The Kanji For Man In Japanese

The kanji for man in Japanese is easy to learn and memorize.

The word for man is otoko and it looks like this 男. It is really made of two other kanji stacked one on top of the other. The kanji on top is the word for field, ta or 田. The kanji on bottom is the symbol for power, chikara or 力. We can easily remember the kanji for otoko by thinking of a powerful person working in the field. I think chikara 力 looks like a sword on a samurai who is very powerful. Field, or 田 is just a box cut into quarters like a rice field would be divided. To make the otoko, or man kanji, just put a field, or 田on top of power, or力. 

In review, the word for man in Japanese is otoko, and it looks like this 男.
In hiragana otoko is おとこ.  

Towards Better Japanese Ganbatte ne! Do Your Best! Makurasuki

Quick and Easy Japanese Vocabulary Learning - Mai Everything

The kanji for every, or Mai

Learn these useful words that all begin with mai or every -

毎- まい - mai – every

毎日 - まいにち - mainichi –every day
毎晩 - まいばん - maiban – every night
毎週 - まいしゅう - maishu^ - every week
毎月 - まいつき - maitsuki – every month
毎年 - まいねん - mainen - every year
毎度 - まいど - maido – every time
毎朝 - まいあさ maiasa – every morning


Towards Better Japanese
Ganbatte ne!
Do Your Best!
Makurasuki

Telling the Time in Japanese - Hour Counters in Japanese

To say, "What time is it?" in Japanese say
Nanji desu ka?

If it is eight o'clock you can then answer with the word now or ima 今

Ima hachiji desu (今 八時 です) - It is now eight o'clock.

The hour counter in Japanese is ji or 時

ichiji - one o'clock
niji - two o'clock
sanji - three o'clock
yoji - four o'clock
goji - five o'clock
rokuji - six o'clock
shichiji - seven o'clock
hachiji - eight o'clock
kuji - nine o'clock
juuji - ten o'clock
juuichiji - eleven o'clock
juuniji - twelve o'clock

nanji? - what hour?
何時 - what hour?

一 時 - one o'clock
二 時 - two o'clock
三 時 - three o'clock
四 時 - four o'clock
五 時 - five o'clock
六 時 - six o'clock
七 時 - seven o'clock
八 時 - eight o'clock
九 時 - nine o'clock
十 時 - ten o'clock
十一 時 - eleven o'clock
十二 時 - twelve o'clock

Towards Better Japanese Ganbatte ne! Do Your Best! Makurasuki

3 Japanese phrases we just don't have in English

Many words in Japanese don’t have exact, equivalent translations in English. Japan has a very old national history dating back to at least 600 A.D. The Japanese language has been evolving since even before that time. Customs and traditions are different and unique to each country’s environment and history. Words, phrases, and expressions also are unique to each country's environment and history. Here are 3 Japanese phrases that have evolved in Japan that we just don't have in English. I have included a rough estimation of their meanings.

(御) お- 世話 様 でした – O SEWA SAMA DESHITA – You did a terribly awfully nice favor for me and I am completely grateful and you really helped a lot.

御 苦労 様 でした - GO KURO^ SAMA DESHITA – You worked very hard today and we pay thee much respect and thanks for your hard efforts, it must have been a lot of hard work but good going and thanks.

御 疲れ 様 でした - O TSUKARE SAMA DESHITA - You tired yourself out and did a great job. Thanks for the great work you have done.

Useful Japanese Adjectives

Below are some common Japanese adjectives that I have found most useful.

可愛 kawai かわい - cute
恐い kowai こわい - scary
近い chikai ちかい - close
鋭い surudoi するどい sharp
賢い kashikoi かしこい - smart

堅い katai かたい - hard
短い mijikai みじかい - short
細い hosoi ほそい - narrow
長い nagai ながい - long
明るい akarui あかるい - bright

太い futoi ふとい - fat
厚い atsui あつい - thick
熱い atsui あつい - hot
寒い samui さむい – cold
涼しい suzushii すずしい – cool

激しい hageshii はげしい - violent
難し muzukashii むつ"かしい - difficult
簡単 kantan かんたん – easy
眠い nemui ねむい - sleepy
眠たい nemutai ねむたい - sleepy

低い hikui ひくい - low
高い takai たかい - tall
珍しい mezurashii めずらしい - rare
大きい ookii おおきいい - big
小さい chiisai ちいさい – small

古い furui ふるい - old
若い wakai わかい - young
広い hiroi ひろい - wide
安い yasui やすい - cheap, easy
目覚しい mezamashii めざましい - alert

凄い tsumetai つめたい - chilly
強い tsuyoi つよい - strong
弱い yowai よわい - weak
柔らかい yawarakai  やわらかい - soft
早い hayai  はやい - fast

遅いosoi - slow
重い omoi - heavy
暗い kurai くらい - dark
重たい omotai おもたい - heavy
軽い karui かるい - light (opposite of heavy)

恥ずかしい hazukashii はずかしい - embarassing
喧しいyakamashii やかましい – loud, obnoxious
静か shizuka しずか - quiet
素晴らしい subarashii すばらしい - wonderful
美味しい oishii おいしい – delicious

酸っぱいsuppai すっぱい - sour
甘い amai あまい - sweet
狭い semai せまい – narrow
悔しい kuyashii くやしい - vexing, mortifying
怪しいayashii あやしい - doubtful, suspicious

辛い tsurai つらい – hard, difficult
美しい utsukushi うつくし - beautiful
面白い omoshiroi おもしろい - interesting
力強い chikarazuyoi ちからずよい - powerful
かっこいい kakkoii – stylish, handsome

惜しい oshii おしい – regretful*

*Oshii is a neat little word - We can say oshii in situations where we might say darnit in English. For example, I would hear oshii a lot at the bowling alley when my bowling friends would miss a pin. They would say,"oshii", or "Darn I missed".

Japanese loan words - gairaigo

In Japanese, foreign words are heavily borrowed. I would almost venture to say that if you want to speak to a Japanese person, all you would have to do is say what you want in English but with a Japanese accent or pronunciation, and your communication would likely be understood. New words, or words that are borrowed from other countries have a special name in Japanese, they are called gairaigo. Gairaigo are words on loan from languages other than Japanese. Gairaigo are numerous and grow as new words pop up in the world. The word for computer and Ipod are included in this list of gairaigo. Let me give you a few examples:

Spoon - supun
Fork - fouku
Ball - bouru
Door - doa
Curtain - kaaten
Card - kaado
Toaster - tosuta
Juice - juusu
Computer - konpyuuta
Ipod - aipoddo
etc.

...the list goes on and on.

Another word for stomach and its uses

There is another word for belly. It is not honorific. It is the word hara.

Hara is a plain form of the honorific o-naka 中
hara 腹 はら- the belly, the stomach

Here are some uses of hara -

hara ga itamu 腹が痛む - to have stomach pains 腹 はら

hara o tateru 腹を立てる- to get or become upset; angry

hara ga tatsu - when speaking of one's self - That upsets me, or that really ticks me off or that really "p***es me off" etc.

An easy way to remember the other Japanese word for stomach, o-naka, would be to think

You onaka'd up!" (お-中ed up) You are knocked up!


Towards Better Japanese Ganbatte ne! Do Your Best! Makurasuki

Review of question words in Japanese

Let's learn how to say, " Who?, What?, Where?, When? and How many?" in Japanese
Learn these basic Japanese question words -

dare? - Who?
nani? - What?
doko? - Where?
itsu? - When?
ikutsu? How many?


bonus word -
naze? - Why?

Past tense Hakata ben

You might hear the following past tense phrases at the Hakata eki:

Here is past tense of nan shiyo^ to? 何しようとう? or "What are you doing" in Hakata ben.

What were you doing (right now)? 何しようったとう? Nan shiyotta to?

Another example often heard in the Hakata region might be -
doko ni ikiyo^ to? どこに往きようとう?
or "Where are you going?" and again in past tense this sentence would be doko ni ikiyo^tta to?

Now for formal Japanese this is appalling grammar so it is to be used only in congenial situations as you would have amongst good friends or family members. This wouldn't be casually said to a stranger or someone you just met.

Japanese Grammar conclusion by looking at today's examples
to^ is the question marker and could be substituted for the participle ka か.

Some interesting Japanese words

Here are some interesting Japanese words for your enjoyment

Kashikomarimashita - I totally understand and will do as you command

Ton Demo Nai - no sweat, it aint nothing

o-Sewa ni natte kudasaimashite taihen arigatou gozaimasu - thanks for going out of your way for me, I am extremely thankful

oshii - darnit

yoshii - yay!

oi - hey

arya - oh man

o-negai moshiagemasu - I humbly ask it of you

O-kyaku-sama - guests, houseguests

Irrashaimase - welcome

Haizara - ashtray

O negai dekimasu ka? - you think you could do it for me?

Shitsurei shimasu - I am sorry

Rusu ni shite orimasu - I am not in right now, nobody is home

Go-chiso sama deshita - what a great meal

Itadakimasu - I humbly partake



Towards Better Japanese Ganbatte ne! Do Your Best! Makurasuki

The words for Honey and Bee in Japanese

Continuing with our subject on insects (bugs) - I want to talk a little today on two Japanese words that are basically one and the same word - The words for Bee and the word for Honey are basically one word made up of two kanji that when put in reverse say the same thing - Let me show you what I mean -

Honey - Hachimitsu ( 蜂蜜 )
Bee - Mitsubachi ( 蜜蜂 )

Let us take the words apart - In Japanese the word for Honey is made up of the two parts HACHI + MITSU so that

Honey = HACHI + MITSU 蜂 + 蜜

and the word for Bee is made up of the same two parts with an H being replaced by a B
so that

Bee = MITSU + BACHI 蜜 + 蜂

CLICK HERE to go to some pages that I have made before explaining the grammar of why the H has hardened into its B form - Actually in this case it is the HA syllable which has transformed into its BA equivalent form

Remember that HA は

with the ten ten marks becomes BA ば, and the HA syllable in its next transformation with the degree symbol becomes ぱ, or PA.

There is an natural order it seems as IPA diagrams and charts will show us. These syllable transformations are not singulary a Japanese linguistical feature - This sort of syllable transformation appears in other languages also - Therefore remember this order of Japanese syllable transformation for the HA ( は )syllable -

は (HA)--> ば(BA), and ぱ(PA)

so in the case of the words for Honey and Bee, In Japanese Bee is the word Honey backwards and Honey is the word for Bee backwards. I thought I might share this because it makes Japanese a fun language to learn, it also shows that Japanese isn't too complicated and within reach of any person who seeks earnestly to become fluent in it.

Next time we will take a closer look at the kanji for ant and bee to see what kind of similiarities we may find to help us on our quest towards Better Japanese

Here are some more links for you on the double consonant linguistical feature as found in today's study.

www.scribd.com/doc/4065824/Japanese-Pronunciaton-Guide

hubpages.com/hub/Japanese-Double-Consonants

zimbio.com/member/brettkun/articles/2981667/Japanese+Double+Consonants
Ganbatte ne!
Do Your Best!
Makurasuki

The word for ladybug and snail in Japanese

I happened to see a lady bug in my front lawn or yard and since it the season of spring is basically here in my new state of Georgia, I thought about posting the Japanese word which is てんとう虫 for all Japanetics users.

I also was thinking about the word (ladybug) and how it may have came to be etymologically. I mean we have words like dandelion which have the word lion in them - is it because the dandelion looks like the tail of a lion? perhaps... then what about the word - ladybug - Does it look like or act like a lady in some way? perhaps...

I also wanted to post here the word for snail かたつむり since it is so slow and since the French find them appetizing, and used in so many different ways in English, it might also be useful in Japanese.

This much I do find useful - the word mushi 虫 is often used in Japan and I love its kanji which actually looks like a bug - for example the word for rotted tooth or cavity is 虫歯 or mushiba - together that would be bug tooth.

in summary the words for today's Japanese lesson are

1. ladybug - or てんとう虫 tento^ mushi
2. tooth cavity - 虫歯 - mushiba
3. snail - かたつむり - katatsumuri

* saying katatsumuri outloud makes me feel sluggish especially the tsumu part --- yuck!@#$% I can see the snail trail from here! Yikes!



Towards Better Japanese
Ganbatte ne!
Do Your Best!
Makurasuki

Genki?

How are you?
I am fine, thank you.

Genki desu ka?
Hai, genki desu.

How ya doin'?
Genki?




Genki also could mean your general status as in
genki ga nai or I'm down.

Towards Better Japanese
Ganbatte ne!
Do Your Best!
Makurasuki

Some Japanese Words for The Day

tsumari - in summary,
awabi - shell fish
kaki - persimmon
butai - the stage
kuchibiru - lips
kuchibeni 口紅 ga eri ni tsuita 付いた - lipstick got left on the collar
tashika ni 確かに- for sure
ikanai kagiri 行かない限り- to the extent that (I) don't go.
chigau to omou - It's different I think.
chigau tomou - I think it's different.
iranai! - I don't want any!
so^ iu kako^ - that kind of dress
sugoku kiken - extremely dangerous
hijo^ ni abunai 非常に危ない - extremely dangerous
sore wa nenrei towa mattaku kankei (nai)aru それは年齢とは全く関係ない
- has something (nothing) to do with age.


Towards Better Japanese
Ganbatte ne!
Do Your Best!
Makurasuki

Japanese Grammar Practice for fun

Japanese Grammar Plug and Play
Japanese Lesson #89– Verb (Base I) + ZU NI IRARENAI (Verb + ず に いられない)
(I can’t help but verb)

Today’s Japanese grammar lesson makes use of verbs in Base I. Verbs put into base I always end with the syllable, A (あ) (Pronounced aw as in awful, or awesome). We could think of verbs in Base I as links to negative states or conditions in verbs. Verbs in Base I are usually followed by the word NAI ( ない)- Nai is comparable to the English word not. For example, in English, we say that we can do something or we can not do something, or we say that we will do something, or, will not do something.

- As verbs in Base III tend toward affirmative, verb in Base I tend toward the negative -

The verb to be able to, or, DEKIRU (できる) in base III is positive affirmative, while DEKINAI, which is DEKIRU in Base I + nai is not positive nor affirmative, but negative. Base I forms are like linkage for putting words in their not positive, not affirmative conditions.

DEKINAI (できない) is to CAN’T as
DEKIRU (できる) is to CAN.

SHINAI (しない) is to WON’T DO as
SURU (する) is to WILL DO.

In order to put verbs into bases, it’s necessary to understand the difference between Ichidan 一段verbs ( vowel stemmed verbs) and Yo^dan ようだん or Godan verbs (consonant stemmed verbs). I was taught that there exists three types of verbs but these types are unrelated to the three types of English verbs. In English, the three types of verbs are passive, active and forms of the copula- to be. In Japanese you have kami ichidan katsuyo verbs, godan katsuyo verbs and irregular verbs.


Examples:

1. KANASHIKATTA NODE NAKAZU NI IRARENAI -
悲しかったので泣かずにいられない
I was so sad, I couldn’t help but cry.

NAKU ( 泣く)– v. to cry
in Base I – NAKA ( 泣か)
NAKA + ZU + NI IRARENAI 泣かずにいられない

2. GAMAN DEKINAKUNATTA NODE KAERAZU NI IRARENAI –
我慢できなくなったので帰らずにいられない
Things got so bad, I couldn’t take it anymore. I couldn’t help but go back home.

KAERU ( 帰る)– v. to return home, to go back
in Base I, KAERA ( 帰ら)
KAERA + ZU NI IRARENAI 帰らずにいられない

3. TAIHEN BYO^KI NI NATTA NODE, HAKIDASAZU NI IRARENAI –
大変病気になったので吐き出さずにいられない
I got so sick I couldn’t help but throw-up.

HAKIDASU (吐き出す) – v. to throw up, vomit, spit out
in Base I, HAKIDASA (吐き出さ)
HAKIDASA+ ZU NI IRARENAI 吐き出さずにいられない

4. KIITE ITA ONGAKU WA SUGOKU OMOSHIROKATTA NODE, ODORAZU NI IRARENAI –
聞いていた音楽は凄く面白かったので躍らずにいられない
The music was we were listening to was so good, I couldn’t help but dance.

ODORU ( 躍る)– v. To dance
in Base I, ODORA (躍ら)
ODORA + ZU NI IRARENAI 躍らずにいられない


These examples are extreme to show that you can make up any type of sentence you want using the grammar practice constructions and it will benefit your Japanese language skills immensely useful. There you have it! Another plug and play grammar principle you can use to add to your arsenal of Japanese language weaponry, which, depending on you, can take you yet another step towards better Japanese.

As Always,
Ganbatte Ne! 頑張ってね!
Do Your Best!
Makurasuki マクラスキー


http://squidoo.com/ichinisan
learn to count in Japanese

http://squidoo.com/ghettogrammar
some quick Japanese grammar

http://eikaiwa.blogspot.com
Reverse English learning for Japanese Speakers

http://saketalkie.blogspot.com candid discussions on all sorts of Japanese topics especially how to speak Japanese

http://japanetics.blogspot.com
study Japanese with the help of you- Super Japanese accelerated language learning 3 cubed

for other language speakers that want to learn Japanese, try the following

http://italianjapanese.blogspot.com
or
http://spanishjapanese.blogspot.com

or
http://russianjapanese.blogspot.com



Towards Better Japanese
Ganbatte ne!
Do Your Best!
Makurasuki

Japanese grammar fun

Japanese Wish Making
How to make wishes in Japanese

Japanese Grammar Lesson #98

How to Make Wishes in Japanese or

How to say , "If I could only. . . " in Japanese.

Base IV + ba ii no ni or

A Japanese verb in its conditional state + ii no ni

To wish (something), (I wish I could verb, despite not being able to although it is so cool.)

To make sentences that will express your wishes or longing for something put a Japanese verb into its conditional state and add ii noni. I always took noni as meaning, "In spite of" or "Despite something." "ii" is the word for good, so that yoi could be used or even other adjectives of different shapes and sizes.

For this construction, any Japanese verb in its condtional form conditional will suffice for this lesson's construction. The use of nara is also acceptable. So that you could have-noun nara ii noni etc.The Japanese conditional being either a verb in base IViku ? ik(e) (baseIV) + ba = ikeba or if (I) go or verb in base TA + RA, so that iku in base ta =itta,  itta + ra or ittara

The verb iku in base IV is iko^- add the conditional extendor ba to the base so that ike+ba=ikebaIkeba ii no ni -It would have been cool if I could have went, or I wish I could have gone. Literally this phrase means something more like Despite it being good, if I go.In the same way you may say it this way, iku in base TA is itta- add ra to form the conditional.

So that itta + ra = ittara- than add ii no ni to complete the phrase that you wish would happen.Below are some examples to get you going. Make your own interesting sentences. Make questions out of them. Use them in Japan on real Japanese people to test them out and make sure they work. You never know what you might be able to say with your new grammar construction for making wishes in Japanese.

Examples:

1. Yasukattara ii noni - I sure hope it is cheap, (lit. if it were cheap it would be good despite the fact that its probably not.)

2. Ittara ii noni or ikeba ii noni or - I wish I could go

3. Kirei dattara or kirei nara ii noni or - If she were cute that would be cool, or I hope she is pretty. (lit. Despite it being good if (she) is pretty.)

4. Shicchan ga ittara ii noni - it would be cool if shi chan (a girl whose name starts with Shi)

5. Mite mireba ii noni. - I wish you would go check it out. or It would be cool if you could go look at it.

6. Okane mochi nara ii noni - "I wish I were rich", or "If only I had a lot of money how nice things would be." etc.

As always,Ganbatte ne!

Do Your Best!

x dake ja naku y (mo)

X dake ja naku Y (mo) – Not only X, but y (also)

 The word dake (pronounced dah - kay) means only. Ja naku is one form of the negative present copula “to be”. Ja naku is an abbreviated version of the more formal expression for “isn’t” dewa nakute, or dewa naku. Dewa has over the years become ja for all intents and purposes. So this is a good point to remember-  as dewa tends toward the contracted form ja, other Japanese words that start with the sound d tend toward j forms when in contraction.

Examples

Ringo dake ja naku banana mo kaimashita.
Not only apples but I also bought banana’s.

kohii dake ja naku o-cha mo suki desu.
Not only coffee but I also like tea.


Towards Better Japanese
Ganbatte ne!
Do Your Best!
Makurasuki

O hiru Ne

o hiru ne o suru - to take a nap -

o hiru ne - the ol' honorific afternoon sleep

Towards Better Japanese
Ganbatte ne!
Do Your Best!
Makurasuki

jidohanbaiki - the japanese vending machine

Jidohanbaiki are Japanese vending machines. There are many, many different types of these machines in daily use in Japan. My experiences with vending machines have come mainly from staying in hotels in the US. From a vending machine in the U.S., I can usually get a variety of soft drinks, gum, candy, or chips. In Japan, the sky is the limit as to what is sold in a vending machine. I have seen batteries, flowers, umbrellas, ice cream, ramen, toys, energy drinks, beer, cigarettes, rice, bait for fishing, cameras, videos, and even rhinoceros beetles all sold from a vending machine or jidohanbaiki.

Let's learn the word for vending machine in Japanese.
The word for vending machine in Japanese is jidohanbaiki 自動販売機.

Let's break that word down and see what it really means-

自動 
jido - self operating or automated

販売
hanbai - sell, to sell

機

ki - a machine

Put it all together and you have an automatic selling machine or vending machine, and I can tell you, Japan has some strange ones.

How to say dog and cat in Japanese

The word for dog in Japanese is inu.
The word for cat in Japanese is neko.

犬
inu - dog

猫 
neko - cat

We can make two new words from the words for cat and dog. If we want to make the word for puppy and kitten, all we have to do is add the word for small or ko 小.

小 + 犬  = 小犬, koinu
small + dog = puppy

小 + 猫 = 小猫, koneko
small + cat = kitten

In review:

inu - dog
neko - cat
koinu - puppy
koneko - kitten