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Tuesday, January 20, 2026
Latest:
  • Kakuritsuki (確率機 – Crane Game with Probability Control): Part 1
  • Tazan no Ishi (他山の石 – Drawing a Lesson)
  • Kōkai Saki ni Tatazu (後悔先に立たず – Repentance Comes too Late)
  • Jinsei Yama Ari Tani Ari (人生山あり谷あり – Life Has Its Ups and Downs)
  • Neko wa Kotatsu de Maruku Naru (猫はこたつで丸くなる – Cats Curl up under the Kotatsu)

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EtymologyHistoryJapanese traditionUncorrected
Toru Sep 06, 2018Sep 08, 2018 0 Comments fold, mat, matting, room, rug, smell, successor, tatami, unit

Tatami (畳 – Tatami Mat)

Tatami 畳 I like a smell of ‘tatami‘ (畳). 私は「畳」の匂いが好きです。 Tatami is a traditional Japanese flooring material in Japanese-style rooms; Read More
EssayIdiomProverbUncorrected
Toru Sep 05, 2018Sep 05, 2018 0 Comments dangerous unfamiliar, detour, go around, haste, hurry, phrase, reliable, sage, shortcut, waste

Isogaba Maware (急がば回れ – More Haste, Less Speed)

Isogaba Maware 急がば回れ Yesterday, a Lang-8 user taught me the English phrase “Haste makes waste.” 私は昨日、Lang-8 のユーザーから “Haste makes waste” Read More
EssayIdiomUncorrected
Toru Sep 04, 2018Jan 01, 2024 0 Comments big, careless, carelessness, catastrophe, enemy, four-character, great, security

Yudan Taiteki (油断大敵 – Don’t Be Careless)

Yudan Taiteki 油断大敵 Previously, I introduced you to the word ‘yudan‘ (油断), which means to let one’s guard down or Read More
EssayEtymologyUncorrected
Toru Sep 03, 2018Jan 01, 2024 0 Comments bad, Buddha, careful, ghost, gods, harm, harmful, health, intemperance

Fusessei (不摂生 – Intemperance)

Fusessei 不摂生 These days I have lived a lifestyle called ‘fusessei‘ (不摂生). 最近私は「不摂生」な生活を送っています。 ‘Fu‘ (不) is a negative word, and Read More
ChinaEssayProverbUncorrected
Toru Sep 02, 2018Jan 01, 2024 0 Comments bad, bad news, evil, ill, length, run, spread, thing, thousand

Akuji Senri wo Hashiru (悪事千里を走る – Bad News has Wings)

Akuji Senri wo Hashiru 悪事千里を走る If you do bad things, the rumor will spread rapidly. 悪いことをしたとき、その噂というものは、すぐに広まってしまうものです。 To express such a Read More
DiaryUncorrected
Toru Sep 01, 2018 0 Comments birth, birth date, birthday, day, month, year

My 31st Birthday

My 31st Birthday 31歳の誕生日 Today is my 31th birthday. 今日は、私の31歳の誕生日です。 In the past several years, I have spent my birthday Read More
EssayProverbUncorrected
Toru Aug 31, 2018Jan 01, 2024 0 Comments bad thing, bee, cry, face, sting, unfortunate thing

Nakittsura ni Hachi (泣きっ面に蜂 – Adding Insult to Injury)

Nakittsura ni Hachi 泣きっ面に蜂 Yesterday, I introduced you to the expression ‘fundari kettari‘ (踏んだり蹴ったり), which means that one bad thing Read More
EtymologyIdiomUncorrected
Toru Aug 30, 2018Jan 01, 2024 0 Comments bad luck, bad thing, kick, misfortune, tread, undesirable

Fundari Kettari (踏んだり蹴ったり – A Streak of Bad Luck)

Fundari Kettari 踏んだり蹴ったり Today was a day described as ‘fundari kettari‘ (踏んだり蹴ったり) to me. 今日は「踏んだり蹴ったり」な一日でした。 Fundari kettari is an expression Read More
EssayEtymologyHistoryJapanese traditionUncorrected
Toru Aug 29, 2018Jan 01, 2024 0 Comments bowel, child, discharge, Edo, evacuate, jerry, oval gold coin, portable indoor toilet, potty, tiger, urine, wood

Omaru (おまる – Jerry/Potty)

Omaru おまる In Japan, we call portable indoor toilets ‘omaru‘ (おまる). 室内用の携帯型便器のことを、日本語で「おまる」と言います。 ‘O‘ (お) is a polite prefix, and ‘maru‘ Read More
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  • Jinsei Yama Ari Tani Ari (人生山あり谷あり – Life Has Its Ups and Downs)
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