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Tuesday, January 20, 2026
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  • 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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ChinaDiaryEssayEtymologyKanjiUncorrected
Toru Aug 01, 2018Jan 01, 2024 0 Comments character, hand, letter, technique, toilet paper

Tegami (手紙 – Letter)

Tegami 手紙 A paper, on which messages or information is written, is called “letter” in English, whereas it is called Read More
CultureEssayJapanese traditionUncorrected
Toru Jul 31, 2018Jan 01, 2024 0 Comments coarse, low-grade, respect, tea, visitor

Socha (粗茶 – “Coarse Tea”)

Socha 粗茶 In Japan, when serving tea to visitors, we sometimes say “socha desuga” (粗茶ですが). 日本では、来客にお茶を出す際に「粗茶ですが」と言うことがあります。 Since ‘so‘ (粗) means Read More
EssayEtymologyOnomatopoeiaUncorrected
Toru Jul 30, 2018Jan 01, 2024 0 Comments barely, close, deadline, limit, out, time

Giri-giri (ぎりぎり – “Barely”)

Giri-giri ぎりぎり Today I ‘giri-giri‘ (ぎりぎり – “barely”) met a deadline. 私は今日、ある締め切りに「ぎりぎり」間に合いました。 Giri-giri is an onomatopoeia that represents that something Read More
ChinaEssayEtymologyKanjiUncorrected
Toru Jul 29, 2018Jan 01, 2024 0 Comments character, dynasty, era, Han, kanji, period

Kanji (漢字 – “Chinese Character”)

Kanji 漢字 Japanese people often use ‘kanji’ (漢字), which are characters born in China. 日本人は、中国発祥の文字である「漢字」をよく使います。 The term kanji is written Read More
DiaryScienceUncorrected
Toru Jul 28, 2018 0 Comments atmosphere, headache, pressure, typhoon, website

Tyhoon No. 12

Tyhoon No. 12 台風12号 It is raining cats and gods. 激しい雨が降っています。 This is because Typhoon No. 12 is approaching. 台風12号が近づいているからです。 Read More
EssayKanjiUncorrected
Toru Jul 27, 2018Jan 01, 2024 0 Comments beef, desire, feeling, mountain

Yamayama (山々 – Mountains)

Yamayama 山々 “Yama” (山) means “mountains,” and the kanji 々 means a repetition of the last character. 「山」は “mountain,” 漢字「々」は直前の漢字の繰り返しを意味します。 Read More
EssayEtymologyUncorrected
Toru Jul 26, 2018Jan 01, 2024 0 Comments cockroach, dish, eating utensils, gnaw, hide, wear

Gokiburi (ゴキブリ – Cockroach)

Gokiburi ゴキブリ Many people don’t like ‘gokiburi‘ (ゴキブリ – cockroach). 「ゴキブリ」は、多くの人間から嫌われています。 I talked about ‘gokiburi‘ a few times on Lang-8, Read More
EssayEtymologySlangUncorrected
Toru Jul 25, 2018Jan 01, 2024 0 Comments exam, failing grade, grade, red, school, score, test, university

Akaten (赤点 – Failing Grade)

Akaten 赤点 Have you ever gotten an ‘akaten‘ (赤点) on an exam? あなたはテストで「赤点」をとったことがありますか? Since ‘aka‘ (赤) means ‘red’ and ‘ten‘ Read More
EssayEtymologyOnomatopoeiaSlangUncorrected
Toru Jul 24, 2018Jan 01, 2024 0 Comments exhausted, heat, hot, humid, lethargy, summer, weather

Natsubate (夏バテ – Summer Lethargy)

Natsubate 夏バテ The hot humid weather has continued lately. 最近とても蒸し暑いです。 Please be careful not to become a state called ‘natsubate‘ Read More
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