CultureEssayEtymologyHistoryIdiomJapanese traditionProverbUncorrected Toru Aug 22, 2021Jan 02, 2024 big, Chinese book, dai, kaneru, Luxuriant Dew, proverb, sho, small, Spring and Autumn Annals, substitute Dai wa Shō wo Kaneru (大は小を兼ねる – The More, the Merrier) Dai wa Shō wo Kaneru 大は小を兼ねる Which do you like better, big things or small things? 大きいものと小さいもの、どちらが好きですか? If you prefer Read More
CultureEssayEtymologyFoodHistoryIdiomJapanese traditionProverbUncorrected Toru Aug 20, 2021Jan 02, 2024 aid, economic blockade, enemy, Japanese, Kenshin Uesugi, salt, Sengoku period, Shingen Takeda, teki ni shio wo okuru, tradition Teki ni Shio wo Okuru (敵に塩を送る – Helping One’s Enemy in Difficulty) Teki ni Shio wo Okuru 敵に塩を送る When you help your enemy in trouble or distress, it is called teki ni Read More
CorrectedEssayHistoryProverb Toru Jul 23, 2021Jan 02, 2024 0 Comments 1913, Benkei, Heian period, samurai, strong, sword Benkei ni Naginata (弁慶に薙刀 – Adding Wings to a Tiger) Benkei ni Naginata 弁慶に薙刀 In yesterday’s post, I introduced the idiom oni ni kanabō (鬼に金棒), which means “making an already Read More
CorrectedEssayHistoryIdiom Toru Jun 07, 2021Jul 26, 2021 0 Comments back, behind, hair, pull, regret, topknot Ushirogami wo Hikareru (後ろ髪を引かれる – With Painful Reluctance) Ushirogami wo Hikareru 後ろ髪を引かれる When you are unable to move on due to regret, it can be described as ushirogami Read More
CorrectedEssayHistoryKanjiSlang Toru May 12, 2021Jul 24, 2021 0 Comments curse, group, honorific, pronoun, prostitute, respect, school, second-person, you Kisama (貴様 – You!) Kisama 貴様 In Japanese, sama (様) is often used as an honorific for a person. 日本語では、人に対する敬称として「様」がよく使われます。 In addition, ki (貴) Read More
CorrectedEssayHistorySlang Toru Apr 29, 2021Jul 24, 2021 0 Comments bad boy, bad girl, disobedience, gang, leader, push, rule, school, society Tsuppari and Sukeban (「ツッパリ」と「スケバン」 – Bad Boy/Girl) Tsuppari and Sukeban 「ツッパリ」と「スケバン」 In my post in the last two days, I introduced the terms furyō (不良) and yankī Read More
EssayEtymologyHistoryUncorrected Toru Apr 16, 2021Jan 01, 2024 0 Comments best clothes, candle, irreplaceable, kimono, one, thin, unit Icchōra (一張羅 – Best Clothes) Icchōra 一張羅 I have a icchōra (一張羅) that I have used for over 10 years. 私は10年以上使っている「一張羅」を持っています。 It is considered that Read More
CorrectedEssayEtymologyHistory Toru Apr 08, 2021Jun 02, 2021 0 Comments angle, angry, aristocrat, bad temper, bend, crown, Emperor, mood, protest, superior Okanmuri (お冠 – Bad Temper) Okanmuri お冠 To describe that someone is angry or in a bad mood, Japanese people sometimes use the term okanmuri Read More
CorrectedEssayEuropean countriesHistory Toru Mar 21, 2021Jun 01, 2021 0 Comments auspicious, Black Forest, clock, cuckoo, dove, German Hatodokei (鳩時計 – Cuckoo Clock) Hatodokei 鳩時計 These days, I’ve been wanting to buy a hatodokei (鳩時計). 私は今、鳩時計を購入したいと考えています。 Since hato (鳩) means “dove” and tokei/dokei Read More