Learning English and Japanese

For everyone learning English/Japanese

Toru Sep 29, 2016Jan 06, 2024 actor, atarru, daikon, etymology, food poisoning, ham actor, Japanese, performance, shiro, vegetable

Daikon Yakusha (Daikon Radish Actor)

Daikon Yakusha 大根役者 Yesterday, I talked about the word “daikon ashi” (daikon radish legs). 昨日は、大根足という言葉を紹介しました。 Today, I’d like to talk Read More

Culture Essay Etymology Idiom Japanese tradition Kanji Slang Uncorrected

Toru Sep 28, 2016Jan 06, 2024 compliment, daikon-ashi, expression, Japanese, legs, past, radish, slip of the tongue, thick, women

Daikon-ashi (Daikon Radish Legs)

Daikon-ashi 大根足 Today, I will talk about the Japanese word “daikon-ashi”. 今日は、「大根足」という言葉を紹介します。 The literal meaning is “daikon/Japanese radish legs”, and Read More

Animal Culture Essay Etymology Japanese tradition Science Uncorrected

Toru Sep 27, 2016Jan 06, 2024 brood pouches, dragons, eggs, females, heart-shaped, juveniles, males, romantic, seahorses, tatsu no otoshigo

Seahorses

Today, I will talk about the fish called “seahorses”, which have interesting shapes. タツノオトシゴ Seahorses are called “tatsu no otoshigo” Read More

Culture Essay Idiom Japanese tradition Proverb Uncorrected

Toru Sep 26, 2016Jan 06, 2024 inu mo arukeba bo ni ataru, Japanese proverb, kaho ha nete mate, unexpected fortune, unexpected misfortune

Inu mo arukeba bo ni ataru

Today, I’d like to talk about the famous Japanese proverb “inu mo arukeba bo ni ataru.” 犬も歩けば棒に当たる The literal translation Read More

Culture Essay Etymology Idiom Japanese tradition Onomatopoeia Slang Uncorrected

Toru Sep 25, 2016Jan 06, 2024 dialect, emphasis, excessive, Japanese, meanings, mucha-kucha, rhythm, similar, unreasonable, word

Mecha-kucha

Today, I will talk about the Japanese word “mucha-kucha”. むちゃくちゃ The “mucha” in “mucha-kucha” means that “something is unreasonable,” or Read More

Culture Essay Etymology Idiom Japanese tradition Proverb Uncorrected

Toru Sep 24, 2016Jan 06, 2024 burnt stone, derivation, effort, evaporate, eye-drops, help, Japanese proverb, literal meaning, nikai kara megusuri, Yakeishi ni mizu

Yakeishi ni Mizu

Today, I will talk about the Japanese proverb “yakeishi ni mizu.” 焼け石に水 The literal meaning is “water to a burnt Read More

Culture Essay Etymology Japanese tradition Kanji Science Uncorrected

Toru Sep 23, 2016Jan 06, 2024 animals, body, humans, Japanese, kanji, karada, mind, physical, shintai, word

Karada (Body)

Karada からだ Today, I’d like to talk about the Japanese word “karada”, which has two different kanji. 今日は、二つの異なる漢字表記を持つ日本語「からだ」を紹介します。 The most Read More