CultureEssayEtymologyHistoryIdiomJapanese traditionKanjiUncorrected Toru Mar 26, 2018Jan 02, 2024 1.8 meters, adult male, China, daijōbu, etymology, Japanese, kanji, length unit, no problem, strong Daijōbu (大丈夫 – It’s Okay) Part 2 Previously, I introduced you to the Japanese term 大丈夫 (daijōbu), which is often used as the meaning of “it’s okay” Read More
CultureEssayEtymologyIdiomJapanese traditionKanjiUncorrected Toru Mar 24, 2018Jan 02, 2024 change, etymology, Japanese term, kawariban, kawaribanko, rotate, sequential order, steelworkers, Switch, かわりばんこ Kawaribanko (かわりばんこ – Switching) Kawaribanko かわりばんこ When people switch or change places repeatedly, we refer to the action as the Japanese term かわりばんこ (kawaribanko). Read More
CultureEssayEtymologyIdiomJapanese traditionKanjiProverbSlangUncorrected Toru Mar 20, 2018Jan 02, 2024 burn, difficulty, expression, graduation ceremony, idiomatic phrase, literal meaning, students, te wo yaku, trouble, university Te wo Yaku (手を焼く – Having Trouble with Something) Te wo Yaku 手を焼く Today a graduation ceremony took place at my university. 今日は私の大学の卒業式でした。 In this year, it was hard Read More
CultureEssayEtymologyIdiomJapanese traditionKanjiSlangUncorrected Toru Mar 17, 2018Jan 02, 2024 bloom, cherry trees, compliment, flowers, insult, Japanese, old lady, term, uba zakura, woman Uba Zakura (姥桜) Part 2 Uba Zakura 姥桜 Part 2 Yesterday, I introduced you to the Japanese term 姥桜 (uba zakura), which is a popular Read More
CultureEssayEtymologyIdiomJapanese traditionKanjiProverbUncorrected Toru Mar 16, 2018Jan 02, 2024 bloom, cherry tree, flowers, ha, Japanese, leaf, metaphor, old lady, uba, zakura Uba Zakura (姥桜) Part 1 Uba Zakura 姥桜 Part 1 姥桜 (uba zakura) is a popular name for cherry trees in which flowers bloom earlier Read More
CultureEssayEtymologyIdiomJapanese traditionKanjiSlangUncorrected Toru Mar 12, 2018Jan 02, 2024 English terms, foolish, goofy, interval, manuke, online dictionary, out of tune, pause, skip, stupid Manuke (間抜け – Stupid) I might be a person called 間抜け (manuke). 間抜け “Manuke” is a word referring to a foolish, stupid, or goofy Read More
CultureEssayEtymologyFoodIdiomJapanese traditionKanjiSlangUncorrected Toru Mar 11, 2018Jan 02, 2024 bureikou, courtesy, drinking party, Japan, protocols, respect, ritual, rudeness, status, tradition Bureikou (無礼講 – Unrestricted Binge) There is a drinking party called 無礼講 (bureikou) in Japan. 無礼講 無 (bu) means “nothing” and 礼講 “reikou” means a Read More
CultureEssayEtymologyHistoryIdiomJapanese traditionKanjiOnomatopoeiaUncorrected Toru Mar 09, 2018Jan 02, 2024 bothersome, complicated, gota gota, Gottan Funei, jumbles, Kamakura period, onomatopoeia, preaching, Song Dynasty, Zen monk Gota Gota (ごたごた – Jumbling) Gota Gota ごたごた A situation where something jumbles disorderly or a bothersome thing is referred to as ごたごた (gota gota) Read More
CultureEssayEtymologyIdiomJapanese traditionKanjiUncorrected Toru Mar 08, 2018Jan 02, 2024 etymology, helper, Japanese, leverage, move, power, slither, Tekozuru, trouble, verb Tekozuru (てこずる – Having Trouble with Something) Tekozuru てこずる When you cannot handle something and have trouble with it, we express it using the Japanese verb てこずる Read More