makes healthy hair and skin, and removes fatigue of our body.
納豆に含まれるビオチンは、健康な髪や皮膚を作り、体の疲れを取り除きます。

Nattokinase contained in natto dissolves blood clots, and improves blood flow.
納豆に含まれるナットウキナーゼは、血栓を溶かし、血液をサラサラにします。

Polyamine contained in natto improves metabolism, and helps prevent aging.
納豆に含まれるポリアミンは、新陳代謝や老化防止に効果があります。

Natto lecithin included in natto has a detox effect.
納豆に含まれる納豆レシチンは、デトックス効果があります。

Isoflavone included in natto regulates a balance of female hormone, and makes bone stronger.
納豆に含まれるイソフラボンは、女性ホルモンのバランスを整えたり、骨を丈夫にする効果があります。

Calcium included in natto makes bone thick, and keeps our health.
納豆に含まれるカルシウムは、骨を太く、健康に保ちます。

Protein included in natto supples muscles of a heart and blood vessels, and helps absorption of calcium.
納豆に含まれるタンパク質は、心臓や血管の筋肉をしなやかにしたり、カルシウムの吸収を助ける効果があります。

However, since natto includes also purines, eating too much natto could become a cause of gout.
しかし、プリン体も含まれているので、あまり食べ過ぎると痛風の原因になります。

Also, when you stirred natto about 300 times, the amount of the natto's amino acid increases about 2.5 times, and the natto's ingredient increases about 4 times.
また、納豆は300回かき混ぜると、アミノ酸の量が2.5倍に、甘み成分の量が約4倍になります。

Let's stir natto well and enjoy eating natto.
よくかき混ぜて、みんなで納豆を食べましょう。
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【No. 0131】"Itadakimasu" and "Gochisousama"

Apr 28, 2015 19:09
Almost Japanese people say "itadakimasu" before eating , and say "gochisousama" after eating with their hands close together.

"Itadakimasu" means that you will receive lives of animals or plants, and this phrase represents gratitude for great nature.

"Gochisousama" represents gratitude for people who prepared meals.

When these phrase are translated into English, "itadakimasu" will be "let's eat," and "gochisousama" will be "I'm full/satisfied," though, there are some differences between their nuances.

I think it is hard to translate greeting phrases or idiomatic expressions well.
  • in Diary
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【No. 0130】Hill Climbing

Apr 27, 2015 19:23
Today, I woke up at 5:00 a.m., and I climbed a hill riding my road bike.

I patiently climbed 30 km, and took a little rest when I arrived to the top of the mountain, and descended 30 km.

Although roads that lead to the top were concreted, it was really hard to climb because the roads had some steep slopes.

However, there was not a single cloud in the blue sky, so I felt so good.
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【No. 0129】Understand versus Understood

Apr 26, 2015 17:50
I sometimes use the phrase "I understood" in the meaning of "わかりました (I understand)," but apparently, these nuances were completely different.

In a Japanese article, it was written that when he said "I understood" to an American boss, the boss replied "don't say excuses, you should say just『I understand』."

Japanese people often say "わかりました(I understand)."

And this Japanese sentence is past tense, so we sometimes think that "I understood" is more natural than "I understand."

However, in English, if we say "I understood," this could imply something like "(thank you, but) I (already) understood."

I already said "I understood" several times in lang-8, I'm sorry.

Also, saying just "understood" seems OK, because it will be considered as passive voice.

I remember that a military man in an American dramas said "understood."
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【No. 0128】Broadcast Accident by Apple Watch

Apr 25, 2015 21:44
Yesterday, Apple Watch was launched and an Japanese TV show was introducing it.

In order to try voice recognition function, an announcer said 「ここのところ押しますよ、『今どこにいるんですか』」（"I will push this point, 『where are you right now?』"） while pushing Apple Watch's button.

He wanted to display 「今どこにいるんですか」(where are you right now?) on the Apple Watch, but the watch also caught 「ころ押しますよ」, and the sentence「殺しますよ、今どこにいるんですか」("I will kill you, where are you right now?") was displayed.

This is a horrible sentence.
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【No. 0127】"Express" and "Represent"

Apr 24, 2015 22:56
I often confused "express" with "represent."

The reason is that both of these words can be translated using one Japanese word "表す."

Therefore, I searched for the difference between these words today.

According to Cambridge Dictionaries Online, "express" means "to show what you think or how you feel using words or actions," and "represent" means "to be a sign or symbol of something."

I thought something like the following: when we translate "表す" to English, we can use "express" for a nominative of living beings who are thinking something, we can use "represent" for a nominative of other objects.

I created the following sentences as a practice:

Japanese people often express the words "express" and "represent" with one Japanese word.

The picture on the dictionary represents the difference between "express" and "represent."

【No. 0126】Bathynomus Doederleini

Apr 23, 2015 21:13
Today, I was asked to take CT scan of a bathynomus doederleini from a teacher.

The teacher is studying at woodlice and bathynomus doederleini, and he wanted to observe the inner of them.

I could obtain the 3D outer shape of the bathynomus doederleini by CT imaging, however, the inner structure was not clear.

Bathynomus doederleini and bathynomus giganteus are sorts of benthic feeder, and since they eat carcasses such as a dead fish, they are described as cleaners in the sea.

They have resistance to starvation, for example, a bathynomus giganteus in a Japanese aquarium had lived more than five years without any foods.

(Somehow, the bathynomus giganteus didn't try to eat something.)

He died during the sixth year, but the cause of death is sickness.

It remains a mystery that the reason why they can live without foods.
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【No. 0125】Today, I worked hard all day.

Apr 22, 2015 23:14
Today, I worked hard all day.

It's after eleven p.m., but I'm going to eat dinner.

It is said that if you eat something late at night, you will get fat.

In fact, there are several scientific reasons.

However, since I'm tired, I'd like to write about the reasons on a different day.

Although I may gain weight, I'm starving, so I will eat something from now.
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【No. 0124】Ach so

Apr 21, 2015 22:31
Today, I learned the German phrase "ach so."

Interestingly, this phrase is pronounced "あっそう," and means "あっそう" in Japanese.

Therefore, it was really easy for me to remember.

However, if we say "あっそう" in Japanese, this will give a bit rude impression.

On the other hand, this German phrase "ach so" is a very polite expression, so I think the Japanese phrase "あぁそうですね" is more appropriate than "あっそう."

Fine differences between nuances are scary to me.
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【No. 0123】The meaning of "適当（てきとう : tekitou）"

Apr 20, 2015 20:21
Japanese people often use the word "適当(tekitou)."

However, this word has very confusing two different meanings.

That is, "appropriate(proper)," and "irresponsible(dishonest)."

Despite the completely different meanings, we represent it in one word.

The meaning will be determined by the atmosphere of the field, however, I think we use the word as the meaning of "irresponsible" in many cases.

If you want to represent the meaning of "appropriate" safely, using the word "適切(tekisetsu)" is better.