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Tag Archives: Japanese
Itsudemo: Anytime, But Not Anywhere
Itsu demo (いつでも） The Japanese word “itsu demo” (いつでも) has two very distinct parts. Itsu (何時、いつ) is represented by kanji that literally read, “what time”. Dictionaries say “demo” means but or however, but that is not how it is applied here. … Continue reading
Nagaimo: A Staple of Japanese Cuisine
Nagaimo The nagaimo (長芋、ながいも), or Dioscorea opposita, is also known as the Chinese yam or Korean yam. The first kanji is “long”; the second is best read as “yam”. Yams long predated potatoes in Japanese cuisine.
Social Graces in Japan: A Quick Lesson
The Situations This is an exchange between different characters of the Japan-produced video game, Tales of Rebirth, which sadly never made it to America. These are loose translations I am providing to illustrate the situations, both involving a newly joined … Continue reading
Deshou as Interjection: Making a Statement
Two schoolgirls talking about Sean Penn. Schoolgirl #1: “Sean Penn is so cool!” Schoolgirl #2: “He sure is!” Two Japanese schoolgirls talking about Sean Penn. Schoolgirl #1: “Sean Penn wa kakkou ii yo ne!” Schoolgirl #2: “Deshou!” What Just Happened … Continue reading
The Language of Nature, Oct. 15 2011
Changing My Approach Truth be told, the demand for learning Japanese is pretty anemic in the West. I had hoped for more, but more has simply not materialized. What I will do is use language as a tool, prop, sock … Continue reading
Miyamoto Musashi’s “Book of Five Rings”
A Book For All Times and Cultures Today, I will write a few words about Miyamoto Musash’s “Book of Five Rings,” a book I have read in translated form… as even I have not studied enough medieval Japanese to be … Continue reading
Some Things Just Snowball
A Comparison In Pictures A Daruma (doll). A group of yukidaruma . Yuki means “snow,” and “daruma” means, well, what you saw just above. Yukidaruma is Japanese for “snowman.” Japanese snowmen traditionally have one big snowball for the body, rather … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Japan, Japanese
Tagged daruma, Japan, Japanese, snowman, Yuki, yukidaruma
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Using Sushi to Teach Japanese
A Matter of Taste Last Tuesday, I was finally able to implement a plan for a Japanese lesson I’d had my heart set on: using sushi to teach Japanese vocabulary. It was a strong success. Somehow, people just remember things … Continue reading
Teaching Japanese Verbs Well
A Successful Experiment For someone not intending to mess with the written Japanese language, verbs, or doushi (動詞), are one of the largest hurdles to forming one’s own sentences in Japanese. Forming sentences is a major positive step for the … Continue reading
