Category Archives: Japanese

Japanese Culture: Geisha, A Term Of Art

芸者 (げいしゃ、geisha) Let’s start with a bang: Geisha is a gender-neutral term in the original Japanese. This word is actually quite simple, combining 芸 (“gei,” lit. performance) with 者 (“sha,” lit. “person who does ___”). Thus, the word itself suggests a … Continue reading

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Japanese Culture: Hontai (Main Force – Military Lingo)

A Simple Concept When Put Simply This is an idea used in military strategy, including any video game hailing from Asia. That this is technically Japanese is almost besides the point; the idea goes back to ancient China, to the … Continue reading

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Learning Through Lyrics: Part 10

Line Ten trust me おろしてみればいい そう                       君のために 僕がいるんだ Translation trust me /  just put it down and see                yes, I’m right here … Continue reading

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Learning Through Lyrics: Part 9

Line Nine trust me この想いほどけないから                my dear 抱えた荷物 Translation Trust me / these feelings will never come apart       my dear / that baggage you carried Vocabulary & Grammar Notes Kono … Continue reading

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Learning Through Lyrics: Part 8

Line Eight I’m here どこにいたって                     call me ひとつになれる Translation I’m here / no matter where you are          call me / we’ll become one Vocabulary & Grammar … Continue reading

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Japanese Business Culture: Five Steps For Building Trust

Trust Matters. You cannot do business in Japan to any serious degree without getting people to trust you. Here are five simple steps – I won’t call them easy – that you can follow to make your task less difficult. … Continue reading

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Japanese Business Culture: What The Japanese Side Wants To Hear

Broadly speaking, we all want to make a sales pitch. It’s a difficult habit to resist. We want to put the best spin on our company’s talents and resources and present everything in as positive a light as possible. We … Continue reading

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Profiles in Anime: Shiki

A Vampire Drama “Shiki” began as a novel written by Fuyumi Oni, whose chief claim to fame is writing the “Twelve Kingdoms” novels. (I have yet to read these, but I am told they are very interesting. I am aware … Continue reading

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Learning Through Lyrics: Part 7

We’re already up to part #7! Yes, it’s a long work in progress, but explaining things the right way takes time. Line Seven 変わることのない       愛はきっとここにある Translation That’s not something that’ll change          surely there … Continue reading

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Learning Through Lyrics: Part 6

Line Six 何度も伝えたい        君はひとりじゃない Translation I want to tell you over and over              you’re not alone Vocabulary & Grammar Notes Nando mo Japanese: なんども、何度も。 The first kanji is the “nan” as … Continue reading

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