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{ "accepted_answer_id": "412", "answer_count": 1, "body": "When I was studying this, my 先生 kind of brushed over the point, and then years\nlater, I realize that they are different, but I don't know exactly how.\n\nThe only thing I understand is that ので is more polite. I suppose that's\nbecause ので isn't actually \"because\" like から, but more a nominalized statement\n(の) followed by (で), making it more indirect (and we all know that indirect\nmeans more polite in Japanese).\n\nAnyone have any more information on the pair?", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-02T12:23:15.230", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "411", "last_activity_date": "2012-08-23T22:42:35.660", "last_edit_date": "2012-08-23T22:42:35.660", "last_editor_user_id": "501", "owner_user_id": "87", "post_type": "question", "score": 27, "tags": [ "grammar", "nuances", "particles", "conjunctions" ], "title": "What are the differences between 〜ので and 〜から?", "view_count": 7559 }

[ { "body": "I find the best way to discriminate between these two is the following:\n\n * ～ので marks an objective cause: 電車が遅れたので、間に合わなかった。 The fact that the train ran late is an objective, verifiable fact. The emphasis of the sentence is not so much on the cause as it is on the effect (or the sentence as a whole).\n\n * ～から marks a subjective cause: 彼女はこれが好きそうだから、買ってあげよう。 The idea that she'll like this is the speaker's opinion, not an objective fact. The emphasis of the sentence is mostly on the cause.\n\nOften the shift in emphasis is enough to decide which to use. If you want to\ndraw attention to the effect (and give the cause an air of objectivity), use\n～ので. On the other hand, if you want to draw attention to the cause, use ～から.", "comment_count": 4, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-02T12:36:06.147", "id": "412", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-02T12:36:06.147", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "94", "parent_id": "411", "post_type": "answer", "score": 28 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "419", "answer_count": 2, "body": "I know that we say にっぽん instead of にほん when we want to inject a little\nnational pride into the word, but I've never had a good understanding of the\ndifference in meaning/nuance/usage between やはり and やっぱり.\n\nI would guess that there is some variation in some combination of politeness,\nformality, familiarity etc, but I haven't had enough experiences with them to\npin down where they sit on that graph.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-02T13:00:21.600", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "418", "last_activity_date": "2017-02-08T06:14:04.907", "last_edit_date": "2017-02-08T06:14:04.907", "last_editor_user_id": "9831", "owner_user_id": "33", "post_type": "question", "score": 19, "tags": [ "nuances" ], "title": "What's the difference in usage and nuance between やはり and やっぱり?", "view_count": 4605 }

[ { "body": "やっぱり「矢っ張り」 is a bit stronger in sense than やはり「矢張り」, but most of the time, it\nis a personal preference.\n\nThere are some more versions of やはり like\n\nやっぱし、やっぺし、やっぴし、and also やっぱ is widely used.", "comment_count": 3, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-02T13:08:27.767", "id": "419", "last_activity_date": "2016-02-14T05:43:46.753", "last_edit_date": "2016-02-14T05:43:46.753", "last_editor_user_id": "9831", "owner_user_id": "100", "parent_id": "418", "post_type": "answer", "score": 11 }, { "body": "やはり is more formal (e.g. appropriate for superiors & business). People say\nやっぱり all the time, including in business.\n\nWritten scholarly works would most certainly use やはり. Shibuya gals would most\ncertainly use やっぱり. There's a wide range in between.", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-02T13:08:44.837", "id": "420", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-02T13:08:44.837", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "87", "parent_id": "418", "post_type": "answer", "score": 16 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "435", "answer_count": 3, "body": "When are なんて and なんか used as emphasis in casual speech? Are they used when\nyou're surprised, angry or can it be both? What sort of feeling does it convey\nto the listener compared to a normal sentence without it.\n\nFor example, in the following 3 sentences I'm not entirely sure what the \"なんて”\nand ”なんか” are expressing.\n\n> こんな[所]{ところ}におばけなんていねーよ。 There are no ghosts in a place like this.\n>\n> [彼女]{かのじょ}が[結婚]{けっこん}したなんてちっとも[知]{し}らなかった。 I had no idea she got married.\n>\n> [私]{わたし}なんか3[枚]{まい}のレポートも[書]{か}けない。 I cannot even write a 3 page report.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-02T13:12:59.707", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "421", "last_activity_date": "2019-11-20T19:46:50.290", "last_edit_date": "2020-06-17T08:18:27.500", "last_editor_user_id": "-1", "owner_user_id": "108", "post_type": "question", "score": 41, "tags": [ "grammar", "particles" ], "title": "Usage of なんて and なんか as emphasis", "view_count": 14151 }

[ { "body": "They are basically \"weak\" form of は in this context. My grammar book says\n「〜を大切ではないと考えている（軽視する）時の言葉」. Basically when you're kind of ignoring the\nimportance of, or even slightly putting down, the topic of the sentence.\n愛なんか要らない。(I don't need love!)\n\nSo like for your first example to me sounds like, \"There's no stupid ghosts\naround here\" (like almost taunting any that might be there). Or the second one\nhas the tone of \"Well, I had no idea she got married, but whatever.\"\n\nThe usage is [微妙]{び・みょう}. Don't overuse it, or you'll sound like you're better\nthan everyone/everything. Especially don't use it if something **needs** to\nhave importance placed on it.", "comment_count": 4, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 4.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-02T14:25:40.073", "id": "435", "last_activity_date": "2019-11-20T19:46:50.290", "last_edit_date": "2019-11-20T19:46:50.290", "last_editor_user_id": "78", "owner_user_id": "78", "parent_id": "421", "post_type": "answer", "score": 22 }, { "body": "@istrasci's answer is well-formed from the grammar perspective, but a little\nhistory of the words themselves:\n\nなんて is actually a contracted form of 等（など）という.\n\nSo in your example:\n\n> こんな所におばけなんていねーよ\n\nThere are no ghosts (or anything similar to ghosts).\n\nI can see how that's a \"strengthener\" because you're not only talking about\nおばけ specifically, but any sort of おばけ-like things :).\n\nなんか, on the other hand, is a contracted form of 何か, meaning \"something\". I see\nなんか as more of a filler than なんて, but I do agree that they're often used\ninterchangeably, despite being different words.", "comment_count": 3, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-02T22:40:43.900", "id": "450", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-02T22:40:43.900", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "87", "parent_id": "421", "post_type": "answer", "score": 25 }, { "body": "I make a whole reply, but this is somehow a comment to @makdad's own answer.\n\nFirst, you shouldn't grammatically be able to interchange なんて and なんか, since\nthey have different grammatical functions.\n\n## なんて\n\nなんて goes before a noun since \"AなんてB\" is \"the A which is a sort of B\". So the\ncorrect sentence would rather be\n\nお化けなんてものはいないよ. \nThere are no _such things as_ ghosts!\n\n## なんか\n\nなんか goes before a verb, adjective… and is rather an interjection. \nこれ、なんか変だろう！ \nThis thing, _eh_ , weird isn't it?\n\nこんな所にお化けなんかいねー \n_Ghosts?_ Here? You must be crazy!", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-07-09T11:57:48.830", "id": "1823", "last_activity_date": "2011-07-09T11:57:48.830", "last_edit_date": "2020-06-17T08:18:27.500", "last_editor_user_id": "-1", "owner_user_id": "356", "parent_id": "421", "post_type": "answer", "score": 8 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "1758", "answer_count": 4, "body": "While it is generally safe to use -さん when taking to someone and the use of\n-先生 is appropriate for use in a school environment when talking to a teacher,\nwould the use of -先生 carry over outside of the school environment if encounter\nthe person under different circumstances?\n\nFor example, while the use of the honorifics is pretty obvious in a school\nenvironment, suppose the teacher of one of the classes starts to learn a new\nmartial art where one of their students holds a higher rank within the art,\nhow would this affect the use of honorifics?", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-02T13:35:19.473", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "423", "last_activity_date": "2015-07-31T23:33:57.573", "last_edit_date": "2015-07-31T23:33:57.573", "last_editor_user_id": "1628", "owner_user_id": null, "post_type": "question", "score": 12, "tags": [ "honorifics", "names" ], "title": "Is the use of 先生 and similar titles context sensitive?", "view_count": 844 }

[ { "body": "If you talk to a teacher, it is always appropriate to use -先生. If you are a\nstudent and talk to a teacher, you should always use -先生, even outside the\nschool. If you are a teacher and talk to a fellow teacher, depending on the\nrelation (you are a boss or the other teacher is a boss, you are younger or\nolder etc.), it may be also acceptable to address the other teacher as -さん.", "comment_count": 3, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-02T14:02:21.923", "id": "430", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-02T14:02:21.923", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "15", "parent_id": "423", "post_type": "answer", "score": 6 }, { "body": "The use of ~先生 is a bit wider.\n\nUsually it's adopted for doctors, teachers and professors, but can also be\nused for politicians, martial arts masters, etc. So, with anybody that has a\nknowledge superior to ours, or better, with anyone who has achieved a certain\nlevel of mastery or skills in a certain field or that are very popular; so,\nalso movie directors, writers and even mangaka are included.\n\nUnlike most other suffixes, \"~先生\" can be used alone, without a name before it.\nSo you can say \"和子先生\" or simply \"先生\".\n\nIf you are addressing an older student in an academic setting, however, you\nuse \"先輩\" (=Senpai).", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-02T14:06:19.440", "id": "431", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-02T14:06:19.440", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "37", "parent_id": "423", "post_type": "answer", "score": 3 }, { "body": "My experience has been very similar to what @Tsuyoshi Ito described. In one\ncontext, I am a student at a study group not associated with any school.\nEveryone always calls the teacher/expert/organizer Takase-sensei at all times.\n\nIn my work as a teacher, it seems to be part of the local culture of each\nschool. At one university all teachers called all other teachers 先生 just about\nall the time, even off campus regardless of rank: part-time instructors or\nfaculty heads were all the same. Only people who really became friends moved\naway from this. Where I work now, it is universally さん. Every professor calls\nevery other \"san\". The safest course is to go with 先生 and you can always go to\nさん later if you notice that everyone else does.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T05:58:07.110", "id": "793", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T05:58:07.110", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "233", "parent_id": "423", "post_type": "answer", "score": 3 }, { "body": "I don't think the earlier three answers are completely correct.\n\nJapanese adopts the relative honorification system, meaning that whether to\nhonorify a particular person depends on the existence of a third person.\nSuppose A is B's teacher. Within a conversation between A and B, it is\nappropriate for B to use `先生` to refer to A, irrespective of the situation.\nHowever, suppose A and B are doing a venture business together, perhaps\nselling products that came out as result of study. Suppose B picks a phone\nfrom a customer C. In this situation, B cannot use `先生` to refer to A.\nOtherwise, it would be considered rude of B to C. Here, A and B are one group\nas opposed to C, and hence, B has to use the humble form to refer to A, just\nas B would do when referring to him/herself.\n\nI heard, although am not completely sure, that this is where the Korean\nhonorification system differs from the Japanese honorification system.", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-07-05T20:08:02.627", "id": "1758", "last_activity_date": "2011-07-05T20:08:02.627", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": null, "parent_id": "423", "post_type": "answer", "score": 2 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "434", "answer_count": 3, "body": "I know, since they are of different word classes, なるほど ( _naruhodo_ ) and やっぱり\n( _yappari_ ) may not be used interchangeably within the same sentence, but\ncan they be used within the same situation instead?\n\nDoes it make sense if the same person says the following two statements one\nafter another?\n\n> やっぱりそうだったねえ。なるほど。\n\nOr maybe the other way around\n\n> なるほど。やっぱりそうだったねえ。\n\nOr are they mutually exclusive?\n\nEDIT:\n\nAfter reading answer from Derek, and after pondering on it for some time, I\nrealized that what I actually wanted to ask also includes the following:\n\n> Are there any situations where we can use なるほど but not やっぱり, or vice versa?\n\nSorry for the confusion.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-02T14:14:15.730", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "432", "last_activity_date": "2016-07-24T15:52:21.313", "last_edit_date": "2014-12-19T17:24:44.833", "last_editor_user_id": "3437", "owner_user_id": "112", "post_type": "question", "score": 17, "tags": [ "word-choice", "spoken-language" ], "title": "Using なるほど (naruhodo) and やっぱり (yappari) in the same situation", "view_count": 66397 }

[ { "body": "In this example, やっぱり functions as something like \"as I thought\" and shows\nthat the speaker had a preexisting suspicion that a certain matter was indeed\ntrue. なるほど shows that a greater understanding of the surrounding context has\nbeen gained from the confirmation of the fact referred to by そう. So yes, it\ndoes make sense.\n\nEDIT (for the updated question)\n\nI can't think of any examples where なるほど could be swapped with やっぱり, or vice\nversa. In my mind, なるほど and やっぱり are in different categories. I have to\npartially disagree with one of Amanda's comments by pointing out that なるほど\ndoesn't have the same \"I should have guessed\" meaning as やっぱり. It can,\nhowever, mean \"That makes sense.\" なるほど merely shows that your mental picture\nof something (for instance, a course of events, the inner workings of a\nmachine, or the reasoning leading to a certain conclusion) has been filled in\nby what you were just told. You wouldn't use なるほど when someone is stating a\nsimple fact (\"I like ice cream,\" \"I'm not good at playing the piano,\" etc),\nbut you would when that fact is part of a surrounding context through which\nthe speaker intends to draw you to a greater understanding of the current\ntopic of conversation.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-02T14:19:47.250", "id": "434", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-03T12:39:14.017", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-03T12:39:14.017", "last_editor_user_id": "94", "owner_user_id": "94", "parent_id": "432", "post_type": "answer", "score": 15 }, { "body": "To answer your updated question, yes, there are situations where you could use\none but not the other.\n\nAs Derek said, やっぱり is used when a fact was suspected and then confirmed. If\nyou had no such previous suspicion, you would not use やっぱり.\n\nAlso, if the fact is negative (someone is failing out of school, has an STD,\netc.), it can be rude to use やっぱり and admit that you suspected as much. なるほど\nis a more neutral response in this case.", "comment_count": 6, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T04:39:22.153", "id": "473", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-03T04:45:56.283", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-03T04:45:56.283", "last_editor_user_id": "28", "owner_user_id": "28", "parent_id": "432", "post_type": "answer", "score": 5 }, { "body": "Interesting discussion. It has been a while since I lived in the land of the\nrising sun (1973-79). My language skills (although greatly deteriorated with\nage:-)) were gleaned from the surfing and farming types from Miura Hanto. I\nalways used naruhdo in the context of \"interesting\" or \"oh, I see\". For\nexample, if I had no bottle opener and someone shows me a new way to open\nit..I would say \"Naruhodo jyan\". This could be used every time you were\nintroduced to something new; a bit of gossip; a new/different way of doing\nsomething. Yappari on the other hand was a term used to verify something???For\nexample ...I tell you your girlfriend is messing around. We walk around the\ncorner and there she is kissing another guy. He would say \"Yappari da\". As to\nsay you were right, or wrong. Yappari can also be used to change ones mind.\nFor example. Lets go drink beer, your wife won't mind...Ok...After some\nthought about the wife..\"Yappari, I should not go drink beer, I shall go home.\nBoth naruhodo and yappari can be used as \"I see\". Naruhodo as a direct I see I\nlearned something and Yappari as I see in the good or bad decision making\nprocess (I see my wife being pissed that I am out drinking beer, therefore I\nam going home).", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2014-12-19T06:31:03.107", "id": "20955", "last_activity_date": "2014-12-19T06:31:03.107", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "7989", "parent_id": "432", "post_type": "answer", "score": 2 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "437", "answer_count": 3, "body": "I see phrases like 200人ぐらい, 半々ぐらい, and 何分くらい, which seem to indicate that くらい\nand ぐらい are synonymous, if not interchangeable. Is there any kind of rule for\ndeciding which to use, or is it a stylistic preference?", "comment_count": 4, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-02T14:15:45.047", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "433", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T11:40:23.327", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "38", "post_type": "question", "score": 36, "tags": [ "word-choice", "spelling" ], "title": "Is there a rule for when to use くらい vs ぐらい?", "view_count": 19038 }

[ { "body": "くらい and ぐらい are synonymous when they mean “approximately.” I find the\nvariation ぐらい colloquial, but quick lookup in online dictionaries does not\nback up my feeling: [Daijirin\ndictionary](http://dic.yahoo.co.jp/dsearch?enc=UTF-8&p=%E3%81%8F%E3%82%89%E3%81%84&dtype=0&dname=0ss&stype=0&index=105551900000&pagenum=1),\n[Daijisen\ndictionary](http://dic.yahoo.co.jp/dsearch?enc=UTF-8&p=%E3%81%8F%E3%82%89%E3%81%84&dtype=0&dname=0na&stype=0&index=06403905210600&pagenum=1).", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-02T14:35:08.540", "id": "436", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-02T14:35:08.540", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "15", "parent_id": "433", "post_type": "answer", "score": 7 }, { "body": "[This page at the goo.ne.jp Q&A\nsite](http://oshiete.goo.ne.jp/qa/2203450.html) quotes the\n[NHKことばのハンドブック](http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/4140110635), which\nstates that while there were at one time rules for when to use くらい and when to\nuse ぐらい, modern-day Japanese has no such distinction. I agree with Tsuyoshi\nthat ぐらい \"feels\" colloquial, but more often than not I think it's a matter of\nwhich rolls off the tongue with the most ease.", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-02T14:40:50.267", "id": "437", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-02T14:40:50.267", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "94", "parent_id": "433", "post_type": "answer", "score": 24 }, { "body": "I've been told by at least a couple teachers that the word is typically\npronounced ぐらい, but is properly written as くらい, similar to じゃありません versus\nではありません. So for proper-ish documents, you'd want to use the latter, but\ninformally the former is fine.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T11:40:23.327", "id": "805", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T11:40:23.327", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "260", "parent_id": "433", "post_type": "answer", "score": 3 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "442", "answer_count": 6, "body": "To my knowledge there are three words which can be used in thanking and they\nseem to be usable together in some combinations:\n\n * どうも (d­ōmo)\n * どうもありがとう (dōmo arigatō)\n * ありがとう (arigatō)\n * ありがとうございます (arigatō gozaimasu)\n * どうもありがとうございます (dōmo arigatō gozaimasu)\n\nAre there nuances of each of these words? I know \"dōmo\" alone is informal and\nI assume the longer the combination the more formal or respectful.\n\nAre there rules as to how they can and can't be combined? (Did I include any\nwrong combinations)?", "comment_count": 5, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-02T14:42:58.023", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "438", "last_activity_date": "2014-08-11T23:45:31.163", "last_edit_date": "2014-08-11T23:45:31.163", "last_editor_user_id": "1628", "owner_user_id": "125", "post_type": "question", "score": 23, "tags": [ "word-choice", "politeness", "synonyms", "formality" ], "title": "Can somebody explain the various words and combinations thereof used for thanking?", "view_count": 20379 }

[ { "body": "A page I linked recently had it schematised, I'll report it here in a better\nway:\n\n> There are different ways to thank someone in Japanese depending on who you\n> are speaking to. Just like other phrases in Japanese the politeness levels\n> change in different settings.\n>\n> * どうもありがとうございます [ _dōmo arigatō gozaimasu_ ] Most polite;\n> * ありがとうございます [ _arigatō gozaimasu_ ] Very polite;\n> * どうもありがとう [ _dōmo arigatō_ ] More polite;\n> * ありがとう [ _arigatō_ ] Polite;\n> * どうも [ _dōmo_ ] Casual.\n>\n\n>\n> The word ございます (gozaimasu) is a polite ending that can also be changed into\n> past tense. When you thank someone for something that already happened you\n> would say:\n>\n> * ありがとうございました [ _arigatō gozaimashita_ ]\n>\n\n>\n> The words arigatō and dōmo can be used for both the present and past\n> situations:\n>\n> * 昨日はどうも [ _kinō wa dōmo_ ] = Thank you for yesterday.\n>\n\n>\n> Note: Sometimes you will see arigatou written in kanji (有り難う), but it is not\n> as common as seeing it written in hiragana.", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-02T14:57:52.240", "id": "439", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-02T14:57:52.240", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "37", "parent_id": "438", "post_type": "answer", "score": 9 }, { "body": "I would use\n\n * どうもありがとうございます/ました at speech\n\n * ありがとうございます/ました to superiors, and business\n\nOther threes to colleges and my juniors, to some friends.\n\nありがとうございます's slang form あざーっす to some close friends/colleges", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-02T14:58:33.747", "id": "440", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-02T14:58:33.747", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "100", "parent_id": "438", "post_type": "answer", "score": 6 }, { "body": "To put it in a more of an English equivalency you can compare them to the\nfollowing:\n\n•Thanks - どうも (domo)\n\n•Thanks a lot (or much thanks) - どうもありがとう (domo arigato)\n\n•Thanks (more polite than domo) ありがとう (arigato)\n\n•Thank you ありがとうございます (arigato gozaimasu)\n\n•Thank you very much - どうもありがとうございます (domo araigato gozaimasu)\n\nFrom my experience and understanding (though not an expert in Japanese\netymology) domo arigato was not much used until after the Styx song, which\nalmost every Japanese I have met knows or knows of. In more conservative\nregions or with more traditional people you will generally not hear it being\nused, but rather they would use arigato gozaimasu.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-02T15:11:54.623", "id": "441", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-02T16:47:48.617", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-02T16:47:48.617", "last_editor_user_id": "100", "owner_user_id": "151", "parent_id": "438", "post_type": "answer", "score": 6 }, { "body": "You can't just gloss words like that with Japanese (i.e. Thank you = arigatou,\ngo = iku etc.)\n\nTo express thankfulness, there is a whole palette of expressions that Japanese\npeople use.\n\nFor example:\n\n 1. yoroshiku: said after you have asked someone a big favor and they haven't done it yet but have promised to do it. \n 2. tasukatta: means like \"thanks man I appreciate it\". \n 3. o-seiwa ni natta: said after someone helped you out when you were in a bind. \n 4. kansha shimasu: I'm truly thankful. \n 5. arigatou: thanks man. \n 6. arigatou gozaimasu: said to people you should respect. \n 7. o-tsukare: thanks in appreciation for someone's hard effort. \n 8. o-tsukare sama deshita: same as above but towards people you should respect. \n 9. gokuro sama: like \"good job man\" thanks for doing the work that you were supposed to do anyways.", "comment_count": 5, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-02T15:22:18.190", "id": "442", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-02T19:50:19.613", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-02T19:50:19.613", "last_editor_user_id": "28", "owner_user_id": "164", "parent_id": "438", "post_type": "answer", "score": 17 }, { "body": "I'm surprised no one mentioned すみません yet.\n\nSee [this answer to another question about\nthanks](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/317/usage-of-sumimasen-\nversus-gomennasai/318#318).", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-02T23:53:51.697", "id": "452", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-02T23:53:51.697", "last_edit_date": "2017-04-13T12:43:43.857", "last_editor_user_id": "-1", "owner_user_id": "85", "parent_id": "438", "post_type": "answer", "score": 7 }, { "body": "It's important to realize that there are two dimensions at play here. One is\nthe \"heartfelt\" dimension, and the other is the \"formality\" dimension.\n\nBoth ありがとう and どうもありがとう are casual in the sense that you should only use them\nwith people that you do not use 丁寧語 with. どうもありがとう shows more sincerity than\nありがとう, but even (本当に)どうもありがとう would not be appropriate to, say, your boss.\n\nありがとうございます and どうもありがとうございます are for people that you use 丁寧語 with. Again the\nversion with どうも is more heartfelt. Some people might feel that it is also\nmore formal, but I would say that is merely because very formal situations\noften call for exaggerated words of sincerity. You would _not_ use ありがとうございます\nwith, say, a close friend who you do not use 丁寧語 with, no matter how grateful\nyou are, except maybe for comic effect.\n\nAs for どうも by itself, the situation is a bit complicated. You will often hear\nどうも used in situations where the speaker would use 丁寧語, but depending on the\nformality of the situation, it might be seen as a bit curt. Note, though, that\nit would be a different reaction from the one that one might get using ありがとう\nwhich might be seen as downright disrespectful.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2013-05-03T06:12:46.343", "id": "11809", "last_activity_date": "2013-05-03T06:12:46.343", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "1073", "parent_id": "438", "post_type": "answer", "score": 2 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "505", "answer_count": 3, "body": "I noticed in an anime I watched, one of the characters said something like\nbelow:\n\n> さっき食べたじゃない。\n\nAnd what I think the meaning is: Didn't you just eat a few while ago?\n\nFrom what I have learned in Japanese classes, 「じゃない」, which is the shortened\nform of 「ではない」, must follow a noun word/phrase/clause. But in the spoken\nsentence above the 「じゃない」 follows a 「～た」 form of a verb. Is that sentence\ngrammatically correct? Is this one of the many examples where colloquial\nlanguage may skip a few grammar rules here and there?\n\nI think the sentence would be grammatically correct if there is 「ん」 in between\nthe two phrases: 「さっき食べたんじゃない」. Did I actually mishear?", "comment_count": 5, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T00:34:29.803", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "453", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-03T13:14:25.527", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "112", "post_type": "question", "score": 19, "tags": [ "grammar", "colloquial-language" ], "title": "「～たじゃない」 expression in spoken Japanese", "view_count": 4131 }

[ { "body": "I'd probably say that you misheard, and that there was in fact a 「ん」 in there.\nThe usage of 「の」 is outlined in [this grammar\npage](http://www.guidetojapanese.org/learn/grammar/nounparticles). I am a\nbeginner myself, but from what I can tell, it appears that the phrase is being\nused for explanation. However, the phrasing seems strange to me, as the\nfollowing would seem more appropriate for a question:\n\n> さっき食べなかったの？ - Didn't you eat a little while ago?\n\nIf the intonation of the statement wasn't a question, then I might be inclined\nto think that it would have a different meaning:\n\n> さっき食べたんじゃない。 - [It's not like] I ate a little while ago.\n\nIt is an interesting question, though - I hope a native or expert can offer\nsome more insight on this.", "comment_count": 5, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T01:26:21.823", "id": "458", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-03T01:26:21.823", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "83", "parent_id": "453", "post_type": "answer", "score": 3 }, { "body": "No, you probably didn't mishear. This is a pretty common construction in\ncolloquial Japanese, though it is not grammatically correct.\n\nIt might help to think of the じゃない as a tag that turns the sentence into a\n[tag question](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tag_question), with a tone of\nsurprise or disbelief.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T07:23:24.213", "id": "482", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-03T07:23:24.213", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "28", "parent_id": "453", "post_type": "answer", "score": 8 }, { "body": "I do not know if さっき食べたじゃない is grammatically correct or not, but sentence +\nじゃない is a common colloquial construct whose meaning is similar to a tag\nquestion as Amanda wrote: “You ate it a little while ago, didn’t you?” It is a\nstatement rather than a question, and the じゃない part indicates either that the\nspeaker is surprised by the fact that he/she has to say it or that the speaker\nwants a confirmation.\n\nAn example of surprise:\n\nA: 冷蔵庫に入れておいたケーキがない! (I cannot find the cake I put in the fridge!) \nB: あんたさっき食べたじゃない。 (You ate it a little while ago, didn’t you.)\n\nAn example of wanting confirmation:\n\nA: さっきケーキを食べたじゃない。あれじつは1週間前に賞味期限が切れていたの。 (We (or you or …) ate cake a little\nwhile ago, didn’t we? To tell the truth, that cake was best before a week\nago.)\n\nI think that さっき食べたんじゃない has a different meaning from さっき食べたじゃない. さっき食べたんじゃない\nhas two meanings:\n\n 1. Without the raise of pitch at the end of the sentence, it is a negation of さっき食べた. “It is not true that I ate it a little while ago.” The usual negation of さっき食べた is さっき食べなかった (I did not eat it a little while ago), and they have different meanings, but I cannot explain it clearly.\n 2. With the raise of pitch at the end of the sentence (often denoted by a question mark: さっき食べたんじゃない?), it is a question “Didn’t you eat it a little while ago?” with indication that the speaker thinks that “you” probably ate it a little while ago.", "comment_count": 5, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T13:14:25.527", "id": "505", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-03T13:14:25.527", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "15", "parent_id": "453", "post_type": "answer", "score": 19 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "485", "answer_count": 5, "body": "According to Denshi Jisho, [いい and\nよい](http://jisho.org/words/?jap=ii&eng=&dict=edict) share the same kanji, and\nthat both roughly mean \"good\". Why are there two different pronunciations\ndespite the similarity, and what are some ways to figure out which one to use?", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T00:50:05.930", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "454", "last_activity_date": "2014-10-06T09:21:17.473", "last_edit_date": "2014-10-06T09:21:17.473", "last_editor_user_id": "6840", "owner_user_id": "83", "post_type": "question", "score": 18, "tags": [ "word-choice", "etymology" ], "title": "What is the origin and usage of the word いい?", "view_count": 927 }

[ { "body": "i believe that よい is the more polite form of いい. But it coudl also just be an\nease of pronunciation thing that they are different.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T01:25:58.173", "id": "457", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-03T01:25:58.173", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "97", "parent_id": "454", "post_type": "answer", "score": 0 }, { "body": "I am not sure about the origin, but the difference in usage is you can use よい\nas another forms よくない、よかった、... but いい normally cannot in Standard Japanese.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T01:29:33.823", "id": "459", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-03T01:29:33.823", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "100", "parent_id": "454", "post_type": "answer", "score": 2 }, { "body": "The [conjugation of\nいい](http://www.guidetojapanese.org/learn/grammar/adjectives#part4) is\ninstructive here. If you want to use the past tense, the conjugation is よかった.\nYou can't say いかった to mean \"was good\". Furthermore, the first item in\n[goo](http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/leaf/jn2/9174/m0u/%3044%3044/) confirms that\nthey have the same meaning.\n\n[goo](http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/leaf/thsrs/15554/m0u/%E3%81%84%E3%81%84/)\nalso says that よい is the original word, but いい came about because it's easier\nto say. So I imagine it's a kind of slang from a long time ago that has simply\ngrown to be acceptable.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T01:38:20.180", "id": "460", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-03T03:37:14.243", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-03T03:37:14.243", "last_editor_user_id": "38", "owner_user_id": "38", "parent_id": "454", "post_type": "answer", "score": 8 }, { "body": "For what it's worth:\n\nよい is an i-adjective and can then be modified like any other adjectives in い\n\nいい is an adjective that can be used as:\n\n- **attributive** :\n\n->That's an _interesting_ idea.\n\n- **predicative** :\n\n->That idea is _interesting_.\n\nThus like any -ing adjectives cannot be modified.\n\nOrigin:\n\nii and yoi use the same kanji but are usually written in kana. Origin of 好い 善い\n良い is obviously Chinese with different nuances for each of them.", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T06:59:31.297", "id": "480", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-03T07:27:56.703", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-03T07:27:56.703", "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": null, "parent_id": "454", "post_type": "answer", "score": 0 }, { "body": "The original form is definitely よい, and that's what you'll find in old texts.\nAs often happens with common words, the pronunciation was simplified a little\nin its most common form, the Rentaikei form (which is the dictionary form),\nand became ええ in western dialects (Kansai-ben) and いい in the Tokyo dialect,\nwhich serves the basis for Standard Japanese.\n\nToday, いい is no longer considered colloquial, and it can easily be found in\nformal speech or writing, alongside 良い (よい). It is actually 良い which is now\nconsidered formal-only, and its effectively gone in everyday speech, and\nreplaced entirely by いい in the Rentaikei, while all other forms are still\nconjugated as if the base form was よい.", "comment_count": 7, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T08:24:17.257", "id": "485", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-03T08:24:17.257", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "153", "parent_id": "454", "post_type": "answer", "score": 13 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "461", "answer_count": 2, "body": "Here's an example sentence from 北斗の拳 which uses a fair amount of furigana\nthroughout.\n\n> xxxに残された命は三日...\n\nWhich includes furigana for のこ, いのち, and, bafflingly, even the か of 日, but\nnone for 三. While I already know that 三日 is みっか, there are plenty of other\nwords with numbers that are beyond me. I'm sure I'm not the only student\nfrustrated by this practice. What's the reasoning, if any, for this?", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T01:10:46.903", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "455", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-03T03:29:30.283", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-03T03:29:30.283", "last_editor_user_id": "38", "owner_user_id": "38", "post_type": "question", "score": 11, "tags": [ "kanji", "numbers", "spelling", "furigana" ], "title": "Why are furigana for number kanji almost always omitted?", "view_count": 866 }

[ { "body": "The number kanji are included on the list of [first grade\nkanji](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ky%C5%8Diku_kanji#First_grade_.2880_kanji.29)\nthat all Japanese children, theoretically, should know by they are in the\nsecond grade of elementary school. The other kanji you list (except for 日, but\nthey may not cover that reading) are at higher reading levels. It's likely\nthat they made an editorial decision that, well, pretty much any child who\nknows the kana well enough to read them fluently is going to know the number\nkanji at least. The other kanji in grade one - well, they may know the kanji\nitself, but not necessarily the compound it's in, so I wouldn't be surprised\nif they furigana'd those as well.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T01:45:58.873", "id": "461", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-03T01:45:58.873", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "76", "parent_id": "455", "post_type": "answer", "score": 7 }, { "body": "This is similar with bdonlan's answer, but in my understanding,\n\nOn first grade, they learned both 三, and 日 kanjis, but only pronounced 日 as\n\"ひ\" in \"Sun\", but not as \"か\", and also there is some probability that no 日付\nrelated terms learn on first grade like ついたち「一日」、ふつか「二日」、みっか「三日」, ... yet.\n\nSo, may be that's the reason why they only put ふりがな on 日, but not on 三.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T03:02:14.313", "id": "464", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-03T03:02:14.313", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "100", "parent_id": "455", "post_type": "answer", "score": 6 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "463", "answer_count": 5, "body": "I was told in class by a Japanese teacher that なるほど can not be used when\ntalking with people above, but in the same lesson we listened to a CD\n(training material) where a student was saying なるほど to his teacher.\n\nHere at work I often hear my Japanese colleagues saying なるほど when talking with\ncustomers (consulting). Can I do the same?\n\n**EDIT** : A Japanese friend just told me she would never write it to a\ncustomer, even by email, but it is perfectly acceptable over the phone as an\n相槌 (sound given during a conversation to indicate comprehension).", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T01:46:43.057", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "462", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-05T11:05:28.003", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-05T11:05:28.003", "last_editor_user_id": "107", "owner_user_id": "107", "post_type": "question", "score": 16, "tags": [ "usage", "politeness" ], "title": "Can I say なるほど when talking with customers?", "view_count": 1240 }

[ { "body": "Technically speaking, なるほど is something of a casual/frank word. However, it\nseems that [native\nspeakers](http://komachi.yomiuri.co.jp/t/2010/0614/323211.htm) can be confused\nas well, and there are plenty of people who use it anyway in business\nsettings. Apparently it's not a particularly noticeable faux pas, but one to\nbe avoided. Some of the commenters in that thread suggest replacing it with\nsomething like (depending on context) 「かしこまりました。」or「そうでしたか。」.", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T02:41:22.220", "id": "463", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-03T02:41:22.220", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "76", "parent_id": "462", "post_type": "answer", "score": 10 }, { "body": "In my experience in university, なるほど is used normally between students and\nprofessors alike. Also, between professors. Although I normally use そうですか\ninstead, because I've been also taught that なるほど is more informal.\n\nI don't think that it'll give problems with costumers. In fact, I received a\nlot of なるほどs from store clerks.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T03:12:10.433", "id": "466", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-03T03:12:10.433", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "110", "parent_id": "462", "post_type": "answer", "score": 3 }, { "body": "You can use なるほど in business if you are agreeing with their\nideas/understandings. Especially in the middle of the conversations, like\n\n```\n\n お客様：年度末にリスク高い工事は避けた方がいいじゃないですかね。\n (I think we better not do risky stuff around end of financial year)\n \n 社員：なるほど、確かにそうですね\n \n```\n\nref: \\-\n[http://home.alc.co.jp/db/owa/jpn_npa?stage=2&sn=52](http://home.alc.co.jp/db/owa/jpn_npa?stage=2&sn=52)", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T03:15:29.523", "id": "467", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-03T03:20:59.610", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-03T03:20:59.610", "last_editor_user_id": "100", "owner_user_id": "100", "parent_id": "462", "post_type": "answer", "score": 9 }, { "body": "It depends on the person that you are talking to, though I would not dare to\nsay なるほどね to my manager, and なるほどね is definitely not language for when you are\ndoing Business to Business sales with Japanese people.", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T08:14:11.023", "id": "483", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-03T08:14:11.023", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "79", "parent_id": "462", "post_type": "answer", "score": 0 }, { "body": "If you use it with the correct pronunciation in a form like なるほどですねぇ it could\nbe quite polite (not very polite nor formal anyway).\n\nJust saying なるほど like when with friends instead, it implies equality.\n\nOf course it depends on the kind of customers and the kind of company.", "comment_count": 3, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-04T09:22:12.327", "id": "571", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-04T09:22:12.327", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "60", "parent_id": "462", "post_type": "answer", "score": 0 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": null, "answer_count": 5, "body": "In my Japanese class we were taught that one does not need to thank a cashier\nwhen they check you out or a server when they bring you your meal, but I\nalways feel awkward remaining silent. Was my sensei wrong? Specifically:\n\n * What is the usual exchange between customer and cashier when paying for an item?\n * What is the usual exchange when a waiter brings you your food?\n * When leaving a restaurant, is it appropriate to say ごちそうさまでした? 美味しかったです? ありがとうございました?", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T03:10:19.730", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "465", "last_activity_date": "2015-12-19T06:18:50.920", "last_edit_date": "2015-06-30T15:28:51.347", "last_editor_user_id": "1628", "owner_user_id": "28", "post_type": "question", "score": 42, "tags": [ "set-phrases", "politeness", "culture" ], "title": "Is it proper to thank waitstaff, cashiers, etc. for their service?", "view_count": 17587 }

[ { "body": "I don't think it is necessary to thank them. I do though out of the habit from\namerica. However, I have heard stories that in Osaka you do thank the\nwaitstaff and cashiers.\n\nI've seen Gochisou used more as an indicator to the staff that you are done\nwith your meal and ready to pay, though that is just an observation. I haven't\nheard Oshikatta or arigatou used as often though. Though this may be a\ndifference if you are eating at the counter or at a sushi bar.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T03:21:43.003", "id": "469", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-03T03:21:43.003", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "97", "parent_id": "465", "post_type": "answer", "score": 6 }, { "body": "For first two, you can say ども, but not ありがとう because you don't have to thanks\nthem, since you are using their service, and you are customer.\n\nAnd you can use ごちそうさまでした / 美味しかったです at restaurant if you wish to, and may be\njust whisper those if you don't want other people looking at you for some\nreasons.", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T03:33:44.337", "id": "471", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-03T03:33:44.337", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "100", "parent_id": "465", "post_type": "answer", "score": 6 }, { "body": "The thing to keep in mind is that this isn't a ritualized situation, such as\nthe `只今{ただいま}/お帰{かえ}り`, \"I'm back\" / \"welcome back\", call and response\npattern. When you come and go from the office or home, there are set patterns.\nThis restaurant situation isn't like that.\n\nSpecific to your questions, there is no usual exchange between customer and\ncashier when paying for an item, or when a waiter brings you your food. Most\nJapanese I observe seem almost as if they don't acknowledge the existence of\nthe staff and say nothing. However, some kind of nod or word would be\nperfectly acceptable if you wanted to do it.\n\nOn the way out, there is nothing at all wrong with thanking wait staff at\nrestaurants. The worst that can happen is that they think you're a little\nunnecessarily polite, and that ain't a bad thing, is it? The words just mean\nwhat the words mean, and you can use them as you see fit, in order to\nrepresent yourself as you would prefer. Let's look at the implications:\n\nAs pointed out, you do not have to say `ありがとう` as you are a customer paying\nfor a service. But you could, and it won't even raise eyebrows. You could say\n`どうも`. It's not inappropriate, but it is casual. Imagine, in English, at a\nrestaurant saying, \"hey, thanks man!\" to the waiter as you leave. Does it fit\nthe environment? You make the call.\n\nAnother one not mentioned so far that you'll often hear at casual restaurants,\nparticularly at `回転寿司{かいてんずし}`, rotating sushi places, is `お愛想{あいそう}` or\n`お愛想{あいそ}` which are both ways of saying \"[bill\nplease](http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/leaf/je2/7404/m0u/%E3%81%8A/)\".\n\n`美味{おい}しかった`, \"that was delicious\", isn't a statement of gratitude for the\nservice, it's a comment on the food. Say it if you actually think the food was\ngood. What restaurant doesn't want to hear that the food was delicious?\n\nLastly, you can just take care of proceedings by asking for the bill by\ncalling out `お会計下{かいけいくだ}さい`, \"bill please\", or `お勘定下{かんじょうくだ}さい`, \"check\nplease\", or variants (you could drop the `お` and/or the `ください`) , without\nsaying any kind of gratitude statement. Just keep it about the business, and\nno one will mind.\n\n* * *\n\n_**My bonus cultural observation:_** The Japanese concept of service is that\nit's not about the people. The person working at a store or restaurant becomes\nentirely a representative of that place while on duty, and they check their\nindividual personality at the door. So for the customer, the staff does not\nmerit personal interaction the way other people do.\n\nTo a non-Japanese mind, it seems a little harsh, as in other cultures, like\nmine, we tend to think about the person doing the job. I tend to sympathize\nwith the guy doing the minimum wage job. However, in Japanese culture, it's\nnot an attempt to be superior to the service staff, it's an acknowledgement\nthat the service staff are also not necessarily personally invested in the\njob.\n\nIn some ways, there is a certain liberation in the concept, because the staff\ncan also detach themselves from the job so as not to take issues personally.\n\nHope that helps.", "comment_count": 8, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-07-16T08:54:53.230", "id": "1976", "last_activity_date": "2013-09-26T02:12:52.307", "last_edit_date": "2013-09-26T02:12:52.307", "last_editor_user_id": "119", "owner_user_id": "119", "parent_id": "465", "post_type": "answer", "score": 37 }, { "body": "Japanese here. I find it fine to say ありがとう for the first two, although どうも is\nmore common. Not saying anything is perfectly acceptable. You can also nod,\nwhich is very common.\n\nWhen you leave the restaurant, it is common to say ごちそうさまで～す or ごちそうさまでした. If\nyou are female, ごちそうさまでした would be more common. It is perfectly ok to leave\nwithout saying anything. Nodding is very common as well.\n\nIt is true that in Kansai area (particularly in Osaka) and also in rural areas\npeople tend to say something, compared to Tokyo for example.", "comment_count": 7, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-07-16T09:29:50.037", "id": "1977", "last_activity_date": "2012-07-05T03:34:12.317", "last_edit_date": "2012-07-05T03:34:12.317", "last_editor_user_id": "542", "owner_user_id": "499", "parent_id": "465", "post_type": "answer", "score": 26 }, { "body": "* What is the usual exchange between customer and cashier when paying for an item?\n\nI always start with お早うございます、こんにちは or お晩です (Tôhoku-dialect), and finish with\nあざ〜います。 With some kombini clerks, I add some comments on the weather. In\nreturn, they are nice(r) to me, and every one is happy.\n\n * What is the usual exchange when a waiter brings you your food?\n\nWell, I'd often ask for her age/number/mail… More seriously, I just say\nsomething like \"はい、ど〜も〜\". But I tend to enjoy interacting with the staff. Last\ntime, I ordered \"your favourite\". And when he came with the order, I said \"I\nhope you have good taste, or I'll complain!\" and everyone laughed. I consider\nthose jobs as very tiring, so I try to make it agreable for them too. (oh, I\nshould mention that letting them choose the order is not being very nice here;\nrather an embarassing situation I reckon.)\n\n * When leaving a restaurant, is it appropriate to say ごちそうさまでした? 美味しかったです? ありがとうございました?\n\nI always yell my \"ごちそうさまでした\". I wouldn't say 美味しかったです unless I had something\nincredibly delicious (so, I never say it). I wouldn't thank them either, since\nI already did the gochisou part. I expect them to thank me in return.", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-07-18T10:14:14.517", "id": "2028", "last_activity_date": "2011-10-16T05:21:59.200", "last_edit_date": "2011-10-16T05:21:59.200", "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "356", "parent_id": "465", "post_type": "answer", "score": 2 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "709", "answer_count": 10, "body": "It's happened several times: I'll be chattering away with a friend in\nJapanese, and they'll sneeze, and without even thinking about it I'll revert\nback to English to say \"bless you.\" Is there a set phrase in Japanese I can\nuse after someone sneezes?", "comment_count": 8, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T03:19:42.550", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "468", "last_activity_date": "2016-12-31T01:30:36.370", "last_edit_date": "2015-06-30T14:22:56.597", "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "28", "post_type": "question", "score": 27, "tags": [ "set-phrases", "culture" ], "title": "What to say after someone sneezes", "view_count": 48366 }

[ { "body": "In my understanding, Japanese normally does not interfere with other's\npersonal stuff most of time. So, they don't use those after sneeze. But if\ninfluenza is hot during that time, they may ask \"Are you ok?\".\n\nAnd some people think that silent and unchanged facial expresssions are\nelegent on sneeze here, so there is some sneeze contest\n「[くしゃみ対決](http://www.google.co.jp/search?q=%E3%81%8F%E3%81%97%E3%82%83%E3%81%BF%E5%AF%BE%E6%B1%BA)」\nby intentional putting some tissues on their nose. And they try to decide\nleast silent and without facial expressions change as winners and some are\ncalled\n「[イケメン](http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%A4%E3%82%B1%E3%83%A1%E3%83%B3)」- a\nslang which means some kind of pretty boy.\n\nBut looks like in Okinawa, people use \"クスケー\" after sneeze, according to\n[this](http://www.netlaputa.ne.jp/~tokyo3/kushami.html),\n[2](http://okinawahogen.ti-da.net/e1379399.html), and\n[origin](http://kinunomichi.churaumi.me/ryukyu01.htm).", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T03:38:58.153", "id": "472", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-07T04:23:11.623", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-07T04:23:11.623", "last_editor_user_id": "100", "owner_user_id": "100", "parent_id": "468", "post_type": "answer", "score": 13 }, { "body": "Here are the results from a small poll on Facebook. Six native Japanese\nreplied. The results can be interpreted as:\n\n 1. Don't say anything if you don't know them (6 people)\n 2. If you know them you can ask if they're okay, if they've caught a cold or have allergies: \"大丈夫？\", \"風邪引いたの？\", \"花粉症なの？\", or something to that effect. (2 people)\n 3. There's no such phrase equivalent to \"bless you\" in Japanese (2 people)\n\nAnd here are the actual results (I didn't create any of the options, it was a\nblank poll when I asked the question): \n", "comment_count": 8, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T07:38:30.863", "id": "709", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-10T14:34:39.497", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-10T14:34:39.497", "last_editor_user_id": "296", "owner_user_id": "54", "parent_id": "468", "post_type": "answer", "score": 30 }, { "body": "I've researched a bit and it seems that such expression doesn't really exist\nin Japanese. There is a kind of explanation for this:\n\nIn the Western societies, there used to be a belief that sneezes could release\none's soul, therefore putting it in danger because it could have been\n\"captured\" by lurking evil spirits; or it was believed that the mouth opened\nwould allow those spirits to enter the body.\n\nThis point of view had strong religious features which, as we all already may\nknow, weren't this strong in Asian countries or, better, they were _totally\nabsent_. \nThis \"caused\" an expression such as \" _Bless you_ \" to be missing. In fact,\nsneezing in Japan is considered in a different way than it was originally in\nthe Western countries:\n\n> \"[...] _in Japan, there is a superstition that if talking behind someone's\n> back causes the person being talked about to sneeze; as such, the sneezer\n> can tell if something good is being said (one sneeze), something bad is\n> being said (two sneezes in a row), even if someone is in love with them\n> (three sneezes in a row) or if this is a sign that they are about to catch a\n> cold (multiple sneezes)._ \"\n>\n> [Source](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sneeze)\n\nWe could say that the most similar/close expression, which someone already\nmentioned in the comments, is `お大事に` [おだいじに]; but it is **not** the exact\n\"corresponding\" expression (the meaning is \"Take care of yourself\") and it's\nnot really used that much.\n\nFinally, considering that in Japan the usual is that you don't say anything,\nand that it's not common if you do, it might be better to follow the local\ncustom.", "comment_count": 4, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T09:52:20.677", "id": "716", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-07T09:52:20.677", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "37", "parent_id": "468", "post_type": "answer", "score": 9 }, { "body": "During my 5 years working in Japan, I normally just heard \"are you ok?\", which\nis \"Daijyobu?\"", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T19:35:31.270", "id": "736", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-07T19:35:31.270", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "21", "parent_id": "468", "post_type": "answer", "score": 4 }, { "body": "Depends on the number of times you've sneezed.\n\n 1. Once: you can say 「そうとう嫌われてるね、あなた」 \"you're quite hated eh\"\n 2. Twice: you can say 「あなたもなめられたもんだね」 \"you're quite the ridiculed typed eh\"\n 3. Thrice: you can say 「ほ～もてもてじゃんか」 \"ohho, aren't you popular (with the girls if boy, with the boys if girl)\"\n 4. More than above: time to get serious. 「風邪か？お大事に」 \"Caught cold? Hope you get well\"\n\n~~Bonus points for you if you can figure out the reason for above\nsuggestions!~~ ← rescinded as previous answer by Alenanno pretty much gave\naway everything! His was another variation. Mine had そしられ first, 笑われ second.", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T19:44:43.213", "id": "738", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T04:19:34.620", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-08T04:19:34.620", "last_editor_user_id": "154", "owner_user_id": "154", "parent_id": "468", "post_type": "answer", "score": 4 }, { "body": "In Tokyo, currently, people comfortably ignore other people's sneezes. Of\ncourse, when your family (or a close friend) sneezes, it is common to ask\n風邪ひいた？ (caught cold?) or something like that. However, this is equivalent to\nasking such questions to your family member trembling or looking pale.\n\nA common Japanese experience in the US: when they sneeze, someone speaks a\nshort phrase, but it is confusing because they have no idea what is going on.\n\nSeven hundred years ago, when someone sneezed, they or people around them said\nくさめ. That practice has disappeared although the noun for a sneeze is still\nくしゃみ.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T22:49:47.557", "id": "754", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-07T22:49:47.557", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "208", "parent_id": "468", "post_type": "answer", "score": 6 }, { "body": "大丈夫ですか？ Simply saying that is enough to smooth the conversation or whatever.\nBut I still believe it depends on various situations.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T23:39:26.697", "id": "756", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-07T23:39:26.697", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "217", "parent_id": "468", "post_type": "answer", "score": 4 }, { "body": "Absolutely nothing. Seriously.", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T00:34:05.647", "id": "769", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T00:34:05.647", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "225", "parent_id": "468", "post_type": "answer", "score": 5 }, { "body": "I've been in Japan 3 years myself and haven't heard anyone respond to my\nsneezes. Although I'm American, I never say \"bless you\" to anyone in the\nstates or here in Japan. As long as they're not sneezing on me, I feel like\nnothing needs to be said.\n\nI have to agree with other posters that it gets pretty annoying to hear bless\nyou all the time. I worked at a place where one lady would say pardon me. I\nswear that woman sneeze at least 20x in an hour. I finally brought earplugs to\nwork to drown her out!", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-07-08T13:36:25.477", "id": "1809", "last_activity_date": "2011-07-08T13:36:25.477", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": null, "parent_id": "468", "post_type": "answer", "score": 2 }, { "body": "Growing up in Asia as a person of East Asian origin, strangers do not say\nanything says when someone sneezes; family members and friends would ask if\nyou were sick, that's all. It just isn't part of social norms here to say\nsomething when someone sneezes. I believe this applies to China, as well as to\nJapan.", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2016-12-31T01:30:36.370", "id": "42149", "last_activity_date": "2016-12-31T01:30:36.370", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "19264", "parent_id": "468", "post_type": "answer", "score": 0 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "475", "answer_count": 3, "body": "In English, we just have one word for the conjunction `and` which works just\nfine for many categories, but in Japanese, there are separate words:\n\n * `と` joins nouns together in a closed list\n * `や` joins nouns together in an open list\n * `そして` does it do something like joining clauses or run-on sentences?\n * `て` joins adjectives\n * `たり` joins verbs?\n * `も` which I naively thought of as only meaning \"too/also\". \n * `し` joins adjectives and verbs?\n\nWhen can each be used and how should the language learner keep their usages\nstraight and not confuse them?", "comment_count": 13, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T04:56:37.493", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "474", "last_activity_date": "2019-06-13T22:30:14.120", "last_edit_date": "2012-04-10T23:40:29.740", "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "125", "post_type": "question", "score": 33, "tags": [ "word-choice", "particles", "usage", "translation", "conjunctions" ], "title": "The many ways to say \"and\" in Japanese", "view_count": 38365 }

[ { "body": "**と** and **や** are used to connect two or more nouns.\n\nMost of the time, と can only be used for a fixed number of items like:\n\n> キーボードとマウスがいる。\n>\n> We need a keyboard and a mouse.\n\nBut や is used when there is a variable/unknown length like:\n\n> キーボードやマウス、それにLANケーブルとかもいるかも。\n>\n> We need a keyboard, a mouse, and probably LAN cables too.\n\nや can also have the sense of \"OR\" or \"AND/OR\" as in:\n\n> 日本で寿司や刺身を食べたことがまだありません。\n>\n> I haven't tried sushi and/or sashimi in Japan yet.\n\nBut と only means \"AND\":\n\n> 日本で寿司と刺身を食べたことがまだありません。\n>\n> I haven't tried sushi and sashimi in Japan yet.\n\n**そして** is used as a conjunction between two phrases and has the sense of\n\"then ...\"\n\n～ **たり** is used to connect two verbs and is used in the sense of giving\nexamples, like Lukman mentioned in the comments:\n\n> 泣いたり笑ったりするのは生きてる証拠さ。\n\n～ **くて** is used to connect two adjectives like:\n\n> 彼女は美しくて、格好いい。\n>\n> She is pretty and has wonderful style.\n\nAnd yes, **～し～し** is used to connect two adjectives, with exclusive positive\nor negative senses:\n\n> この部屋は綺麗だし広いし間取りもいいから人気がある。\n>\n> This room is clean, spacious, and also well partitioned, so most of the\n> people like it.\n>\n> あの部屋は汚いし暗いし駅からも遠いからなかなか借り手が見つかりません。\n>\n> That room is (a bit) dirty, (kind of) dark, and far from the station, so\n> nobody bothers to rent it.\n\n～ **も** is normally used in the sense of \"too / also\", but sometimes it is\nused in the sense of \"AND\":\n\n> これもそれもあれも全部欲しいな。\n>\n> I'd like to have this, that, and also that one, basically everything.\n\nAnd there are some more forms like ～ **かつ** ～ (\"plus ...\" or \"not only ... but\nalso ...\"):\n\n> 必要かつ十分\n>\n> necessary and sufficient\n\nAlso, 及び, 並びに, ともに, and おまけに have a similar usage to \"AND\".", "comment_count": 11, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 4.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T05:25:38.520", "id": "475", "last_activity_date": "2019-06-13T22:30:14.120", "last_edit_date": "2020-06-17T08:18:27.500", "last_editor_user_id": "-1", "owner_user_id": "100", "parent_id": "474", "post_type": "answer", "score": 26 }, { "body": "Suffice it to say, there are a _lot_ more ways to join words or phrases\ntogether in Japanese than there are in English, where \"and\" seems to do the\njob for nearly every kind of word (\"coats and goats,\" \"hard and fast,\" \"eat\nand drink,\" \"to and fro\"...)\n\nIt would be difficult to make an exhaustive list of all the ways to do this in\nJapanese, but here are some common ones.\n\n**To join nouns**\n\n * **と** Plain and simple \"and.\"\n\n猫と犬 (cats and dogs)\n\n * **や** Indicates a non-exhaustive list of similar nouns.\n\n猫や犬 (cats and dogs, etc.)\n\n * **も...も** Analogous to \"both...and...\" in English.\n\n猫も犬も (both cats and dogs)\n\n**To join adjectives**\n\n * **-くて** Plain and simple \"and,\" but can sometimes imply that the second adjective follows from the first.\n\n甘くておいしい (sweet and [thus] delicious)\n\n**To join verbs**\n\n * **-て form** Simplest way to join verbs. Can sometimes imply order of occurrence or cause and effect.\n\n行って来る (go and [then] come back)\n\n英語を勉強して話せた (studied English and was [thus] able to speak)\n\n * **-たり** A non-exhaustive list of actions.\n\n食べたり飲んだりする (eat and drink, etc.)\n\n**To join clauses**\n\n * **し** A list of reasons, most of which are left unsaid.\n\nねむいし仕事があるし (I'm sleepy, and I have work to do, and...[I really don't want to]\n[so I can't do what you're asking])", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T05:53:51.823", "id": "476", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-03T06:00:17.583", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-03T06:00:17.583", "last_editor_user_id": "28", "owner_user_id": "28", "parent_id": "474", "post_type": "answer", "score": 18 }, { "body": "Don't forget that there are also many grammatical constructs whose core\nmeaning essentially boils down to \"and\".\n\n> * それに／[更]{さら}に・（〜に）くわえて → \"(and) in addition (to) ~, ...\"\n> * 〜上 → \"(and) on top of that, ...\"\n> * （〜にも）まして → \"(and) more than that, ...\"\n>\n\nThis complicates things a little more by adding more options to choose from.\nBut overall, I think the nuances of each meaning should help you choose the\nright one. The hard part is remembering all the choices you have.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-17T20:18:01.637", "id": "1276", "last_activity_date": "2016-08-04T14:49:00.210", "last_edit_date": "2016-08-04T14:49:00.210", "last_editor_user_id": "78", "owner_user_id": "78", "parent_id": "474", "post_type": "answer", "score": 7 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "479", "answer_count": 3, "body": "This is an extension of the question: [Using なるほど (naruhodo) and やっぱり\n(yappari) in the same\nsituation](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/432/using-naruhodo-\nand-yappari-in-the-same-situation)\n\nFrom what I understood from the answers to the question above, なるほど and やっぱり\nimply the speaker's suspicion that he/she somehow and to some extent knows\nabout the situation before getting the affirmation from the other party.\n\nHowever, what would the speaker say if it is revealed that the situation is\nopposite to what he/she was suspecting? I know he/she can say \"なに?\" (with a\nsurprised face etc) but that is too strong an interjection, unlike the softer\nなるほど or やっぱり. I guess in English it might be something like \"oh dear me\".\n\"なに?\" sounds more like \"OMG!\" to me.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T06:35:53.753", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "477", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-03T14:56:28.357", "last_edit_date": "2017-04-13T12:43:48.447", "last_editor_user_id": "-1", "owner_user_id": "112", "post_type": "question", "score": 5, "tags": [ "word-choice", "expressions" ], "title": "Looking for expressions similar to なるほど or やっぱり for situations that are opposite of speakers' previous suspicion", "view_count": 540 }

[ { "body": "I'd say なるほど can be used in this situation, even if it contradicted your\nexpectations, since it basically expresses a neutral _\"I see\"_. Depending on\nthe situation this may be the best to choose, since you're not usually\nsupposed to show that you are thinking along completely different lines than\nyour interlocutor. You may later turn the conversation around to introduce\nyour point of view carefully, otherwise you keep it to yourself.\n\nTo show open surprise though, you might say あらま or あら、本当ですか、ええぇ〜、そうだったんだ、違ったんだ\nand possibly many other things. (Note that these are colloquial versions,\nchange to そうでしたか etc. to be more formal.) Combinations work fine too:\nえっ、本当ですか？なるほど。 You may want to show a little bit of surprise here and\nthere—whether it's true or not—to acknowledge that you have just received\nvaluable information which you would've missed otherwise (a backhanded Thank\nYou).", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T06:41:08.803", "id": "479", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-03T13:04:03.940", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-03T13:04:03.940", "last_editor_user_id": "88", "owner_user_id": "88", "parent_id": "477", "post_type": "answer", "score": 3 }, { "body": "I would use something like\n\n * **でも** 、こうした方がいいじゃない。\n\n * **逆に** 、こんな感じはどう？", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T07:13:07.403", "id": "481", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-03T07:13:07.403", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "100", "parent_id": "477", "post_type": "answer", "score": 2 }, { "body": "ありえない！ - Impossible\n\nまさか - \"No way!\" (certain) or \"No way?\" (surprised)\n\n信じられない! - I don't believe it!", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T14:56:28.357", "id": "508", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-03T14:56:28.357", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "78", "parent_id": "477", "post_type": "answer", "score": 1 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "504", "answer_count": 2, "body": "I noticed in songs, there are lyric lines that push the demonstrative\nadjective (*) この, その etc to the middle of sentences by switching it with an\nadjective/verb that describe the subsequent nouns. For example:\n\n> この小さな 街{まち}で becomes 小さなこの街で\n>\n> あの 戻{もど}れない日々 becomes 戻れないあの日々\n\nIs there any difference between the two sentence structures? Or is it just to\nmake the latter sound more poetic?\n\n(*) Thanks repecmps for providing the correct English term there", "comment_count": 8, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T08:15:25.920", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "484", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-29T18:04:21.933", "last_edit_date": "2020-06-17T08:18:27.500", "last_editor_user_id": "-1", "owner_user_id": "112", "post_type": "question", "score": 9, "tags": [ "syntax", "song-lyrics" ], "title": "Is there a difference between この小さな街で and 小さなこの街で?", "view_count": 293 }

[ { "body": "There is no difference. And they have the same meaning. Personally, 戻れないあの日々\nand 小さなこの街で sound more literary than the others to me.", "comment_count": 4, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T09:34:40.967", "id": "486", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-03T09:34:40.967", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "90", "parent_id": "484", "post_type": "answer", "score": 2 }, { "body": "At the risk of going slightly off-topic, I'm going to agree 100% with Kentaro\nand say that putting the demonstrative determiner (learned a new term today!)\nin the middle sounds more literary. But there are cases where you can (and\nindeed must) use this \"literary\" form in everyday Japanese to avoid ambiguity.\nTake the following examples:\n\n> 絵を描いたあの子供 (えをかいたあのこども) - **That** child who drew the picture.\n>\n> あの絵を描いた子供 (あのえをかいたこども) - The child who drew **that** picture.\n\nSo when the relative clause (小さな and 戻れない in your examples) begins with\nsomething that the demonstrative determiner could modify (like a noun), you\nhave to choose where you put the demonstrative determiner based on what you\nwant to convey.", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T13:04:53.800", "id": "504", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-03T13:04:53.800", "last_edit_date": "2020-06-17T08:18:27.500", "last_editor_user_id": "-1", "owner_user_id": "94", "parent_id": "484", "post_type": "answer", "score": 7 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "490", "answer_count": 6, "body": "Does the -ou / -you / -mashou (the \"let's X\") form have a negative\ncounterpart? For example, how do I say \"let's not X\" for the following?:\n\n * 行こう\n * 食べよう\n * 寝ましょう\n\nAs far as I can remember, the Japanese courses I took in college did not teach\nme the negative of this form. Does it even exist? If it does not exist, how do\nyou say \"let's not X\" in Japanese?", "comment_count": 5, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T10:09:28.470", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "487", "last_activity_date": "2017-06-19T10:14:05.620", "last_edit_date": "2014-05-08T08:44:45.980", "last_editor_user_id": "125", "owner_user_id": "112", "post_type": "question", "score": 41, "tags": [ "verbs", "conjugations", "negation", "imperatives" ], "title": "Does -ou / -you / -mashou conjugation have a negative form?", "view_count": 11588 }

[ { "body": "The -ou/-you form does have a negative counterpart, but it's considered rather\nliterary, and in any case never used in a cohortative meaning (\"Let's X\").\nThat form is the なかろう form, e.g.: 食べなかろう, which means \"[He/I/etc.] probably\nwouldn't eat.\" and is equivalent to the more colloquial form \"食べないだろう\".\n\nI think the most common simple way to express the meaning of \"Let's not X\" in\nJapanese is:\n\n * 行かないね。\n * 食べませんね。\n\nAnother option is to use a compound expression such as Xするのはやめる (which\nliterally means \"stop doing X\") or Xないことにする (which literally means \"Choose not\nto do X\"). For instance:\n\n * 行くのはやめよう。\n * 行かないことにしよう。\n * 食べるのはやめましょう。\n * 食べないことにしましょう。\n\nThere are a quite few more possible combination such as Xないようにしよう, Xないでおこう,\nXことはやめておこう, etc. Each has a slightly different nuance, so there's no direct\nequivalent of the positive form, but rather many different ways to express the\nnegated idea.", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T10:23:41.070", "id": "490", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-03T10:36:18.847", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-03T10:36:18.847", "last_editor_user_id": "153", "owner_user_id": "153", "parent_id": "487", "post_type": "answer", "score": 27 }, { "body": "According to my understanding, they don't have one for 非意向形.\n\nInstead, I would use\n\n * 行かないことにしよう\n\nor If someone ask me, and if I don't want to, I will say.\n\n * （今回は）やめておきます\n\nfor 食べよう\n\n * 遠慮します\n\nfor 寝ましょう\n\n * 無理です... :P", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T10:28:33.453", "id": "491", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-03T10:28:33.453", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "100", "parent_id": "487", "post_type": "answer", "score": 6 }, { "body": "Though these are not used so much:\n\n * 行かないでおきましょう/行かないでおこう\n * 食べないでおきましょう/食べないでおこう\n * 寝ないでおきましょう/寝ないでおこう/起きてましょう/起きてよう", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T10:32:48.070", "id": "493", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-03T10:32:48.070", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "90", "parent_id": "487", "post_type": "answer", "score": 6 }, { "body": "According to [Tae\nKim](http://www.guidetojapanese.org/learn/grammar/volitional2), there _is_ a\nnegative volitional form, but it is archaic and formal, so you're better off\nusing the modern expressions given by the other answers.\n\nHowever, it does show up every now and then (トキ in 北斗の拳 seems to like using\nit), and it's a pretty simple conjugation, so it's worth knowing.\n\nTo form the negative volitional, you add まい to the end of the verb. If it's a\nる verb you drop the る first, so 食べる -> 食べまい. If it's an う verb, just add it to\nthe end, so 探す -> 探すまい. する and くる become するまい and くるまい (isn't it rare that\nthey fit the pattern governing the other verbs?), and you add まい after the ます\nform for politeness, 死にます -> 死にますまい.\n\nexamples from 北斗の拳:\n\n> こんな馬にまたがる男はひとりしかおるまい\n>\n> おまえたちと同じ地上に降りたたねばなるまい！！\n>\n> その棍棒が血ぬられることはあるまい！\n>\n> しかたあるまい", "comment_count": 5, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T12:43:47.337", "id": "502", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-03T13:24:43.980", "last_edit_date": "2020-06-17T08:18:27.500", "last_editor_user_id": "-1", "owner_user_id": "38", "parent_id": "487", "post_type": "answer", "score": 14 }, { "body": "`**Long story short:**`\n\n**Let's not go** is simply **行くのは止めましょう**\n\nIf we use **行かないことにしましょう** it is more like **Let's decide to not go**\n\nI think **行くのは止めましょう** is a _stronger_ **Let's not go** compared to\n**行かないことにしましょう** , though I'm not sure (someone may wish to verify / de-verify\nit)\n\n`**Long story:**`\n\nAs the -おう/こう/.../よう and -ましょう forms have no negative, the まい ending is\nsometimes used in the situation of expressing negative intention. It cannot be\nused to express a \"let's not\" situation, and in any case is a literary form\nand rarely seen at the ends of sentences, however it is fairly common in a\ndependent clause to show one's strong determination not to do something, as in\n\n私は、彼女とは二度と会うまいと思う。 (I'm certainly not going to see her ever again!)\n\nOften \"Let's not do ...\" is expressed by saying \"Let's stop doing ..\" using\n止める or 止す. E.g.\n\nパーティーに行くのは止めましょう。 (Let's not go to the party.)\n\nAnother construction which means \"let's decide to\" or \"let's try to\" is\nverb+ことにしよう/しましょう or verb+ようにしよう/しましょう. For example:\n\n名古屋までバスで行くことにしましょう。 (Let's [decide to] go as far as Nagoya by bus.)\n\nThis construction can be used where appropriate in negative sentences.\n\nバスでは行かないことにしましょう。 (Let's [decide to] not go by bus.)\n\nNote that that are many verbs where the volitional/hortative forms cannot be\nused in a meaningful way. One cannot say \"午後に雨が降りましょう\", for example. On the\nother hand, one might hear rockers on the stage yelling:\n\nのってるか？今夜は燃えようぜ！ (You guys getting in the mood? Let's burn it up tonight!)\n\n`**Side Track:**`\n\nThe まい auxiliary can also be used to carry the sense of \"probably not\". As\nwith the use of まい in the volitional category, this usage is strictly\nliterary.\n\n彼はもう英語を教えるまい。 (Most probably, he won't teach English any more.)\n\nThe -ないだろう form has the literary alternative form: なかろう.\n\n`**Source:**`\n\n<http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~jwb/wwwverbinf.html> (there's alot of goodies\npacked in that small page ;)", "comment_count": 5, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-24T17:47:36.443", "id": "1482", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-24T17:54:39.357", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-24T17:54:39.357", "last_editor_user_id": "264", "owner_user_id": "264", "parent_id": "487", "post_type": "answer", "score": 6 }, { "body": "Just wanted to add that I also read that there is another conjugation that's\nnot within these answers yet.\n\nHowever, it is archaic so you shouldn't use this in normal conversations.\n\nIt is still useful to know in case you stumble to read something like this:\n\n行くのはよそう - let's not go\n\nよそう from the word 止す (to cease)", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2017-06-19T10:14:05.620", "id": "48539", "last_activity_date": "2017-06-19T10:14:05.620", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "3568", "parent_id": "487", "post_type": "answer", "score": 1 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "492", "answer_count": 2, "body": "Furthermore, what is its different in meaning between the both? When I was in\ntraining as a fresh graduate at a Japanese company, they told me to use\nいつもお世話になっております all the time and so I did. But after being a assigned to a\ndepartment they told me to stop doing so because it sounded too weird within\nthe team. Does it also has something to do with status?", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T10:12:23.663", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "489", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-04T06:28:04.787", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-03T15:20:52.213", "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "79", "post_type": "question", "score": 8, "tags": [ "word-choice", "usage", "politeness", "keigo" ], "title": "Concretely, on what scenarios should I say either お世話になっています or いつもお世話になっております?", "view_count": 1111 }

[ { "body": "The 2 equivalent forms (from your question title) should be:\n\nお世話になっております and お世話になっています (not なります)\n\nThe former being the humble form (keigo use) and the latter being the neutral\nform.\n\nThis way you can see that います has been changed into the humble form おります (if\nyou prefer おります = います but very polite)\n\nThey told you to drop it probably because the team is more friendly. (お世話になる\nin itself is already quite polite, adding keigo to it would probably work with\nyour boss but not with your colleagues)\n\nPS: I would avoid using keigo for the moment and stick to formal japanese\nuntil keigo makes sense to you.\n\nPPS: いつも at the beginning adds a layer of politeness making いつもお世話になっております\nquite heavy and excessive in most cases.", "comment_count": 3, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T10:29:09.033", "id": "492", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-03T10:36:17.913", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-03T10:36:17.913", "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": null, "parent_id": "489", "post_type": "answer", "score": 6 }, { "body": "お世話になります is not grammatically incorrect and can be used in place of よろしくお願いします\nin a formal context. I've heard our suppliers use it when beginning work in\nour office, but it's not commonly heard.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-04T06:28:04.787", "id": "566", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-04T06:28:04.787", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "168", "parent_id": "489", "post_type": "answer", "score": 2 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "495", "answer_count": 2, "body": "Thanking and apologizing in several forms is essential in a Japanese working\nenvironment. I currently have the following list that I have picked up from\nmails amongst my Japanese coworkers but I'm curious what could be other\nexamples to do this...\n\n * Thanks for pointing out my mistakes.\n\nご指導を頂き、ありがとうございました。\n\n丁寧にご指導を頂き、ありがとうございました。\n\n丁寧にご指導を頂きまして有難うごいざいました\n\n * Thanks for the feedback!\n\n添削ありがとうございます. とても助かります.\n\n意味を間違っておりました。教えていただきありがとうございます。\n\nどうぞよろしくお願いします。", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T10:52:47.453", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "494", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-04T07:00:21.257", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "79", "post_type": "question", "score": 12, "tags": [ "politeness" ], "title": "How can I thank somebody for pointing out my mistakes?", "view_count": 2530 }

[ { "body": "I would also use \"ご指摘、ありがとうございます。\"\n\n指摘 has meaning pointing out, and 指導 is more like guidance.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T11:06:54.933", "id": "495", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-03T11:06:54.933", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "100", "parent_id": "494", "post_type": "answer", "score": 6 }, { "body": "You could also say 「ありがとう。勉強になりました」, which works out to something like \"Thanks\nfor teaching me\"", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-04T07:00:21.257", "id": "568", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-04T07:00:21.257", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "97", "parent_id": "494", "post_type": "answer", "score": 4 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "499", "answer_count": 3, "body": "I heard this phrase a few times but I still can't grasp its meaning. Does it\nmean, \"as much as you would like\"?", "comment_count": 3, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T11:07:25.667", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "496", "last_activity_date": "2012-07-02T23:20:02.850", "last_edit_date": "2012-07-02T23:20:02.850", "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "79", "post_type": "question", "score": 9, "tags": [ "words", "translation" ], "title": "What does 思いっきりどうぞ mean?", "view_count": 1088 }

[ { "body": "You can translate it as \"Knock yourself out\". It means \"Go ahead and do that\nthing, if you want to\". Sometimes it's said sarcastically, as if the thing the\nother person wants to do/try isn't going to work out. Sometimes it's just used\nas \"Please, go ahead\", without a sarcastic tone. If there is an exclamation\nmark after it (or the spoken equivalent) it's probably sarcastic.\n\nI usually see it written as 思い切ってどうぞ.", "comment_count": 3, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T12:26:55.167", "id": "499", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-03T12:26:55.167", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "36", "parent_id": "496", "post_type": "answer", "score": 12 }, { "body": "I like the translation \"absofuckinglutely go ahead\", but that might be too\ncasual (in English) for what you're looking for.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T21:21:15.500", "id": "743", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-07T21:21:15.500", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "75", "parent_id": "496", "post_type": "answer", "score": 1 }, { "body": "思い切る, as you might guess from the letters, literally means \"to stop\ndeliberating/thinking\". It can actually have two meanings: \"to give up\", or to\n\"decide\". That said, when it's used as 「思いっきり」, it always means to do\nsomething decisively, with gusto and without reservation.\n\n思いっきり has been idiomatized to the point that it no longer necessarily modifies\na verb; it can serve to emphasize an adjective as well: 「彼は思いっきり弾けた人格だ」(he's\ngot a extremely spontaneous personality).", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-29T17:47:54.250", "id": "1635", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-29T17:47:54.250", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "448", "parent_id": "496", "post_type": "answer", "score": 5 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "498", "answer_count": 2, "body": "Can you give an example of when 帰る should be used instead of 戻る, and vice\nversa?\n\nThe reason I ask is that I sometimes get corrected when using the two, such as\nin:\n\n> × そのとき私は日本から **戻って** きて、大学に **戻って** 入りました。 (ignore the other problems with\n> this ☺) \n> ○ そのとき私は日本から **帰って** きて、大学に **戻りました** 。", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T12:02:13.050", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "497", "last_activity_date": "2022-11-13T08:40:04.407", "last_edit_date": "2015-12-16T01:33:35.107", "last_editor_user_id": "11104", "owner_user_id": "54", "post_type": "question", "score": 16, "tags": [ "word-choice", "direction" ], "title": "What are the differences between 帰る and 戻る?", "view_count": 7407 }

[ { "body": "Examples would be\n\n * 仕事に戻る。(go back to work from appointment or something)\n\n * 家に帰る。(go back to home, (when there is no plan in mind to go back to same place for today))\n\n * 財布忘れたので家に一旦戻る。（Forgot the wallet and go back to home once (need to go back same route again)）", "comment_count": 5, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T12:04:18.463", "id": "498", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-03T12:04:18.463", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "100", "parent_id": "497", "post_type": "answer", "score": 12 }, { "body": "For an English speaker, 'お店に戻ってパイをもう一杯食べてから帰ります。' [I'm going back to the shop\nfor another pie, then going home.] may be a good example using both verbs.\n\nMany languages have idioms relating to 'home'. In English, we miss out the\npreposition 'to'. Japanese doesn't seem to need '家に' with '帰ります'.\n\n'プレゼントを返します。' [I'm returning a gift.] uses another verb [at least different\nkanji], while English can use the same verb 'return' for all three.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 4.0", "creation_date": "2022-11-13T08:40:04.407", "id": "97181", "last_activity_date": "2022-11-13T08:40:04.407", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "51143", "parent_id": "497", "post_type": "answer", "score": 0 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "501", "answer_count": 2, "body": "I know that \"わさび\" 'wasabi' can also be written using kanji as \"山葵\" and that\nthese two characters mean respectively \"mountain\" and \"hollyhock\", but\nhollyhock doesn't seem at first glance to be related.\n\nSo are the hollyhock and wasabi plants related or are the kanji some kind of\nateji which would explain why the hiragana spelling is more common. Or is the\norigin of the word something more subtle or mysterious?", "comment_count": 4, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T12:32:59.307", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "500", "last_activity_date": "2011-12-29T09:16:57.193", "last_edit_date": "2011-12-29T09:16:57.193", "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "125", "post_type": "question", "score": 14, "tags": [ "etymology", "food", "compounds", "ateji" ], "title": "What is the etymology of [山葵]{わさび}?", "view_count": 1919 }

[ { "body": "I don't have a full answer here (at least not yet), but I do want to note that\nthe kanji here are definitely not any kind of _ateji_ \\- they are actually the\nexact opposite, a _gikun_ (義訓 - 'meaning reading'), since 山 has no reading わさ,\nand 葵 has no reading び.\n\nThat means the etymology of the word わさび itself is unrelated to the etymology\nof the kanji わさび, and both should be treated separately.\n\nThe kanji chosen for this word means means 'Mountain Aoi (葵)'. Now, I'm not\nexpert in Japanese botany (or in botany at all) - the best you can get out of\nme is probably recognizing a rose, and even that is only when I get pricked by\none of it's thorns. :) But what I do know is that the word 葵 is used for\nseveral kinds of flowers that are not all of the same family. Some of them\nbelong to the Malvaceae family, which also includes Genus Alcea (the flowers\ncalled Hollyhock in English), but some of them belong to an entirely different\nfamily. Wasabi is apparently similar enough to some of them, like\n[カンアオイ](http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%AB%E3%83%B3%E3%82%A2%E3%82%AA%E3%82%A4),\nso the kanji chosen to represent it in meaning was mountain Aoi.\n\nAs for the origin of the word itself (disregarding the kanji its written in),\nthere is no clear answer. It appears as early as the 10th century [in a\nmedicinal herbs manual](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wasabi#Etymology) as 和佐比,\nwhich is just an ateji rendering of the word, so it doesn't tell us anything\nabout its origin. Some unproven theories can be found at\n[Gogenjiten](http://gogen-allguide.com/wa/wasabi.html):\n\n 1. It's an abbreviation of the expression 悪障疼（* _わ_ *る * _さ_ *わり ひ* _び_ *く), which probably means something along the lines of 'causing horribly irritating pain'.\n 2. The わさ in わさび comes from わしる, which is an old pronunciation of the verb 走る（はしる), _to run_ , and it describes the pungent taste that \"runs\" all the way to your nose, while the び is the denasalized form of 実（み）, _fruit_ or _nut_.\n 3. The last theory is that the name comes from 早葵 , which was pronunced `wasaapupi` in Old Japanese and written わさあふひ in historical kana usage (today it would be just わさあおい). This transformed (with a little elision and voicing of the ending syllable `pi`) to `wasabi`.", "comment_count": 4, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T12:42:59.397", "id": "501", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-03T16:41:58.290", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-03T16:41:58.290", "last_editor_user_id": "153", "owner_user_id": "153", "parent_id": "500", "post_type": "answer", "score": 14 }, { "body": "Wasabi 「山葵」 is jukujikun\n-([熟字訓](http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%86%9F%E5%AD%97%E8%A8%93#.E5.8B.95.E6.A4.8D.E7.89.A9)\n\\- word reading), which is kind of 当て字、but based on word 「熟語」 level\n\nRegarding origin, [語源辞典](http://gogen-allguide.com/wa/wasabi.html) says that\n山葵's leaf is looks like Hollyhock 葵, so used it such way from Heian-Era\n「794年-1185年」\n\nFollowing are \"Three Hollyhocks inside Circle\" logo from Tokugawa clan and\nWasabi leaf.\n\n \n\nNote: Images taken from Wikipedia\n[1](http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%AF%E3%82%B5%E3%83%93),\n[2](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollyhock)", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T13:02:56.110", "id": "503", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-03T13:11:28.820", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-03T13:11:28.820", "last_editor_user_id": "100", "owner_user_id": "100", "parent_id": "500", "post_type": "answer", "score": 6 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "521", "answer_count": 4, "body": "I would like to know if there is a shift in nuance in questions such as these:\n\n> 誰が参加したんですか。 vs. 誰が参加しましたか。\n>\n> いつ着いたんですか。 vs. いつ着きましたか。\n\nI wish to limit discussion to only non-yes/no questions (so questions asking\nWho? When? Where? Why? and so on). I have read [a\npaper](http://www.lang.nagoya-u.ac.jp/nichigen/0-kyouiku/seminar/pdf/027-2.pdf)\n(PDF) which states that adding ～のか indicates that the asker's feelings of\nwanting to know the answer are stronger, and that it puts more of a burden of\nresponding on the askee. Can anyone confirm or contradict this?", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T13:35:44.223", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "506", "last_activity_date": "2015-10-31T09:39:35.417", "last_edit_date": "2020-06-17T08:18:27.500", "last_editor_user_id": "-1", "owner_user_id": "94", "post_type": "question", "score": 16, "tags": [ "nuances", "formal-nouns", "contractions", "questions", "particle-か" ], "title": "Use of ～のか (～んですか) in questions not seeking a yes/no answer", "view_count": 1817 }

[ { "body": "のか is an abbreviation for のですか (んですか spoken) \nIt's a rather manly expression very colloquial.\n\nI haven't read the paper, so I'll base my comment on what you got out of it:\n\n-It doesn't put any burden on the askee other than the lack of respect it shows. (unless you talk to a friend in which case it's just a friendly expression)\n\nI don't see myself asking a Japanese colleague (and even less someone I don't\nknow well):\n\nひるめし食べたのか？ \n(more feminine version using simply の without か)\n\nThe use of ～のです instead of ます is not a question of more or less polite. I\nbelieve the の insists on the action or result expressed by the preceding verb.\nIt feels natural and still polite in oral conversations\n\nThe ます form is simply formal, without any additional feeling to it.", "comment_count": 6, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T14:16:48.903", "id": "507", "last_activity_date": "2015-10-31T09:39:35.417", "last_edit_date": "2015-10-31T09:39:35.417", "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": null, "parent_id": "506", "post_type": "answer", "score": 0 }, { "body": "**What I was taught**\n\nI was taught that the んです form in statements (not questions) emphasized the\npreceding predicate as shared information. My interpretation of this is that\nwhen you're using んです to make a statement, you're acknowledging that the\nperson you're talking to is in a group for which the information is\nappropriate.\n\nThis can be subtle. A particular example the teacher mentioned was an upper\nlevel student commenting to her that the new students were quite good this\nyear. But since he used the んです construction, she felt slightly insulted. In\nthis case, it _wasn't_ shared information. As the teacher, it was her\ninformation.\n\nIn the case of yes/no questions, this variation implies that the statement is\ntrue, and you're just verifying it.\n\nIn the case of non-yes/no questions, the construction can be seen as\nemphasizing the \"concreteness\" of the question.\n\n**My rough translation: \"It is [the case] that\"**\n\nMy personal interpretation, that has worked fairly well for me, is to\ninterpret it as some variation on the phrase \"it is that\".\n\nIn statements, \"it is the case that...\" can carry roughly the same nuance,\nalthough that may just be my personal speech pattern in English.\n\nIn yes/no questions, \"Is it the case that...\" works fairly well as a\nreflection of both the heightened formality and increasing concreteness.\n\nIn non-binary questions, \"is it that\" often works, \"itsu tsukimashita\" (When\ndid X arrive?) becomes (When is it that X arrived?). \"Who joined?\" -> \"Who is\nit that joined?\".\n\nEDIT: Modified a few things and clarified that one of my statements was at\nbest a guess.", "comment_count": 3, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T16:48:58.170", "id": "513", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-03T20:28:07.910", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-03T20:28:07.910", "last_editor_user_id": "29", "owner_user_id": "29", "parent_id": "506", "post_type": "answer", "score": 0 }, { "body": "I can give four nuances here, from lightest to most severe.\n\n> （イ）あら、宮内さん。もうここにいましたか。いつ着きましたか。\n\n(1) Light feeling of enquiry.\n\n> （ロ）あら、宮内さん。もういたんですか。いつ着いたんですか。\n\n(2) Basically the same as (1), but with more intimacy.\n\n> （ハ）いつ着いたんですか。教えてくれればよかったのに。\n\nIs a bit remorseful…\n\n> （ニ）いつ着きましたか。答えなさい。答え次第で、ただで行かせないこともありません。\n\nA pressing, extorting nuance.\n\nI'll try adding more if I ever find out!", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T19:58:08.723", "id": "520", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-03T19:58:08.723", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "154", "parent_id": "506", "post_type": "answer", "score": 0 }, { "body": "の/ん often indicate that the speaker is attempting to explain or account for\nsome fact. This can connect the question to a previous statement made by the\naddressee.\n\nFor example:\n\n> A: (Wow, some of the people who participated in the tournament were really\n> good!) \n> B: 誰が参加したんですか。\n\nHere B would like to know which people inspired A to make that statement.\n\n> A: (I got to this party so early that the host looked at me funny.) \n> B: いつ着いたんですか。\n\nB wants to know how early A was to the party, thus explaining why the host\nlooked at her funny.", "comment_count": 6, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T20:22:28.760", "id": "521", "last_activity_date": "2012-01-05T07:27:48.860", "last_edit_date": "2012-01-05T07:27:48.860", "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "28", "parent_id": "506", "post_type": "answer", "score": 8 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": null, "answer_count": 0, "body": "> **Possible Duplicate:** \n> [Can somebody explain the various words and combinations thereof used for\n> thanking?](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/438/can-somebody-\n> explain-the-various-words-and-combinations-thereof-used-for-thanking)\n\nThere are numerous ways of saying thanks. To give the ones I know:\n\n * ありがとう\n * ありがとうございます\n * どうも\n\nAre there other ways? And, if so, how would one discern when to use them?\n\nAlso, how can I thank someone for something _specifically_? As in, \"Thank you\nfor the cake.\" 「ケーキ[something]ありがとうございます」. Would such a phrase be culturally\nappropriate in most situations, or are there nuances?", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T15:05:22.517", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "509", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-03T15:05:22.517", "last_edit_date": "2017-04-13T12:43:44.207", "last_editor_user_id": "-1", "owner_user_id": "83", "post_type": "question", "score": 1, "tags": [ "learning", "greetings" ], "title": "How to thank someone in different ways?", "view_count": 313 }

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{ "accepted_answer_id": "511", "answer_count": 1, "body": "I guess we could use the native Japanese numbers, 一つ, 二つ, 三つ...but we'd run\ninto a problem at or after ten (not sure how とお works — same for はたち).\n\nIs there a general counter word that we can fallback on? For example, if\nsomething is mechanical I'd probably fallback on 台 (だい), if it's flat 枚 (まい).\nFor more general objects like 11 motorcycle helmets, or 15 packs of\ncigarettes, or 24 clothes hangers, could I fallback on something?", "comment_count": 8, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T15:47:31.937", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "510", "last_activity_date": "2011-12-27T16:43:16.340", "last_edit_date": "2011-12-27T16:43:16.340", "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "54", "post_type": "question", "score": 8, "tags": [ "numbers", "counters" ], "title": "Is there a general counter word for objects that you can fallback on if you're not sure which one to use?", "view_count": 1463 }

[ { "body": "You'd fall back to 個. It's understandable to count everything as 個, and in\nmany cases it's acceptable (or the only common way) as well.\n\nCounting animals as 個 does sound quite weird though, so you might want to\navoid that. And never count people as 個. That's just wrong.", "comment_count": 5, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T16:07:49.500", "id": "511", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-03T16:07:49.500", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "20", "parent_id": "510", "post_type": "answer", "score": 7 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "746", "answer_count": 5, "body": "I asked a female Japanese friend to translate a sentence for me and it ends in\n\"nano\" which I took to be either an alternative question particle to -ne or\n-ka; or possibly two particles I don't know which could come together.\n\nBut just now I looked it up in `wwwjdict` and it tells me it's a \"feminine\ncopula\". So does this mean \"なの\" (nano) is a synonym of \"です\" (desu) that only\nfemale speakers use? Assuming it's not very formal, what should I use instead\nas a noun?\n\nAlso does this mean it's a verb and if so what kind of conjugation or other\nforms does it have?\n\n**EDIT**\n\nSince this has turned out to be quite subtle and even controversial, here is\nmy sentence:\n\n> (Original English: Why must life be so difficult?)\n>\n> Japanese translation: なんで[人生]{じんせい}はそんなに[大変]{たいへん}なの？", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T18:06:43.047", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "514", "last_activity_date": "2022-12-18T18:55:08.837", "last_edit_date": "2020-06-17T08:18:27.500", "last_editor_user_id": "-1", "owner_user_id": "125", "post_type": "question", "score": 55, "tags": [ "verbs", "register", "copula", "questions", "sentence-final-particles" ], "title": "What exactly is \"なの\" (nano)?", "view_count": 131758 }

[ { "body": "なの is kind of a conclusion used at the end of explanation with a calm/quit\nsense. Example.,\n\n> 彼女は大学生なのよ She is university student, **you know**.\n\nIt is just combination of two particles な and の.\n\nなのです is polite form, and なの is same with なのだ just omitting だ after that.\n\nsometime it is used as 〜なんです。\n\nなの is used by females most of the time, but なんです may use by males too.", "comment_count": 3, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T18:22:42.183", "id": "515", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-03T18:27:50.633", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-03T18:27:50.633", "last_editor_user_id": "100", "owner_user_id": "100", "parent_id": "514", "post_type": "answer", "score": 6 }, { "body": "なの relates to the ～のだ construction, and as such provides explanatory,\nsecondary, or supporting information (which could be a reason, a cause, or\nother fact the speaker feels would aid in the listener's understanding). Note\nthat the な is only used if the preceding word is a noun or な-adjective.\nFollowing a verb or い-adjective, only の is used:\n\n> あの公園はとてもきれいなの。 That park is beautiful.\n>\n> よく見たら、その動物はどうやら猫なの。 When I took a closer look, that animal turned out to be\n> a cat.\n>\n> その後、ちょっと買い物に行ったの。 After that, I went shopping for a bit.\n>\n> この宿題は本当に難しいの。 This homework is really difficult.\n\nThese sentences have a feminine sound to them; to make them more masculine,\nchange の to んだ, or のだ in written form. んです, or のです in written form, is a\npolite equivalent which is also gender-neutral.\n\nAlso, while this doesn't come through in the English, the use of の implies\nthat the preceding sentence plays a supporting role in the surrounding\ncontext. It's still important, but the role it plays is more like that of a\nframework which buttresses the speaker's main point. This is a somewhat\ndelicate inflection, the complete treatment of which is beyond the scope of\nthis question.", "comment_count": 4, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T18:42:50.707", "id": "516", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-03T18:42:50.707", "last_edit_date": "2020-06-17T08:18:27.500", "last_editor_user_id": "-1", "owner_user_id": "94", "parent_id": "514", "post_type": "answer", "score": 26 }, { "body": "**EDIT:***As per Derek's comment, I have misunderstood the meaning of copula.\nMy examples here were all ending particles (jp: 終助詞).*\n\nThe {Noun/なAdj}-なの or {いAdj/Verb}-の ending particle has various usage, and\naccording to くろしお出版's 日本語文型辞典, the primary users are different according to\nusage.\n\n## Question\n\nUsed to indicate inquiry. Inclining intonation. \nUser: Children as general, or ordinary people towards their close ones\n(friends, family).\n\n> てつお：明日どこか行くの？ \n> Tetsuo: Are you going somewhere tomorrow?\n\n## Explanation\n\nTo explain a circumstance. Declining intonation. \nUser: Children, female people. Light mooded.\n\n> かなこ：うん、町内会でちょっと用事なの。 \n> Kanako: Yeah, I've got something up with the neighbourhood association.\n\n## Assent\n\nConfirmation expression. Intonation can be either inclining or declining.\n\n> てつお：へえ、かなこちゃんってよく町内会に参加してたの。 \n> Tetsuo: Wow, Kanako's quite active in the association, huh. You can see\n> that it implies a certain degree of surprise of unexpectedness.\n\n## Light volition\n\nTo express volition, either an order or a prohibition, in a light manner.\nDeclining intonation. \nUser: female, towards someone of lower rank (e.g. younger people).\n\n> かなこ：そうよ。てっちゃんもいい加減町内会をサボらないの。そんなんだからいつまでたっても人見知りなのよ。ほら、明日一緒に行くの。いい？ \n> Kanako: That's right. And Tec-chan, you ought to stop skipping association\n> meetings. That's why you are always shy of other people. Come on, you should\n> go together tomorrow. Oorah?\n\n* * *\n\nSee how the の ending particle can be replaced with similar ones. I'll be using\npolite form for each:\n\n> 1. 明日どこか行きますか。 (の→ですか) \n>\n> 2. (a) はい、町内会で少し用事があります。(の→です) \n> (b) はい、町内会で少し用事があるからです。(の→だからです) \n>\n> 3. そうですか、かなこちゃんはよく町内会に参加していましたか。(の→ですか) \n>\n> 4. てつおさんももう町内会をサボらないでください。({verb}ないの→{verb}ないでください \n>\n> 5. さあ、明日は一緒に行きなさい。({verb}の→{verb}なさい)\n>", "comment_count": 7, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T19:33:07.030", "id": "518", "last_activity_date": "2016-03-19T06:31:43.843", "last_edit_date": "2016-03-19T06:31:43.843", "last_editor_user_id": "9831", "owner_user_id": "154", "parent_id": "514", "post_type": "answer", "score": 3 }, { "body": "Everyone's done a great job of answering this one, so I'm just going to add a\nquick answer. The なの that you're asking about is really just の. The な is only\nthere if you use it after a noun or a na-adjective (きれい, 大変, 非常). The most\ncommon way of using this の is as a question marker.\n\n> そうなの - Is it really?\n\nThis is the same as そうなんですか but less formal.\n\n> 何をしているの? What are you doing?\n\nThe same as 何をしているんですか. Or even less formally, 何してんの?\n\n> 仕事は大変なの? - Is your work difficult?\n\nMore formally as 仕事は大変なんですか。\n\n> 元気がないね。どうしたの？ - You don't seem well. What happened?\n\nどうしたの is really common as a way of asking \"What's wrong\" or \"What happened?\"\n\nYou can use it to answer a question too (高いのよ！ - It _is_ expensive), but I\nthink the form you were asking about was the question form.\n\nSo for your question phrase, なんで人生はそんなに大変なの？, the の is making it a question\n(although it would be a question without the の) but also making it more\nemotional (in much the same was as のですか adds emotion). I think that women\nmight use it without the な, even after a noun or na-adjective: 仕事は大変の?\n\nNote here that you should only use this with kids or good friends, and that\nthere's a rising intonation at the end.", "comment_count": 6, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T21:49:00.210", "id": "746", "last_activity_date": "2016-03-19T06:26:22.157", "last_edit_date": "2016-03-19T06:26:22.157", "last_editor_user_id": "9831", "owner_user_id": "36", "parent_id": "514", "post_type": "answer", "score": 42 }, { "body": "I stumbled across this question looking for something else, and I realize it's\npretty old by the time I'm writing this, but while some of the answers did\nadequately cover the meaning/interpretation, it bugs me a bit that none of the\nanswers actually explain what's going on grammatically here.\n\nIn your sentence, the な in なの is not a particle. It is actually a form of the\nverb だ/です. だ can change to な under some circumstances, such as this.\n\nThis is actually technically the same thing that is happening when you place a\nな-adjective in front of a noun, too. In general, in Japanese you can simply\nplace a verb, or verb-phrase in front of a noun to make it modify that noun,\nlike so:\n\n * リンゴが **落ちた** — (An) apple fell\n * **落ちた** リンゴ — (The) apple which fell _(落ちた is modifying リンゴ)_\n\nWith the copula だ, you can technically do this too, but だ is unusual in that\nit can't be placed in front of something else as だ, so it ends up changing\nform in the process:\n\n * 本が好き **だ** — (I) like the book\n * 好き **な** 本 — (The) book which (I) like\n\n(This is actually just taking the verb-phrase 好きだ and putting it in front of 本\nto modify it, the same as the previous example, but だ changes to な in the\nprocess.)\n\nBut anyway, this same changing from だ to な also happens when you add の after a\nphrase ending in だ. So if you have a sentence which ends in だ and you want to\nturn it into a question by adding の, you need to change だ to な in the process:\n\n * 大変 **だ** — It is difficult\n * 大変 **な** の？ — Is it difficult?\n\nThis same thing also happens when, for example, adding のです to a sentence which\nends in だ/です:\n\n * 大変 **です** \n→ 大変 **だ** + のです \n→ 大変 **な** のです\n\n(Or also with various other constructions which add の, such as ので, etc.)\n\nSo in this case, it is just using の as a question particle on the end of the\nsentence, but since the statement-form of the sentence would end with だ, when\nadding の for a question, it must become なの on the end instead:\n\n * 人生はそんなに大変 **だ** — Life is so difficult\n * なんで人生はそんなに大変 **な** の？ — Why is life so difficult?", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 4.0", "creation_date": "2022-11-05T17:54:03.780", "id": "97035", "last_activity_date": "2022-12-18T18:55:08.837", "last_edit_date": "2022-12-18T18:55:08.837", "last_editor_user_id": "35230", "owner_user_id": "35230", "parent_id": "514", "post_type": "answer", "score": 6 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "519", "answer_count": 1, "body": "Can anyone explain the difference between the words 創{そう}立{りつ}, 設{せつ}立{りつ} and\n樹{じゅ}立{りつ}? They all basically mean \"to set up / to found\", and from what I've\nresearched, it's all very 微{び}妙{みょう} to me.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T19:21:46.350", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "517", "last_activity_date": "2015-12-15T14:24:35.623", "last_edit_date": "2015-12-15T14:24:35.623", "last_editor_user_id": "11830", "owner_user_id": "78", "post_type": "question", "score": 14, "tags": [ "words", "definitions", "synonyms" ], "title": "Difference between 創立、設立、樹立", "view_count": 700 }

[ { "body": "そうりつ「創立」 is used for foundation/establishment of buildings (refer to physical\nitems, have some sense about first time establishment one's life or pioneer\nalike)\n\n> この学校は1970年に創立された This school was founded in 1970.\n\nせつりつ「設立」 is used for foundation/establishment of organized associations (kind\nof logically, general word)\n\n> この協会は自然保護のために設立された This association was organized for preserving nature.\n\n設立 is more general word, so it would be used for those kind of foundation\nstuff, and there is another word 「創設」, which is combination of above two\nkanjis, and make 創設 and 設立 more close when related to company.\n\n**Note** : But why I used \"refer to physical items\" for 創設 is, it suppose to\nbe point to physically visible building, but for \"associations\", main point is\nnot about assciations's building, but refer to logically grouped one.\n\nじゅりつ「樹立」 is used for foundation/establishment of new goverment, parties,\nrecords (similar to 設立 but only for special things)\n\n> 新党を樹立した Founded new political party", "comment_count": 5, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T19:34:41.460", "id": "519", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-04T04:39:06.597", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-04T04:39:06.597", "last_editor_user_id": "100", "owner_user_id": "100", "parent_id": "517", "post_type": "answer", "score": 11 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "560", "answer_count": 3, "body": "What is the proper response when someone tells you, for example, that their\nmother has died? Relatedly, what should you do to express your sympathy? Do\nyou send a card? flowers? bake a casserole?", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T22:27:06.053", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "522", "last_activity_date": "2017-03-15T15:13:59.777", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "28", "post_type": "question", "score": 20, "tags": [ "set-phrases", "culture" ], "title": "What to say after someone dies", "view_count": 49526 }

[ { "body": "> （お[母上]{ははうえ}[様]{さま}のご[逝去]{せいきょ}を）[心]{こころ}よりお[悔]{く}やみ[申]{もう}し[上]{あ}げます。\n>\n> \"I'm so sorry to hear (of your mother's death).\"", "comment_count": 3, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T22:35:47.660", "id": "523", "last_activity_date": "2017-03-15T15:08:57.053", "last_edit_date": "2020-06-17T08:18:27.500", "last_editor_user_id": "-1", "owner_user_id": "78", "parent_id": "522", "post_type": "answer", "score": 3 }, { "body": "There is a common phrase for that.\n\n> ご愁傷さまです - _go shuushou sama desu_\n\nFor example\n\n> お母上が亡くなられご愁傷さまです I'm very sorry about your mother's death\n\nRegarding sending something, there is a special custom in Japan called\n[香典]{こうでん} - giving money to remaining family members with the purpose of\noffering it to the departed soul. (Originally, this was used as an alternative\nof [香華]{こうか} - incense and flowers)\n\nIn my experience, I have seen this two times: one for a colleague's mother,\nand one for someone from another department. In both cases, another colleague\nstarted to collect money and put it in an envelope to give to them.\n\nAnd there is another custom, [香典返し]{こうでんがえし}, which refers to getting back\nsome present/food from them.", "comment_count": 4, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-04T05:01:42.170", "id": "560", "last_activity_date": "2017-03-15T15:13:59.777", "last_edit_date": "2017-03-15T15:13:59.777", "last_editor_user_id": "9831", "owner_user_id": "100", "parent_id": "522", "post_type": "answer", "score": 19 }, { "body": "Other users have already provided good answers, but here is mine anyway. When\nattending to a funeral, the most common thing to say is: ご愁傷さまです ( _go\nshuushou sama desu_ )\n\nIf you are writing an email, you can also say _go shuushou sama desu_ , but as\n@istrasci pointed out you can also say things like 心よりお悔やみ申し上げます ( _kokoro\nyori okuyami moushiagemasu_ ), though I wouldn't know if is ok to say at a\nfuneral since it is sounds very much like written language.\n\nRegarding what to send... I'm sorry I have to research that further.", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-04T05:48:20.970", "id": "562", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-04T05:48:20.970", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "79", "parent_id": "522", "post_type": "answer", "score": 2 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "558", "answer_count": 4, "body": "Feet are 足, and legs are also 足.\n\nIs there a word or method with which I can easily talk about one and not the\nother? And if not, why is there no word for feet in the Japanese language?\n\nCaveat: I know that one can just use フィート but that feels so very not\nJapanese...", "comment_count": 7, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-03T23:29:21.927", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "524", "last_activity_date": "2022-03-10T11:35:15.447", "last_edit_date": "2012-01-27T12:00:47.347", "last_editor_user_id": "84", "owner_user_id": "84", "post_type": "question", "score": 33, "tags": [ "nuances", "words" ], "title": "How can I differentiate between feet and legs?", "view_count": 20846 }

[ { "body": "I think the problem here is that languages in general don't always equate 1:1\nwith other languages. For instance there is also no difference in Japanese\nbetween pigeons and doves or squirrels and chipmunks. The problem is that we\nknow English in which there are two distinct words to tell the difference, so\nthat's how we percieve the situation. Japanese on the other hand have always\nhad just one word, so don't even think of the need to differentiate between\nthe two.\n\nTo answer you question though, I don't think there is a way to differentiate.", "comment_count": 10, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-04T01:19:57.053", "id": "532", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-04T01:19:57.053", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "97", "parent_id": "524", "post_type": "answer", "score": 5 }, { "body": "> Is there a word or method with which I can easily talk about one and not the\n> other?\n\nA short answer is that there is no simple way. If you have to talk\nspecifically about foot but not leg, you have to explain it such as\n足{あし}の足首{あしくび}から先{さき}の部分{ぶぶん} (the part of leg which is below ankle).\nSimilarly, you have to exclude foot, you have to explain it such as\n足{あし}の足首{あしくび}より上{うえ}の部分{ぶぶん} (the part of leg which is above ankle).\n\nThere are two kanji for あし: 足 and 脚. Sometimes they mean different parts of\nhuman body, in which case 足 means foot and 脚 means leg (including thigh but\nusually not including hip). But this is not always the case, and in particular\n足 can also mean the same part as 脚. My personal impression is that using 脚 for\nfoot is rare.\n\nAs technical terms in medicine,\n[足](http://www5.atpages.jp/motoneuron/?%E8%B6%B3) always means foot, and\n[下肢{かし}](http://www5.atpages.jp/motoneuron/?%E4%B8%8B%E8%82%A2) means [lower\nlimb](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lower_limb) (which is a little broader than\n“leg”). The precise meaning of “leg,” which is the free part of lower limb\n(the part of lower limb that we can move by will), is called\n[自由下肢{じゆうかし}](http://www5.atpages.jp/motoneuron/?%E8%87%AA%E7%94%B1%E4%B8%8B%E8%82%A2).\nBut 下肢 is a formal word and not usually used in a daily conversation, and 自由下肢\nis completely a technical term and at least I did not know the term 自由下肢 at\nall until I looked it up just now.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-04T04:37:25.867", "id": "558", "last_activity_date": "2012-01-28T03:01:36.053", "last_edit_date": "2012-01-28T03:01:36.053", "last_editor_user_id": "119", "owner_user_id": "15", "parent_id": "524", "post_type": "answer", "score": 36 }, { "body": "At first glance we might think Japanese inaccurate because we can't indicate\nleg as different from foot. In practice i find Japanese native speakers go one\nlevel of detail deeper and refer more specifically to ankle 足首, thigh 腿, toe\ntips 爪先, knees 膝, heel かかと and calf 脹脛.\n\nAs a martial arts instructor I have to talk about legs, feet and ankles a lot,\noften in Japanese. I've also heard endless hours of my Japanese teachers\ntalking about them. Not being able to say leg, needless to say, has never come\nup _grin_\n\nDid you have a specific usage in mind (eg. hey nice feet!)", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-04T05:53:20.783", "id": "563", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-04T05:53:20.783", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "168", "parent_id": "524", "post_type": "answer", "score": 16 }, { "body": "Appreciate this question is very old, but the thought occurred to me and this\nthread was a top search result. I wasn't sold on any of the answers so I asked\nmy wife (who is a native Japanese speaker). When I asked \"how do I say my feet\nare cold?\", she replied 足が冷たい, so I followed up \"but how do I distinguish\nbetween my legs and feet?\". The answer was very simple: 足先 (あしさき).\n\nFor those unsure, this is something like \"the end section of the leg\" and you\nmight be conceptually familiar with it if you've ever ordered 手羽先 which is the\nsecond segment (with two boxes, less meat and more yum) in chicken wings. Hope\nthis can be of help to any future googlers.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 4.0", "creation_date": "2022-03-10T11:35:15.447", "id": "93679", "last_activity_date": "2022-03-10T11:35:15.447", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "50797", "parent_id": "524", "post_type": "answer", "score": 3 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "542", "answer_count": 3, "body": "I noticed that 「もう」 can mean both \"already\" and \"additional\", such as the\nfollowing sentence:\n\n> もう二本飲みましたよ。\n\nCan mean either one of:\n\n 1. I already drank two glasses.\n 2. I drank additional two glasses.\n\nHow can I differentiate between the two meanings?", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-04T00:55:08.013", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "530", "last_activity_date": "2022-04-27T02:05:20.753", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "112", "post_type": "question", "score": 17, "tags": [ "words", "nuances" ], "title": "How can I differentiate between 「もう」 that means \"already\" and 「もう」 that means \"more/additional\"?", "view_count": 10292 }

[ { "body": "I guess that the most reliable way is decide from the context. But at least in\nthe Tokyo dialect and other dialects with the same accent pattern, they have\ndifferent accents.\n\n * _I think_ that もう meaning “already” is pronounced as HL (where H is high and L is low). Therefore もうにほん becomes HLHLL.\n * もう meaning “additional” is pronounced as LH. Therefore もうにほん becomes LHHLL. This can be confirmed by the Daijirin dictionary. This meaning is shown as 1-[3], and the small “0” at the beginning of this meaning means that the “standard” accent is LH.", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 4.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-04T03:52:37.743", "id": "542", "last_activity_date": "2022-04-27T02:05:20.753", "last_edit_date": "2022-04-27T02:05:20.753", "last_editor_user_id": "30454", "owner_user_id": "15", "parent_id": "530", "post_type": "answer", "score": 12 }, { "body": "I can see what you're thinking, but the second English meaning does not arise\nfrom the Japanese sentence provided.\n\nもう二本飲みましたよ。 Yep, this means \"I already drank two glasses\"\n\nもう二本飲みますよ。 In present/future tense it means \"I will drink two additional\nglasses\"\n\nBut by saying もう二本飲みました, it does not become \"I drank two additional glasses\".\nTo say that you might say 追加として二本飲みました.\n\nRegarding pronunciation guides, from experience this can be less reliable than\ncontext, since even native speakers regularly mix them up.", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-04T05:34:18.907", "id": "561", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-04T05:34:18.907", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "168", "parent_id": "530", "post_type": "answer", "score": 2 }, { "body": "If you really want to distinguish them, you can emphasize the \"already\" one\nwith すでに （既に）.\n\nもう既に２本飲みました。", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-05T02:29:21.027", "id": "596", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-05T02:29:21.027", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "78", "parent_id": "530", "post_type": "answer", "score": 2 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "14974", "answer_count": 2, "body": "This is my understanding but please correct me if some of my details are\nwrong:\n\n * In 1946 the Japanese language underwent a reform and standardization process\n * A set of 1850 kanji were made official and others more or less obsoleted\n * A smaller subset of these kanji were simplified, the new forms becoming known as shinjitai and the previous forms as kyujitai\n\nBut some words which used characters made obsolete had their spellings changed\nto use similar looking characters, my favourite being:\n\n> \"濠洲\" (ごうしゅう, Gōshū), an ateji for \"Australia\" became \"豪州\"\n\n * Does this replacement of characters have a name? They are not shinjitai since they already existed and they are not in shinjitai tables.\n * Does this only happen with ateji or also with regular words?\n * Does it only happen when the replacement characters have a same reading as the replaced characters?\n * If not, does this add to the confusion of which readings apply to which characters?", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-04T00:57:36.237", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "531", "last_activity_date": "2019-03-22T16:38:38.423", "last_edit_date": "2014-03-21T01:51:09.733", "last_editor_user_id": "4914", "owner_user_id": "125", "post_type": "question", "score": 13, "tags": [ "kanji", "spelling", "language-reform", "kyūjitai-and-shinjitai" ], "title": "On the replacing of kanji made obsolete in the 1946 reforms with similar-looking kanji.", "view_count": 1522 }

[ { "body": "I do not know any name for rewriting of kanji (because of a kanji reform)\nusing a similar-looking kanji.\n\nI am not sure if 濠洲 was replaced by 豪州 because they look similar. I guess that\nthe biggest factor that contributed to this rewriting was they can be read in\nthe same way. Because 濠洲 is ateji, the most important property of the kanji 濠\nmust be its pronunciation. But these two facts (濠 and 豪 looking similar and 濠\nand 豪 pronounced identically) are related because the kanji 濠 is\n[形声文字]{けいせいもじ} (a kanji character consisting of a part representing its\nmeaning and a part representing its pronunciation).\n\nAlso note that in many other words, a kanji was rewritten with another kanji\nwith the same pronunciation and different meaning and shape (although meanings\nare often related in some way). In 1956, 文部省国語審議会 (the Council on National\nLanguage (?) of the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture) published an\nofficial report describing guidelines for rewriting the kanji which are not\ntōyō kanji (the kanji included in the 1946 list). The report was entitled\n“[同音]{どうおん}の[漢字]{かんじ}による[書]{か}きかえ” (Rewriting by Kanji with the Same\nPronunciation), and it included many such examples (see an [article in the\nJapanese\nWikipedia](http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%90%8C%E9%9F%B3%E3%81%AE%E6%BC%A2%E5%AD%97%E3%81%AB%E3%82%88%E3%82%8B%E6%9B%B8%E3%81%8D%E3%81%8B%E3%81%88#.E4.B8.BB.E3.81.AA.E6.9B.B8.E3.81.8D.E6.8F.9B.E3.81.88.E3.81.AE.E4.BE.8B)).\nThis also suggests that the pronunciation was a bigger factor than the shape\nwhen choosing how to rewrite kanji.", "comment_count": 3, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 4.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-04T03:24:39.817", "id": "535", "last_activity_date": "2019-03-22T16:38:38.423", "last_edit_date": "2019-03-22T16:38:38.423", "last_editor_user_id": "9831", "owner_user_id": "15", "parent_id": "531", "post_type": "answer", "score": 11 }, { "body": "As it turns out, I actually researched this phenomenon the other day while\ndoing some reading up on 旧字体【きゅうじたい】. As it turns out, what you're referring\nto are 書換字【かきかえじ】. Essentially, with the promulgation of the 当用漢字【とうようかんじ】 in\n1946, the Japanese government decided to try to encourage some additional,\nmore informal simplifications to bring vocabulary that depended on 表外字【ひょうがいじ】\ninto compliance with the new set without the need to resort to 交【ま】ぜ書【が】き\n(aka. substituting katakana for missing characters, such as 天プラ instead of\n天麩羅).\n\nAs for why the need to create a second tier of simplifications instead of\nsimply declaring these additional 新字体【しんじたい】 forms, I imagine a fair bit of\nthat stems from maintaining overall linguistic integrity. The 新字体【しんじたい】\ncharacters were based off of long-standing traditions and 略字【りゃくじ】\n(abbreviated forms of characters used in handwriting) forms of their\ncorresponding 旧字体【きゅうじたい】 characters. As such, there is a degree of continuity\nin terms of meaning.\n\nIn the case of 書換字【かきかえじ】, the substitutions are based primarily on\nsubstituting characters that are within the 当用【とうよう】・常用漢字【じょうようかんじ】 for ones\noutside of it. Oftentimes this involved preserving a phonetic element and just\nchanging the accompanying semantic radical (e.g. changing from 骼 to 格). Other\ntimes it was something a bit more dramatic (such as changing 誨 to 戒). In some\ncases it involved simply removing parts altogether (e.g. 廻, 蛔, and 洄 all\nbecame 回).\n\nWith that foundation laid, let's touch back on the questions at the end of the\noriginal post:\n\n> Does this replacement of characters have a name? They are not shinjitai\n> since they already existed and they are not in shinjitai tables.\n\nAs mentioned above, these are called 書換字【かきかえじ】.\n\n> Does this only happen with ateji or also with regular words?\n\nThe list I link at the end shows a great number of regular words. The primary\nreason for this was to bring words using characters that were left out of the\n当用漢字【とうようかんじ】 list into compliance. As a matter of fact, there are a couple of\nrather common words that were affected by it (e.g. 注文【ちゅうもん】 was originally\n註文【ちゅうもん】)\n\n> Does it only happen when the replacement characters have a same reading as\n> the replaced characters?\n\nYes, all characters have the same reading as the ones they replaced, at least\nfor the purposes of the word in which they are serving as a replacement.\nAnother feature that distinguishes 書換字【かきかえじ】 from 新字体【しんじたい】 that I've\nobserved is that from what I can tell the 書換字【かきかえじ】 were simplified as\n_words_ , whereas 新字体【しんじたい】 were simplified as _characters_.\n\n> If not, does this add to the confusion of which readings apply to which\n> characters?\n\nAs mentioned above, they generally aren't adding any new readings to the\n\"simplified\" characters. So no, it doesn't add to the complexity in that\nregard.\n\nIf you want an overview of just what was changed and how far-ranging these\nchanges were, [this is the most comprehensive\nlist](https://web.archive.org/web/20130901135527/http://www15.atpages.jp/sa2700v/tojo-\ndaiyo-.htm) I've been able to find. For simplicity, the columns from left to\nright are:\n\n * The modern reading of the character replaced\n * The classical reading of the character replaced\n * The characters involved (new on the left, old on the right)\n * The authority promulgating the change (either the government 国 or newspapers 新)\n * Affected words\n * Additional notes\n\nThis might have been a bit more information than you were looking for, but I\nhope it helps!", "comment_count": 5, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 4.0", "creation_date": "2014-03-21T00:34:41.183", "id": "14974", "last_activity_date": "2019-03-22T15:03:21.760", "last_edit_date": "2019-03-22T15:03:21.760", "last_editor_user_id": "9831", "owner_user_id": "4914", "parent_id": "531", "post_type": "answer", "score": 7 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "559", "answer_count": 1, "body": "It seems that there are (at least) three words for \"tuna\" in Japanese:\n\n * \"マグロ\" / \"鮪\" / \"まぐろ\" (maguro) - Seems to be the native name for the creature and used at least in sushi\n * \"ツナ\" (tsuna) - Seems to be from English and used for canned tuna and o-nigiri\n * \"シーチキン\" (shiichikin) - Mistakenly read as \"chicken\" by other gaijin besides me and also seems to mean canned-tuna style as used in o-nigiri, but what is its etymology?", "comment_count": 5, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-04T01:42:08.820", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "533", "last_activity_date": "2014-06-13T02:39:43.587", "last_edit_date": "2014-06-13T02:39:43.587", "last_editor_user_id": "3437", "owner_user_id": "125", "post_type": "question", "score": 8, "tags": [ "word-choice", "words", "synonyms", "food", "animals" ], "title": "What's the difference between \"マグロ\" (maguro), \"ツナ\" (tsuna), and \"シーチキン\" (shiichikin)?", "view_count": 13792 }

[ { "body": "まぐろ (also written as マグロ and 鮪) is the Japanese word for\n[thunnus](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thunnus), a specific kind of tuna. It\nrefers to both the living fish and the food. Traditionally, まぐろ also referred\nto [billfish](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billfish) because billfish was\nconsidered to be a close kind to thunnus. Because of this, even today まぐろ can\nalso refer to billfish.\n\nツナ comes from the English word tuna and it refers to drained and flaked tuna\n(not necessarily thunnus), which is mainly used for tuna salad. I do not know\nif drained tuna before being flaked is also called ツナ or not.\n\nシーチキン is the product name of canned ツナ made by [Hagoromo Foods\nCorporation](http://www.hagoromofoods.co.jp/company/english/). (The [Japanese\nWikipedia](http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%B7%E3%83%BC%E3%83%81%E3%82%AD%E3%83%B3)\nstates that it is named after chicken because its taste is similar to\nchicken.) But this product is so common in Japan that ツナ in general is\nsometimes called シーチキン.\n\n_Edit_ : Revision 1 contained a mistake about the meaning of the word まぐろ.", "comment_count": 3, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-04T05:01:32.470", "id": "559", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-04T05:17:36.453", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-04T05:17:36.453", "last_editor_user_id": "15", "owner_user_id": "15", "parent_id": "533", "post_type": "answer", "score": 16 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "557", "answer_count": 1, "body": "> **Possible Duplicate:** \n> [Differences among -たら、なら、-んだったら、-えば,\n> etc.](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/393/differences-among-\n> etc)\n\nThere are different ways to say \"if\" in Japanese. I want to concentrate on\nthese two verb endings which mean \"if\": たら and ば. What exactly are the\nsimilarities and differences between these two? I have heard that in some\nsituations, you should be careful to use one and not the other. Which\nsituations are those? Are there some sentences where they are interchangeable\nand the meaning doesn't change?", "comment_count": 3, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-04T02:53:36.117", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "534", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-04T04:53:57.537", "last_edit_date": "2017-04-13T12:43:43.857", "last_editor_user_id": "-1", "owner_user_id": "69", "post_type": "question", "score": 4, "tags": [ "verbs", "conjugations" ], "title": "The differences and similarities between ーたら and ーば", "view_count": 1363 }

[ { "body": "Yeah, these are not so easy as there is a complex set of conditions and\ncircumstances where you can use one over the other. I'll try to cover the most\ncommon usages and differences.\n\n~ば is used in the case of a consistent relationship of cause and effect.\n\nFor example:\n\n**合格すれば、卒業が出来ます** (goukaku sureba, sotsu gyou ga dekimasu) If I pass I can\ngraduate.\n\n**雨が降れば、試合が中止になります** (ame ga fureba, shiai ga chuushi ni narimasu) If it rains\nthe match will be cancelled.\n\nIt can also be used for hypothetical statements, such as\n**明日もし雨が降れば、テレビを見ましょうか？** (moshi ame ga fureba, tereba wo mimashouka?) If it\nrains tomorrow, shall we watch tv?\n\nIt should generally not be followed by an expression of a wish, desire or\ncommand, and never by an action that has completed.\n\nOn the other hand, ~たら is usually used to indicate a particular condition\nbeing satisfied and it CAN be followed by an expression indicating a wish,\ndesire or command, or followed by an action that has completed.\n\nFor example:\n\n**パチスロに着いたら電話ちょうだい** (pachisuro ni tsuitara denwa choudai) Please give me a\ncall when you get to Pacinko!\n\nOr used with a completed action: **焼酎の瓶を飲んだら、歩けなくなった** (shouchuu no bin wo\nnondara, arukenaku natta) I was unable to walk after drinking the bottle of\nshochu.\n\nOr like ~ば it can be followed by a hypothetical statement:\n**明日もし雨が降ったら、テレビを見ましょうか？** (moshi ame ga futtara, tereba wo mimashouka?) If it\nrains tomorrow, shall we watch tv?\n\nJust to boggle us further, there is ~と (more similar to ~ば) and ~なら which is a\nlong conversation all by itself.", "comment_count": 3, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-04T04:34:06.020", "id": "557", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-04T04:53:57.537", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-04T04:53:57.537", "last_editor_user_id": "168", "owner_user_id": "168", "parent_id": "534", "post_type": "answer", "score": 6 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "577", "answer_count": 2, "body": "When sending emails, I've noticed that Japanese colleagues use all sorts of\nkanji/kana combinations for the simple phrases ありがとうございました and よろしくおねがいいたします.\n\nFor example:\n\n 1. ありがとうございました\n 2. 有難うございました\n 3. 有難う御座いました\n 4. ありがとう御座いました\n\nand\n\n 1. 宜しくお願いいたします\n 2. よろしくお願いいたします\n 3. よろしくお願い致します\n\nAre there hidden nuances to using more or fewer kanji? Do you sound like a try\nhard if you use all kanji, or do you sound more polite?", "comment_count": 5, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-04T06:22:15.490", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "565", "last_activity_date": "2012-04-12T15:29:49.710", "last_edit_date": "2012-04-12T15:29:49.710", "last_editor_user_id": "921", "owner_user_id": "168", "post_type": "question", "score": 12, "tags": [ "kanji", "politeness", "spelling", "email", "greetings" ], "title": "Which kanji to use for saying ありがとうございます in emails?", "view_count": 4813 }

[ { "body": "According to my wife (native Japanese), go with the simple rule of thumb:\n\nhiragana for friends\n\nありがとうございました\n\nlots of kanji for formal/work emails.\n\n有難う御座いました", "comment_count": 7, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-04T09:15:01.713", "id": "569", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-04T09:15:01.713", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "60", "parent_id": "565", "post_type": "answer", "score": 5 }, { "body": "Amongst all the business teachers I have studied with (and then worked with),\nthe rules to remember were:\n\n**-The auxiliary verb should be written in hiragana:**\n\nお願い致します should be お願いいたします\n\n宜しくお願いいたします is correct as well as よろしくお願いいたします\n\n**-Thank you should be written in hiragana:**\n\nありがとうございました\n\n-It's ok to use all kanji in literary work.", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-04T12:54:33.087", "id": "577", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-04T14:04:46.883", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-04T14:04:46.883", "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": null, "parent_id": "565", "post_type": "answer", "score": 13 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "612", "answer_count": 2, "body": "At university our most learned lecturer in Japanese once mentioned there were\nnon-phonetic usages of hiragana at the end of kanji verbs and adjectives pre\nWWII. Apparently books printed prewar used this writing system, meaning old\nprints are illegible to modern Japanese speakers!\n\nThis was said to be similar to English spelling in that kana were pronounced\ndifferently to normal sounds based on their position at the end of the word.\n\nDoes anyone know of this spelling system? Can you explain how it worked?\n\nMy izakaya zatsugaku won't be complete without this and I've wondered about\nthis for years!", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-04T06:40:45.713", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "567", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-05T04:24:51.063", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "168", "post_type": "question", "score": 6, "tags": [ "history", "spelling", "obsolete-kana" ], "title": "Can anyone explain the obsolete, non-phonetic use of hiragana from pre war times?", "view_count": 3019 }

[ { "body": "There is\n[indeed](http://members.jcom.home.ne.jp/w3c/kokugo/rekishi/GendaiKanadsukaiS21.html)\nsome kanji system changed at 昭和２１年１１月６日（1946 Nov 6) by Prime Minister Yoshida\nShigeru 「吉田茂」\n\nAnd according some sentences in\n[this](http://www.geocities.jp/nkcjw883/maruya.html) page, Meiji ７年 (1874),\n**Katakana** is used instead Hiragana that we use nowadays.\n\n> 明治７年…西周「洋字 **ヲ** 以 **テ** 国語 **ヲ** 書 **スルノ** 論」を発表\n\nps: This is what I can figured out now, but may be not complete yet as a\nanswer to your question.\n\nref:\n\n * <http://members.jcom.home.ne.jp/w3c/kokugo/rekishi/GendaiKanadsukaiS21.html>\n * <http://www.geocities.jp/nkcjw883/maruya.html>", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-04T20:52:04.723", "id": "589", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-04T20:52:04.723", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "100", "parent_id": "567", "post_type": "answer", "score": 0 }, { "body": "It seems like there's a continuing series over here. :)\n\nIf you collects [some](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/376/in-\nwhich-dialects-have-the-sounds-wi-and-we-been-preserved-and-are-t) of\n[my](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/379/why-are-the-particles-\nhawa-hee-and-woo-not-spelled-phoneti)\n[answers](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/348/why-is-pronounced-\nas-when-used-as-a-topic-particle) since the beginning of the beta, you can get\na partial answer to your question, but that's not a full answer to your\nquestion, and frankly, a full explanation would require explaining the entire\npronunciation system of the [historical kana\nusage](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_kana_usage) (歴史的仮名遣い), as it is\ncalled, and this should hopefully go one day into the Wikipedia article, not\ninto a Stack Exchange answer. :)\n\nStill, I can give you a few points that should explain the general gist of\nthat. But first, we have to see how Old Japanese (the Japanese spoken circa\n800 CE) sounded:\n\n> 1. The pronunciation of all columns was more persistent. For instance, ち\n> was probably pronounced `TI` instead of `CHI`, and じ was pronounced `ZI`\n> instead of `JI`.\n>\n> 2. entire H-column (は行) was pronounced (persistently) with the sound /p/.\n> i.e. は was `PA`, へ was `PE`, ふ was `P`U, etc.\n>\n> 3. There were a few kana symbols that represent sounds that don't exist\n> anymore: を represented `WO`, ゑ represented `WE` and ゐ represented `WI`. `WO`\n> now represents the sound `O`, which but the separate letter still remains\n> and it is used more or less exclusively for the particle を. The other two\n> letters (ゐ and ゑ) have been removed from the alphabet in [the reform of\n> 1946](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_spelling_reform#Reforms).\n>\n>\n\nDuring the time that passed since then, the spoken Japanese language has\nnaturally changed quite a bit, and many sounds have been either lost or\ntransformed:\n\n> 1. The consonant `/p/` became `/f/` and later `/h/` (though the\n> pronunciation `/f/` remained before the vowel `/u/`.\n>\n> 2. Between vowels, however, the consonant `/p/` usually changed to `/w/`\n> and merged with the existing 4 sounds in the W-column (わ・ゐ・ゑ・を), while ふ\n> merged with う (since there was no separate letter or sound for `WU`).\n>\n> 3. Later still, the sound /w/ disappeared anywhere except for before the\n> vowel `/a/`, so ゐ・ゑ・を merged with い・え・お.\n>\n> 4. At more or less the same time, there were some vowel contractions (\n> _monophthongizations_ in linguistic techspeak) that caused adjacent pairs of\n> vowels to be pronounced like one (usually long) vowel. These included the\n> following:\n>\n> * あう -> おお (remember that also includes わふ -> わう -> をお -> おお etc.)\n> * おう -> おお (including をふ, をう and おふ)\n> * えい -> ええ (including ゑい, えひ, etc.)\n> * いう -> ゅう (e.g. 十, which was `jip` in Middle Chinese and じふ in Old\n> Japanese, became じゅう).\n> * えう -> ゃう -> ょう (e.g. けふ in 今日 become きょう)\n> 5. It should be noted that small kana wasn't used (at least most of the\n> time) in the old kana usage, so じゃない would have been written じやない, and あった\n> would have been written あつた.\n>\n>\n\nWhile all these changes occurred, the spelling conventions remained mostly\nunchanged. There were some attempts at reform during the Meiji period, but\nbesides throwing away the\n[Hentaigana](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hentaigana), they didn't work out.\nIf we look back at the situation before WWII, the pronunciation was more or\nless the same as today, but words were being spelled as if they were\npronounced in Old Japanese, which was quite confusing since a word pronounced\nin one way could be written in several different ways even when it was written\nin kana (not to mention kanji :)), and you had to know which of them was the\ncorrect one.\n\nSome interesting examples are:\n\n> * オウ (応), ワウ (王), アフ (凹), ヲウ (翁), ワフ (奥). All are now normalized as オウ.\n> * All the verbs now ending in う used to end in ふ, 闘う・戦いたい was 戦ふ・戦ひたい.\n>\n\n(note that the spelling おう, which is pronounced the same as おお, along with the\nspelling えい, which is pronounced the same as ええ are the only two old spellings\nthat remain in use).\n\nYou can find more examples and information\n[here](http://www.sljfaq.org/afaq/historical-kana-usage.html) (although the\narticle at this link has a few minor mistakes).", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-05T04:24:51.063", "id": "612", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-05T04:24:51.063", "last_edit_date": "2017-04-13T12:43:44.863", "last_editor_user_id": "-1", "owner_user_id": "153", "parent_id": "567", "post_type": "answer", "score": 6 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "574", "answer_count": 5, "body": "If you want to state what you think you can put と思います at the end of a\nsentence. However I noticed that sometimes you're supposed to put だ before\nと思います so that it becomes だと思います, and sometimes you're not. How do you know\nwhen to put だ before と思います and when to leave it out?", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-04T09:16:42.230", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "570", "last_activity_date": "2016-01-14T15:25:39.350", "last_edit_date": "2016-01-14T15:25:39.350", "last_editor_user_id": "1628", "owner_user_id": "69", "post_type": "question", "score": 17, "tags": [ "particle-と", "copula", "quotes" ], "title": "When to use だ before と思います?", "view_count": 18207 }

[ { "body": "Each time you can write のです then you can write のだ.\n\nThen you can combine this (using と) with a variety of verbs including:\n思う、信じる、言える。。。\n\nHere is what should be your thinking process when building a sentence:\n\n * \"This is not correct.\" (less formal, more blunt):\n\n> 正しくない。 (tadashikunai)\n\n * \"This is not correct.\":\n\n> 正しくないです。 (tadashikunai desu)\n\n * \"I think this is not correct.\":\n\n> 正しくないと思います。 (tadashikunai to omoimasu)\n\n * \"This is not correct.\" (attenuating with の):\n\n> 正しくないのです。 (tadashikunai no desu)\n\n * \"I think this is not correct.\" (with の, the sentence you're asking about):\n\n> 正しくないのだと思います。(tadashikunai no da to omoimasu)\n\n * \"I think this is not correct.\" (spoken form):\n\n> 正しくないんだと思います。(tadashikunai n da to omoimasu)\n\nAs a short explanation, I wrote の = attenuation but this is not completely\ntrue. Depending on the context it can be used to emphasize the action that\nappears before の, to make your point...etc. Most of the time it is used in\nsentences like:\n\n> コンビニ探してるんですけど。。。（隣りにありますか？）\n\nYou can also use だと思います if there is a noun or anything that is not a verb\nbefore.\n\n> ネコです。－＞ネコだと思います。", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-04T09:33:59.317", "id": "572", "last_activity_date": "2012-10-30T09:06:29.403", "last_edit_date": "2012-10-30T09:06:29.403", "last_editor_user_id": "796", "owner_user_id": null, "parent_id": "570", "post_type": "answer", "score": 2 }, { "body": "The と (to) of と思います works like the quotes in English. So the part before と\nmust be a valid sentence.\n\n> ○ 美しい と思います \n> × 美しい だ と思います (美しいだ is not a valid sentence) \n> ○ 美しいんだ と思います (very strong feeling)\n>\n> ○ キレイだ と思います \n> ○ キレイ と思います", "comment_count": 9, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-04T10:54:52.417", "id": "574", "last_activity_date": "2016-01-14T15:21:15.707", "last_edit_date": "2020-06-17T08:18:27.500", "last_editor_user_id": "-1", "owner_user_id": "60", "parent_id": "570", "post_type": "answer", "score": 13 }, { "body": "Don't think of the だ as a part of it. 「だと思う」 is just 「と思う」 stuck to the end of\na sentence that happened to end in だ.\n\nThe only time you might need to add an extra だ is if you use it as a\ncolloquial-ish stand-alone reply in the same way as 「だね。」 and whatnot.", "comment_count": 3, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-04T13:08:03.850", "id": "578", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-04T13:16:26.700", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-04T13:16:26.700", "last_editor_user_id": "20", "owner_user_id": "20", "parent_id": "570", "post_type": "answer", "score": 8 }, { "body": "From Tae Kim's Guide To Japanese @\n<http://www.guidetojapanese.org/learn/complete/verb_phrase> :\n\n> A verb clause can be phrased by adding 「と」 to the end of the clause. For\n> verb clauses that end in an plain noun or na-adjective, we must add 「だ」.\n\nSo 「だ」 needs to be added before 「と思う」 if the last word in the clause we want\nto quote is a noun or na-adjective. Some examples of mine:\n\n> 試験のことは大丈夫だと思うけどね。 \n> I'll be fine in the exam, I think.\n>\n> 先生のお嬢さんはきれいだと思いますよ。 \n> Teacher's daughter is pretty, I think.\n>\n> 間違いのは相手の方だと思うんだよ。 \n> The person that made a mistake is the other party, I think.\n\nIf the last word is a verb or an adjective, you skip the 「だ」:\n\n> 少し高いと思ったから買いませんでした。 \n> I thought it is a bit expensive so I did not buy it.\n>\n> 少し高いけどやっぱり買おうと思いますよ。 \n> It is a bit expensive but I think I am going to buy it anyway.\n\nThere is one condition where you also skip the 「だ」 before a quotative 「と」,\nthat is if you are quoting a name or a term, for example:\n\n> 私は「ルクマン」と言います。 \n> I am called Lukman.\n>\n> あの方はこの辺で「赤鬼」と呼ばれています。 \n> That person is being called \"Red Devil\" around this area.", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-04T14:48:46.380", "id": "579", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-04T14:48:46.380", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "112", "parent_id": "570", "post_type": "answer", "score": 3 }, { "body": "きれい is a な-Adjective and not a い-Adjective.\n\nTherefore, it should be: きれいだと思います。\n\n * **な-Adjective+ だ と思います**\n\n> 日本語の勉強は大変だと思います。 I think Japanese study is tough.\n\n * **い-Adjective と思います**\n\n> 日本語の勉強はおもしろいと思います。 I think Japanese study is interesting.\n\n * **Noun+ だ と思います**\n\n> あの人はセンターの学生だと思います。 I think that person is a student at the centre.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2013-06-29T04:32:50.783", "id": "12257", "last_activity_date": "2013-06-29T04:32:50.783", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "3650", "parent_id": "570", "post_type": "answer", "score": 0 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "576", "answer_count": 2, "body": "I've heard phrases sometimes like:\n\n> チェックいただければと思います。 _chekku itadakereba to omoimasu_\n\n\"If you check this ... I think.\"? Why is that ~と思います at then end of the\nphrase?", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-04T11:04:43.257", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "575", "last_activity_date": "2019-02-15T23:33:20.437", "last_edit_date": "2012-01-09T05:24:48.350", "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "79", "post_type": "question", "score": 8, "tags": [ "translation", "ellipsis" ], "title": "What does ~頂ければと思います mean? Why does such a construction happen?", "view_count": 6686 }

[ { "body": "It should be\n\n> チェックしていただければと思います。 chekku shite itadakereba to omoimasu\n\nand it means \"It will be great if you could check (this (for me))\"\n\nalso there is other similar usages with straight forward meaning.\n\n> 〜していただける **と幸いです** 。 ~ shite itadakeru to saiwai desu.\n>\n> (If you could do this, I will be very good luck) <\\- not sure this is\n> correct English though.\n>\n> 〜していただける **とありがたいです** 。 ~ shite itadakeruto arigatai desu.\n>\n> (If you could do this, I will be very thankful / appreciated)", "comment_count": 4, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-04T11:09:48.703", "id": "576", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-04T11:27:55.447", "last_edit_date": "2020-06-17T08:18:27.500", "last_editor_user_id": "-1", "owner_user_id": "100", "parent_id": "575", "post_type": "answer", "score": 4 }, { "body": "This is an aside, but here is some personal thoughts about チェックいただければ vs\nチェックしていただければ.\n\nチェックしていただければ is undoubtedly correct, and I personally consider チェックいただければ as\nincorrect. However, I imagine that some (native) speakers use チェックいただければ in an\nattempt to make the expression more polite than チェックしていただければ.\n\nIn general, a more polite expression for ～していただければ is ご～いただければ. For example,\nチェックする and [確認]{かくにん}する is almost synonymous, and both 確認していただければと思います and\nご確認いただければと思います mean “It will be great if you could check it,” the latter being\nmore polite.\n\nNow a problem arises when the word before して is a loanword because attaching\nthe prefix ご to a loanword is usually unacceptable. チェックしていただければ would become\nごチェックいただければ, but this form sounds wrong. Therefore one compromise may be to\ndrop ご and say チェックいただければ.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 4.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-05T19:52:58.193", "id": "642", "last_activity_date": "2019-02-15T23:33:20.437", "last_edit_date": "2019-02-15T23:33:20.437", "last_editor_user_id": "9831", "owner_user_id": "15", "parent_id": "575", "post_type": "answer", "score": 10 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "1004", "answer_count": 3, "body": "Grammatically speaking it shouldn't be an issue, but I have heard from some\npeople that a non-japanese using 僕{ぼく} sounds really weird. Has anyone else\nheard this? And if so, is there a reason?", "comment_count": 7, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-04T14:58:48.520", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "580", "last_activity_date": "2015-08-08T21:40:57.750", "last_edit_date": "2011-09-27T07:22:25.257", "last_editor_user_id": "119", "owner_user_id": "97", "post_type": "question", "score": 31, "tags": [ "colloquial-language", "culture", "first-person-pronouns" ], "title": "Is it ok for non-japanese to refer to themselves as 僕{ぼく} and if not why?", "view_count": 4261 }

[ { "body": "It should be okay, at least I used it mainly more than 私 and 俺. But, sometimes\nwhen everyone in the conversation is a guy, I use 俺.\n\nBut Japanese guys only use 俺 most of the time within conversation, so may be\nusing 僕 or 私 would be kind of obvious if speaker is non-Japanese, and of\ncourse that will depends on their pronunciations/intonations too.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-04T15:05:27.570", "id": "583", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-04T15:19:07.623", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-04T15:19:07.623", "last_editor_user_id": "100", "owner_user_id": "100", "parent_id": "580", "post_type": "answer", "score": 5 }, { "body": "The choice of first-person pronoun depends on the level of formality in the\ncurrent context. During (formal) interviews I have heard わたし about 90% of the\ntime, わたくし occasionally, and ぼく only rarely. However, during informal\nconversations, it is quite common to hear ぼく or おれ. I prefer おれ personally,\nbut anecdotally, I have had a native Japanese tell me he prefers ぼく because it\nsounds \"softer\" than おれ. I can't think of why it would be inappropriate for a\nforeigner to use whichever he prefers unless the situation calls for something\nmore formal than ぼく.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-04T21:13:44.800", "id": "590", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-04T21:13:44.800", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "94", "parent_id": "580", "post_type": "answer", "score": 5 }, { "body": "This question frequently comes up among foreigners in Japan, especially men,\nas it seems there's a feeling that sticking with `私{わたし}` is somehow too\n\"textbook\". It's as if using `私{わたし}` is an indication of still learning, or\nperhaps not yet having been integrated into Japanese language and culture\nenough.\n\nMen often wonder if they should use `僕{ぼく}`, or `俺{おれ}` instead, with the\nsense that `僕{ぼく}` is more friendly and verges on kind of boyish and cute\n(where cute is a good thing in Japan). `俺{おれ}` is seen as being rough and\nmanly, but possibly too rude to use in most situations. I've even heard men\nboast of their ability to use `俺{おれ}`, as if it were an indication of their\nbold nature.\n\nWhich is partly true, but I've often found when talking with foreign men about\nthis, they focus entirely on the word and how it represents them, and not on\nthe grammatical construct around the word when they use it.\n\nFor a somewhat extreme example, saying:\n\n> 「俺{おれ}も行{い}かせて頂{いただ}けませんか。」\n>\n> _\"Could I not also go?\"_\n\n... would sound weird, regardless of who you were, because it mixes polite and\nand casual.\n\nIt's like, in English, saying something like \"Excuse me, dude, would you mind\nterribly telling me the time?\" Mixing \"would you mind terribly\" and \"dude\" is\nan awkward mix of slang and old-timey politeness, which in the end just\nconveys one doesn't have mastery of English (assuming the speaker isn't in an\nironic context.)\n\nIf you want to use `俺{おれ}` in the example above, you would say something more\nlike:\n\n> 「俺{おれ}も行{い}けねぇか？」\n>\n> _\"Yo, can I hang with you?\"_\n\n`僕{ぼく}` is safe for a wide variety of contexts, except for very rigid\n_[keigo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honorific_speech_in_Japanese)_. If you\nare able to use rigid _keigo_ , though, you most likely know not to use\n`僕{ぼく}`, so it's not really an issue.\n\nBottom line is, as a non-native Japanese speaker, `僕{ぼく}` is perfectly\nacceptable in most situations, as Japanese will give you some slack on context\nsince you're non-native, and it carries no connotations that make it rude. Use\n`俺{おれ}` if you are sure that the rest of what you are saying matches. And\ndon't be afraid of `私{わたし}` when it's called for. Japanese don't have the same\nstigma against it that foreigners do.\n\nIt's far more important to learn when to not use a personal pronoun at all.\nUsually, when Japanese find `私{わたし}` out of place, it's not because `僕{ぼく}` or\n`俺{おれ}` would have been better, it's more likely the case that the personal\npronoun should have been dropped completely.\n\nOn a side note regarding `あたし` versus `わたし` for women, Japanese women seem\nperfectly comfortable with it so it is commonly used. Foreign women, however,\noften don't like it as they feel it smacks of a sexist construct. The argument\nis that it doesn't convey any more friendliness or character the way `僕{ぼく}`\nor `俺{おれ}` can. It merely conveys femininity, which some foreign women feel is\nunneeded in most contexts.\n\nHope that helps.", "comment_count": 5, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-13T05:16:55.257", "id": "1004", "last_activity_date": "2015-08-08T21:40:57.750", "last_edit_date": "2015-08-08T21:40:57.750", "last_editor_user_id": "7810", "owner_user_id": "119", "parent_id": "580", "post_type": "answer", "score": 41 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "585", "answer_count": 3, "body": "I noticed that even though Japanese language has kanji characters for numbers\n(e.g. 十、百、千、万 etc), there are many places where Arabic numerals are used\ninstead, for example, prices for shop items are written as １００円 instead of\n一百円.\n\nI am curious about:\n\n 1. When did Arabic numerals start replacing Japanese numerals for writing numbers for normal daily uses (e.g. price tags, signboards, phone numbers etc)?\n\n 2. Other than writing small numbers like in dates (e.g. 十月九日), are there any places where large numbers are predominantly written using Japanese numerals (e.g. 六万五千七百二十四)?\n\n 3. For places that use Arabic numerals, when there are large yet trivial numbers, for example \"three hundred millions\", do you still write it as 300000000, or switch back to 三億 (since it saves space)?", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-04T16:44:05.400", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "584", "last_activity_date": "2014-06-14T04:33:57.603", "last_edit_date": "2011-12-25T23:27:17.513", "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "112", "post_type": "question", "score": 17, "tags": [ "kanji", "history", "numbers", "orthography" ], "title": "About writing numbers using Japanese numerals vs using Arabic numerals", "view_count": 9666 }

[ { "body": "What I can think of is Japanese numbers are using when registration of house,\nfamily registrations, and some contracts.\n\nBut they used 壱 弐 参 拾 萬 instead of ー 二 三 十 万 on those kinds of registrations,\ncontracts to prevent obvious modifications. And according to [trade law,\nsession 2, No.\n48](http://law.e-gov.go.jp/htmldata/S39/S39F03201000023.html#1000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000004800000000000000000000000000000)\n「壱、弐、参、拾」 are mandatory.\n\nOld books using those Japanese numbers a lot in (years, phone numbers,\naddresses, postal codes) but recent one most of them are in arabic numerals.\n\nHere is screenshots of the Old one (Natsume Souseki「夏目漱石」's Kokoro「こころ」) and\none of recent book at 2009.\n\n\n\n\nRegarding big numbers like company capitalization, they may just used roman\nnumbers of japanese units like 3億円, for example like this for\n[this](http://www.softbank.co.jp/ja/info/profile/data/) company\n\n> 資本金 : 1,887億7,534万円\n\nBut for statistical data like company achievement/results data for stock share\nowners, they may use those numbers in long numbers like\n[following](http://www.softbank.co.jp/ja/news/press/2011/20110509_04/), and\nthey may use one Million's equivalent 百万円 Unit.\n\n> 売上高 : 3,004,640 百万円", "comment_count": 5, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-04T16:58:54.500", "id": "585", "last_activity_date": "2014-06-14T04:33:57.603", "last_edit_date": "2014-06-14T04:33:57.603", "last_editor_user_id": "91", "owner_user_id": "100", "parent_id": "584", "post_type": "answer", "score": 17 }, { "body": "This may be obvious but not has been stated explicitly on this page: in\nvertical writing, kanji numerals are much more preferred than Arabic numerals.\nMoreover, in vertical writing, we sometimes use the positional system with\nkanji, especially for large numbers; that is, 六万五千七百四円 is sometimes written as\n六五七〇四円.", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-06T01:55:35.310", "id": "645", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-06T01:55:35.310", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "15", "parent_id": "584", "post_type": "answer", "score": 10 }, { "body": "Another thing that others haven't said (that might not be apparent from the\noff) is related to technology (specifically gaming) and [Gunpei\nYokoi](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunpei_Yokoi).\n\nWhilst he didn't invent the LCD screen, and I'm willing to accept that Arabic\nnumberals had been used by the Japanese for years before this; the invention\nof alarm clocks and the Game & Watch greatly influenced the use of Arabic\nnumerals.\n\nThis is because it was far easier to produce LCD screens with [Seven Segments\ndisplays](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven-segment_display) than [Dot Matrix\ndisplays](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dot_matrix_display). The latter are\nvery well suited for kanji or (almost) any other character set, whereas the\nformer aren't.\n\nWhen Gunpei Yokoi created the Game & Watch series, he wanted to create a\nseries of games that would be extremely cheap to manufacture (as Nintendo\ndidn't give him a massive budget for them), but that could also serve as\nclocks (hence the \"& Watch\" portion of the name) and educational devices (by\nhelping to teach the Arabic numerals to those who played the games).\n\nThis probably only scratches the surface of point one of the OP, but I thought\nit might be worth sharing.\n\n* * *", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2012-03-19T15:37:26.033", "id": "5040", "last_activity_date": "2012-03-19T15:37:26.033", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "1206", "parent_id": "584", "post_type": "answer", "score": 3 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "599", "answer_count": 2, "body": "Most -eru and -aru pairs of verbs that I know are transitive/intransitive\ncounterparts of each others. For example, 見つかる is the intransitive counterpart\nfor the transitive 見つける, and 変わる is the intransitive counterpart for the\ntransitive 変える.\n\nBut there is one special pair of -eru and -aru that I know for sure is not\ntransitive/intransitive. They are actually both transitives:\n\n> 預ける {あずける} \n> 預かる {あずかる}\n\nFurthermore, the beautiful part of this pair is they are complementing each\nother by having each one of them covering the opposite sides of the action of\n預ける / 預かる:\n\n> 子猫のチーを預けました。 I entrusted (someone) to take care of Chii the kitten.\n>\n> 子猫のチーを預かりました。 (Someone) entrusted me to take care of Chii the kitten.\n\nAre there any other pairs of -eru/-aru verbs that have the similar relation\nwith each other? Is there special class of verbs for this kind of verb pairs?\nOr is 預ける / 預かる the only pair?\n\np/s: I'm not sure how to write -eru in hiragana; 〜える looks weird because it\nseems to only covers verbs that literally end with える like かえる etc.", "comment_count": 3, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-04T17:40:06.947", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "586", "last_activity_date": "2012-12-22T19:21:50.423", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "112", "post_type": "question", "score": 12, "tags": [ "verbs", "transitivity" ], "title": "About -eru and -aru verb pairs that are not transitive/intransitive counterpart of each other", "view_count": 1896 }

[ { "body": "The pair 預ける・預かる is actually not irregular at all: it belongs to a class of\n_verbs of conveying_ (mostly giving and saying) that behaves differently in\nthis regard in many languages.\n\nTo see that we have to look at the relations between transitive and\nintransitive verbs (as well as passive and active verbs) from a linguistic\npoint of view - this is something that linguists call Valency (or Valence).\nFrom this point of view, verbs have a set of arguments that specify all of the\nparticipants that took part in the event described by the verb. Each of the\narguments is marked differently than the other (in English using word order\nand prepositions, in Japanese with particles alone).\n\nThe verb 預ける has three arguments (not all of them have to be explicitly\nspecified of course):\n\n> * {giver}[が]{ }{recipient}[に]{ }{deposit}を預ける\n>\n\nThe verb 預かる has three arguments specifying the very same roles, but they are\nmarked differently:\n\n> * {recipient}[が]{ }{giver}[に]{ }{deposit}を預かる\n>\n\nNormally, pairs of transitive and intransitive verbs also have the marks on\ntheir arguments switched, but instead of switching 'the subject' (marked by が)\nwith the argument marked by に, they switch it with the argument marked by を,\nwhich is usually (and rather inaccurately) called 'direct object', due to the\nbad influence of traditional Latin grammar.\n\n> * {discoverer}[が]{ }{discovered}を見つける\n> * {discovered}[が]{ }{discoverer}に見つかる\n>\n\nVerbs of saying and giving, however, work in a different ways. I can't think\nof -eru/aru pairs of such verbs, so I'll give examples of active/passive pairs\ninstead:\n\nThe verb argument pattern of the verb 与える:\n\n> * {giver}[が]{ }{gift}[を]{ }{recipient}に与える\n>\n\nhas at least two possible pair patterns with the passive verb 与えられる:\n\n> * {recipient}[に]{ }{giver}[から]{ }{gift}が与えられる\n> * {recipient}[が]{ }{giver}[[に・から]{ }]{gift}を与えられる\n>\n\nThe second option is the which interests us, because almost the same thing\nhappens with 預かる:\n\n> （私が誰かに）子猫のチーを預けました。 I entrusted Chii the kitten to someone.\n>\n> （私が誰かに）子猫のチーを与えた。 I gave Chii the kitten to someone.\n>\n> （私が誰かに）子猫のチーを預かりました。 Someone entrusted me to take care of Chii the kitten.\n>\n> （私が誰かに）子猫のチーを与えられた。 Someone gave me Chii the kitten.", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-05T02:46:33.267", "id": "599", "last_activity_date": "2012-12-22T19:21:50.423", "last_edit_date": "2012-12-22T19:21:50.423", "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "153", "parent_id": "586", "post_type": "answer", "score": 8 }, { "body": "Since nobody list examples, here are the ones I could think of\n\n授ける・授かる\n\n教える・教わる\n\nAs Boaz says, these seem to be trivalent verbs. You might find the below\ninteresting too:\n\nたまう・たまわる\n\nあげる・あがる\n\nFor the last one, I am thinking of the あがる meaning “to eat“, which is\ntransitive. Yes, I know it's a bit of a stretch.", "comment_count": 8, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2012-12-22T19:16:48.247", "id": "9829", "last_activity_date": "2012-12-22T19:16:48.247", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "1073", "parent_id": "586", "post_type": "answer", "score": 2 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "592", "answer_count": 2, "body": "Are first, second, and third person nominals in Japanese used in the same way\nas in English? What should English speakers keep in mind when considering the\nthree persons in Japanese?\n\nParticularly for the second person, English _you_ is used to directly address\nsomeone, but in Japanese, we are taught to address someone by their name,\nwhich is third person. Does this make any sense? Does it affect grammar in\nanyway?\n\nAlso, supposing we're talking to Mr. Yamada, and we want to ask him what he\nwants to do. Which of the following would be correct?\n\n> [山田]{やまだ}さんは何{なに}がしたいですか？ \n> 山田さんは何をしたがっていますか？", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-04T23:50:13.543", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "591", "last_activity_date": "2012-06-16T14:27:01.173", "last_edit_date": "2012-06-16T14:27:01.173", "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "58", "post_type": "question", "score": 5, "tags": [ "pronouns" ], "title": "Are first, second, and third person in Japanese all the same as in English?", "view_count": 2129 }

[ { "body": "I would argue that there is a correspondence between the two languages with\nall three viewpoints. There are pronouns that are commonly used for the first,\nsecond, and third person just like in English; however, there is a bit of a\ncultural difference on when it is appropriate to address someone by name or a\nmore informal second-person pronoun like \"you\".\n\nAddressing someone by name doesn't necessarily mean you are talking in the\nthird person. For example, \"Mr. Yamada, what would you like to do?\" isn't a\nthird person question, you're just being polite by addressing them by name.\n\nOf your two examples, I think the first one is closer.\n\n> 山田さんは何をしたいですか。\n\n山田さん knows what he wants to do, so したい is appropriate. The second sentence\nreads more as if you are asking someone else what 山田さん wants to do.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-05T00:09:03.657", "id": "592", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-05T00:09:03.657", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "162", "parent_id": "591", "post_type": "answer", "score": 3 }, { "body": "I think you need to divorce the concept of _\"third person grammar\"_ and\n_pronouns/addressing people_. The _third person_ concept simply does not have\nthe same relevance in Japanese grammar.\n\n> [person] は何がしたいんですか？\n\n`[person]` here can be many things, which depends on the formality, intimacy\nand other context. It has no direct bearing on the grammar of the rest of the\nsentence.\n\n> あなたは何がしたいんですか？ \n> 君は何がしたいんですか？ \n> 山田さんは何がしたいんですか？ \n> 太郎株式会社は何がしたいんですか？\n\nThe exact expression of `は何がしたいんですか？` would only change depending on what\nexactly you want to express in which formality level. Only in that sense are\nthe person and the rest of the sentence connected; you problably wouldn't say\n`てめえは何がしたいんですか？` or `お客様は何がしたいんですか？`, you'd use other formality levels for the\nsecond part. The reason for changing the second part here is _not_ connected\nto the concept of first/second/third person though. Even though the meaning\nwould be weird in most situations, grammatically there's no problem in saying\n私は何がしたいんですか？", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-05T00:14:39.580", "id": "593", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-05T01:30:10.220", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-05T01:30:10.220", "last_editor_user_id": "88", "owner_user_id": "88", "parent_id": "591", "post_type": "answer", "score": 2 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "595", "answer_count": 4, "body": "Are 低い and 短い interchangable or do they have specific uses?", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-05T01:11:29.290", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "594", "last_activity_date": "2019-04-05T16:01:18.830", "last_edit_date": "2011-09-05T07:51:22.847", "last_editor_user_id": "290", "owner_user_id": "61", "post_type": "question", "score": 21, "tags": [ "usage", "adjectives" ], "title": "When would you use 低い【ひくい】 vs 短い【みじかい】", "view_count": 8959 }

[ { "body": "低い _hikui_ is \"short in height\" or \"low\", 短い _mijikai_ is \"short in length\".\n\n * 私は背が低い - I'm short (in stature)\n * 天井の低い部屋 - a room with low ceiling\n * 短いスカート - a short skirt\n * 髪を短く切る - cutting one's hair short\n\n_(Examples from プログレッシブ英和・和英中辞典)_\n\nA short piece of string cannot be 低い and calling a low bridge 短い would mean\nthe wrong thing.", "comment_count": 5, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-05T01:14:57.120", "id": "595", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-05T03:06:25.907", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-05T03:06:25.907", "last_editor_user_id": "153", "owner_user_id": "88", "parent_id": "594", "post_type": "answer", "score": 23 }, { "body": "I'm putting this as an additional answer because I think it's valid and would\nhave probably remained relatively unseen as a \"buried\" comment above.\n\n**短い** means \"short in length\": length of your hair (髪の毛が短い), time it takes to\ndo something (テストの時間は短かった), or a short distance (スーパーまでの短い距離)\n\n**低い** means \"low\". The confusion comes in when it means \"short height\"\n(背が低い). However, if you think of being short as having a \"low stature (?)\" or\n\"(short because your head is) low to the ground\", it makes sense.\n\nAlso, since you can describe other things besides height with 低い, it's better\nto remember it as \"low\": low volume （音量が低い）, low temperature (気温が低い）, low\nblood pressure （低い血圧）, etc. We can see that when describing these types of\nthings, the definition \"short in height\" does not make sense.", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-05T02:42:11.090", "id": "598", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-05T02:42:11.090", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "78", "parent_id": "594", "post_type": "answer", "score": 11 }, { "body": "hikui = opposite of tall\n\nmijikai = opposite of long", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2018-04-15T17:14:59.020", "id": "57954", "last_activity_date": "2018-04-15T17:14:59.020", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "26282", "parent_id": "594", "post_type": "answer", "score": 0 }, { "body": "In English, we would say a person is tall, or a string is long. Though\npossible in odd circumstances, we would not say a person is long nor a string\nis tall. With 'short', we put the two categories together. Both strings and\npeople can be short, not in Japanese though.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 4.0", "creation_date": "2019-04-05T16:01:18.830", "id": "66450", "last_activity_date": "2019-04-05T16:01:18.830", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "33589", "parent_id": "594", "post_type": "answer", "score": 1 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "639", "answer_count": 3, "body": "They all carry the meaning of \"secret\" in English, but are there differences\nin nuance and usage of each of them:\n\n> [内]{ない}[緒]{しょ} \n> [秘]{ひ}[密]{みつ} \n> [隠]{かく}し[事]{ごと} \n> [秘]{ひ}め[事]{ごと}\n\nIncidentally, why is it that there is [内]{ない}[緒]{しょ}[話]{ばなし} but you have to\nadd の into [秘]{ひ}[密]{みつ}の[話]{はなし}?", "comment_count": 5, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-05T02:35:50.877", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "597", "last_activity_date": "2012-01-03T10:29:37.387", "last_edit_date": "2011-12-21T07:18:15.570", "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "112", "post_type": "question", "score": 13, "tags": [ "word-choice", "words", "nuances" ], "title": "Are there differences in nuance and usage of [内]{ない}[緒]{しょ}, [秘]{ひ}[密]{みつ}, [隠]{かく}し[事]{ごと} and [秘]{ひ}め[事]{ごと}?", "view_count": 3152 }

[ { "body": "I can't speak for the difference in usage, but Naishobanashi is actually one\nword, hence why you don't need the \"no\", whereas himitsu no hanashi is phrase.\nI've confirmed with two two dictionaries that Naishobanashi is indead one word\nand that himitsu no hanashi is two words.\n\nEdit: if you are going to vote down an answer, it would be appreciated if you\nmentioned why.", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-05T02:48:28.913", "id": "601", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-05T03:03:08.230", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-05T03:03:08.230", "last_editor_user_id": "97", "owner_user_id": "97", "parent_id": "597", "post_type": "answer", "score": -2 }, { "body": "I think that 秘密 has two usages, one of which is interchangeable with 内緒 and\nthe other is interchangeable with 隠し事 or 秘め事. 隠し事 and 秘め事 are synonyms\nalthough 秘め事 sounds more poetic to me.\n\n**Cases where 秘密 and 内緒 are correct but 隠し事 and 秘め事 are incorrect** :\n\n * That is secret. それは秘密 [内緒] だ。\n * Let’s keep this between us. このことは秘密 [内緒] にしておこう。\n * secretly 秘密で, 秘密に or 内緒で\n\nIn this usage, I feel that 秘密 is more formal than 内緒.\n\n**Cases where 秘密, 隠し事 and 秘め事 are correct but 内緒 is incorrect** :\n\n“Something which is kept secret” is 秘密, 隠し事 or 秘め事, but not 内緒. For example,\n\n * “He has secret” is 彼には秘密 [隠し事, 秘め事] がある。\n\nAs for why 内緒話 is much more common than 秘密話, ~~it’s secret~~ I do not know. It\nseems to me like one of the many cases where one phrase is used more often\nthan another for no particular reason. By the way, I would not say 秘密話 is\nincorrect. If someone uses the word 秘密話, I will understand its meaning\nnaturally and it will not strike me as incorrect.", "comment_count": 5, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-05T17:47:21.890", "id": "639", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-05T17:57:58.110", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-05T17:57:58.110", "last_editor_user_id": "15", "owner_user_id": "15", "parent_id": "597", "post_type": "answer", "score": 7 }, { "body": "I don't know what dictionary you are going by, but most of these words should\nhave clarifying notes as to what they mean beyond \"secret\".\n\n[内]{ない}[緒]{しょ}, in this case, is the odd one out, and means \"confidential\" or\n\"off the record\"; \"between [us]\".\n\n[秘]{ひ}[密]{みつ} is closer in meaning to what one in English would understand as\na \"secret\"; the property of something not being told, and not being shown.\n[秘]{ひ}め[事]{ごと} is similar in meaning, but also carries some pretty specific\nconnotations of being possibly embarrassing but probably not bad, like a\nsecret crush, or such.\n\n[隠]{かく}し[事]{ごと} has a distinct connotation of something that is being actively\nhidden from others; rather than information that is simply not being\ndisseminated. This form also implies more strongly than [秘]{ひ}[密]{みつ} that the\ninformation shouldn't actually _be_ secret.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2012-01-03T10:29:37.387", "id": "4160", "last_activity_date": "2012-01-03T10:29:37.387", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "519", "parent_id": "597", "post_type": "answer", "score": 1 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "615", "answer_count": 2, "body": "> _____ってあれだよね\n\nWhat is あれ in this context? Is the speaking making a positive or negative\nstatement about _____?", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 4.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-05T02:47:59.120", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "600", "last_activity_date": "2022-01-28T21:20:56.803", "last_edit_date": "2022-01-28T21:20:56.803", "last_editor_user_id": "30454", "owner_user_id": "28", "post_type": "question", "score": 14, "tags": [ "definitions" ], "title": "Meaning of 〜あれだ", "view_count": 1911 }

[ { "body": "It's one of those terrifically vague statements that doesn't mean much by\nitself. It can mean anything, depending on the context and how well the\nlistener knows the speaker and what he's talking about. The speaker may be\nstalling while he's thinking about what he's trying to say. He may be talking\nabout something that was mentioned before in the conversation. He may just be\nintroducing a new topic, which he's going to expand upon from here. He may be\nhinting at something that he doesn't want to name but that the listener would\nunderstand.\n\n> 〜ってあれだよね…\n\n * \"That's _that_ thing, right? _*wink wink nudge nudge*_ \"\n * \"Oh, that's that, isn't it? Whatchamacallit… uhm…\"\n * \"That's just like…\"\n * \"Oh, you mean _that_. :-/\"\n\n> サッカーってあれだよね。ボールを足でキックするやつでしょう？ \n> \"Soccer\" is this thing where you kick a ball with your feet, right?\n\n> Fooってあれだよね… えぇっと、何だっけ？ \n> \"Foo\" is that thingamabob there, right? Uhm… what's it again exactly?\n\n> Fooってあれだよね。Barみたいな感じでしょう？ \n> \"Foo\" is just like this \"bar\" thing, right?\n\n> あっ、アレだ！思い出した！ \n> Ah, I remembered!\n\nIt means just as much or as little as _\" that\"_ does in English.\n\n* * *\n\nIt means so little and comes so naturally to Japanese that it can be comical.\nWhen people (I know well) lapse into an 「あれだ…」, I sometimes jokingly reply\n「あぁ、アレですか？なるほど、そうですよね。ふむふむ。」 to point out that they haven't actually said\nanything.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 4.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-05T03:20:23.620", "id": "606", "last_activity_date": "2022-01-28T21:16:24.173", "last_edit_date": "2022-01-28T21:16:24.173", "last_editor_user_id": "30454", "owner_user_id": "88", "parent_id": "600", "post_type": "answer", "score": 16 }, { "body": "I have also ran into this phrase and now I kind of understand its meaning\nthough, getting used to applying it to the correct scenario is very tricky\nindeed. I still can't.\n\nThe instance of this phrase that I remember, is from when we were waiting for\nsomebody to finish something:\n\n> 今のところ、◯◯さん待ちです。\n\nTo which ◯◯さん answered:\n\n> ちょっと、◯◯さん待ちって言われても、あれだよね…\n\nWhich I guess could be translated into something along the lines of:\n\n> Hey, saying that you all are waiting for me, (...vagueness...) you know.\n\nWhere the vagueness could imply something like: \"you're putting pressure on\nme\", \"is kind of, you know?\"", "comment_count": 4, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 4.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-05T05:47:15.247", "id": "615", "last_activity_date": "2022-01-28T21:16:08.667", "last_edit_date": "2022-01-28T21:16:08.667", "last_editor_user_id": "30454", "owner_user_id": "79", "parent_id": "600", "post_type": "answer", "score": 6 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "604", "answer_count": 4, "body": "Just curious about this one. I'm never sure what to say when I ask for\nchopsticks in Japanese. I know that \"by-the-book\", you can count them with\n～そろい （揃い) or ～ぜん （膳）. So I always say 「お箸を 一揃い（ひとそろい）／一膳（いちぜん） お願いします。」 to ask\nfor a pair. But as with other things I say in Japanese, I'm afraid that this\nsounds too \"textbookish\".\n\nSo I'm just wondering how native speakers ask for chopsticks (if they ever\nneed to). Do they use these counters, or the basic ひとつ／ふたつ／．．． counters, or\nsomething completely different? I hate sounding too textbookish.", "comment_count": 8, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-05T02:53:22.840", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "602", "last_activity_date": "2013-03-27T23:48:25.470", "last_edit_date": "2011-12-27T00:52:08.113", "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "78", "post_type": "question", "score": 13, "tags": [ "counters", "phrases" ], "title": "Counter for chopsticks", "view_count": 8156 }

[ { "body": "In a restaurant it is usually enough to simply ask for お箸を下さい. It is perfectly\nunderstood that that means _\"enough chopsticks for me [and my companions],\nplease\"_. Anything more specific is usually unnatural.\n\nIf you do need to specify how many pairs of chopsticks exactly, you'd usually\nuse 〜膳 _-zen_.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-05T03:04:52.280", "id": "604", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-05T03:04:52.280", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "88", "parent_id": "602", "post_type": "answer", "score": 15 }, { "body": "The zen counter is the correct counter, but again one of those things that the\navg. Japanese person may not know. There have been occasions where I have used\nzen and have been complimented by Japanese people for knowing correct\nJapanese. So you won't sound weird if you use zen, but in fact will sound\neducated.", "comment_count": 5, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-05T03:07:31.290", "id": "605", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-05T03:07:31.290", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "97", "parent_id": "602", "post_type": "answer", "score": 3 }, { "body": "If you get a number of items from a convenience store in Japan the clerk will\nask you how many chopsticks you want, and even these staff (not always the\nmost educated of Japanese) will properly ask \"ohashi nanzen\" お箸何膳, i.e. how\nmany (pairs of) chopsticks do you want? This is proper and natural and not\nbookish. I have never heard anyone use \"hon\" 本 as a counter for chopsticks.", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-28T23:10:19.007", "id": "1604", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-28T23:10:19.007", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "447", "parent_id": "602", "post_type": "answer", "score": 8 }, { "body": "there are correct ways of speaking that mostly we don't use. Although 揃い is\nthe correct way of counting chopsticks, but actually very rare people use it.\nWe mostly use it in articles and books, but when it comes to talking, it\nsounds very strict.\n\nWe mostly count chopsticks with 本(hon). In a restaurant we prefer to ask for\nit as: 箸を二つ（三つ、四つ）もらいますか？ it's makes the request more softly than using a very\nrare word as 揃.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2013-03-27T23:48:25.470", "id": "11569", "last_activity_date": "2013-03-27T23:48:25.470", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "3321", "parent_id": "602", "post_type": "answer", "score": 1 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "610", "answer_count": 2, "body": "I heard both forms of [plain form of verb]～そう and [root of verb]～そう in an\nanime I watched, reproduced below, so I'm wondering how are they different and\nhow to choose to use one over the other?\n\n> 行けるそう \n> 行けそう\n\nWhat are these conjugations called? And how do their negative forms look like?", "comment_count": 3, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-05T03:38:10.503", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "607", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-05T04:04:20.983", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-05T03:47:18.337", "last_editor_user_id": "112", "owner_user_id": "112", "post_type": "question", "score": 16, "tags": [ "conjugations" ], "title": "What is the difference between [plain form of verb]～そう and [root of verb]～そう?", "view_count": 3485 }

[ { "body": "plain form + sou = hearsay, as you have heard it from someone マークはアメリカにいくそうだ。\n\"i heard mark is going to america\"\n\nverb stem + sou = what somethign appears to be. good example of this is \"She\nseems she can do it” できそう\n\nNote, that plain form soudesu and らしい are different but very simliar. The\ndifference being that you heard it directly from that person as opposed to\nfrom a 3rd party (rashii)", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-05T03:44:35.653", "id": "608", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-05T03:44:35.653", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "97", "parent_id": "607", "post_type": "answer", "score": 4 }, { "body": "そう after the plain form of a verb indicates you are reporting secondhand\ninformation, rather than your own direct observations. 行けるそう means \"it is said\nthat it can go.\" The negative form is -ないそう: 降らないそうです \"They say it won't\nrain.\"\n\n-そう after the stem (-ます form) of a verb means \"looking/sounding as if ___.\" 行けそう means \"it looks as if it can go.\" It is similar to constructions like 行けるみたい or 行けるよう, but -そう emphasizes evidence of the senses rather than general \"seeming.\" The negative form is -なさそう: できなさそう \"It looks as if s/he can't do it.\"\n\n(Explanation paraphrased from _Japanese: The Spoken Language_ )", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-05T04:04:20.983", "id": "610", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-05T04:04:20.983", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "28", "parent_id": "607", "post_type": "answer", "score": 15 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "614", "answer_count": 3, "body": "When using the potential form of a verb, I was taught that the particle を\nbecomes が. However, in real life this seems to not always be the case. I've\neven heard Japanese people use を instead of が quite often.\n\nWhat's the difference between the following two sentences? Is を actually\ngrammatically correct?\n\n> ここで切符が買えますか？\n>\n> ここで切符を買えますか？", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 4.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-05T03:59:20.480", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "609", "last_activity_date": "2021-05-19T18:30:38.917", "last_edit_date": "2021-05-19T18:30:38.917", "last_editor_user_id": "30454", "owner_user_id": "108", "post_type": "question", "score": 63, "tags": [ "grammar", "particles", "particle-が", "particle-を", "potential-form" ], "title": "The difference between が and を with the potential form of a verb", "view_count": 22334 }

[ { "body": "In the が + potential construction, the focus is on the noun.\n\n> 新聞が読める (what I am able to read is newspapers [as opposed to other written\n> media])\n>\n> ここで切符が買えますか (is this where tickets [as opposed to other items for sale] can\n> be bought?)\n\nIn the を + potential construction, the focus is on the entire phrase.\n\n> 新聞を読める (what I am able to do is read newspapers)\n>\n> ここで切符を買えますか (is this where I am able to buy tickets [as opposed to doing\n> some other action]?)\n\nを + potential is not yet considered standard, but has begun to gain acceptance\namong some speakers.\n\n(Paraphrased from _Japanese: The Spoken Language_ )", "comment_count": 5, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-05T04:41:21.823", "id": "614", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-05T04:41:21.823", "last_edit_date": "2020-06-17T08:18:27.500", "last_editor_user_id": "-1", "owner_user_id": "28", "parent_id": "609", "post_type": "answer", "score": 55 }, { "body": "A well known difference (noticed by Tada 1992) is the scope of the quantifiers\nin relevant positions.\n\n> 田中は小指だけを曲げられる \n> 'It is possible for Tanaka to bend only the pinky finger without bending\n> the other fingers.' \n> 'It is only the pinky finger that Tanaka can bend.' (Marginal)\n>\n> 田中は小指だけが曲げられる \n> 'It is only the pinky finger that Tanaka can bend.'\n>\n> 夕食には二人だけを招待出来る \n> 'It is possible to exclusively invite two people to dinner without\n> companions.' \n> 'There are only two people that I can invite to the dinner.' (Marginal)\n>\n> 夕食には二人だけが招待出来る \n> 'There are only two people that I can invite to the dinner.'", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2012-08-01T03:33:11.533", "id": "6358", "last_activity_date": "2012-08-01T03:39:30.090", "last_edit_date": "2012-08-01T03:39:30.090", "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": null, "parent_id": "609", "post_type": "answer", "score": 18 }, { "body": "According to Hamano and Tsujioka (2011), the difference between を and が with\nthe potential form is that を has a slightly stronger sense of volition than が\ndoes. They give the examples\n\n**A:** 阿部さんは英語 **を** 話せます。 \n**B:** 阿部さんは英語 **が** 話せます。 \nand they translate both sentences as \"Mr. Abe can speak English\".\n\nAccording to their definition, sentence A has a stronger sense of Mr. Abe's\nvolition when speaking, giving it a sense of a more deliberate action. On the\nother hand, sentence B would have a stronger nuance of a natural ability with\nless volition than sentence A.\n\n_(Basic Japanese: A Grammar and Workbook)_", "comment_count": 4, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 4.0", "creation_date": "2018-11-11T20:03:13.597", "id": "62793", "last_activity_date": "2018-11-11T20:03:13.597", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "25875", "parent_id": "609", "post_type": "answer", "score": 9 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "613", "answer_count": 2, "body": "This is a variant of the top definition question @ Area51:\n<http://area51.stackexchange.com/proposals/7526/japanese-language-\nusage/7529#7529>\n\nWhen to use 「とにかく」 and when to use 「とりあえず」? I have heard both adverbs used in\nsimilar sentences so I'm wondering whether they can be used interchangeably.\nOr is there a difference in nuance between the two?:\n\n> とにかく、行きましょう。\n>\n> とりあえず、行きましょう。", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-05T04:12:50.700", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "611", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-05T06:05:33.757", "last_edit_date": "2020-06-17T08:18:27.500", "last_editor_user_id": "-1", "owner_user_id": "112", "post_type": "question", "score": 16, "tags": [ "word-choice", "adverbs" ], "title": "When to use 「とにかく」 and when to use 「とりあえず」?", "view_count": 44855 }

[ { "body": "**とにかく** is usually translated 'anyway', and just like 'anyway' in English,\nit's used to change the subject of the conversation.\n\n**とりあえず** has a more specific meaning. It's often translated as 'for the time\nbeing', which is quite an accurate (if cumbersome) translation, since it's\nused only in cases where you want to tell the listener that you want to leave\nthe issue at hand to later and move to something else.\n\nFor instance, if you were talking with your friend about a letter you have to\ntake to the post office, but then he told you that the post office is closed\nnow, you can tell him \"とりあえず、帰りましょう\", meaning \"Ok, we can't do anything with\nthat for now, so let's leave it for later. For the time being, let's go home.\"\n\nAlso, many cases where とりあえず is being used cannot be counted as 'change of\nsubject' at all, and there difference from とにかく is even more striking.\n\nFor instance, I guess you could say:\n\n> とりあえず、前の宛先に送ってもいいです\n\nmeaning: \"For the time being (until I get a new mail address), you can send\nstuff to my old mail address).\"", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-05T04:34:37.103", "id": "613", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-05T04:42:12.050", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-05T04:42:12.050", "last_editor_user_id": "153", "owner_user_id": "153", "parent_id": "611", "post_type": "answer", "score": 13 }, { "body": "とりあえず _toriaezu_ is used to say that you will do something in the meantime.\nとりあえず、行きましょう means that while you are going you are still not completely\ndecided that it was a good idea to go, given that you still not have enough\ninformation maybe.\n\nIf you want to say something else instead of saying とりあえず, I think you can\nalso try saying 一応 _ichiou_ which has more or less the same meaning.\n\nYou use とにかく _tonikaku_ just like _anyway_ or _in any case_ in English.\n\n_In any case, let's go_ :\n\n * とにかく、行きましょう。 \n\n_For the time being, let's go_ :\n\n * とりあえず、行きましょう。 \n * 一応、行きましょう。", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-05T06:05:33.757", "id": "616", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-05T06:05:33.757", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "79", "parent_id": "611", "post_type": "answer", "score": 6 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "637", "answer_count": 4, "body": "When can one use the sentence ender ぞ? I've only ever heard it anime, so I'm\nunsure of it's actual usage in the real world. Is it not used that often or\nlimited to specific age/gender groups?", "comment_count": 6, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 4.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-05T07:21:24.920", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "617", "last_activity_date": "2020-09-10T19:38:13.827", "last_edit_date": "2018-05-20T08:33:42.710", "last_editor_user_id": "1628", "owner_user_id": "97", "post_type": "question", "score": 21, "tags": [ "grammar", "usage", "sentence-final-particles", "anime" ], "title": "In what situations can you use ぞ as a sentence ender", "view_count": 19683 }

[ { "body": "As far as I noticed, many people use\n\n> 行くぞ - Lets's go\n\nand it is used like 行こう/行きましょう（意向形）with a bit stronger sense when talking to\ngroup of people, mainly if speaker is kind of coordinator / leader.", "comment_count": 3, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-05T07:42:01.650", "id": "618", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-05T07:49:38.423", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-05T07:49:38.423", "last_editor_user_id": "100", "owner_user_id": "100", "parent_id": "617", "post_type": "answer", "score": 1 }, { "body": "Yes, it is a very emphatic sentence-ending particle. Also ぜ. They seems\nstronger than よ (in my opinion). I think they (ぞ／ぜ) are very informal though,\nso where you could use よ for emphasis in a polite and/or formal way, you\nprobably shouldn't use these.\n\nI think their usage must be a regional or demographic thing. When I lived in\nOsaka, I never heard it at all, and sometimes another gaijin friend of mine\nwould use it around our Japanese friends (mostly young people in their 20's),\nthey would always give an amused laugh. Maybe I'm over-generalizing it because\nof the somewhat limited group I was around, but it doesn't _seem_ to be a\nKansai thing. Maybe other places use it more commonly?", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-05T08:19:50.873", "id": "619", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-05T08:19:50.873", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "78", "parent_id": "617", "post_type": "answer", "score": 2 }, { "body": "Borrowing from [page 277 of this grammar\ntextbook](http://books.google.com/books?id=0eprLex8sr0C&lpg=PP1&pg=PA277#v=onepage&q&f=false)\nand the [Daijisen\nentry](http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/leaf/jn2/127855/m0u/%E3%81%9E/)\nflamingspinach linked to, ぞ is a (primarily masculine) sentence-ending\nparticle used to\n\n * express strong intent (そうはさせないぞ),\n * persuade someone to go along with your action (そろそろ行くぞ), or\n * (directed at yourself) indicate your judgment or resolution (うまくいったぞ).\n\nなあ can usually substitute for ぞ in the third category. (This is covered in the\nsame section as ぞ in the abovelinked Google Books preview.) Note that when\nusing ぞ in the second category, ぞ follows the dictionary form of the verb.\nThis is in contrast to ぜ, which often follows the volitional form when the\nintent is to get someone to participate in an action with you:\n\n> 行くぞ。 I'm going [and so should you].\n>\n> 行こうぜ。 Let's go. (More emphatic than よ.)\n\nぞ never follows the polite form, and is only used toward friends and persons\nof lower status.", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-05T15:54:34.317", "id": "637", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-05T15:54:34.317", "last_edit_date": "2020-06-17T08:18:27.500", "last_editor_user_id": "-1", "owner_user_id": "94", "parent_id": "617", "post_type": "answer", "score": 20 }, { "body": "I often heard this particle used in the Yakuza games where lots of Yakuza\ncharacters would use the ぞ／ぜ ending particle to to indicate dominance,\nmasculine and pretty much what Derek Schaab said.\n\nThus, it is recommended to not used it so casually, even if some Japanese\nrelative is a friend. Unless , of course, you're both into role playing tough\nguys and such. I know the source isn't usually trust worthy, but\n[Wiki](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_particles) pretty much explains\nit in short", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 4.0", "creation_date": "2020-09-10T19:38:13.827", "id": "80589", "last_activity_date": "2020-09-10T19:38:13.827", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "36822", "parent_id": "617", "post_type": "answer", "score": 0 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "629", "answer_count": 4, "body": "I know there's あいうえお, but what about at the consonant level? Also, are there\nany common mnemonics used by Japanese children to remember these?", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-05T13:58:15.133", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "628", "last_activity_date": "2019-04-12T06:41:32.273", "last_edit_date": "2015-06-30T14:57:47.503", "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "141", "post_type": "question", "score": 37, "tags": [ "kana", "mnemonics" ], "title": "What is the equivalent of \"alphabetical order\" in Japanese?", "view_count": 46687 }

[ { "body": "Hiragana syllables are always schematised in a given order which is this one\n(from right to left, as you may already know):\n\n* * *\n\n**HIRAGANA** \n\n* * *\n\n**KATAKANA** \n\n* * *\n\nAfter a while I started Japanese, I also found this video, the [Japanese\nAlphabet song](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrMkJAzbWQc) (only for\nhiragana), that can be interesting for absolute beginners.\n\nOne of the best ways to remember Hiragana (and Katakana as well), in my\nopinion, is to write vocabulary words using Hiragana. It might seem banal, but\nit works. \nAfter you master it, you can start learning Kanji to substitute the \"hiragana\nword\" with the appropriate Kanji. I remember I used to write them, some\nexamples are:\n\n * しんせつ ( _kindness/gentleness_ which is 親切);\n * つくえ ( _desk/table_ which is 机);\n * やま ( _mountain_ which is 山).", "comment_count": 3, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-05T14:14:06.733", "id": "629", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-05T14:14:06.733", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "37", "parent_id": "628", "post_type": "answer", "score": 25 }, { "body": "The order used today pretty much everywhere is called\n[Gojūon](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goj%C5%ABon), and this is what Alenanno\nhas described, but there's also a traditional order, with [its own\nsong](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8sBzj8EUxc), called\n[Iroha](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iroha). This order is actually based on\nthe poem (instead of the other way around), and interestingly enough, it is\npossible because the poem managed to include every letter of the traditional\nalphabet exactly once. It was less useful than the Gojūon, because you needed\nto remember the song to use it, and over time the kana have lost two of the\nletters in Iroha (ゑ and ゐ) and gained a new one (ん).\n\n> いろはにほへと \n> ちりぬるを \n> わかよたれそ \n> つねならむ \n> うゐのおくやま \n> けふこえて \n> あさきゆめみし \n> ゑひもせす", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-05T14:37:06.333", "id": "631", "last_activity_date": "2011-12-30T08:56:05.367", "last_edit_date": "2011-12-30T08:56:05.367", "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "153", "parent_id": "628", "post_type": "answer", "score": 17 }, { "body": "The order is\n\n## あ か さ た な は ま や ら わ\n\nIf you have a Japanese cell phone, you can use the keypad to check the order,\nwhich runs from the 1 to 0 keys. If you have an iPhone, you can activate a Ten\nKey Japanese keyboard in the Keyboard settings, which is in the same order.\n\n\n\nYou can also listen to this [cheesy Japanese hip-hop song by\nKreva](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f60Jkm89wx8) to hammer it into your\nhead. The chorus is:\n\n> 猫はﾆｬｰ 犬ならﾜﾝ \n> 象はﾊﾟｵｰﾝ ライオンがｵｰｯ \n> 僕たちは 人間だもん \n> あかさたなはまやらわをぉぉん\n\nI don't know if [this song](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUJTtnRpQzk) is\nfamous, but it runs through each of the groups and makes a story. [This\none](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrMkJAzbWQc&feature=related) is annoying\nenough to be memorable", "comment_count": 5, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-05T14:49:39.457", "id": "632", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-05T15:04:19.057", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-05T15:04:19.057", "last_editor_user_id": "36", "owner_user_id": "36", "parent_id": "628", "post_type": "answer", "score": 12 }, { "body": "Nevan King answer is wrong actually. That's not the order of the Hiragana\nalphabet. That's just a convention used on cell keyboards, because they have\nfew buttons at their disposal. The correct answer is the one above by\nAlenanno, albeit presented that way it MUST be read top to bottom then left to\nright. i.e. a, i, u e o, ka, ki, ku ke, ko sa, shi su, etc...", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 4.0", "creation_date": "2019-04-12T06:41:32.273", "id": "66550", "last_activity_date": "2019-04-12T06:41:32.273", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "33674", "parent_id": "628", "post_type": "answer", "score": 0 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "633", "answer_count": 1, "body": "This is from deceze, but what is the counter used for doors. Is it 枚(mai) or\nsomething else?", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-05T14:21:35.470", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "630", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-05T16:17:29.547", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-05T16:17:29.547", "last_editor_user_id": "97", "owner_user_id": "97", "post_type": "question", "score": 6, "tags": [ "counters" ], "title": "What is the counter used for doors?", "view_count": 868 }

[ { "body": "[According to this page](http://www.benricho.org/kazu/ta.html), it's 一枚、一本\n(いちまい, いっぽん). Found it under 戸 (と).", "comment_count": 7, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-05T15:08:02.397", "id": "633", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-05T15:08:02.397", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "36", "parent_id": "630", "post_type": "answer", "score": 4 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "635", "answer_count": 5, "body": "Is there a native, non-loanword for \"pen\" (the writing instrument)? Or is\nthere only 「ペン」?\n\nThere is one for \"pencil\" (鉛筆), one for \"ruler\" (定規), one for \"paper\" (紙) and\neven though the one for \"eraser\", 消しゴム, is half loanword due to the ゴム, at\nleast there is an alternative to the full loanword イレーザー. It would be weird if\nthere is no native word for \"pen\".", "comment_count": 4, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-05T15:29:59.203", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "634", "last_activity_date": "2012-06-10T16:05:31.423", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-08T23:48:19.607", "last_editor_user_id": "125", "owner_user_id": "112", "post_type": "question", "score": 10, "tags": [ "words", "vocabulary", "loanwords" ], "title": "Native word for \"pen\"", "view_count": 14036 }

[ { "body": "There's one for a fountain pen: 万年筆 (まんねんひつ), but pens haven't been around\nthat long, so everything else seems to be ペン. Mr. Biro only started [making\nhis ballpoints](https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Ballpoint_pen)\nin the 1940's.\n\nEven one of the types of pencil has become a pen - シャーペン (it's a shortening of\nシャープペンシル).", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-05T15:34:42.747", "id": "635", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-05T16:09:03.147", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-05T16:09:03.147", "last_editor_user_id": "36", "owner_user_id": "36", "parent_id": "634", "post_type": "answer", "score": 11 }, { "body": "Well the last kanji for 鉛筆 is 筆 (ふで), which is writing brush. The modern pen\nhas come a ways from a writing brush.\n\nMaybe fountain pens are in between the two, that would be 万年筆 (まんねんひつ).", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-05T15:35:44.293", "id": "636", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-05T15:35:44.293", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "54", "parent_id": "634", "post_type": "answer", "score": 4 }, { "body": "One of my dictionary says ペン as 「 **洋筆** 」", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T16:04:57.053", "id": "815", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T16:04:57.053", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "100", "parent_id": "634", "post_type": "answer", "score": 3 }, { "body": "Fountain pens were not introduced to Japan until the 19th century but I can\nfind no dates yet for quill pens or nib pens / dip pens.\n\nHowever a quill pen is called a 羽根ペン and a nib/dip pen is called a つけペン so\nboth currently contain ペン.\n\nPerhaps a Chinese word for pen might be older and may have formerly been used\nin Japanese?\n\nI would't rule out the possibility that the word for brush also covered pens\nat one time. Not all pens are modern pens and the English word pen is not a\nmodern word but comes from a Latin word for feather. There are also modern\nbrush pens and some expensive old brushes with a form factor that looks rather\nlike a pen.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-09T00:18:07.243", "id": "837", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-09T00:18:07.243", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "125", "parent_id": "634", "post_type": "answer", "score": 3 }, { "body": "I'm Japanese. In Japan,\"ペン\" ordinarily means something like a ballpoint pen\n(ボールペン), a mechanical pencil (シャーペン), a highlighter pen (蛍光ペン), a quill pen\n(羽根ペン), a nib/dip pen (つけペン), etc..\n\nIt doesn't mean pencil (鉛筆) or brush (筆, 毛筆).\n\nThere weren't any words which means \"pen\" in Japanese because the Japanese\nused brushes for a long time. Japanese made a new word for pen when it had\nbeen introduced.\n\nI think there isn't non-loanword for \"pen\" in Japanese. If you really want to\nuse one, I would suggest using \"筆\".", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2012-06-10T15:31:57.317", "id": "5802", "last_activity_date": "2012-06-10T16:05:31.423", "last_edit_date": "2012-06-10T16:05:31.423", "last_editor_user_id": "1426", "owner_user_id": "1426", "parent_id": "634", "post_type": "answer", "score": 7 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": null, "answer_count": 0, "body": "There's the movie \"Seven Samurai\", which would sound strange as \"Seven\nSamurais\", but [in the news you often read\nabout](https://www.google.com/news/search?q=tsunamis) \"hundreds of tsunamis\".\nSome people say they know 500 kanjis, but I've always thought 500 kanji\nsounded more correct. Is there any standard way to pluralize Japanese words\nthat are used in English?\n\n(Not sure if this is a good question for here, seeing as it's more about\nEnglish.)", "comment_count": 6, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-05T17:10:15.317", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "638", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-05T17:10:15.317", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "36", "post_type": "question", "score": 2, "tags": [ "plurals" ], "title": "What's the standard for making plurals of Japanese words in English?", "view_count": 175 }

[]

{ "accepted_answer_id": null, "answer_count": 1, "body": "Are there any commonly ~~used~~ known 四{よ}字{じ}熟{じゅく}語{ご} that use/are\n当{あ}て字{じ} besides the following? Just crossed my mind, and now I'm curious.\n\n滅{め}茶{ちゃ}苦{く}茶{ちゃ}, 夜{よ}露{ろ}死{し}苦{く}, 無{む}理{り}矢{や}理{り}", "comment_count": 10, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-05T18:47:19.187", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "641", "last_activity_date": "2015-12-15T14:10:56.230", "last_edit_date": "2015-12-15T14:10:56.230", "last_editor_user_id": "11830", "owner_user_id": "78", "post_type": "question", "score": 6, "tags": [ "words", "kanji", "compounds", "ateji" ], "title": "Common 四{よ}字{じ}熟{じゅく}語{ご} that use/are 当{あ}て字{じ}", "view_count": 2057 }

[ { "body": "Here is the list, I've filterd from dictionary with a script, and added links\nto jisho.org for reference.\n\nRegarding commonness, I would choose some like 伊勢海老, 回転寿司, 有耶無耶, 大馬鹿者, 我武者羅,\n興味津津, 一人相撲, 滅茶苦茶, 読売新聞.\n\n>\n> 「[浅草海苔](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E6%B5%85%E8%8D%89%E6%B5%B7%E8%8B%94&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> あさくさのり\n>\n>\n> 「[彼方此方](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E5%BD%BC%E6%96%B9%E6%AD%A4%E6%96%B9&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> あちこち\n>\n>\n> 「[阿仏利加](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E9%98%BF%E4%BB%8F%E5%88%A9%E5%8A%A0&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> あふりか\n>\n>\n> 「[亜刺比亜](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E4%BA%9C%E5%88%BA%E6%AF%94%E4%BA%9C&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> あらびあ\n>\n>\n> 「[亜爾加里](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E4%BA%9C%E7%88%BE%E5%8A%A0%E9%87%8C&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> あるかり\n>\n>\n> 「[安母尼亜](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E5%AE%89%E6%AF%8D%E5%B0%BC%E4%BA%9C&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> あんもにあ\n>\n>\n> 「[如何様師](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E5%A6%82%E4%BD%95%E6%A7%98%E5%B8%AB&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> いかさまし\n>\n>\n> 「[伊勢海老](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E4%BC%8A%E5%8B%A2%E6%B5%B7%E8%80%81&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> いせえび\n>\n>\n> 「[稲荷寿司](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E7%A8%B2%E8%8D%B7%E5%AF%BF%E5%8F%B8&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> いなりずし\n>\n>\n> 「[薄羽蜉蝣](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E8%96%84%E7%BE%BD%E8%9C%89%E8%9D%A3&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> うすばかげろう\n>\n>\n> 「[有耶無耶](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E6%9C%89%E8%80%B6%E7%84%A1%E8%80%B6&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> うやむや\n>\n>\n> 「[迂路迂路](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E8%BF%82%E8%B7%AF%E8%BF%82%E8%B7%AF&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> うろうろ\n>\n>\n> 「[葡萄茶色](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E8%91%A1%E8%90%84%E8%8C%B6%E8%89%B2&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> えびちゃいろ\n>\n>\n> 「[閻魔羅闍](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E9%96%BB%E9%AD%94%E7%BE%85%E9%97%8D&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> えんま、えんまらじゃ\n>\n>\n> 「[大馬鹿者](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E5%A4%A7%E9%A6%AC%E9%B9%BF%E8%80%85&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> おおばかもの\n>\n>\n> 「[大盤振舞](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E5%A4%A7%E7%9B%A4%E6%8C%AF%E8%88%9E&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> おおばんぶるまい\n>\n>\n> 「[御粗末様](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E5%BE%A1%E7%B2%97%E6%9C%AB%E6%A7%98&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> おそまつさま\n>\n>\n> 「[未通女娘](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E6%9C%AA%E9%80%9A%E5%A5%B3%E5%A8%98&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> おぼこむすめ\n>\n>\n> 「[御御御付](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E5%BE%A1%E5%BE%A1%E5%BE%A1%E4%BB%98&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> おみおつけ\n>\n>\n> 「[阿容阿容](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E9%98%BF%E5%AE%B9%E9%98%BF%E5%AE%B9&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> おめおめ\n>\n>\n> 「[御目出度](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E5%BE%A1%E7%9B%AE%E5%87%BA%E5%BA%A6&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> おめでた\n>\n>\n> 「[御芽出度](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E5%BE%A1%E8%8A%BD%E5%87%BA%E5%BA%A6&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> おめでた\n>\n>\n> 「[御目文字](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E5%BE%A1%E7%9B%AE%E6%96%87%E5%AD%97&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> おめもじ\n>\n>\n> 「[濠斯剌利](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E6%BF%A0%E6%96%AF%E5%89%8C%E5%88%A9&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> おーすとらりあ\n>\n>\n> 「[懐中時計](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E6%87%90%E4%B8%AD%E6%99%82%E8%A8%88&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> かいちゅうどけい\n>\n>\n> 「[回転寿司](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E5%9B%9E%E8%BB%A2%E5%AF%BF%E5%8F%B8&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> かいてんずし\n>\n>\n> 「[柿葉寿司](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E6%9F%BF%E8%91%89%E5%AF%BF%E5%8F%B8&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> かきのはずし\n>\n>\n> 「[加須底羅](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E5%8A%A0%E9%A0%88%E5%BA%95%E7%BE%85&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> かすてら\n>\n>\n> 「[漢風諡号](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E6%BC%A2%E9%A2%A8%E8%AB%A1%E5%8F%B7&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> かんふうしごう\n>\n>\n> 「[我武者羅](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E6%88%91%E6%AD%A6%E8%80%85%E7%BE%85&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> がむしゃら\n>\n>\n> 「[我利我利](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E6%88%91%E5%88%A9%E6%88%91%E5%88%A9&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> がりがり\n>\n>\n> 「[生真面目](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E7%94%9F%E7%9C%9F%E9%9D%A2%E7%9B%AE&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> きまじめ\n>\n>\n> 「[興味津々](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E8%88%88%E5%91%B3%E6%B4%A5%E3%80%85&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> きょうみしんしん\n>\n>\n> 「[興味津津](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E8%88%88%E5%91%B3%E6%B4%A5%E6%B4%A5&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> きょうみしんしん\n>\n>\n> 「[吉利支丹](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E5%90%89%E5%88%A9%E6%94%AF%E4%B8%B9&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> きりしたん\n>\n>\n> 「[基督教徒](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E5%9F%BA%E7%9D%A3%E6%95%99%E5%BE%92&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> きりすときょうと\n>\n>\n> 「[金平牛蒡](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E9%87%91%E5%B9%B3%E7%89%9B%E8%92%A1&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> きんぴらごぼう\n>\n>\n> 「[祇園囃子](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E7%A5%87%E5%9C%92%E5%9B%83%E5%AD%90&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> ぎおんばやし\n>\n>\n> 「[盟神探湯](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E7%9B%9F%E7%A5%9E%E6%8E%A2%E6%B9%AF&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> くかたち\n>\n>\n> 「[屎真面目](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E5%B1%8E%E7%9C%9F%E9%9D%A2%E7%9B%AE&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> くそまじめ\n>\n>\n> 「[糞真面目](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E7%B3%9E%E7%9C%9F%E9%9D%A2%E7%9B%AE&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> くそまじめ\n>\n>\n> 「[紅旗征戎](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E7%B4%85%E6%97%97%E5%BE%81%E6%88%8E&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> こうきせいじゅう\n>\n>\n> 「[古加乙涅](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E5%8F%A4%E5%8A%A0%E4%B9%99%E6%B6%85&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> こかいん\n>\n>\n> 「[国風諡号](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E5%9B%BD%E9%A2%A8%E8%AB%A1%E5%8F%B7&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> こくふうしごう\n>\n>\n> 「[小春日和](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E5%B0%8F%E6%98%A5%E6%97%A5%E5%92%8C&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> こはるびより\n>\n>\n> 「[哥白尼的](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E5%93%A5%E7%99%BD%E5%B0%BC%E7%9A%84&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> こぺるにくすてき\n>\n>\n> 「[哥倫比亜](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E5%93%A5%E5%80%AB%E6%AF%94%E4%BA%9C&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> ころんびあ\n>\n>\n> 「[御無沙汰](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E5%BE%A1%E7%84%A1%E6%B2%99%E6%B1%B0&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> ごぶさた\n>\n>\n> 「[四柱推命](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E5%9B%9B%E6%9F%B1%E6%8E%A8%E5%91%BD&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> しちゅうすいめい\n>\n>\n> 「[西比利亜](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E8%A5%BF%E6%AF%94%E5%88%A9%E4%BA%9C&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> しべりあ\n>\n>\n> 「[七五三縄](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E4%B8%83%E4%BA%94%E4%B8%89%E7%B8%84&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> しめなわ\n>\n>\n> 「[焦眉之急](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E7%84%A6%E7%9C%89%E4%B9%8B%E6%80%A5&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> しょうびのきゅう\n>\n>\n> 「[不知不識](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E4%B8%8D%E7%9F%A5%E4%B8%8D%E8%AD%98&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> しらずしらず\n>\n>\n> 「[地下足袋](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E5%9C%B0%E4%B8%8B%E8%B6%B3%E8%A2%8B&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> じかたび\n>\n>\n> 「[常套手段](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E5%B8%B8%E5%A5%97%E6%89%8B%E6%AE%B5&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> じょうとうしゅだん\n>\n>\n> 「[成吉思汗](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E6%88%90%E5%90%89%E6%80%9D%E6%B1%97&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> じんぎすかん\n>\n>\n> 「[寸断寸断](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E5%AF%B8%E6%96%AD%E5%AF%B8%E6%96%AD&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> ずたずた\n>\n>\n> 「[大正海老](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E5%A4%A7%E6%AD%A3%E6%B5%B7%E8%80%81&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> たいしょうえび\n>\n>\n> 「[達頼喇嘛](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E9%81%94%E9%A0%BC%E5%96%87%E5%98%9B&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> だらいらま\n>\n>\n> 「[腸窒扶斯](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E8%85%B8%E7%AA%92%E6%89%B6%E6%96%AF&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> ちょうちふす\n>\n>\n> 「[九十九折](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E4%B9%9D%E5%8D%81%E4%B9%9D%E6%8A%98&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> つづらおり\n>\n>\n> 「[梃子入策](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E6%A2%83%E5%AD%90%E5%85%A5%E7%AD%96&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> てこいれさく\n>\n>\n> 「[天爾遠波](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E5%A4%A9%E7%88%BE%E9%81%A0%E6%B3%A2&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> てにをは\n>\n>\n> 「[弖爾乎波](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E5%BC%96%E7%88%BE%E4%B9%8E%E6%B3%A2&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> てにをは\n>\n>\n> 「[手巻寿司](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E6%89%8B%E5%B7%BB%E5%AF%BF%E5%8F%B8&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> てまきずし\n>\n>\n> 「[手鞠寿司](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E6%89%8B%E9%9E%A0%E5%AF%BF%E5%8F%B8&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> てまりずし\n>\n>\n> 「[天手古舞](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E5%A4%A9%E6%89%8B%E5%8F%A4%E8%88%9E&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> てんてこまい\n>\n>\n> 「[転手古舞](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E8%BB%A2%E6%89%8B%E5%8F%A4%E8%88%9E&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> てんてこまい\n>\n>\n> 「[天婦羅油](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E5%A4%A9%E5%A9%A6%E7%BE%85%E6%B2%B9&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> てんぷらあぶら、てんぷらゆ\n>\n>\n> 「[天麩羅油](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E5%A4%A9%E9%BA%A9%E7%BE%85%E6%B2%B9&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> てんぷらあぶら、てんぷらゆ\n>\n>\n> 「[浪花節的](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E6%B5%AA%E8%8A%B1%E7%AF%80%E7%9A%84&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> なにわぶしてき\n>\n>\n> 「[再従兄弟](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E5%86%8D%E5%BE%93%E5%85%84%E5%BC%9F&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> はとこ\n>\n>\n> 「[再従姉妹](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E5%86%8D%E5%BE%93%E5%A7%89%E5%A6%B9&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> はとこ\n>\n>\n> 「[馬鹿正直](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E9%A6%AC%E9%B9%BF%E6%AD%A3%E7%9B%B4&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> ばかしょうじき\n>\n>\n> 「[馬鹿野郎](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E9%A6%AC%E9%B9%BF%E9%87%8E%E9%83%8E&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> ばかやろう\n>\n>\n> 「[比斯的里](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E6%AF%94%E6%96%AF%E7%9A%84%E9%87%8C&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> ひすてりー\n>\n>\n> 「[一人相撲](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E4%B8%80%E4%BA%BA%E7%9B%B8%E6%92%B2&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> ひとりずもう\n>\n>\n> 「[不真面目](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E4%B8%8D%E7%9C%9F%E9%9D%A2%E7%9B%AE&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> ふまじめ\n>\n>\n> 「[襤褸襤褸](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E8%A5%A4%E8%A4%B8%E8%A5%A4%E8%A4%B8&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> ぼろぼろ\n>\n>\n> 「[麻剌利亜](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E9%BA%BB%E5%89%8C%E5%88%A9%E4%BA%9C&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> まらりあ\n>\n>\n> 「[曼殊沙華](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E6%9B%BC%E6%AE%8A%E6%B2%99%E8%8F%AF&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> まんじゅしゃげ\n>\n>\n> 「[曼珠沙華](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E6%9B%BC%E7%8F%A0%E6%B2%99%E8%8F%AF&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> まんじゅしゃげ\n>\n>\n> 「[万葉仮名](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E4%B8%87%E8%91%89%E4%BB%AE%E5%90%8D&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> まんようがな\n>\n>\n> 「[萬葉仮名](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E8%90%AC%E8%91%89%E4%BB%AE%E5%90%8D&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> まんようがな\n>\n>\n> 「[米西西皮](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E7%B1%B3%E8%A5%BF%E8%A5%BF%E7%9A%AE&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> みししっぴー\n>\n>\n> 「[土産品店](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E5%9C%9F%E7%94%A3%E5%93%81%E5%BA%97&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> みやげひんてん\n>\n>\n> 「[武者振付](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E6%AD%A6%E8%80%85%E6%8C%AF%E4%BB%98&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> むしゃぶりつ\n>\n>\n> 「[無茶苦茶](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E7%84%A1%E8%8C%B6%E8%8B%A6%E8%8C%B6&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> むちゃくちゃ\n>\n>\n> 「[無暗矢鱈](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E7%84%A1%E6%9A%97%E7%9F%A2%E9%B1%88&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> むやみやたら\n>\n>\n> 「[無闇矢鱈](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E7%84%A1%E9%97%87%E7%9F%A2%E9%B1%88&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> むやみやたら\n>\n>\n> 「[滅茶苦茶](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E6%BB%85%E8%8C%B6%E8%8B%A6%E8%8C%B6&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> めちゃくちゃ\n>\n>\n> 「[目茶苦茶](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E7%9B%AE%E8%8C%B6%E8%8B%A6%E8%8C%B6&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> めちゃくちゃ\n>\n>\n> 「[滅茶滅茶](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E6%BB%85%E8%8C%B6%E6%BB%85%E8%8C%B6&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> めちゃめちゃ\n>\n>\n> 「[目茶目茶](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E7%9B%AE%E8%8C%B6%E7%9B%AE%E8%8C%B6&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> めちゃめちゃ\n>\n>\n> 「[滅多矢鱈](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E6%BB%85%E5%A4%9A%E7%9F%A2%E9%B1%88&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> めったやたら\n>\n>\n> 「[元木阿彌](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E5%85%83%E6%9C%A8%E9%98%BF%E5%BD%8C&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> もとのもくあみ\n>\n>\n> 「[莫爾比涅](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E8%8E%AB%E7%88%BE%E6%AF%94%E6%B6%85&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> もるひね\n>\n>\n> 「[門土里留](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E9%96%80%E5%9C%9F%E9%87%8C%E7%95%99&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> もんとりおーる\n>\n>\n> 「[翻筋斗打](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E7%BF%BB%E7%AD%8B%E6%96%97%E6%89%93&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> もんどりう\n>\n>\n> 「[大和言葉](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E5%A4%A7%E5%92%8C%E8%A8%80%E8%91%89&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> やまとことば\n>\n>\n> 「[夢見心地](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E5%A4%A2%E8%A6%8B%E5%BF%83%E5%9C%B0&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> ゆめみごこち\n>\n>\n> 「[読売新聞](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E8%AA%AD%E5%A3%B2%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> よみうりしんぶん\n>\n>\n> 「[讀賣新聞](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E8%AE%80%E8%B3%A3%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> よみうりしんぶん\n>\n>\n> 「[四方山話](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E5%9B%9B%E6%96%B9%E5%B1%B1%E8%A9%B1&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> よもやまばなし\n>\n>\n> 「[羅馬尼亜](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E7%BE%85%E9%A6%AC%E5%B0%BC%E4%BA%9C&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> るーまにあ\n>\n>\n> 「[六波羅蜜](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E5%85%AD%E6%B3%A2%E7%BE%85%E8%9C%9C&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> ろくはらみつ\n>\n>\n> 「[没分暁漢](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E6%B2%A1%E5%88%86%E6%9A%81%E6%BC%A2&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> わからずや\n>\n>\n> 「[倭菓子店](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E5%80%AD%E8%8F%93%E5%AD%90%E5%BA%97&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> わがしてん\n>\n>\n> 「[和菓子店](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E5%92%8C%E8%8F%93%E5%AD%90%E5%BA%97&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> わがしてん\n>\n>\n> 「[倭菓子屋](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E5%80%AD%E8%8F%93%E5%AD%90%E5%B1%8B&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> わがしや\n>\n>\n> 「[悪巫山戯](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E6%82%AA%E5%B7%AB%E5%B1%B1%E6%88%AF&eng=&dict=edict)」\n> わるふざけ", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T04:50:15.423", "id": "792", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T05:42:06.687", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-08T05:42:06.687", "last_editor_user_id": "100", "owner_user_id": "100", "parent_id": "641", "post_type": "answer", "score": 6 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "655", "answer_count": 2, "body": "In the last century, the [ゐ and ゑ characters were\neliminated](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/88/why-were-and-\neliminated) from common use. But it seems like there used to also be a \"wu\"\ncharacter that has since been lost. Given that it's a lot harder to find\ninformation about \"wu\", I assume it vanished much earlier.\n\nAround when did the pronunciation and written character for \"wu\" drop out of\nuse?", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-05T21:44:17.953", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "643", "last_activity_date": "2021-03-15T02:31:56.420", "last_edit_date": "2017-04-13T12:43:44.157", "last_editor_user_id": "-1", "owner_user_id": "162", "post_type": "question", "score": 21, "tags": [ "history", "kana", "obsolete-kana" ], "title": "When did the \"wu\" character drop out of use?", "view_count": 12554 }

[ { "body": "The [English Wikipedia article on Kana](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kana)\nsuggests that there has never been a \"wu\" sound in Japanese.\n\n> There are no kana for Ye, Yi or Wu, as corresponding syllables do not occur\n> in Japanese natively[.]\n\nThe [Japanese Wikipedia article on the sound that would be\n\"wu\"](http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%8F%E8%A1%8C%E3%81%86) confirms this.\n\n> 日本語では「[w]」の子音と「[u]」の母音は共に/u/であるため、「う」の発音と同じになり、「う」と区別されない。\n>\n> Because in Japanese the consonant \"w\" and the vowel \"u\" both share the /u/\n> sound, \"wu\" becomes the same pronunciation as \"u\" and the two sounds cannot\n> be distinguished.\n\n[This page](https://archive.is/MTXy) gives information on why there is a kana\nfor \"wu\" (于).\n\n>\n> 明治初期の国語教育では「五十音図」優位の見地から、表②のように「[yi]」「[ye]」「于」という文字を無理やり当てた教科書が出されたこともあったようだ。\n>\n> Because of the \"Fifty Sounds\" view that was ascendant in Japanese language\n> teaching at the beginning of the Meiji period, apparently some textbooks\n> even forced kana on yi, ye, and wu, as you can see in figure 2.\n\nThe Japanese Wikipedia pages on\n[ye](http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%A4%E8%A1%8C%E3%82%A8) and\n[yi](http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%A4%E8%A1%8C%E3%82%A4) seem to give\nmore information.", "comment_count": 9, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 4.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-06T05:02:51.320", "id": "655", "last_activity_date": "2021-03-15T02:31:56.420", "last_edit_date": "2021-03-15T02:31:56.420", "last_editor_user_id": "-1", "owner_user_id": "28", "parent_id": "643", "post_type": "answer", "score": 12 }, { "body": "While the ゐ and ゑ characters were indeed eliminated from common use, there\nnever was a WU character, at least not officially. The [wikipedia\npage](http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%8F%E8%A1%8C%E3%81%86) linked by\nAmanda mentions attempts to create a proper equivalent to the other わ行 letters\njust for the sake of completeness, but this letter (which looked like 于 in\nkatakana but apparently had no hiragana equivalent) had never seen wide use.\n\nThe reason for that is that the sounds /wi/ and /we/ were indeed in existence\nin Japanese at some point of time, so they were naturally given their own\nletters - but there has never been any /wu/ sound (as well as any /yi/ sound)\nin Japanese, and thus it wasn't given any letter.\n\nThat's not to say such sounds are impossible: English has both sounds (/wu/ in\n_would_ , /yi/ in _year_ , which most Japanese speakers would pronounce the\nsame as _ear_ ). It's just that Japanese never had them. /ye/ is a slightly\ndifferent story: Japanese does have a distinct /ye/ sound now (written as イェ,\nthough some people may pronounce it the same as イエ). And it also had a /ye/\nsound back in the Edo period, but it was actually just the normal\npronunciation of /e/ in the beginning of a word (which reverted back to /e/ in\nmodern times). That's where some English spellings such as Yen, Yebisu and\nYedo come from.", "comment_count": 5, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-06T15:26:19.510", "id": "679", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-06T15:26:19.510", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "153", "parent_id": "643", "post_type": "answer", "score": 7 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "652", "answer_count": 7, "body": "I'm aware of some words in Japanese that have the same reading but different\nmeaning depending on the pitch of each syllable. The canonical example is\n**はし** (hashi), which can mean either **chopsticks** (HAshi) or **bridge**\n(hashi or haSHI).\n\nHowever, most Japanese language books I have come across ignore the concept of\npitch completely, and vocabulary lists never tell you the pitch you should\nuse.\n\nHow important is it to speak with the correct pitch? Can I be understood\nwithout knowing the pitch sequence for each word?", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-06T02:38:48.130", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "646", "last_activity_date": "2022-11-26T07:05:19.630", "last_edit_date": "2013-09-23T18:50:51.297", "last_editor_user_id": "571", "owner_user_id": "82", "post_type": "question", "score": 45, "tags": [ "pronunciation", "pitch-accent", "intonation" ], "title": "How important is one's pitch when speaking Japanese?", "view_count": 15783 }

[ { "body": "It's still understandable without correct accents, most of the time, but if\nyou were able to use the correct intonation, then you would gain better\nfluency in Japanese obviously. I sometimes check at this\n[site](http://accent.u-biq.org/) to check the the correct accents.\n\nFor example for that chopsticks「箸」, and bridge「橋」\n\n", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-06T02:45:17.597", "id": "647", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-06T02:49:04.677", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-06T02:49:04.677", "last_editor_user_id": "97", "owner_user_id": "100", "parent_id": "646", "post_type": "answer", "score": 9 }, { "body": "It is actually very much the same as homonyms in English. Consider the\ndifference between \n`refuse` _|riˈfyoōz|_ and `refuse` _|ˈrefˌyoōs; -ˌyoōz|_. It sounds weird if\nyou mix up the pronunciation:\n\n> I _|ˈrefˌyoōs|_ to accept this.\n\nIt's bad English and identifies you as a non-native speaker. \nIf the context doesn't give enough hints as to which _refuse_ you meant, it\ncan even get confusing.\n\nThe Japanese difference between _HAshi_ and _haSHI_ is very similar. You\nshould learn the correct pronunciation when you pick up a new word. Since\nJapanese has many more homophones than English, the difference _can_ be\ncrucial.\n\nWestern pronunciation differences are based on stress, while in Japanese it's\nbased on pitch, which can be difficult to pick up for many western ears.\nThat's the number one reason for bad \"western\" Japanese pronunciation\n(applying stress where non is needed and no pitch where it is) and \"robotic\nEnglish\" spoken by Japanese (not applying stress where it is needed and\napplying pitch where it isn't). It is something you will have to practice\nuntil you can pick out and apply the difference naturally.", "comment_count": 4, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-06T02:51:08.950", "id": "648", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-06T03:00:34.967", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-06T03:00:34.967", "last_editor_user_id": "88", "owner_user_id": "88", "parent_id": "646", "post_type": "answer", "score": 21 }, { "body": "It is worth pointing out that in Japanese, different dialects use different\naccent patterns for the same word.\n\nThe Japanese language taught as a foreign language is most likely to be 標準語\n(ひょうじゅんご), which is based on the Tokyo dialect. Therefore, probably the\n“correct” accent pattern to use should be that of the Tokyo dialect (as in\nyour examples of はし). However, of course not every native speaker speaks the\nTokyo dialect, and some dialects (such as Osaka or Kyoto dialects) have\ncompletely different accent patterns from that of the Tokyo dialect. As a\nresult, I believe that using the “correct” accent pattern is not crucial to\nmake yourself understood.", "comment_count": 4, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-06T04:07:18.180", "id": "652", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-14T01:53:37.953", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-14T01:53:37.953", "last_editor_user_id": "15", "owner_user_id": "15", "parent_id": "646", "post_type": "answer", "score": 30 }, { "body": "You will be perfectly understood even if your pitch isn't \"good\". In cases\nwhere there is an ambiguity, people will either infer the intended word or\njust ask for clarification. If you want to learn a pitch, you can buy pitch\ndictionaries like [this one](http://www.amazon.co.jp./dp/4140111127).", "comment_count": 5, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-16T09:28:58.727", "id": "1238", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-17T01:21:22.430", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-17T01:21:22.430", "last_editor_user_id": "100", "owner_user_id": "356", "parent_id": "646", "post_type": "answer", "score": 5 }, { "body": "Two pointers :\n\nYoko Hasegawa, [Against marking accent locations in japanese\ntextbooks](http://hasegawa.berkeley.edu/Accent/accent.html), Japanese-Language\nEducation Around the Globe.\n\n柴田{しばた} 武{たけし}・柴田{しばた} 里程{りてい}, アクセントは同音語{どうおんご}をどの程度{ていど}弁別{べんべつ}しうるか\n---日本語{にほんご}・英語{えいご}・中国語{ちゅうごくご}の場合{ばあい} (Is Word-Accent Significant in\nDifferentiating Homonyms in Japanese, English and Chinese?)\n\n> Abstract : To answer the question if word-accent is significant for\n> differentiating homonyms, a probabilistic model is constructed and applied\n> for real data. It is a binominal model for the number of key words in a set\n> of homonyms, each of which generates a group of words with the same accent.\n> The common probability of a keyword occurrence indicates how strongly\n> homonyms are differentiated with word-accent, although the model fitting is\n> good for Japanese but not so for either English or Chinese. The estimated\n> probabilities are **0.1357** , 0.0047 and 0.71 respectively for **Japanese**\n> , English and Chinese, which are significantly different.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 4.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-16T16:10:00.687", "id": "1249", "last_activity_date": "2018-07-31T15:58:31.450", "last_edit_date": "2018-07-31T15:58:31.450", "last_editor_user_id": "16052", "owner_user_id": "101", "parent_id": "646", "post_type": "answer", "score": 13 }, { "body": "First of all, knowing pitch is not as simple as knowing the pitch on each\nword. There are many morphological endings that make pitch change on verbs and\nadjectives. For instance, taBEru becomes TAbete because -te will make the\npitch shift to the 3rd mora from the end when the verb has pitch. Pitch also\nchanges when 2 words or more form a new compound word (pitch is usually on the\nfirst mora of the second word). haYAi becomes HAyaku because -ku moves the\npitch to the 3rd mora from the end. And so on.\n\nIt's true that different dialects have different pitch, but you have to\nunderstand that their pitch is part of a integral system -- if they say hashi\nwith the opposite pitch, this is less likely to confuse the listener if the\nrest of the person's speech behaves the same way. In fact, there are even some\nrules that allow to predict dialectal differences.\n\nI always tried to pay a lot of attention to pitch -- doing most of my research\nmyself because it's very hard to find information at all -- and while I\nusually get it right, there are frequently times when I say a word out of\ncontext and I get confused looks until someone repeats the word with the right\npitch. Almost everyone says it's not that important, and sure, it's not the\nend of the word if you get English stress wrong either, but in reality, it\ndoes frequently create confusion, and if you care about being understood well,\nI'd definitely pay attention to pitch.\n\nMost Japanese people have no idea how pitch works because they've never\nthought about it. It's extremely difficult to find any information, and most\ndictionaries never mention pitch. But nevertheless, if you can find the right\nresources, pitch is worth the trouble.", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-10-21T18:17:41.073", "id": "3526", "last_activity_date": "2011-10-21T18:17:41.073", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "801", "parent_id": "646", "post_type": "answer", "score": 10 }, { "body": "Really, the pitch accent for each word depends on dialects, but in general,\nit's not actually so hard to understand when somebody talks with different\npitch accents, so maybe that's why many textbooks and dictionaries don't write\nmuch about the accent for each word.\n\nI was born in Tokyo but had army service in Hokkaido. There, people referred\nto me as \"kaWAsaki\" instead of \"kaWASAKI (standard Japanese)\". When I used to\nlive in Hiroshima, people often were like \"Dude, you're supposed to pronounce\nit like this instead of that (although I talk in the Standard Japanese)\". The\npoint is that different accents sound funny, but somehow we understand them.\n\nThe words you use are actually more important than the accents since when\nlet's say, my grandma (from Kyushu) said \"Tempura is ready\", I ran to the\nkitchen but then got disappointed from realizing that she was mentioning the\nso-called \"Ganmodoki (in Standard Japanese)\" instead of the famous tempura.\nThe problem here was from the vocab she used, not the accent.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 4.0", "creation_date": "2015-08-23T10:54:08.283", "id": "27585", "last_activity_date": "2022-11-26T07:05:19.630", "last_edit_date": "2022-11-26T07:05:19.630", "last_editor_user_id": "5464", "owner_user_id": "10995", "parent_id": "646", "post_type": "answer", "score": 4 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "651", "answer_count": 2, "body": "For verbs of group 2, whose ～ます form is formed by dropping the ending ～る from\nthe plain form, both the passive and potential forms have the same\nconjugation: ～られる. Example:\n\n> 食べられる \n> 1\\. to be eaten \n> 2\\. can eat / edible\n\nOther than looking at the context, how do I differentiate between the two\nmeanings?", "comment_count": 3, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-06T03:29:55.743", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "649", "last_activity_date": "2018-06-20T15:23:05.490", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-07T01:28:02.907", "last_editor_user_id": "112", "owner_user_id": "112", "post_type": "question", "score": 31, "tags": [ "verbs", "conjugations", "passive-voice", "potential-form" ], "title": "How to differentiate ～られる conjugation between passive form and potential form?", "view_count": 25766 }

[ { "body": "I don't think there is way to decide that without looking at context.\n\nAnd there is another meaning for ～られる, which is used as polite form (keigo),\nwhich means 食べられる can be used as similar meaning with 召し上がる (meshiagaru), but\nof course special usage 召し上がる is more polite than 食べられる for this case.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-06T03:38:33.757", "id": "650", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-06T03:43:56.010", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-06T03:43:56.010", "last_editor_user_id": "100", "owner_user_id": "100", "parent_id": "649", "post_type": "answer", "score": 9 }, { "body": "I don't think you can differentiate them without looking at the context.\n\n> * ハンバーガー が・を 食べられる → I can eat hamburgers\n>\n> * ハンバーガーを食べられてしまった！ → Someone ate my hamburger!!\n>\n>\n\nWith the passive form, you'll usually see the doer/\"culprit\", indicated by\n～に／～によって (there are some rules about which to use, but that's beyond the scope\nof this topic):\n\n> * **父に** ハンバーガーを食べられることが多い → My hamburgers are often eaten by my father\n> (\"My father often eats my hamburgers\")\n> * 「モナ・リザ」は **ダ・ヴィンチによって** 描かれた → The \"Mona Lisa\" was painted by DaVinci.\n>\n\nDon't forget that there is a third conjugation of this form that is a type of\nkeigo (somewhat between normal politeness and super politeness)\n\n> * 課長は明日会議に行かれる → The section chief is going to the meeting tomorrow.\n>", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 4.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-06T03:39:07.983", "id": "651", "last_activity_date": "2018-06-20T15:23:05.490", "last_edit_date": "2018-06-20T15:23:05.490", "last_editor_user_id": "78", "owner_user_id": "78", "parent_id": "649", "post_type": "answer", "score": 24 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "673", "answer_count": 3, "body": "Having watched jidai-geki for a long time, I have come across many Samurai-\nisms, but I can recall only a few. I would like to be able to do this more\nbelievably the next time I'm at the Izakaya.\n\nWhat words and phrases are most commonly heard in jidai geki or period anime\nthat would achieve this goal?", "comment_count": 7, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-06T04:36:50.817", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "653", "last_activity_date": "2011-12-27T17:00:36.363", "last_edit_date": "2011-12-27T17:00:36.363", "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "168", "post_type": "question", "score": 10, "tags": [ "history", "register", "archaic-language" ], "title": "If I wanted to sound more like a Samurai, what words and phrases should I learn?", "view_count": 6563 }

[ { "body": "Well, there is indeed a stereotypical \"Samurai way of talking\" that you can\nsee in Samurai films or in historical dramas (時代劇, Jidaigeki) on TV, but it's\nfar from being authentic. In fact, Samurai talked in many different ways,\ndepending on the era and their home province (after all, they were speaking in\ntheir dialect).\n\nAs far as I know, the stereotypical Samurai speech in Jidaigeki is actually\nbased on the Edo dialect of late Edo period. Many of the mannerisms you'd find\nin this speech do not specifically represent Samurai, but rather a typical\nresident of Edo in that particular time.\n\nThe most striking feature of this speech is the complete absence of the modern\n～ます forms, which are sometimes replaced by other polite forms, but very often\nfind Keigo used with plain forms. The most noticeable alternative polite form\nof this Edo-jidai speech is probably the polite/humble copula で御座る which is\noften used wholesale instead of any other copula. Just note that is copula is\nconsidered humble, so usually when speaking about someone else (at least\nsomeone you'd want to respectful to :)), you'd use the honorific copula\nでいらっしゃる instead of で御座る. For instance:\n\n> 拙者は侍でござる。\n\nBut when asking someone else for their name:\n\n> どなたでいらっしゃるか？\n\nNote the first-person pronoun I used in the first example. 拙者 (せっしゃ) also\nhighly identified with Samurai speech. It literally means something like\n\"clumsy person\", so it's a humble pronoun of course. In Jidaigeki, some\nSamurai use it, but the more haughty ones would probably use a different\npronoun, such as おれ。\n\nAnother personal pronoun that's highly identified with Samurai speech is the\nsecond person pronoun お主. Again, you won't see every Jidaigeki Samurai using\nit, but it's highly stereotypical.", "comment_count": 4, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-06T08:33:06.350", "id": "673", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-06T14:05:46.577", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-06T14:05:46.577", "last_editor_user_id": "153", "owner_user_id": "153", "parent_id": "653", "post_type": "answer", "score": 18 }, { "body": "The first word I'd learn is \"bushido.\" Which translates into \"warrior code.\"\n\nYou might also learn words like \"on\" (obligation) and \"giri\" (duty). These are\nconcepts used by the chivalric samurai.", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-10T20:55:32.997", "id": "959", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-10T20:55:32.997", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "309", "parent_id": "653", "post_type": "answer", "score": -1 }, { "body": "For a good start, all you need is to watch **Rurouni Kenshin** and start\nimitating.", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-11T07:33:35.113", "id": "966", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-11T07:33:35.113", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "264", "parent_id": "653", "post_type": "answer", "score": 0 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "657", "answer_count": 3, "body": "Which dialects would one normally encounter when visiting/living in Japan (in\npopular places like Tokyo, Kyoto and and so on) or reading something produced\nin Japan?", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-06T04:51:35.290", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "654", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-09T07:05:58.143", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "102", "post_type": "question", "score": 7, "tags": [ "dialects" ], "title": "How many dialects are commonly used today?", "view_count": 5024 }

[ { "body": "The biggest dialects that often come up are.\n\n * Standard Japanese (Tokyo - What TV announcers speak)\n * Osaka-ben (Manzai and Comedians)\n * Kyoto-ben (Supposedly prettiest female dialect in all of Japan)\n * Okinawa-ben (It's totally out there, and is supposedly the closest to orig. Japanese.)\n * Hiroshima-ben (more so because of Yakuza and their portrayals in movies)\n\nThere are of course more, but these are the ones I _Believe_ you have the\nhighest chances of hearing during Japanese language study or TV watching", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-06T05:30:57.360", "id": "657", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-09T03:20:53.477", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-09T03:20:53.477", "last_editor_user_id": "97", "owner_user_id": "97", "parent_id": "654", "post_type": "answer", "score": 8 }, { "body": "Mark Hosang already gave a good answer, so I'll only try to add more detail to\nit, and maybe generalize the dialect division some more.\n\nIt's hard to answer \"how many dialects are commonly used\", for two reasons:\n\n 1. Dialects are hard to count - you can subdivide dialects (e.g. Kyoto-ben, Osaka-ben, Kobe-ben) or join them into bigger groups (Kansai-ben).\n\n 2. Some dialects are really common and others are really small, some (Osaka-ben) are very much alive and others (\"classical\" Kyoto-ben) are practically dead, but it's hard to decide where to put the line.\n\nGenerally speaking, dialectal variation in Japanese is dying out, but some\nbigger regional dialects are still quite strong. The following big regional\ndialects are rather well-known:\n\n * **Kantō dialect** (関東弁) which is centered in Tōkyō and is also the basis for standard Japanese. This is the dialect of central-eastern Honshū (the main island of Japan).\n\n * **Kansai dialect** (関西弁) which is centered around Ōsaka, and is especially identified with its Osaka sub-dialect (大阪弁). This is the dialect of western Honshū.\n\n * **Tōhoku dialect** (東北弁) which is spoken in north-eastern Honshū. It's considered rather rural and rough compared to the urban Kansai and Kanto dialects, and it's often used to characterize Inaka-people in fiction. It's also considered rather slurred and hard to understand, and it's often called Zuzu-ben (because for southern Japanese speakers words such as _sushi_ and _susu_ sound the same when spoken in this dialect). The Japanese spoken in Hokkaidaō is also very similar to this dialect.\n\n * **Southwestern dialects** Here I put everything from Southwestern Honshū (including Hiroshima) to Shikoku and Kyūshū. These dialects (except for Yakuza-style Hiroshima-ben perhaps) are less commonly represented in TV and fiction, and I'm quite bad at differentiating between them, though some of them (especially Kagoshima-ben) are supposed to be quite distinct. Their most striking feature is that most of them use じゃ as copula (instead of や in Kansai and だ in the rest of Japan).\n\n * **Ryukyuan languages** are also worth mentioning (although your unlikely to hear them at all in Tokyo), because they are not really a bunch dialects, but rather a tight language group that shares common roots with Japanese. They are utterly unintelligible to Japanese speakers and share little in common even with the most southern dialects of Kagoshima. Of these languages, the Okinawan language is the most famous, but the sad truth is that practically all of them are mostly being spoken only by older people in the Ryūkyū islands and they are dying out.", "comment_count": 7, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-06T17:47:15.857", "id": "680", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-06T21:34:36.470", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-06T21:34:36.470", "last_editor_user_id": "15", "owner_user_id": "153", "parent_id": "654", "post_type": "answer", "score": 12 }, { "body": "I mean ウチナーグチ is often used. TV, music, food and other products, young\npeople...etc. Of course Japanese is used most of the time, it's not like they\nuse uchinaa guchi in everyday conversation. But the traditions stay and it's\nnot a dying language. (at least not when I was there and not in what I've seen\nrecently either when following local news and conversing with friends) Or\nmaybe it's because I'm only acquainted with more traditional people and less\naverage Okinawan (and like me they become old...)", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-09T07:05:58.143", "id": "869", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-09T07:05:58.143", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": null, "parent_id": "654", "post_type": "answer", "score": 0 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "675", "answer_count": 2, "body": "I am particularly interested in the phrase 「水{みず}色{いろ}時{じ}代{だい}」. Did it come\nfrom the old manga that used the phrase as its title, or has the phrase been\ncarrying that particular cultural connotation long before the manga?\n\nSo how and when did the term 水色 start to be associated with youth, adolescence\nand puberty?\n\np/s: While on the same topic, I'd like to share this interesting chart on how\ndifferent cultures interpret different colors: <http://www.globalization-\ngroup.com/edge/resources/color-meanings-by-culture/>", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-06T06:56:55.160", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "663", "last_activity_date": "2015-12-15T16:53:50.803", "last_edit_date": "2015-12-15T14:43:11.430", "last_editor_user_id": "11830", "owner_user_id": "112", "post_type": "question", "score": 5, "tags": [ "history", "etymology", "culture" ], "title": "What was the origin for the term 水{みず}色{いろ} to be associated with youth, adolescence and puberty?", "view_count": 840 }

[ { "body": "According to [Wikipedia](http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%B0%B4%E8%89%B2),\n\n> 日本語の水色は平安時代から見られる色名であり、古くから「水＝青い」というイメージが存在していたこととなる。\n\n水色 is used since the Heian Era (794年-1185年/1192年) and 水 is something like 青い.\n\nThere are some words like\n\n * 青春 (せいしゅん) meaning \"youth\",\n * 青二才 (あおにさい) meaning \"young person\" (greenhorn), and\n * 青年期 (せいねんき) meaning \"adolescence\"\n\nall using the same _kanji_ 青. These words cause 青 to be associated with youth,\nadolescence and puberty, I believe.", "comment_count": 3, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-06T07:09:51.930", "id": "665", "last_activity_date": "2015-12-15T16:53:50.803", "last_edit_date": "2015-12-15T16:53:50.803", "last_editor_user_id": "1628", "owner_user_id": "100", "parent_id": "663", "post_type": "answer", "score": 2 }, { "body": "I do not think that the word 水色 (みずいろ; cyan) is associated with youth,\nadolescence or puberty in Japanese. As YOU wrote, 青 (あお; usually blue in the\nmodern Japanese, sometimes refers to green) is associated with immaturity and\nyouth. But 水色 does not have this connotation.\n\nI had never heard of the phrase 水色時代. Unless I am much mistaken, it is only\nused as the [title of manga](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mizuiro_Jidai) by\nYuu Yabuuchi and not a common phrase in Japanese.", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-06T12:59:45.233", "id": "675", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-06T12:59:45.233", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "15", "parent_id": "663", "post_type": "answer", "score": 7 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "674", "answer_count": 1, "body": "Sometimes I hear Japanese people say ういた in conversation when describing\nsomething (usually someone) unpleasant. I asked my coworker once \"what is this\nword\", but I got a very poor explanation (not her fault, it just seems very\nmuch like a \"sense\" thing).\n\nThe only impression I have of it is a word that describes someone (or their\nactions) that everyone else is thinking, \"uhm, OK?\" in sort of a dumbfounded\nway. Am I close?\n\nDoes anyone have a good example of this usage so I can get my head around it?", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-06T07:01:55.607", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "664", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-06T13:16:26.863", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "87", "post_type": "question", "score": 10, "tags": [ "slang" ], "title": "How do I use うく as casual slang (as in ういた)?", "view_count": 419 }

[ { "body": "Basically 浮く (うく) means to float, but has many other meanings.\n\nWhen used for a person or an action of a person, 浮く can mean “being out of\nplace,” “not belonging to the place he/she is,” “being the odd one out,” and\n“not being able to interact with others well.” For example:\n\n * 田中さんは会社で浮いている。 (たなかさんはかいしゃでういている。) Mr. (Ms.) Tanaka is out of place in his (her) office. / Mr. (Ms.) Tanaka does not really belong to his (her) office. / Mr. (Ms.) Tanaka is the odd one out in his (her) office.\n\nWe can also say 田中さんの行動は会社で浮いている (たなかさんのこうどうはかいしゃでういている), talking about what\nMr. (Ms.) Tanaka does instead of the person him/herself.\n\nI believe that this meaning arises from the basic meaning “to float” by\nconsidering figuratively that everyone else in the office is deep “inside” the\noffice but Mr. (Ms.) Tanaka is “floating” on the surface of the office.\n\nFrom\n[Daijisen](http://dic.yahoo.co.jp/dsearch?enc=UTF-8&p=%E3%81%86%E3%81%8F&dtype=0&dname=0na&stype=0&index=01841301420100&pagenum=1):\n\n> ４ ある集団の中で仲間との接触が薄くなる。遊離する。「仲間から―・いた存在」\n\nFrom\n[Daijirin](http://dic.yahoo.co.jp/dsearch?enc=UTF-8&p=%E3%81%86%E3%81%8F&dtype=0&dname=0ss&stype=0&index=101512100000&pagenum=1):\n\n> ［5] 基盤を失って、遊離した存在となる。\n>\n\n>> 大衆から―・いた存在\n\nFrom the [Eijiro on the\nWeb](http://eow.alc.co.jp/%E6%B5%AE%E3%81%84%E3%81%A6%E3%81%84%E3%82%8B/UTF-8/):\n\n> 他の子どもたちの中で浮いている can't interact with the other children\n>\n> 学級で浮いている be the odd one out in one's class\n>\n> 彼はちょっと浮いている。 He just doesn't belong.", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-06T12:19:26.623", "id": "674", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-06T13:16:26.863", "last_edit_date": "2020-06-17T08:18:27.500", "last_editor_user_id": "-1", "owner_user_id": "15", "parent_id": "664", "post_type": "answer", "score": 8 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "669", "answer_count": 2, "body": "While having fun looking up random words in my dictionary software, I found\nout that the phrase \"めちゃめちゃ\", which is often used in colloquial sentences like\n\"めちゃめちゃかわいい\" has two kanji variants:\n\n> 滅茶滅茶 \n> 目茶目茶\n\nFor the first variant, 滅茶滅茶, I can imagine the significance of 滅, which\nimplies \"destruction\", but why with \"tea\"? The second variant is even absurd\n(or can I use \"mecha-mecha\" as a pun here :P), because it's from \"eye\" and\n\"tea\".\n\nDoes the kanji character \"茶\" has any significance in the phrase, or are they\njust ateji?", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-06T07:19:23.063", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "666", "last_activity_date": "2012-03-15T05:33:54.497", "last_edit_date": "2012-03-15T05:33:54.497", "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "112", "post_type": "question", "score": 10, "tags": [ "kanji", "etymology", "set-phrases", "ateji" ], "title": "Significance of the kanji 茶 in the set phrase 滅茶滅茶{めちゃめちゃ} / 目茶目茶{めちゃめちゃ}", "view_count": 1297 }

[ { "body": "I don't think that the kanji have any specific meaning and are just used for\ntheir sounds, ergo Ateji.", "comment_count": 3, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-06T07:21:29.997", "id": "668", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-06T07:21:29.997", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "97", "parent_id": "666", "post_type": "answer", "score": 3 }, { "body": "That's just ateji「当て字」, but they used like that because\n\n * 滅茶滅茶 related with 滅茶苦茶/無茶苦茶 (muchakucha) and base word is 無茶, \n * There is some saying that 無茶 supposed to mean お客さんにお茶を出さない。 (No o-cha?) \n(Don't provide tea to customer, which is unreasonable just like 無茶苦茶. But\nmeaning from 当て字 are not suppose to be used, so above is wrong approach.\n\n * There is also another saying that 無茶 comes from Buddhist word 無作 (musa/musaku), which has meaning むさぼる (greedy, covet) and 苦茶 is just to emphasize the former.\n\nref: <http://gogen-allguide.com/mu/muchakucha.html>", "comment_count": 4, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-06T07:34:48.123", "id": "669", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-06T13:48:20.237", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-06T13:48:20.237", "last_editor_user_id": "100", "owner_user_id": "100", "parent_id": "666", "post_type": "answer", "score": 11 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "672", "answer_count": 2, "body": "As per the title, when asking 'What is your name?' or 'What is your job?', why\nis it 'は' not 'か'? For example, we are taught this:\n\n> おしごとは。 \n> 'What is your job?'\n\nBut I don't understand why it isn't this?\n\n> あなたはしごとですか。 \n> 'What is your job?'", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-06T08:21:16.450", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "670", "last_activity_date": "2012-09-12T01:16:54.830", "last_edit_date": "2012-09-12T01:16:54.830", "last_editor_user_id": "501", "owner_user_id": "72", "post_type": "question", "score": 19, "tags": [ "particles", "syntax", "particle-は", "ellipsis", "questions" ], "title": "When asking 'What is your name?' or 'What is your job?', why is it 'は' not 'か'?", "view_count": 35575 }

[ { "body": "It is more polite if you omit or not using straight form when asking personal\nthings.\n\n> お しごと は\n\nmeans\n\n> お しごと は なんですか？\n\nAnd following is not correct\n\n> あなた は しごと です か\n\nwhich means \"Are you a work?\"", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-06T08:26:04.253", "id": "671", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-06T08:35:52.353", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-06T08:35:52.353", "last_editor_user_id": "100", "owner_user_id": "100", "parent_id": "670", "post_type": "answer", "score": 6 }, { "body": "お仕事は？ _Oshigoto wa?_ is basically short for お仕事は何ですか？ _Oshigoto wa nan desu\nka?_\n\nあなたは仕事ですか？ _Anata wa shigoto desu ka?_ means \"Are you work?\" and is\nnonsensical†.\n\nは _wa_ (not わ BTW) is the topic marker.* Just asking 〜は basically means \"About\n~...\" and only hints at the actual question. Leaving things unspoken is a very\ntypical thing in Japanese. _\"About (your) work...\"_ is the subtle, polite way\nto ask \"What is your work?\".\n\nSimply 仕事か？ _Shigoto ka?_ would mean something like \"Work, eh?\" and is more of\nan exclamation than a question. It's also rather rough, at the very least _not\npolite_.\n\n* * *\n\n* That's why あなたは仕事ですか？ _Anata wa shigoto desu ka?_ marks \"you\" as the topic and is wrong. It's basically saying _\"About you, are you work?\"_\n\n† In the context of this question at least, see comments.", "comment_count": 5, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-06T08:30:56.313", "id": "672", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-06T12:29:06.853", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-06T12:29:06.853", "last_editor_user_id": "88", "owner_user_id": "88", "parent_id": "670", "post_type": "answer", "score": 21 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "677", "answer_count": 3, "body": "Can someone explain the differences between v-ていく and v-てくる for me. I know\nthat they both express some kind of ongoing action (like a place getting\ncrowded). For example, what's the difference between 込んでいく and 込んでくる, or is it\neven possible to use both of these. Also, do you generally use kanji to write\nthese?\n\nMost of the examples I can think of use v-てくる, like 雨がやんできた, or 空が明るくなってきた.\nHow does the meaning change if I use いく instead?\n\n**Edit:** changed て行く／て来る to the more proper ていく／てくる.", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-06T14:16:35.030", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "676", "last_activity_date": "2022-05-17T09:03:39.480", "last_edit_date": "2018-07-26T17:13:56.747", "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "36", "post_type": "question", "score": 77, "tags": [ "grammar", "word-choice", "て-form", "aspect", "subsidiary-verbs" ], "title": "Difference between -ていく and -てくる", "view_count": 36726 }

[ { "body": "～ていく and ～てくる (usually written in kana, since they are such common suffixes)\ncan express both physical movement (such as in 行【い】 ってくる \"go and come back\")\nor a continued change in state. Since your question regards the latter usage,\nI'll restrict my answer to that.\n\nTo use your examples:\n\n> 雨【あめ】がやんできた。 The rain [over a period of time up until now] stopped.\n>\n> 雨【あめ】がやんでいった。 The rain [over a period of time up until some time before now]\n> stopped.\n\nWith the past tense, the point in time at which the action ends, relative to\nthe present moment, changes depending on whether きた or いった is used.\n\n> 空【そら】が明【あか】るくなってくる。 The sky [over a period of time through now and\n> continuing to some future point] brightens.\n>\n> 空【そら】が明【あか】るくなっていく。 The sky [over a period of time starting now and\n> continuing indefinitely] brightens.\n\nWith the present tense, the factor that changes is the point in time at which\nthe action begins. (～てくる typically implies the action started in the past,\nwhile ～ていく typically implies the action starts now.)\n\nAny verb that indicates a change in state is a prime candidate for the ～ていく\nand ～てくる suffixes. なる, 増【ふ】える, 減【へ】る, and 広【ひろ】がる are a few examples.\n\n* * *\n\nAs a postscript, I should also mention that the choice between these two can\ndepend also on whether \"now\" means actual now versus a reference point in the\npast or future. The diagram on [page 120 of this\ntext](http://books.google.com/books?id=l-C4H2sBJlEC&lpg=PP1&pg=PA120#v=onepage&q&f=false)\nmay help clear this up.", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-06T14:49:16.507", "id": "677", "last_activity_date": "2011-09-29T13:27:36.763", "last_edit_date": "2020-06-17T08:18:27.500", "last_editor_user_id": "-1", "owner_user_id": "94", "parent_id": "676", "post_type": "answer", "score": 76 }, { "body": "〜ていく means \"will go/get\". So it means from the current time onward. 〜てくる mean\n\"came/got to be\", as in from some time in the past up until now.\n\n> → 〜てくる or 〜ていく →\n\nNote that with these two patterns, you usually write いく／くる in hiragana.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-06T14:49:50.420", "id": "678", "last_activity_date": "2014-07-28T18:11:21.200", "last_edit_date": "2014-07-28T18:11:21.200", "last_editor_user_id": "78", "owner_user_id": "78", "parent_id": "676", "post_type": "answer", "score": 15 }, { "body": "Both means a continued change in state but with slight difference.\n\n> 行く is for something that moves **away** from the speaker (not necessarily a\n> physical movement), or away from another person's viewpoint that the speaker\n> adopts.\n>\n> 来る is for something that moves **towards** the speaker (not necessarily a\n> physical movement), or towards another person's viewpoint that the speaker\n> adopts.\n\nApart from temporal differences already explained by Derek, it also can show\nthe speaker's involvement.\n\n> The 来る versions imply that the change is somehow going to involve the\n> speaker or has already involved the speaker. ( **towards speaker** )\n>\n> The 行く versions feel impersonal and objective ( **away from speaker** )", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-07-30T02:59:46.207", "id": "2322", "last_activity_date": "2011-07-30T02:59:46.207", "last_edit_date": "2020-06-17T08:18:27.500", "last_editor_user_id": "-1", "owner_user_id": "542", "parent_id": "676", "post_type": "answer", "score": 24 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "682", "answer_count": 1, "body": "Can someone give some good context and scenarios for using these? Not only\nwhen to use them, but when **NOT** to use them as well. I know あげる is kind of\nthe most common, but I'm just not sure of the nuances between them.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-06T19:21:00.997", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "681", "last_activity_date": "2011-12-30T04:20:20.667", "last_edit_date": "2011-12-30T04:20:20.667", "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "78", "post_type": "question", "score": 16, "tags": [ "word-choice", "nuances", "words", "synonyms", "perspective" ], "title": "Nuances of \"give\" - あげる／与える／授ける", "view_count": 2516 }

[ { "body": "**あげる**\n\nUsually involves the transfer of a physical object from one person to another\nof equal (or sometimes lower) status.\n\n> 友達に洋服をあげる\n\n**与える（あたえる）**\n\nCan function as あげる, but in modern Japanese it comes with a formal ring and\noften involves something given as a favor for someone of lower status. Beyond\nthis, its alternate uses include \"assign\" as in \"assign homework\", as well as\n\"give\" in connection with abstract concepts, such as influence or impressions.\n\n> 子供におやつを与える (can replace with あげる)\n>\n> 宿題を与える (\"assign homework\", note this also goes from higher to lower status)\n>\n> 影響を与える (\"exert influence\", abstract)\n>\n> いい印象を与える (\"give a good impression\", also abstract)\n\n**授ける（さずける）**\n\nLimited to giving something special (a privilege, a prize, etc) to someone of\nlower status. Closer to the English \"award\", \"grant\", or \"bestow\" than \"give\".\n\n> 勲章を授ける (\"award a medal\")\n>\n> 知恵を授ける (\"bestow wisdom\")\n\n* * *\n\nDefinitions and example sentences taken from the 大辞泉 definitions for\n[あげる](http://dic.yahoo.co.jp/dsearch?enc=UTF-8&p=%E3%81%82%E3%81%92%E3%82%8B&dtype=0&dname=0na&stype=0&pagenum=1&index=00323400207300),\n[与える](http://dic.yahoo.co.jp/dsearch?enc=UTF-8&p=%E4%B8%8E%E3%81%88%E3%82%8B&dtype=0&dname=0na&stype=0&pagenum=1&index=00454500316300),\nand\n[授ける](http://dic.yahoo.co.jp/dsearch?enc=UTF-8&p=%E6%8E%88%E3%81%91%E3%82%8B&dtype=0&dname=0na&stype=0&pagenum=1&index=08923907335400).", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-06T19:57:57.500", "id": "682", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-06T19:57:57.500", "last_edit_date": "2020-06-17T08:18:27.500", "last_editor_user_id": "-1", "owner_user_id": "94", "parent_id": "681", "post_type": "answer", "score": 8 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "684", "answer_count": 2, "body": "If someone says,\n\n> あなた は Chris-さん です か。 \n> Are you Chris?\n\nDo you answer\n\n> Chris です\n\nOr\n\n> Chris-さん です", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-06T20:51:13.583", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "683", "last_activity_date": "2016-02-08T12:43:24.287", "last_edit_date": "2016-02-08T12:43:24.287", "last_editor_user_id": "1628", "owner_user_id": "72", "post_type": "question", "score": 13, "tags": [ "grammar", "syntax", "honorifics" ], "title": "The use of -さん when answering about oneself", "view_count": 337 }

[ { "body": "> Chris です。\n\n`さん` is never used (except jokingly perhaps) to refer to oneself. The same\ngoes for other common endings such as `くん`, `ちゃん`, `さま`, `先輩` and `先生`.\n\nThat's because these endings usually convey a kind of relation: for instance,\n`さま` conveys respect, `くん` and `ちゃん` convey some endearment and while `さん`\nconveys very little meaning, it does convey separation. You can't use `さん` on\nyourself because it's pointless to specify your relation to yourself. And this\nis even truer for the other endings.", "comment_count": 3, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-06T20:53:31.353", "id": "684", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-06T20:59:45.990", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-06T20:59:45.990", "last_editor_user_id": "153", "owner_user_id": "153", "parent_id": "683", "post_type": "answer", "score": 22 }, { "body": "Unless it is some sort of elaborate joke, you should not put -さん after your\nname.\n\nMaybe a story could be helpful...\n\nOnce when writing the minutes (議事録 _gijiroku_ ) of a meeting, I had to write\nthe list of the participants at the meeting. I wrote it like this, and then\nsent the email.\n\n```\n\n ●●さん\n ●●さん\n Wallyさん\n \n```\n\nAs soon I sent this email, the reaction from my coworkers was: \"LOL, he put さん\nto his own name\". And tons of 指摘 _shiteki_ afterwards.\n\nSo yeah, you should never put -san after your name unless you're trying to be\nfunny. If you want to try to be funny, send an email within the mailing list\nto another coworker without putting -san to his name. Lots of _shiteki_\nguaranteed.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T03:08:52.860", "id": "686", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-07T03:08:52.860", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "79", "parent_id": "683", "post_type": "answer", "score": 6 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "725", "answer_count": 3, "body": "What's the difference between に and で when speaking of the time of an action?\nI know に is very specific about time, but I'm not sure when, or how to use で.\nCan で only be used in certain instances?\n\nSupposing we want to say \"After eating breakfast, I will watch TV.\" What would\nbe the difference between these two:\n\n> 朝ご飯を食べた後 **に** テレビを見る。(asagohan o tabeta ato **ni** terebi o miru)\n\nvs.\n\n> 朝ご飯を食べた後 **で** テレビを見る。(asagohan o tabeta ato **de** terebi o miru)\n\nThanks!", "comment_count": 3, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T00:46:10.583", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "685", "last_activity_date": "2018-02-14T08:12:52.443", "last_edit_date": "2014-10-19T04:31:01.110", "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "58", "post_type": "question", "score": 31, "tags": [ "word-choice", "particles", "particle-に", "particle-で", "に-and-で" ], "title": "What's the difference between に and で when speaking of time of an action?", "view_count": 4762 }

[ { "body": "I agree with Amanda, a great question. To summarise with regard to 'time':\n\n**\"後で\"** means you are using the time you have later to do the action,\nwhereas...\n\n**\"後に\"** implies you choose \"later\" from amongst other options (e.g. instead\nof 'now', 'never' or even 'undefined') for performing the action (i.e.\neating).\n\nI found the answer here on Chiebukuro\n<http://detail.chiebukuro.yahoo.co.jp/qa/question_detail/q1433341164>\n\nThere are 2 examples given on Chiekbukuro as representative of the\ndifferences. They are「手で入れる」 and 「手に入れる」. With 「で」 it means you do the action\n\"with your hand\", whereas 「に」 indicates your hand is where the action comes to\ncompletion (the 帰着点 in Japanese).\n\nSo with regard to the question:\n\n**「で」is used to indicate the time or space used to perform the action**\n\n**「に」indicates the time/place inside which completion of the action occurs.**\n\n**NB:** I have not covered the more common usage of に that does not relate to\nthe question (e.g. 電車に乗る). _I ♡ Chiekbukoro_", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T05:32:02.823", "id": "696", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-07T05:57:31.587", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-07T05:57:31.587", "last_editor_user_id": "168", "owner_user_id": "168", "parent_id": "685", "post_type": "answer", "score": 9 }, { "body": "There are some interesting connotations in the Chiebukuro examples crunchyt\nkindly pointed to which I think are worth going over in more detail. First,\nthe ～でする and ～にする forms:\n\n> この仕事はあと **で** します。 I'll do this job later.\n>\n> この仕事はあと **に** します。 I'll do this job later.\n\nNow, the fact that these are both allowable and both have the same (English)\ntranslation doesn't mean they're freely interchangeable. Rather, the first\nsimply means that you'll do the job sometime in the future. The second,\nhowever, implies that you have the option of doing the job now, but you're\nputting it off until later -- \"you choose 'later' from amongst other options,\"\nas crunchyt put it. (Incidentally, the Japanese word for \"postponement\" is\n後回し. Yet the opposite of \"postponement\" is not 前回し, but 前倒し. In Japanese,\nthings rotate backward and fall forward. :)\n\nNow for verbs other than する, で is the typical choice to follow あと. From\nChiebukuro:\n\n> ご飯はあと **で** 食べます。 I'll eat later.\n>\n> ご飯はあと **に** 食べます。 (incorrect)\n\nBut what of the ～たあと form? If you Google for such phrases as 食べたあとで versus\n食べたあとに, you end up with the same number (~8M) of results. Clearly both are\nused commonly. What do we make of this?\n\nRecall that に refers, as you know, to a specific point in time. で, on the\nother hand, is more general, and indicates a range of time within which an\naction takes place. For example:\n\n> この本を３時間 **で** 読み終わった。 I finished reading this book in three hours.\n>\n> この本を３時間 **に** 読み終わった。 (incorrect)\n\nFrom this contrast of specificity/generality we can conclude that ～たあとに shows\na tighter bond between the two actions, i.e. the second action takes place\nvery close to the end of the first. ～たあとで, by giving a range of time, is much\nless specific about when the second action starts.\n\nThis rule of \"immediate versus range\" also applies to cases where the word\npreceding あと is not a verb, but one of この, その, or あの:\n\n> このあとに [right] after this\n>\n> このあとで [sometime] after this\n\nThere are of course cases when neither ～あとに nor ～あとで may be used, such as when\nthe first action is a prerequisite for the second:\n\n> 歯を磨いてから寝なさい。 (not 磨いたあとで)\n\nOr when the first action has a direct cause-and-effect relationship with the\nsecond:\n\n> このボタンを｛押したら／押すと｝お湯が出ます。 (not ボタンを押したあとで)", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T13:38:55.323", "id": "725", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-07T13:45:59.847", "last_edit_date": "2020-06-17T08:18:27.500", "last_editor_user_id": "-1", "owner_user_id": "94", "parent_id": "685", "post_type": "answer", "score": 22 }, { "body": "> (1) 朝ご飯を食べた後 **に** テレビを見る。 \n> (2) 朝ご飯を食べた後 **で** テレビを見る。\n\nI think it is a very interesting question. (+1) \nThere are various answers about the difference between \"に\" and \"で\", but I'll\nanswer the difference only between the examples given by the questioner.\n\n(1) and (2) seem to have the same meaning at first glance and I could\nunderstand the meaning. However, (2) is correct as Japanese, but (1) is not\nperfectly correct.\n\nStrictly speaking, (2) shows the \"situation\" after eating breakfast, not\n\"time\", and (1) may imply the \"time\" or \"condition\" after eating breakfast.\n\n(2) is a good Japanese as it is because the \"situation\" is well described, but\n(1) is insufficient because the \"time\" or \"condition\" is not well described.\n\n(1) will become correct Japanese if added with the expression of time or\ncondition as follows.\n\n(1)-1 朝ご飯を食べた後 **すぐ/すぐに** テレビを見る。 \n(1)-2 朝ご飯を食べた後 **食卓{しょくたく}を片付｛かたづ｝けてから/お茶碗｛ちゃわん｝を洗｛あら｝ってから** テレビを見る。 \n(1)-3 朝ご飯を食べた後 **お茶碗を洗いながら** テレビを見る。 \n(1)-4 朝ご飯を食べた後 **９時｛じ｝まで** テレビを見る。 \n(1)-5 朝ご飯を食べた後に **別｛べつ｝の部屋｛へや｝で** テレビを見る。 \n(1)-6 朝ご飯を食べた後に **家族｛かぞく｝と/家族と一緒{いっしょ}に** テレビを見る。", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2018-02-14T04:24:43.443", "id": "56643", "last_activity_date": "2018-02-14T08:12:52.443", "last_edit_date": "2018-02-14T08:12:52.443", "last_editor_user_id": "20624", "owner_user_id": "20624", "parent_id": "685", "post_type": "answer", "score": 1 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": null, "answer_count": 3, "body": "In a book I was reading, a tomboyish character complained about the\nexpectations her parents had of her as their only daughter. She said:\n\n> 「蝶よ花よと育てたかったらしいんだけど」\n\nEDICT defines 蝶よ花よ as \"bringing up (one's daughter) like a princess.\" Is this\naccurate? What is the etymology of this phrase?", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T03:12:28.503", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "687", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T16:18:21.833", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "28", "post_type": "question", "score": 6, "tags": [ "etymology", "definitions" ], "title": "What is the meaning and etymology of 蝶よ花よ?", "view_count": 687 }

[ { "body": "According to\n[JapanKnowledge](http://dic.search.yahoo.co.jp/search?ei=UTF-8&p=%E8%9D%B6%E3%82%88%E8%8A%B1%E3%82%88&fr=dic&stype=prefix)\nand [Idiom Dictionary](http://www.geocities.jp/kuro_kurogo/ko-\njien04/page10.html),\n\n蝶よ花よ usage can be found at 1745 on **Natsumatsuri Naniwakagami** 「夏祭浪花鑑」, a\n[Bunraku](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bunraku) play:\n\n> 乳母はコレ此様に、皺も白髪もいとはず、こなたの背長の延るのを、蝶よ花よと楽しみて\n>\n> A(wet) nurse enjoys to see one's growth like 蝶よ花よ, without noticing oneself\n> wrinkle or white hair.\n\nAccording to above sentence, your definition about \"like a princess\" should be\ncorrect, and state that could lead to spoil/pamper children.\n\n[Few](http://www.union-net.or.jp/cu-cap/tiyahoya.htm)\n[pages](http://kotoba.livedoor.biz/archives/50716572.html) says that, possible\norigin could be from 花や蝶や → 蝶や花や → **蝶よ花よ** → ちやほや \n(Or above may be just rumor because there is no official proof for that as\nTsuyoshi and Boaz pointed out.)\n\nAs as side note, decent word **ちやほや** have similar meaning and normally use on\nconversation.", "comment_count": 9, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T04:47:34.620", "id": "694", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T01:01:34.503", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-08T01:01:34.503", "last_editor_user_id": "100", "owner_user_id": "100", "parent_id": "687", "post_type": "answer", "score": 2 }, { "body": "(This is a longer version of my comment on YOU’s answer.)\n\nLet me state an objection to what seems to be a popular theory about the\norigin of 蝶よ花よ, which YOU also stated as (not main) part of the answer.\n\nAs YOU said, a few (actually more than a few) pages claim that the phrase 蝶よ花よ\nappeared in the form 花や蝶や in [Makura no\nSōshi](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pillow_Book) (completed in 1002).\nHowever, this claim seems groundless to me.\n\nSome of these pages even quote the poem in Makura no Sōshi which contains the\nphrase 花や蝶や:\n\n> みな人の花や蝶やといそぐ日もわがこころをば君ぞ知りける (みなひとの はなやちょうやと いそぐひも わがこころをば きみぞしりける) While\n> everyone cares only about beautiful things such as flowers and butterflies,\n> you and only you care about my heart.\n\nIn this quote, 花や蝶や describes two examples of beautiful things. But I cannot\nsee any connection between this meaning and the phrase 蝶よ花よ which describes\nhow a child is raised with a lot of (or even too much) affection.\n\nSo 花や蝶や in the quote above has a different order, a different particle and a\ndifferent meaning from 蝶よ花よ. I find it much more reasonable to consider 花や蝶や\nabove as unrelated from the set phrase 蝶よ花よ rather than the same phrase in a\ndifferent form and usage, unless there is some evidence suggesting otherwise.\n\nAs I said, there are many pages stating this as the origin of 蝶よ花よ. But my gut\nfeeling is that it seems that they copied this claim from somewhere (possibly\nwithout thinking). As is often the case in this kind of discussions in\nlinguistics, the large number of pages claiming something is hardly a measure\nof reliability of the claim.\n\nNeither\n[Daijisen](http://dic.yahoo.co.jp/dsearch?enc=UTF-8&p=%E8%9D%B6%E3%82%88%E8%8A%B1%E3%82%88&dtype=0&dname=0na&stype=0)\nnor\n[Daijirin](http://dic.yahoo.co.jp/dsearch?enc=UTF-8&p=%E8%9D%B6%E3%82%88%E8%8A%B1%E3%82%88&dtype=0&dname=0ss&stype=0)\nstates the origin of the phrase 蝶よ花よ. I do not have access to a larger\ndictionary.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T13:32:57.247", "id": "723", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-07T13:32:57.247", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "15", "parent_id": "687", "post_type": "answer", "score": 6 }, { "body": "**Second EDIT**\n\nI've finally traced this to a wedding song originated in the city of\nShizukuishi(雫石町) in the Iwate prefecture(岩手県):\n\n```\n\n ハァ今日はナァーハーエ\n 日も良いしナァー\n ハァ天気も良いしナァヨー\n 結びナァーハエー\n 合せてナァー\n ハァヤレヤレ\n 縁となるナァーヨー\n \n 目出度～の　若松様だ\n 枝も栄える　葉も茂る\n \n 蝶よ花よと　育てた娘\n 今日は他人の　手に渡す\n \n```\n\nSource:\n<http://www.bunka.pref.iwate.jp/seikatsu/minyou/shousai/minyou_001.html>\n\nThe main part of this song in relation to this phrase being:\n\n> 蝶よ花よと 育てた娘 今日は他人の 手に渡す\n\nWhere the bride that has been raised with love and care is given to another\nperson.\n\n**EDIT**\n\nI'm still doing some research, but I did find something interesting regarding\nan alternate explanation. While searching, I found mention of this word\nrelated to 「月よ星よ」. Looking up the definition of this:\n\n> この上なく愛したりたたえたりすることのたとえ\n\nLoose Translation: \"To love and praise exceedingly\"\n\nWhich has a similar meaning to 「蝶よ花よ」.\n\n* * *\n\nWhile doing some research on this, I found a rather interesting alternative\nexplanation\n\nregarding this when referring to a Chinese origin:\n\n> ほう RT @petite_chate: 中国語の「蝶花」を「チャオファオ」と読むのが関係してるかもです。 QT: @marianna_ave:\n> 自己レス。「蝶よ花よ」が詰まって、ちやほや か。 RT @marianna_ave: @hakubi 「チヤホヤ」の語源ってなんだろ。\n\nSource: <http://twitter.com/#!/hakubi/status/20881151047>\n\nIn this case referencing it to the Chinese pronunciation of 「蝶花」 as\n「チャオフャオ」(cyao fyao). Interestingly the phrase appears to be attributed to\nちやほや, Which means to pamper or spoil.", "comment_count": 9, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T21:03:25.253", "id": "741", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T16:18:21.833", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-08T16:18:21.833", "last_editor_user_id": "180", "owner_user_id": "180", "parent_id": "687", "post_type": "answer", "score": 2 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": null, "answer_count": 4, "body": "How do you say \"to post something on the Internet\"? Are there different words\nfor different kinds of posts, for example:\n\n * a blog entry\n * a comment\n * a piece of information, like a translation or a recipe\n * a video or photo\n * etc.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 4.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T03:23:32.743", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "688", "last_activity_date": "2021-10-26T09:29:28.567", "last_edit_date": "2021-10-26T09:29:28.567", "last_editor_user_id": "31549", "owner_user_id": "28", "post_type": "question", "score": 19, "tags": [ "word-requests" ], "title": "What is the Japanese word or phrase for \"to post on the internet\"?", "view_count": 23994 }

[ { "body": "I've heard する like Blogするand アップする when referencing putting stuff on the\ninternet.", "comment_count": 4, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T03:28:51.087", "id": "690", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-07T03:28:51.087", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "97", "parent_id": "688", "post_type": "answer", "score": 5 }, { "body": "> 投稿する (toukou suru)\n\ncan be use for those cases, like\n\n> * ブログに投稿する (post on the blog)\n> * コメント投稿する (post a comment)\n> * 写真/画像を投稿する (upload or post a photo)\n> * 動画を投稿する (upload or post a video)\n>\n\nand for blog entry 更新する can also be used\n\n> ブログを更新する (update the blog) like ブログ更新したなう (just updated the blog) on twitter\n\nand for comments and piece of information 投げる could be one option\n\n> コメント投げた (gave a comment)", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T03:30:57.647", "id": "691", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-07T04:00:17.470", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-07T04:00:17.470", "last_editor_user_id": "100", "owner_user_id": "100", "parent_id": "688", "post_type": "answer", "score": 25 }, { "body": "投稿する(とうこうする) is the one you'd most likely see for referring to posting on\nforums. It means that you've contributed or submitted something.\n\n更新する(こうしんする) is for blog entries and means you've renewed or updated\nsomething.\n\nアップする and うpする (or just うp) is for uploading (be they photos, videos, or just\ngeneric files). As you'd imagine, the latter is an Internet shorthand which\nyou'll likely encounter on photo sites or something like YouTube and Nico Nico\nDouga. To thank the uploader for some content that was uploaded, you would\nsay:\n\n> うp主ありがとう！\n\nWatch for this line when browsing video sites, you'll see it a lot. :)", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T11:32:33.103", "id": "718", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-07T11:32:33.103", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "18", "parent_id": "688", "post_type": "answer", "score": 11 }, { "body": "Normal common way of saying it is: 載せる ・ のせる\n\nMore formal version: 掲載する ・ けいさい", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T00:43:52.200", "id": "771", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T00:43:52.200", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "225", "parent_id": "688", "post_type": "answer", "score": 2 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "692", "answer_count": 2, "body": "What's the difference in usage between 氏名 (しめい) and 名前 (なまえ)?\n\nI often see these two words used interchangeably, but more often than not I\nsee 氏名 on websites. Is this a politeness difference or an actual word\ndefinition difference?", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T03:27:25.143", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "689", "last_activity_date": "2016-02-12T02:42:53.923", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-07T04:20:07.490", "last_editor_user_id": "28", "owner_user_id": "97", "post_type": "question", "score": 21, "tags": [ "word-choice", "usage", "politeness" ], "title": "What's the difference in usage between 氏名 (しめい) and 名前 (なまえ)?", "view_count": 3009 }

[ { "body": "氏名 always refers to a person's full name, both family and given. It also has\nthe connotation of \"legal name.\"\n\n名前 also refers to a person's full name--but it can also mean their given name,\nin the right context (for instance, \"We gave the baby a name\" or \"I want you\nto call me by my name\"). 名前 can also refer to the names of objects, while 氏名\ncannot.", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T03:44:01.780", "id": "692", "last_activity_date": "2016-02-12T02:27:09.523", "last_edit_date": "2016-02-12T02:27:09.523", "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "28", "parent_id": "689", "post_type": "answer", "score": 26 }, { "body": "Both 氏名 and 名前 mean the full name of person except for the case of 名前 being\nused as the name of anything under the sun. 氏名 is also called 姓名 (せいめい). The\nliteral translation of 氏 and 姓 is the name of a family or old clan like\n藤原氏、源氏、平家、足利氏 and 名 is a name, primarily the first name like 太郎 and 花子.\n\n氏名 and 姓名 are formal expressions of 名前, and used often in the heading of name\nentry box in legal and formal documents such as birth registration, passport,\nand resume. In application or entry forms for commercial purpose today, you\nare requested to fill in your name in “お名前” box more often than “ “氏名 or 姓名”\nspecifications.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2016-02-12T01:40:29.250", "id": "31092", "last_activity_date": "2016-02-12T02:42:53.923", "last_edit_date": "2016-02-12T02:42:53.923", "last_editor_user_id": "12056", "owner_user_id": "12056", "parent_id": "689", "post_type": "answer", "score": 0 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "695", "answer_count": 4, "body": "Related to this question: [What is the Japanese word or phrase for \"to post on\nthe internet\"?](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/688/what-is-the-\njapanese-word-or-phrase-for-to-post-on-the-internet)\n\nI have noticed that when you post something on twitter they don't say 投稿する\n_toukou suru_ , but instead say つぶやく (murmur).\n\nWhy did this happen?", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 4.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T04:42:58.837", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "693", "last_activity_date": "2021-10-26T18:09:50.620", "last_edit_date": "2021-10-26T18:09:50.620", "last_editor_user_id": "816", "owner_user_id": "79", "post_type": "question", "score": 14, "tags": [ "internet-slang" ], "title": "Why does \"to tweet\" something on Twitter become つぶやく?", "view_count": 4360 }

[ { "body": "Well in English Twitter doesn't use the word \"Post\" but \"Tweet\". Twitter's\ntranslator decided to make it an equivalent word that would make sense to\nsomeone who had never heard of it before.\n\nCheck out this J article covering the use of フォローする and つぶやく.\n<http://www.itmedia.co.jp/news/articles/0907/29/news054.html>", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T05:13:26.130", "id": "695", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-07T05:13:26.130", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "168", "parent_id": "693", "post_type": "answer", "score": 6 }, { "body": "According to\n[Wikipedia](http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twitter#.E8.84.9A.E6.B3.A8),\n\nThat translation is done by [枝洋樹](http://twitter.com/#!/rockyeda) and the\nEnglish word \"Tweet\"'s direct translation to Japanese is さえずる but it is mainly\nused for birds. He thought that closest one for human would be つぶやく.", "comment_count": 3, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T05:36:53.450", "id": "697", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-07T05:36:53.450", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "100", "parent_id": "693", "post_type": "answer", "score": 5 }, { "body": "It's because つぶやく pretty much means \"mutter to oneself\" and that's what most\ntweets end up being. Just talking by yourself.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T17:40:17.473", "id": "733", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-07T17:40:17.473", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "20", "parent_id": "693", "post_type": "answer", "score": 3 }, { "body": "In case you are interested, the japanese social networking site MIXI also uses\nつぶやく for it's status update / tweet like functionality", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T00:11:11.307", "id": "759", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T00:11:11.307", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "223", "parent_id": "693", "post_type": "answer", "score": 2 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "702", "answer_count": 6, "body": "I study mathematics and computer science, and I'm starting to learn japanese.\nCould you suggest me dictionaries/sites/etc where I could learn terminology on\nthese subjects?", "comment_count": 3, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T05:59:45.253", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "698", "last_activity_date": "2012-01-05T06:23:05.130", "last_edit_date": "2012-01-05T03:25:14.560", "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "102", "post_type": "question", "score": 13, "tags": [ "resources", "terminology", "dictionary", "computing", "mathematics" ], "title": "Japanese dictionary for mathematics/computer science jargon", "view_count": 3972 }

[ { "body": "I have been using [JquickTrans](http://www.postmeta.com/) dictionary software\nfor years (had to pay $15 before but it's freeware now), and it has a few\nspecialized dictionary catalogs that could be useful to find science and math\nterms:\n\n\n\n\n\n", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T06:08:13.507", "id": "699", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-07T06:08:13.507", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "112", "parent_id": "698", "post_type": "answer", "score": 2 }, { "body": "[EDICT](http://www.edrdg.org/cgi-bin/wwwjdic/wwwjdic?1C) (which is the corpus\nJquickTrans apparently uses) has several special dictionaries for technical\nterms. The \"Computing/Telecomms\" dictionary includes such wonderful words as:\n\n変数設定 【へんすうせってい】 (n) variable initialization \n参照渡し 【さんしょうわたし】 (n) call by reference \nオブジェクト[指向]{しこう}プログラミング (n) object-oriented programming", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T06:20:18.120", "id": "702", "last_activity_date": "2011-12-27T01:34:42.303", "last_edit_date": "2011-12-27T01:34:42.303", "last_editor_user_id": "903", "owner_user_id": "28", "parent_id": "698", "post_type": "answer", "score": 7 }, { "body": "I don't know about math, but at my company, (where i am the only english\nspeaker) everyone understands the katakana versions of the english words\nwithout even knowing english. If you come to japan though, there are actually\ntons of Japanese dictionaries specifically for programming terms.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T06:57:46.323", "id": "707", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-07T06:57:46.323", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "97", "parent_id": "698", "post_type": "answer", "score": 1 }, { "body": "It is a little bit informal, but the language site that I always use to look\nup some word in Japanese is [alc.co.jp](http://eow.alc.co.jp)\n\nIt uses the Eijiro dictionary, and has pretty good coverage on many subjects.\n\nHope this helps.", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T07:38:04.540", "id": "708", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-07T07:38:04.540", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "79", "parent_id": "698", "post_type": "answer", "score": 5 }, { "body": "If you are not a computer nerd, but want to know academically, I think\n[岩波数学辞典](http://www.amazon.co.jp/%E5%B2%A9%E6%B3%A2%E6%95%B0%E5%AD%A6%E8%BE%9E%E5%85%B8-%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E6%95%B0%E5%AD%A6%E4%BC%9A/dp/4000803093)\nis the standard for mathematics.", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2012-01-05T03:27:08.260", "id": "4187", "last_activity_date": "2012-01-05T03:27:08.260", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": null, "parent_id": "698", "post_type": "answer", "score": 3 }, { "body": "I always check [Weblio's dictionary](http://ejje.weblio.jp/) for a lot of\ngreat real-world examples of technical terms. I haven't looked into what the\nsources are exactly, but they seem to have a lot of technical corpora that I\nhaven't seen anywhere else.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2012-01-05T06:23:05.130", "id": "4190", "last_activity_date": "2012-01-05T06:23:05.130", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "1022", "parent_id": "698", "post_type": "answer", "score": 1 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "721", "answer_count": 2, "body": "Are there certain rules for knowing what role a radical plays in a kanji? I've\nheard sometimes a radical tells us about how to read the kanji, and sometimes\nit tells us the meaning of the kanji. But that's all I've heard.\n\nCould you tell me more about this and the importance of the radicals when\nlearning kanji?", "comment_count": 7, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T06:15:33.223", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "700", "last_activity_date": "2014-10-19T23:48:15.493", "last_edit_date": "2014-10-19T23:48:15.493", "last_editor_user_id": "6840", "owner_user_id": "102", "post_type": "question", "score": 16, "tags": [ "kanji", "radicals" ], "title": "What rules are there regarding the role a radical plays in a kanji (such as telling us about the kanji's reading or meaning)?", "view_count": 1734 }

[ { "body": "I'll have a start at an answer, but not sure I'm able to completely answer it.\n\nIn many cases, radicals on the _left side_ of the kanji indicate the \"class\"\nor meaning that the kanji belongs to. This seems to be _moreso_ the case with\nphysical objects rather than abstract concepts.\n\nFor example, 人 - person - (called \"nin-ben\" as the left radical): 休、体、代、伝\n([human] rest, body, generation/change, transfer). (At least one) root meaning\nof each of these kanji involves people (伝える has a very strong sense of\n\"transfer information from person to person\").\n\nA better example is something like 魚 (sakana-hen). I can't think of a SINGLE\nkanji that has 魚 on the left side that doesn't relate to fish/ocean (look at a\nsushi menu).\n\nThings in \"nature\" are pretty consistent: the names of trees pretty much\nalways have ki-hen, 木. 松、柳、杉、楓、樫. (pine, willow, cedar, maple, oak). 林 means a\ngrove of trees. From there it gets more abstract - a desk was probably\ntraditionally made from wood, so つくえ is 机.\n\nOnce we get abstract, though, it gets messy. 心 means heart, so usually\nrisshin-ben (when it's a line with two marks on the left) is related to\nemotional/feeling kanji: 慎 (prudent)、慣 (become accustomed to)、忙 (busy). Sure,\nwe can all make the argument that one is \"busy\" and that affects the\nheart/emotion, but really, when we start making parallels like this, I start\nsounding more like stories from \"Remembering the Kanji\" as opposed to a real\nhistory of the character.\n\nNOW, as for radicals on the right side of the kanji, they often provide the\nsound of the on-yomi prononciation. The kanji 官 means \"official\", as in like a\nbureaucrat (in the word 官僚). Yet, the 官 structure is part of other kanji - and\ntakes the onyomi along with it.\n\nThe word ryokan (旅館 - Japanese inn)'s \"kan\" kanji includes it, as does kanri\n(管理, control, administer). Note that in the case of 管理, it's not on the right\n- it's below the radical, 竹, called take-kanmuri (kanmuri means \"crown\", note\nthat it's on top, not on the left). 棺 (ひつぎ - coffin) is pronounced \"kan\" in\nonyomi (also note that it has ki-hen, because coffins are often made of\nwood!).\n\nHope this helps...", "comment_count": 7, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T12:28:29.500", "id": "721", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-07T23:38:02.173", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-07T23:38:02.173", "last_editor_user_id": "87", "owner_user_id": "87", "parent_id": "700", "post_type": "answer", "score": 13 }, { "body": "In addition to makdad's wonderful answer, I'll add this on the issue of\nwhether you need to pay attention to radicals when learning kanji.\n\nThis is only one data point and no more than one person's opinion, but I don't\nthink learning radicals is all that important if you want to read Japanese. It\ndoes help to know that certain kanji (such as \"heart\" and \"grass\") get\ntransformed into simpler versions for use as radicals, but beyond this it's\nmore important to see complex kanji as groups of less-complex kanji, one of\nwhich may be a radical. This makes it easier to learn the meaning (if you use\na mnemonic system) and the strokes (since you're not learning individual\nstrokes, but clusters of strokes). In my case, I taught myself how to read\nmore than 2,000 kanji without once worrying about which radical group a\ncertain character belongs to.\n\nThe only time you _might_ need to know the names of the radicals is when\nsomeone is trying to describe what a certain character looks like (say, over\nthe radio) and gives the radical first. But I don't think this happens\nfrequently enough to justify memorizing a list of radicals.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T12:41:23.527", "id": "722", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-07T12:41:23.527", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "94", "parent_id": "700", "post_type": "answer", "score": 4 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "706", "answer_count": 5, "body": "As a near native speaker of Japanese, I find it annoying to be called 外人 since\nit seems to imply that I \"know nothing about Japan\" (outsider). I much prefer\n外国人.\n\n**In modern usage** , how do native speakers regard the differences between\n外人, 外国人 and 外人さん?\n\nAlso are there any newer more \"PC\" uses of the word coming into use (akin to\nnot calling North American natives 'Indians')?", "comment_count": 7, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T06:16:24.860", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "701", "last_activity_date": "2014-08-07T23:00:19.467", "last_edit_date": "2012-04-09T21:00:34.390", "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "168", "post_type": "question", "score": 22, "tags": [ "word-choice", "usage", "words", "politeness" ], "title": "In modern usage how do Japanese natives regard the differences between 外人, 外国人 and 外人さん?", "view_count": 3670 }

[ { "body": "First, I am not native, but let me share my idea on how I feel.\n\nI also prefer 外国人, but I don't feel offended with 外人.\n\nIt could be because they think 外人 is a more common word than 外国人 or everyone\naround them use 外人, and Japanese use short-form of the words a lot, so may be\nthey don't intend to be discriminate.\n\nI personally feels 外人さん is sarcastic, but may be I am wrong.", "comment_count": 5, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T06:44:52.227", "id": "705", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-07T06:54:18.690", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-07T06:54:18.690", "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "100", "parent_id": "701", "post_type": "answer", "score": 7 }, { "body": "Nowadays 外人 and 外国人 are similar in meaning, with the latter seeing less usage.\nHowever, traditionally speaking 外人 is a derogatory word that shouldn't be used\ntowards foreigners. 外人 actually doesn't mean foreigner as much as it means\n\"outsider\" to a group. So one could technically refer to people in a different\nsocial class/group as you as 外人 and technically be ok. Though I've have not\nheard this usage recently. This usage is the derogatory one btw.Though the\nonly people I've met that know about this distinction have been Japanese\nteachers and people over 60.\n\n外人さん I have heard is just japanese throwing a title onto the end of a group of\npeople to make it seem more polite like Tanaka-san, though whether or not it\nis actually more polite is questionable.\n\nlastly, I've actually been called this by my grand-mother-in-law, 異国人(いこくじん)\nwhich is a VERY old very polite way of referring to foreigners as it means\n\"people from a different country\". But even my wife was shocked when she heard\nthis, since she has never heard it before.", "comment_count": 5, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T06:46:05.267", "id": "706", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-07T06:51:30.413", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-07T06:51:30.413", "last_editor_user_id": "97", "owner_user_id": "97", "parent_id": "701", "post_type": "answer", "score": 15 }, { "body": "I'm surprised that this isn't mentioned in the above posts. I can't remember\nthe exact sociolinguistic study but the differentiation in usage of both terms\nfor a majority of Japanese speakers sampled was based on race. 外国人 is a catch\nall term for all foreigners (asian, black, white, etc) and considered the\nmodern polite term. Whereas, 外人 is used for white people and black people.", "comment_count": 3, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-28T22:00:21.677", "id": "1603", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-28T22:00:21.677", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "446", "parent_id": "701", "post_type": "answer", "score": 2 }, { "body": "First of all, there's only one **_modern polite_** word to call a foreigner\nand it is 外国人. There are other phrases too, such as 海外の人 or 海外の方. The latter\none is used more often.\n\nHowever, you mostly hear 外国人 when a politician talks from a tribune or an\noverly politically correct Japanese person tries to be polite.\n\nIn fact the normal way to refer to a foreigner is 外人 and there's zero offence\nin it. When talking about a particular person, -さん is added, making 外人さん.\nAgain, this is not offensive even a bit and is hardly ironical. I'd say it is\nquite polite way to refer to a foreigner even if not suitable for an official\nsetting.\n\nAnd of course there were always foreigners who feel offended by the 外人 word\nbecause apparently the word is made of \"outside\" and \"man\" and with some\nfantasy can be translated as an \"alien\". Which is well, quite true, so I see\nno reason to be offended here.\n\nAlien is perfectly normal word to refer to a foreign national or to a foreign\nintroduction.", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2014-08-05T02:34:43.783", "id": "18119", "last_activity_date": "2014-08-06T11:06:42.827", "last_edit_date": "2014-08-06T11:06:42.827", "last_editor_user_id": "6748", "owner_user_id": "6748", "parent_id": "701", "post_type": "answer", "score": 2 }, { "body": "# Answer\n\nI'm a native speaker and I'm sure that there's no difference between them.\n\nIt's a evidence for it that Japanese government uses `外人` on its public\ndocument.\n\n# Reference\n\nIt's said that `外人(さん)` _should not_ be used because few people feel\ndiscriminated when Japanese call them `外人`.\n\nThus, especially on public document (e.g. TV programs), `外国人` are used\nnowadays.\n\n(EDIT) Here are some pages in www.mod.go.jp (Japanese government: Ministry Of\nDefence) that use the word `外人`.\n\n * <http://goo.gl/Y61ghA> (A diary of personnel in Western Air Defense Force.)\n * <http://goo.gl/jNDiki> (An introduction of a radio program.)\n * <http://goo.gl/Qh4tS7> (Photos taken by personnel of 南関東防衛局.)\n\nJapanese government built some cemeteries for foreign people, called `外人墓地`.\nAn article on Wikipedia mentioned about `外国人` and `外人`.\n\n * <http://goo.gl/CPCbL> (Wikipedia Japanese: \"外国人\")\n\nPlease take a look at reference #2:\n\n>\n> 「[外人墓地]{がいじんぼち}」や「[外人部隊]{がいじんぶたい}」など[公的]{こうてき}な[名称]{めいしょう}としても[長]{なが}く[使]{つか}われており[差別的]{さべつてき}な[意味合]{いみあ}いはなかったことは[明]{あき}らかである\n>\n> (Both `外人墓地 (Foreign cemeteries)` and `外人部隊 (Foreign legion)` have been used\n> for long time. So, it's certain that there are no meanings that imply\n> discrimination.)", "comment_count": 4, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2014-08-06T10:52:11.053", "id": "18136", "last_activity_date": "2014-08-06T15:33:46.390", "last_edit_date": "2014-08-06T15:33:46.390", "last_editor_user_id": "5353", "owner_user_id": "5353", "parent_id": "701", "post_type": "answer", "score": 8 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "720", "answer_count": 3, "body": "Both {まじる} and {まざる} with both initial kanji characters 交 and 混 are\nintransitive verbs that are translated into this by rikaichan:\n\n> to be mixed; to be blended with; to associate with; to mingle with; to join \n> (まじる has an extra meaning \"to interest\" though)\n\nWhat is the difference between the まじる and まざる readings, in term of nuances\nand usage? Are they interchangeable?\n\nEDIT:\n\nTo further investigate the two variants, I conducted Google searches using +込む\nform, and here are the results:\n\n * 交ざり込む \nAbout 40,900 results\n\n * 交じ込む \nAbout 5,330,000 results\n\n * 交じり込む \nAbout 861,000 results\n\n * 混ざり込む \nAbout 1,230,000 results\n\n * 混じ込む \nAbout 74,900 results\n\n * 混じり込む \nAbout 1,050,000 results\n\nSomeone please tell me how to interpret those results. Does {まじる} become\n{まじります} or {まじます}?", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T06:43:16.247", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "704", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-07T13:35:34.280", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-07T07:24:23.263", "last_editor_user_id": "112", "owner_user_id": "112", "post_type": "question", "score": 15, "tags": [ "word-choice", "verbs" ], "title": "What is the difference between 交ざる / 混ざる {まざる} and 交じる / 混じる {まじる}?", "view_count": 3183 }

[ { "body": "I'm not sure what is the status of questions that can be answered by looking\nin a dictionary, but here are some tips to get you started:\n\n＊IME standard input has a tooltip when you browse different kanji: (other\ndictionaries might also give you more example sentences and nuances. Use\n[EDICT](http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~jwb/cgi-bin/wwwjdic.cgi?1C) to search\nthe word and click on the [Ex] link for sentences)\n\n\n\n＊Still with IME, try to enter: まじます and then まじります and see which one has the\nmost relevant result in terms of kanji. (in this case it should be まじります -\nanswering your last question although EDICT with the [V] link can help you as\nwell)\n\n＊As for the google result I don't think it shows anything useful. I would have\nspent those 5 minutes looking in the dictionary instead :p\n\nIf all fails and your level really doesn't help translate and make sense of\nall the information you've gathered, you can come back here to get more info\non the research you've conducted and I'll be happy to edit this answer.", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T11:34:15.477", "id": "719", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-07T11:34:15.477", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": null, "parent_id": "704", "post_type": "answer", "score": 1 }, { "body": "So based on the IME hints pointed to by repecmps, the quick answer is that 混\nand 交 differ in that the former deals with mixing things that, through mixing,\nbecome indistinguishable from one another, while the latter deals with mixing\nthings that remain distinguishable. 混, therefore, is used for mixing colors,\nliquids, smells, and related things that can't be separated once they're\nmixed. 交, on the other hand, is for people and other objects that can be\neasily separated and identified even after mixing.\n\n(Now for the native speakers in the audience, when mixing oil and water, do\nyou use 混 or 交? :)", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T12:22:08.967", "id": "720", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-07T12:22:08.967", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "94", "parent_id": "704", "post_type": "answer", "score": 7 }, { "body": "According to dictionaries I have\n\nRegarding 交じる and 混じる\n\n**まじる【交じる】**\n\n> mingle 《with》; be mingled\n>\n> 男の中に女が1人交じっていた There was one woman ｢mixed in [mingled] among the men.\n\n**まじる【混じる】**\n\n> be mixed; be blended\n>\n> 何も混じっていない水 pure water\n\n* * *\n\nRegarding まじる and まざる\n\n**まじる**\n\n> 他の物の中にはいり合う - go to another (place/objects) and get mixed\n>\n> 男にまじって働く\n\n**まざる**\n\n> 他のものがはいっていっしょになる - another stuff join in and get mixed\n>\n> 水がまざった酒", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T13:35:34.280", "id": "724", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-07T13:35:34.280", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "100", "parent_id": "704", "post_type": "answer", "score": 4 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "1673", "answer_count": 6, "body": "Using my computer, I type a lot of numbers in Japanese text, and I am not sure\nwhen to use half-width or full-width.\n\nAre there rules?\n\nRight now I only use half-width, is it fine?\n\n_Off-topic:[Here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/N1g2R.png) is a picture of a book\nshowing a happy mix of half-width and full-width._", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T08:41:07.613", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "710", "last_activity_date": "2011-12-27T05:13:19.380", "last_edit_date": "2011-12-27T05:13:19.380", "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "107", "post_type": "question", "score": 38, "tags": [ "numbers", "orthography", "computing" ], "title": "Arabic numbers: half-width or full-width?", "view_count": 4366 }

[ { "body": "I don't really think it matters. And even in your image, the full-width\nnumeral is used only to take up the same amount of space as the pair of half-\nwidth numerals next to it.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T08:55:36.660", "id": "711", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-07T08:55:36.660", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "22", "parent_id": "710", "post_type": "answer", "score": 6 }, { "body": "Although it looks odd if you ｍｉｘ it， but I don't think there is rules for\nthat.\n\nBut some web forms only allow 半角 on phone numbers, and some only allow 全角 for\nＡｄｄｒｅｓｓ, so you may need to force one on those places.", "comment_count": 3, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T09:29:03.107", "id": "712", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-07T09:29:03.107", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "100", "parent_id": "710", "post_type": "answer", "score": 7 }, { "body": "I always use half width for numbers and letters for purposes of compatibility.\nNot everything can handle double-byte characters.\n\nAs for a matter of style, I like to use something crazy like the numbers in\ncircles (①, ②, ③...) or the old style kanji (壱、弐、参...) for effect (if I'm\ntrying to draw attention, like on ニコニコ動画 or something).", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T22:27:40.217", "id": "749", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-07T22:27:40.217", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "45", "parent_id": "710", "post_type": "answer", "score": 3 }, { "body": "I am not sure if there is any rule either (sounds like too recent a problem to\nhave a strong tradition attached to it), but I thought [this comment made (on\nthe original Stack Overflow) by a native\nJapanese](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/3649282/cocoa-objective-c-\nconvert-numbers-to-strings-using-japanese-unicode-characters) was interesting:\n\n> I'm a Japanese, and I loathe full width numerals! Please just use the half-\n> width numerals within Japanese sentences. All you need is to pad them with\n> spaces. ここに10個林檎があります looks bad, but ここに 10 個林檎があります looks completely OK!\n> ここに１０個林檎があります looks horrible to me\n\n(funnily enough, as a non-native, my visual preference would be the exact\nopposite...)", "comment_count": 3, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-13T09:45:23.287", "id": "1020", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-13T09:45:23.287", "last_edit_date": "2017-05-23T11:33:47.610", "last_editor_user_id": "-1", "owner_user_id": "290", "parent_id": "710", "post_type": "answer", "score": 7 }, { "body": "It's perfectly fine to use only half-width arabic numbers.\n\n * 2009年6月30日\n\nHowever, there are other rules in operation, coming from various time in the\nhistory of writing and printing:\n\n * A. Don't use arabic numbers at all - maybe seen in formal documents: \n * 二千九年六月三十日\n * B. Half-width for two-digit numbers, otherwise full-width - mostly in printed materials: \n * ２００９年６月30日\n * C. Full-width for a digit, half-width for more than two digits - sometimes used in electronic texts and printed materials: \n * 2009年６月30日\n\nIf you're writing some serious documents, check if there is any style guide\nprovided that specifies which to use when. Or you can adopt one of the\npublicly available style guides. For example,\n\n * Microsoft's [Japanese style guide](http://www.microsoft.com/Language/ja-jp/StyleGuides.aspx) (chm): 3.2.1 算用数字と漢数字 (Arabic and Chinese Numerals)\n * Sun's [Japanese style guide](http://developers.sun.com/global/technology/translation/style-guides/JA-rule.pdf) (pdf) p.40 半角文字の使い方 (How to use half-width characters)\n * Wikipedia's style guide: [Typography conventions](http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia%3a%E8%A1%A8%E8%A8%98%E3%82%AC%E3%82%A4%E3%83%89#.E5.85.B7.E4.BD.93.E4.BE.8B.E3.81.AB.E3.82.88.E3.82.8B.E8.AA.AC.E6.98.8E), part of [Manual of Style](http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia%3a%E3%82%B9%E3%82%BF%E3%82%A4%E3%83%AB%E3%83%9E%E3%83%8B%E3%83%A5%E3%82%A2%E3%83%AB)\n\nAll of the three recommends to use half-width numbers in general. So there you\nhave a justification to use half-width numbers only.\n\n[Note: my knowledge is biased towards software documentations]\n\nHistorically:\n\nTraditional Japanese typesetting faced the problem of how to arrange\nmultilingual text that include Japanese and Roman characters in an\naesthetically pleasing way, when Roman characters were introduced to Japan.\n\nTake vertical typesetting. When you're writing vertically, there is no way for\na word with more than two half-width letters to fit in a single cell without\nlosing readability. They'll have to occupy individual cells vertically next to\neach other. In fact, Rule B is actually optimized for vertical writing. ex:\n\n```\n\n |２|\n |０|\n |０|\n |９|\n |月|\n |６|\n |月|\n |30|\n |日|\n \n```\n\nWhen digital publishing entered the scene, these conventions have been carried\nover to electronic text composition. Consequently, some people use different\nstandards for full-width/half-width numerals as we've seen above.\n\nSide note: Another practice in writing electronic text tries to replicate the\naesthetics of horizontal typesetting. That is, inserting a half-width space\nwhenever there's a pair of half-width letter and full-width letter: `空白を 1 つ`\n\\- `空白を1つ`. This is a workaround around the fact that modern consumer\nsoftwares don't layout Japanese texts properly. Probably except TeX. Whether\nthis practice is acceptable or not is a favorite topic of Japanese blogosphere\nthat pops up every so often.\n\nFurther reading:\n\n * [数字の扱い方](http://www.informe.co.jp/useful/character/character21.html) (how to handle numerals) from a company specializing in desktop publishing. Covers historical backgrounds.\n * More ways of mixing different character types are covered in [W3C's Requirements for Japanese Text Layout](http://www.w3.org/TR/2009/NOTE-jlreq-20090604/#en-subheading2_2), which is based on a standard established by Japanese Industrial Standards Committee.", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-07-01T12:04:32.790", "id": "1673", "last_activity_date": "2011-07-01T12:04:32.790", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "128", "parent_id": "710", "post_type": "answer", "score": 35 }, { "body": "You should use only the standard digits \"0123456789\" (which you call \"half-\nwidth\"), not the full-width forms.\n\n(The digits \"0123456789\" are not necessarily half the width of a Chinese\ncharacter, though they typically are in Japanese fonts.)\n\nThe full-width variants are considered compatibility characters in Unicode:\n\n> [Compatibility Character. A character that would not have been encoded\n> except for compatibility and round-trip convertibility with other\n> standards.](http://unicode.org/glossary/)\n\nBasically, these exist only for compatibility with legacy software, and their\nuse is discouraged. But since they remain on Japanese keyboard layouts, people\nkeep using them.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-07-14T23:52:41.243", "id": "1939", "last_activity_date": "2011-07-14T23:52:41.243", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "501", "parent_id": "710", "post_type": "answer", "score": 3 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "717", "answer_count": 3, "body": "Superficially, I get the sense that あの is for something far away from both\nspeaker and listener, and その is for something closer to the listener than\nspeaker. However, I seem to get in trouble when dealing with time and past\nevents, so I'm wondering if someone can provide a more thorough explanation of\nthe difference?", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T09:37:56.340", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "713", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-10T09:03:24.363", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-09T13:41:11.040", "last_editor_user_id": "125", "owner_user_id": "141", "post_type": "question", "score": 24, "tags": [ "word-choice", "grammar", "demonstratives" ], "title": "What is the difference between その and あの?", "view_count": 14880 }

[ { "body": "Your explanation of sono and ano in terms of places is correct.\n\nas far as when dealing with time this is how it seems to me.\n\nあの時 - This one time\n\nその時 - At that time\n\nso その時 gets used when it is a continuation of previous topic, whereas あの時\nwould be more of a introducing a topic.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T09:49:32.713", "id": "714", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-07T09:49:32.713", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "97", "parent_id": "713", "post_type": "answer", "score": 4 }, { "body": "For time related events you'd usually あの if you are introducing the topic:\n\n> 覚えてますか？あのとき… _Oboetemasu ka? Ano toki…_\n\nIf the topic was already broached, you'd use その to refer to the already\nintroduced time:\n\n> はい、その話覚えてます。 _Hai, sono hanashi oboetemasu._\n\nIf you keep using あの over and over in the same conversation for the same\ntopic, it can seem weird. If you start talking about an unconnected topic\nusing その, people may get confused as to what you're referring to.\n\nOverall it can be very fluid and change throughout the conversation. \nあれ・あの〜 can be understood as \"that time/thing/story/...\", while \nそれ・その〜 can be understood as \"that which you speak of\".\n\nIt matters little whether the experience was shared or not, the main thing is\nhow the topic was introduced or who currently \"holds\" the topic in the\nconversation. A shared experience may rather prompt an あれ by all, since not\n_one_ speaker \"holds\" a shared experience; but this depends on the flow of the\nconversation. In reverse, you may more use それ for an experience somebody else\ntalks about, because that person is closer to the topic; but if the\nconversation swerves to another topic and you want to return to the previously\ntalked about experience, you may reintroduce it using あれ, even if it wasn't\n\"yours\".\n\nSee my contrived example:\n\n> A: あのときは良かったね。 \n> B: 本当にね、あの話は… \n> A: あなたは誰と行ったんだっけ？ \n> B: 山田さんと一緒に行ったよ、そのとき。 \n> A: あぁ、そうでしたね。そう言えば、山田さんって… \n> … \n> B: また先の話だけど、あのときにあれもやったっけ？ \n> A: やったよ、そこで。", "comment_count": 7, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T09:49:44.697", "id": "715", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-07T13:24:11.333", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-07T13:24:11.333", "last_editor_user_id": "88", "owner_user_id": "88", "parent_id": "713", "post_type": "answer", "score": 5 }, { "body": "In **conversation** , you switch between **あの** and **その** depending on\nwhether or not the subject is known by both of the speakers, or only one.\n\n> 話し手も相手も共通に知っている場合 ー＞「あ」\n>\n> When both the speaker and listener know the subject -> \"あ\"\n>\n> どちらか一方が知っている場合 ー＞ 「そ」\n>\n> When only the speaker or listener knows the subject -> \"そ\"\n\nFor example:\n\n> A: 昨日久しぶりに山田さんに会ったよ。 _kinou hisashiburi ni yamada san ni atta yo._\n>\n> B: えっ、山田さん？ **その** 人、だれ？ _ee, yamada san? **sono** hito, dare?_\n>\n> A: ほら、大きくて派手な眼鏡をかけている人。 _hora, ookikute hadena megane wo kaketeiru hito._\n>\n> B: ああ、 **あの** 人ね、知っている。 _aa, **ano** hito ne, shitteiru._\n\nThis can simply be used for time and events as well.\n\nWhen the time is only known by one speaker.\n\n> A: ２年前、日本に行きましたよ。 **その** 時、日本語がぜんぜん話せませんでした。 _2 nen mae, nihonn ni\n> ikimashita yo. **sono** toki, nihongo ga zenzen hanasemasen deshita._\n>\n> B: そうなんですか。 _sou nan desu ka_\n\nOr when the time/event is known by both.\n\n> A: 子供の頃、一緒に野球をやっていた時を覚えてる？ _kodomo no koro, issho ni yakyuu wo yatteita toki\n> wo oboeteru?_\n>\n> B: うん、 **あの** 時楽しかったな〜 _un, **ano** toki tanoshikatta na~_\n\nThe majority of this comes from the text book 「中級を学ぼう」.\n\nThere is also the use of 「この」and「その」in writing, which refer to previously\nmentioned things, but I think they are outside the scope of this question.", "comment_count": 5, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T10:52:43.920", "id": "717", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-09T09:34:06.870", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-09T09:34:06.870", "last_editor_user_id": "162", "owner_user_id": "108", "parent_id": "713", "post_type": "answer", "score": 16 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "727", "answer_count": 4, "body": "As time goes on in our age of increasing reliance on computerized kanji input,\nthis question may become increasingly irrelevant, but when I'm writing a\nsentence with (gasp!) pen and paper, I have always struggled to remember where\nthe dividing line between kanji and\n[okurigana](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okurigana) lies with each character.\nIs there any way (aside from brute-force memorization, which I'm attempting at\nthe moment) to learn and reliably recall okurigana? Are there any patterns I\ncan rely on?", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T14:40:05.967", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "726", "last_activity_date": "2011-07-02T16:32:23.803", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "94", "post_type": "question", "score": 8, "tags": [ "kanji", "learning", "okurigana" ], "title": "How can I learn and recall okurigana?", "view_count": 2331 }

[ { "body": "Other than brute-force memorization (棒暗記), the only thing I can suggest is\nmaterial regarding the Kanji-Kentei (漢検), because I know some of the (lower?)\nlevels focus on 送り仮名. Some materials I have are books of tests from previous\nyears (問題集), and a Nintendo DS 漢検 game. However, I got all of this in Japan,\nso I don't know how accessible this kind of stuff would be for you\n(Amazon.co.jp, have friends from Japan send you stuff, etc.) There's always\nGoogle to maybe search for some online 送り仮名 quizzes.\n\nFor い-adjective, of course the い is always 送り仮名. There are also the 〜やか／〜らか\ntype adjectives, where that suffix is always 送り仮名 as well.\n\nLearning verbs by their dictionary form will also help. Note however, that\nthere are often times where multiple forms of 送り仮名 are accepted. For example,\nthe verb とらわれる can be written both as 捕らわれる and 捕われる. This can throw a kink\ninto some verbs, but I think the ratio of multiple-accepted-送り仮名 verbs to one-\naccepted-送り仮名 is probably pretty low.", "comment_count": 4, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T15:43:49.010", "id": "727", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-07T16:47:01.663", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-07T16:47:01.663", "last_editor_user_id": "78", "owner_user_id": "78", "parent_id": "726", "post_type": "answer", "score": 5 }, { "body": "Since the kanji part of both verbs and adjective is the part conveying the\nroot meaning of this particular adjective form, the okurigana (i.e. everything\nthat follows the part written in kanji) is rarely composed of anything else\nexcept for derivation and conjugation suffixes.\n\nConjugation suffixes are easy enough, and I doubt they pose any problem for\nyou. You know that the `たかった` in 見たかった is the part that changes by\nconjugation, it definitely has to be part of the okurigana. All other forms of\nthe verb 見る wouldn't give you any problem either.\n\nI guess your problem really begins when you get to verbs like 変える and 帰る. Both\nlook essentially the same in their Rentaikei (base) forms, and in both only\nthe last syllable (る) changes - so why is the え in 変える spelled out in the\nokurigana, while it is considered part of the Kanji in 帰る?\n\nThe answer for that is that the え here is part of the derivational suffix. If\nwe look at the verb's history, then it's original stem was actually `kap-`,\nfrom which both `kaperu` (written かへる in old spelling and かえる today) and\n`kaparu` (written かはる in old spelling and かわる today) are derived. As you can\nsee, two different derivational suffixes have been attached to this verbal\nroot to create the transitive (`kap **eru**`) and intransitive (`kap **aru**`)\nversions of the verb.\n\nThese origin of these derivational suffixes may be a bit obscure nowadays, but\nit's still easy to recognize the difference between 変える and 帰る by just\ncomparing them to their counterpart verbs written with the same kanji: 変わる and\n帰す. You can see that in 変わる the two last syllables change and in 帰す only the\nlast syllable changes. That's why writing down the derivational suffixes in\nokurigana is still relevant even today: because these parts of the verb\n**still change**.\n\nNow, it should be noted here (and it was already noted by istrasci, in fact)\nthat some verbs have more than one acceptable okurigana. Looking at older\ntexts, it seems to me that the standardization of okurigana is actually quite\nrecent, so we naturally have quite a few exceptions, whether they are\nofficially (or semi-officialy) accepted or not. But these exceptions to the\nrule shouldn't bother you most of the time, since all it really means is that\nyou have **an extra form** , for which the derivational suffixes aren't fully\nspelled out in okurigana (e.g. 捕われる, which derives from 捕る) - the other form\n(with fully spelled out derivational suffixes) is still accepted, and usually\nit's also the more common one.\n\nAs for い-\"adjectives\", they are a bit easier (like istrasci has noted), since\nthey are less often derived, but you should pay attention to the cases where\nsuch adjectives are derived. They're usually easy to detect because of the\nending: adjectives ending with ない (such as 少ない and もったいない/勿体ない, but not 汚い),\nたい (重たい) and しい (悲しい、親しい).", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T18:45:06.940", "id": "734", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-07T18:45:06.940", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "153", "parent_id": "726", "post_type": "answer", "score": 8 }, { "body": "**The gist:** There is a kind of computerized kanji input system that puts you\nback in charge of which letter to write in Kanji and which one in Kana.\nNamely, [SKK](http://openlab.jp/skk/features.html). With SKK, you can actively\nlearn okurigana rules even when writing text on the computer.\n\n> Basically, SKK converts words one by one (single-word conversion), without\n> analysing syntax or grammar. Instead, users specify the border between\n> Kanjis and Kanas. This means you can write dialects, written or spoken\n> words, ancient words as well as standard words in the same manner. (From\n> [SKK Features](http://openlab.jp/skk/features.html))\n\n**The disclaimer:** While I have been using SKK for 8 years now, I haven't\nintentionally used it for the purpose of learning okurigana. So I can't\ntestify that SKK will improve your okurigana skills, nor do I have any study\ndata on that matter.\n\n**The why:** That said, SKK gives you the environment to actively and\nconstantly engage in the act of deciding the okurigana, which can help you get\nbetter with it. This is just like pen-and-paper writing on the computer, but\nwith instant feedback from the system.\n\n**The example:**\n\n> `a` → あ\n>\n> `a,` → あ、\n>\n> `a,O` → あ、▽お\n>\n> `a,Oku` → あ、▽おく\n>\n> `a,OkuR` → あ、▽おく*r\n>\n> `a,OkuRi` → あ、▼送り\n>\n> `a,OkuRiG` → あ、送り▽g\n>\n> `a,OkuRiGa` → あ、送り▽が\n>\n> `a,OkuRiGana` → あ、送り▽がな\n>\n> `a,OkuRiGana``Space` → あ、送り▼仮名\n>\n> `a,OkuRiGana``Space``Enter` → あ、送り仮名\n\nAquaSKK's [\"making the switch\"\narticle](http://aquaskk.sourceforge.jp/aquaskk_pr.html) (ja) also has a good\nfleshed out example.\n\n**The caveat:** SKK's okurigana dictionary lists extra forms alongside with\nstandardized forms. If you want to restrict the acceptable okuriganas to\nstandardized forms only, you need to find or create a dictionary file with\nextra forms weeded out.\n\n**Where to get it:** There are various versions of SKK for several operating\nsystems. You can check out the [Japanese Wikipedia\narticle](http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/SKK) for a comprehensive list.\n\n * Emacs: The original [SKK Openlab](http://openlab.jp/skk/index.html)\n * *nix: [skkinput2](http://skkinput2.sourceforge.jp/), [skkinput3](http://sourceforge.jp/projects/skkinput3/)\n * Mac OS X: [AquaSKK](http://aquaskk.sourceforge.jp/)\n * Windows: [skkime](http://fw.ampll.org/index.php?SKKIME)", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-29T13:30:36.997", "id": "1628", "last_activity_date": "2011-07-02T16:32:23.803", "last_edit_date": "2020-06-17T08:18:27.500", "last_editor_user_id": "-1", "owner_user_id": "128", "parent_id": "726", "post_type": "answer", "score": 4 }, { "body": "Why force it at all? Simply expose yourself to the language (reading, etc) and\nlet nature take its course.\n\nI like learning new vocabulary via study-methods as much as the next guy, but\nlearning to actually use the words comes best from seeing/hearing them in use.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-29T13:47:52.587", "id": "1629", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-29T13:47:52.587", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "393", "parent_id": "726", "post_type": "answer", "score": 0 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "750", "answer_count": 9, "body": "Apparently there are so many ways to write {かっこいい}.\n\nHiragana/katakana only:\n\n * かっこいい \n * カッコいい \n * カッコイイ \n\nEDICT:\n\n * 格好いい \n * かっこ好い \n\nOther possible variants:\n\n * 格好良い\n * かっこ良い \n * カッコ良い \n * 格好好い\n * 恰好いい (notice that a different initial kanji is used)\n * ...\n\nIn general, which is the most commonly used variant? Are there also specific\nplaces where one variant is preferred over the others (including the common\none)?", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T15:50:38.837", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "728", "last_activity_date": "2020-08-07T03:09:16.493", "last_edit_date": "2011-12-25T23:27:04.737", "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "112", "post_type": "question", "score": 8, "tags": [ "word-choice", "kanji", "spelling", "orthography" ], "title": "The many ways to write {かっこいい}", "view_count": 9106 }

[ { "body": "かっこいい is only the result on the one of my Japanese-English dictionary and has\nmost hit according on Google search results. So I would like to assume かっこいい\nmost commonly used one.\n\nAnd there is now decent one char (unicode) variant for かっこいい, which is \"△\"\n\n> \"本田△\" → 本田さんかっけい（三角形） → 本田さんカッコイイ", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T16:14:49.820", "id": "729", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-07T16:14:49.820", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "100", "parent_id": "728", "post_type": "answer", "score": 4 }, { "body": "Google fight! (I'm lazy.)\n\n * かっこいい 58,800,000 \n * カッコイイ 31,200,000 \n * カッコいい 26,900,000 \n * かっけえ 8,940,000 (bonus!)\n * 格好いい 5,860,000 \n * 格好良い 5,700,000 \n * カッコ良い 2,830,000 \n * かっこ良い 863,000 \n * 恰好いい 189,000 \n * 格好好い 7,530 \n * かっこ好い 4,090 \n\nI think anything below a million here is pretty much not used.", "comment_count": 7, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T16:17:31.287", "id": "730", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-07T16:17:31.287", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "94", "parent_id": "728", "post_type": "answer", "score": 2 }, { "body": "In my dictionary I only get these variants:\n\n * # 格好いい\n\nThis variant as a reading かっこいい and an alternate reading かっこういい (note the う);\n\n * # かっこ好い\n\nThe reading is かっこいい.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T16:23:12.763", "id": "731", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-07T16:23:12.763", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "37", "parent_id": "728", "post_type": "answer", "score": 0 }, { "body": "かっこいい is the one to go for. The ones with katakana add emphasis and can be\nused as you like. Edict often has strange results and isn't to be trusted\ncompletely.\n\nI think if I was going to use the 良い kanji, I'd probably go for 格好良い (which is\na little different, the 格好 being かっこう). I would have thought the meaning for\n格好いい was more \"nice appearance\" than \"cool\".", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T16:25:54.403", "id": "732", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-07T16:25:54.403", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "36", "parent_id": "728", "post_type": "answer", "score": 2 }, { "body": "かっこいい and カッコいい seem to be more common in dialog, while 格好いい is more common in\nprose. If you were quoting someone or writing an informal email, tweet, etc.,\nyou would probably use かっこいい or カッコいい. But if you were writing from a third-\nperson perspective, you would probably use 格好いい.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T18:50:52.520", "id": "735", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-07T18:50:52.520", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "28", "parent_id": "728", "post_type": "answer", "score": 0 }, { "body": "In general, people will use the hiragana version かっこいい. If you talk with\nfriends and use 格好いい, they'll most likely be thrown off for a bit.\n\nかわいい has a similar usage, with the reason being that just using hiragana makes\nit feel \"cuter\" since children without kanji experience are more likely to use\nit.\n\nIt's important to note that you might also find the net-slang version littered\nabout message boards and other popular sites かっけえええええ. Because it's slang, you\nshouldn't use it around people you don't know though!", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T19:39:51.220", "id": "737", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-07T19:39:51.220", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "180", "parent_id": "728", "post_type": "answer", "score": 2 }, { "body": "Some native feelings about the different spellings:\n\n * かっこいい is neutral\n * カッコイイ, カッコいい or anything with katakana looks like written by someone pretending to be young\n * かっけえ is frequently heard from young people. When a high-school student writes this in school, it would be corrected to かっこいい\n * 恰好いい looks sixty years old-fashioned.", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T22:29:13.120", "id": "750", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-07T22:29:13.120", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "208", "parent_id": "728", "post_type": "answer", "score": 14 }, { "body": "So you have 2 ways to write it: かっこいい & かっこういい The only variants I encountered\nin mangas until now were: カッコイイ and 格好いい (the latter is long, as you can also\nsee, when you write かっこう and presse enter, you'll get the kanji's, but not if\nyou write only かっこ)", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-10T08:52:10.073", "id": "928", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-10T08:52:10.073", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "296", "parent_id": "728", "post_type": "answer", "score": 0 }, { "body": "I believe the most popular form is か っ こ い い, at least among the most popular\nsearch terms cited here. However, you can test other variations and update the\ngraph in Google Trends. Thanks for listening.\n\nGoogle Trends\n[https://trends.google.com.br/trends/explore?date=all&geo=JP&q=%E3%82%AB%E3%83%83%E3%82%B3%E3%81%84%E3%81%84,%E3%81%8B%E3%81%A3%E3%81%93%E3%81%84%E3%81%84,%E3%82%AB%E3%83%83%E3%82%B3%E3%82%A4%E3%82%A4&hl=pt-\nBR&hl=pt-\nBR&sni=5](https://trends.google.com.br/trends/explore?date=all&geo=JP&q=%E3%82%AB%E3%83%83%E3%82%B3%E3%81%84%E3%81%84,%E3%81%8B%E3%81%A3%E3%81%93%E3%81%84%E3%81%84,%E3%82%AB%E3%83%83%E3%82%B3%E3%82%A4%E3%82%A4&hl=pt-\nBR&hl=pt-BR&sni=5)", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 4.0", "creation_date": "2020-08-07T03:09:16.493", "id": "80017", "last_activity_date": "2020-08-07T03:09:16.493", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "39922", "parent_id": "728", "post_type": "answer", "score": 0 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "812", "answer_count": 4, "body": "How did it come about historically that\n[っ](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_tsu) preceding a sound would geminate\nit? Is it really a little つ or are they just near homomorphs?", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T22:34:44.623", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "751", "last_activity_date": "2021-01-16T20:41:22.920", "last_edit_date": "2012-07-28T14:09:44.377", "last_editor_user_id": "91", "owner_user_id": "182", "post_type": "question", "score": 41, "tags": [ "history", "kana", "phonology", "spelling", "gemination" ], "title": "How did \"little tsu\" become a lengthener?", "view_count": 5753 }

[ { "body": "According to the [Wikipedia page for\n促音](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%BF%83%E9%9F%B3), it used to be a big つ,\nthen was changed by law to a small one in the Heisei era. I'm not sure what\nthe history of using つ to lengthen a sound is.\n\n**Edit** Ah, like Brendan says, it's the つ that's trouble to pronounce made\nsmall. The Wikipedia page also says that it's small to differentiate it from a\nnormal つ.", "comment_count": 5, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T22:45:48.770", "id": "752", "last_activity_date": "2014-01-08T07:44:51.417", "last_edit_date": "2014-01-08T07:44:51.417", "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "36", "parent_id": "751", "post_type": "answer", "score": 1 }, { "body": "It's like a つ that gets dropped. You see it often in compound words where the\nfirst part would end in つ by itself. e.g., 発見（はっけん）. 発 is pronounced はつ by\nitself. はつけん is a little bit uncomfortable to pronounce, so it becomes はっけん.\nThere are at least dozens if not hundreds of examples that follow this\npattern.\n\n**Edit** This is not the only place that the small tsu comes up. As Tsuyoshi\nIto points out, there are other patterns such as 学校 （がっこう） instead of がくこう and\n作家（さっか） instead of さくか.", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T22:46:04.447", "id": "753", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-07T23:12:10.547", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-07T23:12:10.547", "last_editor_user_id": "75", "owner_user_id": "75", "parent_id": "751", "post_type": "answer", "score": 5 }, { "body": "The usage of the small tsu っ to be used officially as a geminate consonant can\nbe traced back to the Japanese government in 昭和六一年七月一日 (July 1st 1986(I\nbelieve)). You can read the bulletin by the 文部科学省 (Ministry of Education,\nCulture, Sports, Science and Technology; MEXT) that discusses this:\n\n> 4 促音\n>\n> っ\n>\n> 例 はしって(走) かっき(活気) がっこう(学校) せっけん(石鹸＊)\n>\n> 〔注意〕 促音に用いる「つ」は、なるべく小書きにする。\n\nLoose Translation:\n\nNotice: When using \"tsu\" for a geminate constant, it should be written in\nsmall form as much as possible.\n\nSince 「なるべき」 is more of \"where feasible, as much as possible\" versus something\nmore strict such as 「必ず (without fail)」, it does suggest the ability for this\nrule to be broken. This would most likely be in the cases of showing usage\nprevious to this notice.\n\nSource:\n<http://www.mext.go.jp/b_menu/hakusho/nc/t19860701002/t19860701002.html>", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-07T23:33:49.717", "id": "755", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-07T23:33:49.717", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "180", "parent_id": "751", "post_type": "answer", "score": 5 }, { "body": "This question should be broken into two different questions:\n\n> 1. When and how did small-tsu come to represent consonant gemination.\n> 2. When and how did consonant gemination (as represented by small-tsu)\n> come to be in Japanese.\n>\n\n(For those who don't know the term:\n[gemination](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gemination) simply means doubling of\nsounds, usually consonants. It's easy to get the sense once you see it comes\nfrom the same Latin root as Gemini).\n\nThe answer for the first question is simpler, and was already given: in\n[historical kana usage](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_kana_usage),\nconsonant gemination was originally represented either by a full-size つ or by\nanother consonant that got elided (usually that would be く, as in 学校, which\nwas written ガクカウ in old spelling, or き as in 石鹸, originally: セキケン). The small-\ntsu spelling is recent. It was used sometimes even in the 19th century to\nindicate that the sound got elided, if not earlier, but small kana letters\nbecame a standard only following the 1946 spelling reform.\n\nThe answer for the second question is trickier. I don't have any historical\nlinguistics books that I can check to get a definite answer for when the\nchange happened, but it couldn't be earlier than the Heian period, and it was\nprobably earlier than the 17th century. The reason for the change was quite\nsimple: it happened in places where the sounds く and つ were already pronounced\nwithout the vowel (as still happens today in words such a ドクター and いつか which\nare usually pronounced `[doktaa]` and `[itska]`).\n\nFrom here, the process that happened is quite simple: in words like 学校 the\ngemination was already there once the vowel disappeared and the word was\npronounced `[gakkou]`. In words like 血気, `[ketuki]` (you have to remember that\nつ was originally pronounced [tu]) became `[ketki]` and the `/t/` became\nassimilated to `/k/`, so in the end we got `[kekki]`.\n\nThere are also some cases where the gemination was not caused by an elided\nconsonant, but from the elision of a long vowel (like [真赤]{まあか} `[maaka]`,\nwhich became [真っ赤]{まっか} `[makka]`) or just because speakers decided to make\nthe word longer for emphasis or some other reason (that's what happened in\nきっと, which was originally きと). These spontaneous geminations [still happen\ntoday](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/808/versus).", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 4.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T12:56:42.950", "id": "812", "last_activity_date": "2021-01-16T20:41:22.920", "last_edit_date": "2021-01-16T20:41:22.920", "last_editor_user_id": "7058", "owner_user_id": "153", "parent_id": "751", "post_type": "answer", "score": 36 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "778", "answer_count": 10, "body": "I'm pretty new to Japanese, and I've been trying to learn hiragana and\nkatakana. I know that in hiragana, wo (を) is used only for as an object\nparticle, and it is always pronounced like o (お).\n\nThis made me wonder what the katakana form (ヲ) would be used for, since o (オ)\nwould be used for anything with an \"o\" sound. Even if a direct object is\nwritten in katakana, the o that follows would still be in hiragana, correct?", "comment_count": 6, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T00:11:10.837", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "758", "last_activity_date": "2019-08-29T17:44:11.070", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "219", "post_type": "question", "score": 52, "tags": [ "katakana" ], "title": "When is the katakana form of wo (ヲ) used?", "view_count": 18718 }

[ { "body": "The use of katakana ヲ is quite rare indeed; as you surmise, the use as a\nparticle is Hiragana in modern Japanese. In older dialects, Katakana was used\nfor particles as well, however, and you can see ヲ in use there. In modern\ntimes, it's also occasionally used for ironic or stylistic purposes, such as\nin [ヲタク](http://d.hatena.ne.jp/keyword/%A5%F2%A5%BF%A5%AF).", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T00:16:20.207", "id": "761", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T00:16:20.207", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "76", "parent_id": "758", "post_type": "answer", "score": 3 }, { "body": "ヲ has practically fallen out of use these days. If you find it at all it's\nusually a stylistic choice, for example as notably used in [new Evangelion\nmovies](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebuild_of_Evangelion) together with ヱ:\nヱヴァンゲリヲン.\n\nFor automated data processing, information sometimes needs to be in (half-\nwidth) katakana (older government systems, for example). There you may find ｦ\nin place of を (though these systems mostly store names, where を is rare\nanyway).", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T00:18:49.797", "id": "763", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T02:43:46.853", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-08T02:43:46.853", "last_editor_user_id": "88", "owner_user_id": "88", "parent_id": "758", "post_type": "answer", "score": 4 }, { "body": "Sometimes hiragana is replaced with katakana in dialogue for stylistic\nreasons, or to indicate a particular speech style. For example, I have seen\nkatakana used in place of hiragana in manga to indicate that the speaker is\nactually speaking another language. In those circumstances, ヲ is used as the\nobject marker instead of を.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T00:24:06.250", "id": "764", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T00:24:06.250", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "28", "parent_id": "758", "post_type": "answer", "score": 4 }, { "body": "It is very rare and you will most likely never encounter it. I even listened\nto a Japanese radio show where native Japanese were saying it makes no sense\nto have this character anymore. The only time I have ever seen it used is when\nhighlighting a sentence in manga, similar to how we use italics, where the\nentire sentence was written in katakana.", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T00:30:58.240", "id": "767", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T00:30:58.240", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "225", "parent_id": "758", "post_type": "answer", "score": 4 }, { "body": "Katakana used to be used for telegrams and official documents so ヲ would have\nbeen more commonly seen. The Wikipedia article on Katakana gives a good\nbackground on how Katakana and Hiragana usage has changed over the years. Even\n100 years ago it was quite different.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T00:31:08.480", "id": "768", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T00:31:08.480", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "215", "parent_id": "758", "post_type": "answer", "score": 4 }, { "body": "Outside of katakana used for emphasis, you may see it in names, mostly as a\nstylistic variant of 「かおる」 (カヲル).", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T00:58:59.507", "id": "773", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T00:58:59.507", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "22", "parent_id": "758", "post_type": "answer", "score": 3 }, { "body": "Another usage was in some pre-WWII documents, which swapped hiragana and\nkatakana as they are used currently. e.g., ミンナガ協力出来ルヨウニ日本語ヲ勉強シマショウ。 I did a\nsearch on this and it may have been only for government documents.", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T01:16:06.180", "id": "774", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T01:16:06.180", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "75", "parent_id": "758", "post_type": "answer", "score": 12 }, { "body": "Some of the posts indicate that ヲ is very rare. This isn't really the case. In\ngeneral Japanese usage, yes, it is very rare. However, if you have all-\nkatakana text, then you will _always_ find を written as ヲ.\n\nAll-katakana text might be encountered in child-oriented media such as video\ngames. I have seen plenty of old games that use only katakana, such as\n[Downtown Nekketsu\nMonogatari](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_City_Ransom) (known in the US\nas River City Ransom), [Moero!! Junior\nBasket](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoops_\\(video_game\\)) (known in the US\nas Hoops), and the original MSX/NES version of [Metal\nGear](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal_Gear_\\(video_game\\)#Famicom_.2F_NES).\nヲ is used in all of them. (Some of these games used all kana due to technical\nlimitations, but sometimes all-kana text is a stylistic choice.)\n\nIn manga and video games, robots will often speak in katakana, much like using\nan all-caps \"digital\" font in English.\n\nTranscriptions of morse code, telegrams, etc. will also use all-katakana text\nand therefore ヲ. So usage of ヲ is alive and well, it's just that the contexts\nwhere it's appropriate are infrequent except in certain media.", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T02:38:09.780", "id": "778", "last_activity_date": "2017-11-12T18:52:52.673", "last_edit_date": "2017-11-12T18:52:52.673", "last_editor_user_id": "19278", "owner_user_id": "224", "parent_id": "758", "post_type": "answer", "score": 44 }, { "body": "It's sometimes used when whole sentences are written in katakana. One instance\nis, as Brendan noted, during WWII and for a short while after.\n\nAnother is often in comics, to indicate that the speaker is either a foreigner\nwith a thick accent, or a robot/text-to-speech program with awkward\npronunciation.", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T07:31:26.677", "id": "797", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T07:31:26.677", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "243", "parent_id": "758", "post_type": "answer", "score": 10 }, { "body": "On my wife's great grand father doctor's certificate, there seems to a lots of\nヲ and other than other katakana and no hiragana. Packed full of kanji.", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2013-12-26T12:25:17.243", "id": "13889", "last_activity_date": "2013-12-26T12:25:17.243", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "4045", "parent_id": "758", "post_type": "answer", "score": 1 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": null, "answer_count": 2, "body": "I know one implies the thing I'm comparing actually _is_ the thing I'm\ncomparing it to, and the other doesn't.\n\nCan someone suggest an easy example or trick for remembering which is which?", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T00:17:10.277", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "762", "last_activity_date": "2023-05-23T23:23:30.617", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-08T03:04:52.647", "last_editor_user_id": "28", "owner_user_id": "220", "post_type": "question", "score": 12, "tags": [ "particles", "particle-に", "particle-と" ], "title": "～にしては vs. ～としては", "view_count": 2001 }

[ { "body": "～にしては means \"Considering X is Y, ...\"\n\n> トムはお金持ちにしては、あまりぜいたくな人生をおくらない (Considering Tom is pretty rich, he doesn't\n> lead a very luxurious lifestyle\n\n～としては mean \"As a / In the capacity of X, ...\"\n\n> 弁護士であるわたしとしては、それを勧めるわけにはいかない (As a lawyer, I cannot recommend (doing) that)\n\n~~So the latter is when the thing actually _is_ the thing you're comparing\nto.~~", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 4.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T01:23:22.573", "id": "775", "last_activity_date": "2023-05-23T23:23:30.617", "last_edit_date": "2023-05-23T23:23:30.617", "last_editor_user_id": "78", "owner_user_id": "78", "parent_id": "762", "post_type": "answer", "score": 8 }, { "body": "Just adding to an existing answer because I typically don't think of these two\nas comparisons, I look at it from a different angle than the OP.\n\nI typically think of this as more of expectation rather than comparison for\n～にしては, although comparison could be valid as well but I never think of it like\nthat.\n\nSo as @istrasci pointed out, ～にしては means \"Considering X is Y...\". There is an\nexpectation involved because it typically goes against what the speaker is\nexpecting from X.\n\nFrom @istrasci's example, we have\n\n> トムはお金持ちにしては、あまりぜいたくな人生をおくらない(Considering Tom is pretty rich, he doesn't lead\n> a very luxurious lifestyle)\n\nNormally we usually expect rich people to lead a luxurious life, but in this\ncase, Tom does not lead a luxurious life, therefore it goes against an\nexpectation. So it is used to contrast a reality (does not live a luxurious\nlife style) to some kind of expectation (rich people typically live in\nluxurious life style)\n\nAnother example:\n\n> スキーは初めてだと聞いていたが、それにしては、なかなかうまく滑るじゃないか。(I heard this is (your) first time\n> skiing, considering this is (your) first time, you were pretty good)\n\nThis is another example of contrast between reality (you were a first time\nskier and you were pretty good), to an expectation (first time skiers are not\ngood)\n\nFor me ～として implies and empathize some kind of position.\n\n> 弁護士であるわたしとしては、それを勧めるわけにはいかない (As a lawyer, I cannot recommend (doing) that)\n\nLawyer is a position being empathized here.\n\n> 学生として参加する (Apply/join as a student)\n\nStudent is a position being empathized here, I don't just want to apply, I\nwant empathize that I want to apply as a Student.", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T03:03:31.387", "id": "779", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T03:03:31.387", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "23", "parent_id": "762", "post_type": "answer", "score": 14 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "786", "answer_count": 1, "body": "I'm not sure if this is actual keigo, or just a polite form of adjectives.\nAnyway, there are several that we're all familiar with that are still used\ntoday.\n\n> * はやい → おはようございます\n> * ありがたい → ありがとうございます\n> * めでたい → おめでとうございます\n>\n\nThere are a couple of others I've seen in textbooks at some point as well:\n\n> * たのしい → たのしゅうございます\n> * おいしい → おいしゅうございます.\n>\n\nI know that I've seen different rules for how to form these depending on the\nending. We can see that the first three end in **〜ai** that it becomes **〜ou\ngozaimasu** , and the two **〜shii** ones become **〜shuu gozaimasu**.\n\nHowever, I don't know the hard rules about how to form them based on their\nendings. Furthermore, I'm even more confused about when to add the starting お\n(はやい adds it, but ありがたい doesn't).\n\nI know these forms aren't used much these days (except \"set\" phrases like the\nfirst three), but it's a piece of knowledge that has eluded me over the years.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 4.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T00:24:31.617", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "765", "last_activity_date": "2018-06-01T15:39:33.517", "last_edit_date": "2018-06-01T15:39:33.517", "last_editor_user_id": "78", "owner_user_id": "78", "post_type": "question", "score": 34, "tags": [ "conjugations", "keigo", "adjectives", "i-adjectives" ], "title": "～うございます - keigo い-adjectives", "view_count": 5807 }

[ { "body": "I will answer the two questions separately.\n\n### How to make the form of i-adjectives before ございます\n\nGrammatically はよう, ありがとう, めでとう, たのしゅう, おいしゅう in these examples are called ウ音便\n(うおんびん) of はやく, ありがたく, めでたく, たのしく, おいしく, respectively. 音便 (おんびん) means the\nform modified for easy pronunciation.\n\nThe actual form of ウ音便 of an i-adjective depends on the vowel before く in the\n-く form (or equivalently, the vowel before い in the dictionary form).\n\n * If the vowel is -a, ウ音便 is -ou: はやく→はよう, ありがたく→ありがとう, めでたく→めでとう. This -ou is pronounced as a long vowel /oː/.\n * If the vowel is -i, ウ音便 is -yuu: たのしく→たのしゅう, おいしく→おいしゅう.\n * If the vowel is -u, ウ音便 is -uu: さむく→さむう.\n * (If the vowel is -e, ウ音便 should be -you, pronounced as a long vowel /joː/, but see below.)\n * If the vowel is -o, ウ音便 is -ou: おそく→おそう. This -ou is also pronounced as a long vowel /oː/.\n\n(I could not think of any i-adjective whose dictionary form ends with -ei, and\nthe only adjective of this form in\n[EDICT](http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~jwb/edict.html) is [執念い\n(しゅうねい)](http://dic.yahoo.co.jp/dsearch?enc=UTF-8&p=%E5%9F%B7%E5%BF%B5%E3%81%84&dtype=0&dname=0ss&stype=0&pagenum=1&index=109091300000),\nwhich I had never heard of. The pattern above is estimated from the discussion\nbelow.)\n\nThese forms of ウ音便 are the result of two sound changes.\n\n * In the first step, く was replaced by う: はやく→はやう, たのしく→たのしう, さむく→さむう, おそく→おそう.\n * In the second step, the -au became -ou and the -iu became -yuu: はやう→はよう, たのしう→たのしゅう. (This sound change is not limited to ウ音便 of i-adjectives, and in other words, -eu became -you with pronunciation /joː/. This is why I wrote the ウ音便 of i-adjectives ending with -ei should be -you.)\n\n### Why sometimes with the prefix お and sometimes without お?\n\nI can explain this only partly.\n\nThe prefix お shows respect. おはようございます literally means “You are early,” and\nおめでとうございます literally means “(what happened to you) calls for celebration.” In\nthese cases, the adjectives describe something about “you,” hence the prefix\nお. On the other hand, in the sentence たのしゅうございます “I have fun,” the adjective\nたのしい describes the state of “me,” hence no prefix お.\n\nHowever, this argument suggests ありがとうございます should have the prefix お because it\nliterally means “What you did is hard to exist,” and the subject of ありがたい is\nthe action of “you.” I do not know any explanation why ありがとうございます is not\nおありがとうございます.", "comment_count": 8, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T03:52:11.220", "id": "786", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T11:00:09.540", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-08T11:00:09.540", "last_editor_user_id": "15", "owner_user_id": "15", "parent_id": "765", "post_type": "answer", "score": 31 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "955", "answer_count": 3, "body": "In some older learning material I came across, they use 「電話をかける」 for \"to make\na telephone call\". When/why did this come to be replaced by 「電話する」 in popular\nusage?", "comment_count": 4, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T01:33:54.947", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "776", "last_activity_date": "2015-09-14T03:52:35.507", "last_edit_date": "2015-09-14T03:52:35.507", "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "22", "post_type": "question", "score": 16, "tags": [ "verbs", "history", "idioms" ], "title": "When/why did 電話する replace 電話をかける?", "view_count": 12296 }

[ { "body": "I feel like 電話をかける is more formal when writing. And there is 電話のかけ方 (How to\nmake a call) but I don't think people use 電話し方.\n\nBut of course there is Keigo usage like お電話させていただきます, 電話する would be more\npopular.", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T01:46:55.633", "id": "777", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T01:46:55.633", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "100", "parent_id": "776", "post_type": "answer", "score": 7 }, { "body": "It randomly occurred to me today that while these are indeed similar in\nmeaning, they are not always interchangeable. If you're talking about making a\ncall **to** someone/somewhere, either can be used:\n\n> 事務所 **に** 電話する call the office\n>\n> 事務所 **に** 電話をかける call the office\n\nBut 電話する can also be a joint action. Consider the following:\n\n> 彼氏 **と** 電話する talk on the phone with one's boyfriend\n>\n> 彼氏 **と** 電話をかける (?)\n\n(Technically you could argue that the second sentence is grammatically\ncorrect, but the picture it gives is that of two people dialing the same phone\ntogether, so it doesn't match the meaning of the first.)\n\nSo while 電話する can be used in both a directional (calling to someone/somewhere)\nand a joint (talking on the phone with someone) sense, 電話をかける can only be used\nin a directional sense.\n\nAs a **purely speculatory** note, it may be that 電話する is more common today\nbecause it covers more cases than 電話をかける, which may lead you to think that\n電話をかける is on the way out.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-10T17:24:47.637", "id": "955", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-10T17:24:47.637", "last_edit_date": "2020-06-17T08:18:27.500", "last_editor_user_id": "-1", "owner_user_id": "94", "parent_id": "776", "post_type": "answer", "score": 18 }, { "body": "In the older usage, 電話 is the noun, and をかける is the verb. That is, the act of\nusing a telephone.\n\nNowadays, we just add the ending するto 電話 in order to making \"telephone\" a\nverb. That is, the act of \"telephoning.\"", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-10T20:44:41.000", "id": "958", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-10T20:50:50.857", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-10T20:50:50.857", "last_editor_user_id": "309", "owner_user_id": "309", "parent_id": "776", "post_type": "answer", "score": 1 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "813", "answer_count": 3, "body": "One thing I notice is that {～もあり} can follow an adverb, such as:\n\n> 良くもあり、悪くもあり\n\nOther than that, when do we use {～もあり、～もあり} clause pattern instead of\n{～もあって、～もあって}? Is using {～もあり} considered more stylish than {～もあって}?\n\n> 自転車もあって、バイクもあって\n\nvs\n\n> 自転車もあり、バイクもあり\n\nDisclaimer: my own examples so they might not even make sense ..", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T03:24:03.847", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "781", "last_activity_date": "2011-12-29T06:19:16.767", "last_edit_date": "2011-12-29T06:19:16.767", "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "112", "post_type": "question", "score": 6, "tags": [ "usage", "て-form", "clause-pattern" ], "title": "{～もあり、～もあり} vs {～もあって、～もあって}", "view_count": 3221 }

[ { "body": "Just use these two search patterns on teh Google to find examples:\n\n\"*もあって*もあって” takes nouns 震災もあって、寒さもあって 笑いもあってアクションもあって\n\n\"*もあり*もあり” takes adverbs as Ignacio said. 楽しくもあり、難しくもあり 安くもあり高くもあり\n\nBut also I see indicators あれもあり！これもあり！", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T03:52:53.713", "id": "787", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T03:52:53.713", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "233", "parent_id": "781", "post_type": "answer", "score": 0 }, { "body": "「〜もあり」is something I've often seen used in terms of \"that's plausible\" or more\nliterally \"can also exist\" as in:\n\n> それもありだよね。\n\nExample: <http://winwin.livedoor.biz/archives/51564826.html>\n\nIn regards to your question with 「〜もあって」, as it's referring to the existence\nof something, the usage isn't all that common. The reason being in your\nexample case:\n\n> 自転車もあって、バイクもあって\n\n\"There was also a bike, there was also a motorbike\" becomes a loose\ntranslation. In this case I'd instead go with combining the items using 「と」:\n\n> 自転車もバイクもあったよ\n\n\"There was also a bike and a motorbike\"\n\nOr in the case of lists with no definitive end, 「や」:\n\n> 自転車やバイクもあったよ\n\n\"There was also a bike and a motorbike\"\n\nThough in this case leaving open the possibility of there being more related\nitems. However, there is also a common phrase:\n\n> このこともあろうと思った！\n\n\"I thought something like this would happen!\"\n\nWhich can potentially be used in a case such as:\n\n> こんな事もあって人生かな\n\nLoose translation: \"Life where things like this can happen\"\n\nExample: <http://www.rak1.jp/one/user/abijii/>", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T03:55:50.280", "id": "788", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T03:55:50.280", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "180", "parent_id": "781", "post_type": "answer", "score": 2 }, { "body": "First, on the difference between あり and あって: The two perform the same function\nhere (transitioning to the next clause with \"and\"), but using the ～ます stem\nform as a transition is more literary than the ～て form. In speech, you're far\nmore likely to hear あって.\n\nNow as for where these come from and where else they can be used, let's look\nat nouns as an example. Recall that である can be used in place of だ:\n\n> 彼は監督である。 He is a manager.\n\nNow in modern Japanese, you wouldn't hear this in speech, because である has been\nrelegated to the status of \"literary construction\". But what if you wanted to\nsay, \"He is both a manager and a player.\"? You might be tempted to say\nsomething like this:\n\n> 彼は監督も選手もである。\n\nUnfortunately, this is incorrect. To fix this, we use である behind each noun,\nwith the も particle in between the で and the ある:\n\n> 彼は監督でもあり、選手でもある。 He is both a manager and a player.\n\n(In speech, you would replace the あり with あって, but the last ある will stay the\nsame.)\n\nAnd since we can treat the ある in である just like the regular verb ある (some\ngrammatical purists may argue that it's not in the same category, but oh\nwell), we can apply this strategy to negatives:\n\n> 彼は監督でもなく、選手でもない。 He is neither a manager nor a player.\n\n(And as expected, in speech you would replace なく with なくて.)\n\nBy extension, the same rule applied to adjectives (you've already seen the\npositive form):\n\n> この本は面白くもなく、つまらなくもない。 This book is neither interesting nor boring. (How odd!)\n\nIncidentally, the particle は can substitute for も with the above adjective\nexample. In this case, it indicates a point on a scale somewhere in between\nthe adjective used and its opposite.\n\n> この本は面白くはない。 This book [may not be totally boring, but it] is not\n> interesting.\n\nSimply saying 面白くない typically implies that it's つまらない, but saying 面白くはない\nimplies that it doesn't quite reach all the way to the point of being つまらない.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T12:57:09.937", "id": "813", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T12:57:09.937", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "94", "parent_id": "781", "post_type": "answer", "score": 2 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": null, "answer_count": 4, "body": "According to _A Guide to Remembering Japanese Characters_ , 森 (38) is woods\nand 林 (75) is forest.\n\nBut some material I've found online related to Japan seems to indicate 森 is\nthe more correct Japanese word for forest.\n\nIs the book correct or do native Japanese speakers use 森 for forest, and not\n林?\n\n**Edit** : To give a little more context I originally avoided in the question\nto avoid appearing commercial but now I see will help make answers more\nspecific, one of these words is already used to brand a product. If it's the\nincorrect word I'll need to change the product name.\n\nI hope that helps, and I apologize if being vague hampers you giving what you\nfeel is an appropriate response.", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T03:27:09.920", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "782", "last_activity_date": "2015-03-23T04:27:11.060", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-09T00:41:56.920", "last_editor_user_id": "125", "owner_user_id": "230", "post_type": "question", "score": 15, "tags": [ "word-choice", "kanji", "definitions" ], "title": "森 vs 林 for forest", "view_count": 14950 }

[ { "body": "林 is usually used for \"copse\", and 森 for \"forest\".", "comment_count": 8, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T03:28:45.907", "id": "783", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T03:28:45.907", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "22", "parent_id": "782", "post_type": "answer", "score": 7 }, { "body": "Put them together. 森林 (しんりん）\n\nFor example: アメリカ合衆国国立森林公園 American National Forest Park\n\n[This Japanese Wikipedia\narticle](http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E3%81%AE%E6%A3%AE%E6%9E%97%E4%B8%80%E8%A6%A7)\nwill give you a huge list of examples using: 森, 林, 森林, and others like 梅林. But\nit seems like \"nani nani no mori\" is very commonly used. \"Nani nani no\nhayashi\" seems not to be used.", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T03:38:11.710", "id": "784", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T06:16:52.297", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-08T06:16:52.297", "last_editor_user_id": "28", "owner_user_id": "233", "parent_id": "782", "post_type": "answer", "score": 3 }, { "body": "It's going to depend on the type of place you're describing. In the case of\n森、which in goo's dictionary leads to 森林:\n\n> 樹木、特に高木が群生して大きな面積を占めている所。また、その植物群落\n\nLoose translation: \"A place where trees and shrubs, more specifically tall\ntrees occupy a large area in mass\"\n\nSource: <http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/leaf/jn2/115966/m0u/>\n\nWhere in the case of 林:\n\n> 樹木がたくさん集まって生えている所\n\nSource: <http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/leaf/jn2/179447/m0u/%E6%9E%97/>\n\nLoose Translation: \"A place where trees and shrubs gather and grow\"", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T04:06:15.090", "id": "789", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T04:06:15.090", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "180", "parent_id": "782", "post_type": "answer", "score": 4 }, { "body": "This is a bit late but hopefully it will be useful to others. I was just\ndiscussing this question with a native Japanese speaker (who is also a\nlanguage teacher). Here's what he said:\n\n * 林 (はやし): A small collection of trees. A small wood, a copse or a bunch of bushes.\n * 森 (もり): A large wood/a small forest. This one is also meant to conjure up images of bigger, denser, deep green trees as opposed to small trees with light foliage.\n\n...so generally speaking, 森 > 林.\n\n * 森林 (しんりん): Put them both together and this means a big forest, like the type that would cover a mountain in Japan. This is what the English word 'forest' would usually be translated to.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2015-03-23T04:27:11.060", "id": "23400", "last_activity_date": "2015-03-23T04:27:11.060", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "9675", "parent_id": "782", "post_type": "answer", "score": 6 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "790", "answer_count": 2, "body": "The following sentence occurs in The Legend of Zelda:\n\nナンカ コウテ クレヤ\n\n(This would be なんか買うてくれや！ and was famously translated as \"Buy somethin', will\nya!\".) From the 買うて, it's obvious he's speaking Kansai-ben, and I suspect that\nthis usage of や is Kansai-ben as well. (I know that や is used instead of だ in\nKansai-ben, but this is obviously a different usage.) But what does it mean?\nDoes it indicate some sort of insistence?", "comment_count": 4, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T03:39:47.493", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "785", "last_activity_date": "2012-10-18T12:43:19.563", "last_edit_date": "2012-10-18T12:43:19.563", "last_editor_user_id": "224", "owner_user_id": "224", "post_type": "question", "score": 17, "tags": [ "particles", "dialects", "copula", "kansai-ben", "anime" ], "title": "や in Kansai-ben when it is not だ", "view_count": 1744 }

[ { "body": "This actually most likely Oosaka-ben's variation of 「や」as「よ」, becoming\nsomething like:\n\n> なんか買ってくれよ！\n\nThe usage is explained in more detail here:\n\n<http://www.weblio.jp/content/%E3%82%84?dictCode=OSAKA> (Japanese)\n\n**EDIT**\n\nThe original quote from the just in case site downtime happens:\n\n>\n> 「ある」が転じた「やる」の命令形「やれ」の略。言葉の終わりに付けることで、命令敬語や連用形命令語などをやわらげる働きがある。「よ」のように相手をなじる意味は含まれていない。ハンカチ忘れんと行きや、ほかしとくんなはれや、持っておいでや、など。命令形命令語などのあとにつくと乱暴な印象を持つ。持って来いや、はよせんかいや、いてもうたれや、など。", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T04:10:31.697", "id": "790", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T04:10:31.697", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "180", "parent_id": "785", "post_type": "answer", "score": 9 }, { "body": "In Kansaiben, や replaces だ and よ", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-10T08:59:46.770", "id": "930", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-10T11:34:31.907", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-10T11:34:31.907", "last_editor_user_id": "296", "owner_user_id": "297", "parent_id": "785", "post_type": "answer", "score": 4 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "796", "answer_count": 3, "body": "In Japanese classes, I was taught that 全然 can only be used with negative-\nmeaning words/phrases/clauses, for example:\n\n> 全然出来ません \n> 全然だめです\n\nHowever, I've observed that, especially in spoken Japanese, some positive na-\nadjectives are allowed to follow 全然 adverb, for example:\n\n> 全然平気です \n> 全然大丈夫です\n\nOr even:\n\n> 全然OKです\n\nAre there any reasons why these na-adjectives do not have to follow the\n全然+negative rule? Given any other na-adjective with positive meaning, how to\ndecide whether or not I can use it with the 全然 adverb? (e.g. 全然きれい)\n\np/s: I am fully aware that we have to look at the full sentence to determine\nwhether the word/phrase/clause that follows 全然 is positive or negative, for\nexample: {大丈夫じゃない} has negative meaning so {全然大丈夫じゃない} is OK. But I hear\n{全然大丈夫です} a lot in anime/drama, hence this question.", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T06:26:20.290", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "794", "last_activity_date": "2013-07-22T17:55:28.290", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-10T04:22:05.607", "last_editor_user_id": "125", "owner_user_id": "112", "post_type": "question", "score": 35, "tags": [ "spoken-language", "adverbs", "na-adjectives" ], "title": "全然 {ぜんぜん} with positive adjective / na-adjective", "view_count": 7372 }

[ { "body": "[全然](http://dic.yahoo.co.jp/dsearch?enc=UTF-8&p=%E5%85%A8%E7%84%B6&dtype=0&dname=0na&stype=0&pagenum=1&index=12860710588100)\nhas slang form, which means like exceptionally, extremely.\n\nSo you can use it in both forms.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T06:35:30.317", "id": "795", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T06:35:30.317", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "100", "parent_id": "794", "post_type": "answer", "score": 5 }, { "body": "Like YOU mentioned, Zenzen being used with positive words is slang and not\ncorrect Japanese. That being said, Japanese people use it all the time,\nespecially young people.\n\nTypically I hear 全然 with OK、大丈夫、平気, 楽しい、and きれい with others possibly I haven't\nheard. That is to say that the words that are used with 全然 in a positive sense\nare probably limited to just a few words, but because language is living, this\nlist will probably change.\n\nTotal off shoot, these words listed above seem like words a ギャール uses all the\ntime and can't get that image out of my mind.", "comment_count": 8, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T06:50:57.447", "id": "796", "last_activity_date": "2013-07-22T17:55:28.290", "last_edit_date": "2013-07-22T17:55:28.290", "last_editor_user_id": "97", "owner_user_id": "97", "parent_id": "794", "post_type": "answer", "score": 17 }, { "body": "YOU and Mark have already mentioned that 全然 can be used with a small set of\npositive descriptions, and that this is usage is not considered correct (which\nmight be true, but it's absurdly common, so that doesn't really matter).\n\nBut my impression is that the positive version of 全然 is not really limited to\na small set of words, but rather to particular situations. The situations I've\nseen the positive 全然 are all situations where there's an expectation of\nsomething \"not being X\" but it actually \"is X\". For instance, you'd usually\nsay 全然OKです when someone asks you if something is okay with you and you see\nthat he's not sure whether it is - so you assure him that his negative\nexpectations are completely unfounded and it's completely okay. The same thing\nhappens with the example YOU gave about 全然きれい:\n\n> A： 私この服似合ってるかしら？ \n> B： 全然きれいですよ。\n\n**A** is not sure whether her new clothes look good on her, so she asks for\n**B** 's opinion. **B** assures her that they **do** look beautiful.\n\nOn the other hand, this usage of 全然きれい is probably incorrect:\n\n> A： その服すごく似合ってるね。 B： そうね。全然きれいよ！\n\nBecause here **B** 's saying wasn't against **A** 's (or anyone's)\nexpectations.", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T12:00:51.040", "id": "806", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T12:00:51.040", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "153", "parent_id": "794", "post_type": "answer", "score": 30 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "801", "answer_count": 2, "body": "What is the reason/meaning for cashiers to use ちょうど when accepting money?\n\n> 500円ちょうどいただきます。\n\nThis I understand, since 500 Yen are a \"round\" amount. _\"Exactly 500 Yen.\"_\n\n> 812円ちょうどいただきます。\n\nIf I'm supposed to pay exactly 812 Yen, I understand this, too. _\"Exactly 812\nYen, [as required].\"_\n\nWhat I don't understand is the usage when it's neither the amount required nor\na round number. Say I'm asked to pay 612 Yen and I'm giving 1,112 Yen to get a\n500 Yen coin in return. The cashier will still often say\n\n> 1,112円ちょうどいただきます。\n\nIs it just the habit of saying ちょうどいただきます, or is there a different meaning\nbehind this ちょうど than _\"exactly\"_?", "comment_count": 3, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T08:39:38.640", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "798", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T10:56:40.823", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-08T08:59:14.637", "last_editor_user_id": "88", "owner_user_id": "88", "post_type": "question", "score": 11, "tags": [ "usage" ], "title": "お金と「ちょうど」の使い方 (usage of \"chōdo\")", "view_count": 3624 }

[ { "body": "「1,112円ちょうどいただきます。」 = \"I receive exactly ¥1,112.\"\n\nI see this as a confirmation of what the cashier has received, much as handing\ntwo $20 bills would make a cashier confirm \"40 dollars\" (only without the\npoliteness, since that isn't the style here). This gives the customer an\nopportunity to request changes to the transaction, such as throwing in a dime\nif the total is $39.10.", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T08:45:49.340", "id": "799", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T08:45:49.340", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "22", "parent_id": "798", "post_type": "answer", "score": 0 }, { "body": "Actually, If there is extra amount, they should be using\n\n> 1,112円お預かり(いた)します\n\nbecause they are temporarily taking the amount 1112円 to calculate the\ndifference.\n\nThat said, it's hard to change the manner of speaking to suit with received\namount, and wrong usage will lead to some kind of impoliteness. So, I guess,\nmost people just remember most used one.", "comment_count": 8, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T10:56:40.823", "id": "801", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T10:56:40.823", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "100", "parent_id": "798", "post_type": "answer", "score": 8 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "804", "answer_count": 7, "body": "I am starting a new project and have to come up with a name for it so that\neverybody knows what we are talking about.\n\nThe project is the renewal of an IT application that I will call エックスワイゼッド.\nImproving the existing software and adding a few features.\n\nCan I call it エックスワイゼット更新プロジェクト ?\n\nIs there a better word/expression?\n\n_I looked up on ALC and others but could not find. Your methodology for\ntranslating this kind of term would also interest me :-)_", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T10:30:12.733", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "800", "last_activity_date": "2012-10-26T01:44:56.460", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-13T01:50:24.117", "last_editor_user_id": "107", "owner_user_id": "107", "post_type": "question", "score": 10, "tags": [ "word-choice", "translation", "business-japanese" ], "title": "IT system renewal: Can I say 更新 for \"renewal\"?", "view_count": 967 }

[ { "body": "May be\n\n> エックスワイゼッド **改善** プロジェクト\n\nSince **改善** (かいぜん) has direct meaning of \"improving the existing and adding\nnew features\"", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T11:01:31.350", "id": "802", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T11:01:31.350", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "100", "parent_id": "800", "post_type": "answer", "score": 1 }, { "body": "I notice many bloggers use 更新 to refer to a blog update. In a project of\nlarger scale and work of renewal it may seem inappropriate. So it might depend\nheavily on the degree of change and renewal you want to imply by the name.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T11:14:11.673", "id": "803", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T11:14:11.673", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "259", "parent_id": "800", "post_type": "answer", "score": 2 }, { "body": "Yes, renewal (of a computer system/hardware/software) can be 更新. For example,\nthe Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE) renewed their system in Jan. 2010, and the\nheading on the website of the news agency [Kyodo\nNews](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyodo_News) was:\n\n> [東証、４日に新システム稼働\n> １０年ぶり更新](http://www.47news.jp/CN/201001/CN2010010201000305.html)\n> (とうしょう、よっかにしんシステムかどう じゅうねんぶりこうしん) TSE to start a new system on (Jan.) 4th;\n> the first renewal in ten years\n\nAnother candidate for the project name might be エックスワイゼッド新バージョン開発プロジェクト (the\nproject for developing a new version of XYZ). Compared to エックスワイゼッド更新プロジェクト,\nthis focuses on the development of the application program.\n\n(By the way, this has nothing to do with the question itself, but the letter Z\nin the English alphabet is usually read as ゼット rather than ゼッド in Japanese.)", "comment_count": 3, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T11:36:31.630", "id": "804", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T11:36:31.630", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "15", "parent_id": "800", "post_type": "answer", "score": 12 }, { "body": "When we are talking about _Improving the existing software and adding a few\nfeatures_ we usually use the term 再構築 _saikouchiku_ , translated with Alc it\nbecomes 'restructuring' but I'm guessing that is the meaning you are looking\nfor.", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T12:05:31.757", "id": "807", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T12:05:31.757", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "79", "parent_id": "800", "post_type": "answer", "score": 2 }, { "body": "I am a software engineer.\n\nIf we will add a few new features or fix bugs, we use\n\n> エックスワイゼッド改修プロジェクト\n>\n> エックスワイゼッドプロジェクト第２フェーズ\n>\n> など\n\nIf we will only update data, we use\n\n> エックスワイゼッド更新プロジェクト\n>\n> エックスワイゼッドデータ更新プロジェクト\n>\n> など\n\n「システム更新/システムを更新する」has a nuance replacing the whole system.\n\nPersonally, I think「改善プロジェクト」is used for some projects other than system\ndevelopment. 体質改善プロジェクト,食事改善プロジェクト,業務改善プロジェクト,etc.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-12T13:51:28.810", "id": "986", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-12T13:51:28.810", "last_edit_date": "2020-06-17T08:18:27.500", "last_editor_user_id": "-1", "owner_user_id": "90", "parent_id": "800", "post_type": "answer", "score": 11 }, { "body": "更新: Update\n\n改修: replace certain parts (broken, old, or not working efficiently, etc) so\nthat it works again or works better.\n\n改新: Total replacement with new. I rarely see this word used by I think it fits\nthe occasion (project renewal).\n\n改革: reform. fix bad design, concept, idea, or way of doing things.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-07-17T15:19:01.923", "id": "1998", "last_activity_date": "2011-07-17T15:19:01.923", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "154", "parent_id": "800", "post_type": "answer", "score": 0 }, { "body": "The word that we tend to use at your company is 更改{こうかい} which also translates\nto renewal.", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2012-10-26T01:44:56.460", "id": "8242", "last_activity_date": "2012-10-26T01:44:56.460", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "1805", "parent_id": "800", "post_type": "answer", "score": 0 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "809", "answer_count": 4, "body": "I've had a teacher flatly tell me that とっても is incorrect, but I do see it\nwritten here and there and I'm pretty sure I hear it as well. Is it just so\ninformal relative to とても that I should never use it in a classroom or on\nschoolwork?", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T12:17:41.997", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "808", "last_activity_date": "2012-07-01T19:15:45.810", "last_edit_date": "2012-07-01T19:15:45.810", "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "260", "post_type": "question", "score": 19, "tags": [ "word-choice", "pronunciation", "spelling", "adverbs" ], "title": "とっても versus とても", "view_count": 5723 }

[ { "body": "とっても is a spoken variant of とても, just like すんごい is a spoken variant of すごい and\nあんまり is a spoken variant of あまり. If you're writing a paper or speaking in a\nformal setting, it's better to use とても.", "comment_count": 5, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T12:21:42.357", "id": "809", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T12:21:42.357", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "94", "parent_id": "808", "post_type": "answer", "score": 20 }, { "body": "とっても is just a strong form of とても according to\n[大辞泉](http://dic.yahoo.co.jp/dsearch?enc=UTF-8&p=%E3%81%A8%E3%81%A3%E3%81%A6%E3%82%82&dtype=0&dname=0na&stype=0&pagenum=1&index=16191913370900),\nso both are correct.\n\nIt has similar pronunciation (may be a bit different intonation) with 取っても, so\nmay be it could confuse some.\n\nBut usage of とっても can be found since 昭和３０年（1955) (at least) from this song\ncalled\n\n> [月がとっても青いから](http://duarbo.air-nifty.com/songs/2007/08/post_5c1e.html) by\n> [菅原\n> 都々子](http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%8F%85%E5%8E%9F%E9%83%BD%E3%80%85%E5%AD%90)\n> (すがわら つづこ)\n\nSo, I believe you can use it most of the time but if the place you are going\nto use demand too formal, you may need to use non-strong one とても. But I doubt\nmost people would not care or even notice it unless they are tracking you like\nin your case.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T12:23:54.963", "id": "810", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T14:35:26.287", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-08T14:35:26.287", "last_editor_user_id": "100", "owner_user_id": "100", "parent_id": "808", "post_type": "answer", "score": 10 }, { "body": "It's like the difference between really and reeeeally. とっても is not incorrect,\nbut it might be a little colloquial to use in a classroom, depending on the\nteacher. It's even in my dictionary with a couple of examples. In the\ndictionary it says 「とても」を強めていう語, it makes とても stronger.\n\n> とってもおいしい - reeeallly tasty! \n> だめだなんて僕にはとっても言えない - There's no way I could say that!\n\n**Bonus** Here's an episode from an anime called\n[とっても！タッキーマン](https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Tottemo!_Luckyman)\non YouTube \n<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ot5mxNYnimE>", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T12:29:31.810", "id": "811", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T13:22:58.077", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-08T13:22:58.077", "last_editor_user_id": "36", "owner_user_id": "36", "parent_id": "808", "post_type": "answer", "score": 5 }, { "body": "Generally, とっても gives a stronger emphasis to what you're describing, but it\ncan be \"too strong\" in certain situations, such as formal and semi-formal\nsituations(even with new friends) and real writing.\n\nOn the other hand, it's generally A-OK to use とても in any situation, though for\nmore formal situations, you might want to substitute the word out with\n大変（たいへん）.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T13:41:54.297", "id": "814", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T13:41:54.297", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "263", "parent_id": "808", "post_type": "answer", "score": 4 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "835", "answer_count": 5, "body": "In Aikido, different dojos seem to latch on to using either _dori_ or _tori_\nwhen describing grabbing attacks. For instance one dojo might say:\n\nKatate **Dori**\n\nAnother would say:\n\nKatate **Tori**\n\nEach dojo will profess that their way of saying / spelling it is the more\ntraditional and correct. Is there a difference between these two similar\nterms, and if so which one is more correct for denoting a grab?", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T16:15:23.987", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "816", "last_activity_date": "2016-06-01T07:02:26.040", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-09T00:40:05.580", "last_editor_user_id": "125", "owner_user_id": "188", "post_type": "question", "score": 10, "tags": [ "word-choice", "pronunciation", "rōmaji", "rendaku" ], "title": "What is the difference between tori vs. dori?", "view_count": 8422 }

[ { "body": "Looking at goo.ne.jp's dictionary (based off 大辞泉):\n\n> １ 手の中におさめる。手に持つ。\n\nSource: <http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/leaf/jn2/161480/m0u/%E5%8F%96%E3%82%8B/>\n\nWith the last part of the definition meaning to hold in one's hand. This\nmatches more closes with the definition of denoting a grab that you are\nreferring to. I was not able to find どり denoting the same meaning, only a\nusage meant for the indication of volume:\n\n> （「…どり」の形で、数量を表す語に付けて用いる）\n\nSource: <http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/leaf/jn2/160951/m0u/>\n\nI've also confirmed this in 大辞林, which lists definition 1 as:\n\n> 手に持つ。\n\n\"Hold in hand\"", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T16:34:13.457", "id": "817", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T16:34:13.457", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "180", "parent_id": "816", "post_type": "answer", "score": 1 }, { "body": "The Japanese Wikipedia page for Aikido refers to the term as 片手取り, but doesn't\ngive any information on how the word is read. The word also doesn't appear to\nshow up in the dictionary.\n\nSo, essentially, there is a possibility that the ending is read -どり rather\nthan -とり. A quick Google search brings up one or two results that explicitly\nsay it's read as かたてどり, but nothing definitive. It seems clear, however, that\nthere is no difference between かたてどり and かたてとり besides the one character in\nits spelling.\n\nIn my opinion, it would be read \"dori\", as it happens a lot in Japanese that\nconsonants become voiced when used as a suffix like this.", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T17:00:11.413", "id": "819", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T17:00:11.413", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "263", "parent_id": "816", "post_type": "answer", "score": 3 }, { "body": "Tori and Dori are the same word. Because Dori is the voiced version of Tori,\nto a Japanese speaker there would be no perceived difference. However, katate\ndori would probably be easier to be spoken for a native speaker and thus would\nappear that they may be the more correct answer.\n\nanother more famous example of this is when you combine Ao and Sora together\nyou get AoZora.", "comment_count": 4, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T23:22:08.857", "id": "833", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-09T03:10:27.587", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-09T03:10:27.587", "last_editor_user_id": "97", "owner_user_id": "97", "parent_id": "816", "post_type": "answer", "score": 1 }, { "body": "I know very little about Aikido and can only explain general facts about the\nJapanese language.\n\n“Tori” and “dori” in these example are the noun form of the verb _toru_ (取る;\ntake, grab). In isolation, this noun form is read as “tori.”\n\nBoth _Katate Tori_ and _Katate Dori_ are compound words made of _katate_ (片手;\none hand) and _tori_. However, in Japanese, the first consonant of the second\ncomponent of a compound word is often changed as k→g, s→z, t→d and h→b. This\nphenomenon is called [rendaku](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rendaku) (連濁).\nNote that I said “often,” not “always.” If rendaku occurs in your case, the\ncompound word becomes _Katate Dori_. If not, it becomes _Katate Tori_.\n\nThere are some patterns when rendaku tends to occur and when it cannot occur\nas is explained in Wikipedia, but there is no absolute rule that explains\neverything. In the case of _katate_ \\+ _tori_ , it is certainly possible to\nhave rendaku here, so _Katate Dori_ is a possible form. But this does not mean\nthat rendaku must occur, so the form _Katate Tori_ is also possible.\n\nOften only one form survives and the other form dies out, in which case we can\nsay that one form is correct and the other is incorrect in the modern\nlanguage. In some cases, the version without rendaku and the version with\nrendaku both survive but mean different things. For example, both _yamakawa_\nand _yamagawa_ are compound words made of _yama_ (山; mountain) and _kawa_ (川;\nriver), but _yamakawa_ means mountains and rivers whereas _yamagawa_ means a\nriver in a mountain.\n\nBut in your case, it seems that both forms are used in the same way judging\nfrom several webpages in English I found by web search. (I checked the pages\nin English because it is difficult to search this in Japanese, because when\nwritten in Japanese, both become 片手取り, as Andrew stated in his answer.) From\nthis, I see no evidence that one is “more correct” than the other, whatever\n“more correct” means.", "comment_count": 5, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T23:33:19.297", "id": "835", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-09T16:09:33.003", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-09T16:09:33.003", "last_editor_user_id": "15", "owner_user_id": "15", "parent_id": "816", "post_type": "answer", "score": 15 }, { "body": "If its talking about strength then my opinion would be that どり would be a\nbetter choice than とり. The reason for this is because just like ペラペラ (fluent)\nベラべラ (chatter) ころころ (the sound of something rolling) ごろごろ( a louder sound of\nsomething rolling) and so forth tend to become voiced when its talking about\nexaggeration or strength. Another example ザザ (the sound of heavy rain). Where\nとり just sounds weaker in context in general. Any flaws to my theory?", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2016-06-01T07:02:26.040", "id": "34544", "last_activity_date": "2016-06-01T07:02:26.040", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "14613", "parent_id": "816", "post_type": "answer", "score": 0 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "937", "answer_count": 3, "body": "The phrase \"Unable to see the forest for the trees\" implies one is too\nentangled in a situation to understand what is transpiring from a larger\ncontext, and thus, unable to determine the correct course of action.\n\nI'd like to know whether a native Japanese hearer: 1\\. told this phrase in\nJapanese would interpret it to have the same meaning? 2\\. would accept the\nword 森 to mean a very large amount of information?", "comment_count": 17, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T16:54:51.587", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "818", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-24T01:25:18.813", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-24T01:25:18.813", "last_editor_user_id": "84", "owner_user_id": "230", "post_type": "question", "score": 6, "tags": [ "usage", "translation", "business-japanese", "culture" ], "title": "Does the (USA) English metaphor \"Unable to see the forest for the trees\" keep its meaning if translated verbatim into Japanese?", "view_count": 2600 }

[ { "body": "I would say yes, but I'm not native. (><;\n\n<http://www.ymknu200719.com/kotowaza/koto-ki-0026.html>", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T22:30:44.803", "id": "830", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T22:30:44.803", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "45", "parent_id": "818", "post_type": "answer", "score": 0 }, { "body": "I've seen somewhere a saying (Confucian?), like \"looking but not seeing,\nhearing but not listening\". I want to say it's something like\n「見るといえども視ず、聞くといえども聴かず」, although I can't for the life of me find it right now.\nBut maybe the first part could kind of be applicable.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T23:26:56.507", "id": "834", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T23:26:56.507", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "78", "parent_id": "818", "post_type": "answer", "score": 1 }, { "body": "In my 故事ことわざ辞典、「木を見て森を見ず」 is from English phrase \"You cannot see the woods for\nthe trees\".\n\n\n\nAnd regarding plural form, 「木」 can mean many trees in Japanese, since Japanese\ngrammar does not always have plural form.\n\nAnd also In 国語辞典、explanation of 「木を見て森を見ず」 is\n\n> 一本一本の木に目を奪われて全体の森を見ない意から\n\nusing 一本一本の木, which means each tree instead of 一本の木 (one tree).\n\nSo, 「木を見て森を見ず」 might be verbatim translation of \"Unable to see the forest for\nthe trees\" in Japanese.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-10T12:00:12.520", "id": "937", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-10T12:00:12.520", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "100", "parent_id": "818", "post_type": "answer", "score": 12 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "826", "answer_count": 5, "body": "When we want to say _\"Hey, hurry up! you'll be late!\"_ , which would be more\nappropriate? :\n\n 1. 遅刻するぞ！\n 2. 遅くなるぞ！\n 3. any other suggestions？", "comment_count": 4, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T17:00:29.993", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "820", "last_activity_date": "2014-02-24T00:26:17.987", "last_edit_date": "2014-02-23T13:34:18.137", "last_editor_user_id": "264", "owner_user_id": "264", "post_type": "question", "score": 8, "tags": [ "word-choice", "usage", "learning" ], "title": "How to say \"Hey hurry up! you'll be late!\"?", "view_count": 2034 }

[ { "body": "The second one is good, and you can add 急いで (いそいで) to it to say \"Hurry up\"\n\n> 急いで！遅くなるよ。\n\nYou can use 遅刻する as \"to be late\". It has a more specific meaning (late for\nschool, an appointment). So if you're saying \"Hurry up, you'll be late for\nschool\", say\n\n> 急いで！遅刻するよ。or 急いで！遅刻になるよ。", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T17:11:44.280", "id": "822", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T17:30:16.493", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-08T17:30:16.493", "last_editor_user_id": "36", "owner_user_id": "36", "parent_id": "820", "post_type": "answer", "score": 1 }, { "body": "I‘m no sure if people would say {遅刻するぞ}, because they might say {遅刻しちゃうぞ}\ninstead. To 遅刻する is to be tardy intentionally, while 遅刻しちゃう, which comes from\n{遅刻してしまう} has the connotation that even though you don't have the intention,\nyou might end up being tardy, thus you better hurry.\n\nI'm a bit undecided between 遅くなるぞ and 遅刻しちゃうぞ so I'll leave to native speakers\nor those who live long in Japan to give their verdicts :)", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T17:25:06.407", "id": "824", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T17:34:43.313", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-08T17:34:43.313", "last_editor_user_id": "112", "owner_user_id": "112", "parent_id": "820", "post_type": "answer", "score": 1 }, { "body": "遅刻するよ！ is the phrase you're looking for. 遅くなる does literally mean \"become\nlate\", but this \"late\" is more along the lines of an event becoming delayed or\npostponed beyond the expected time. The context you're looking for is a person\nbeing late for a scheduled event, which is what 遅刻 conveys.\n\nEither 遅刻するよ！ or 遅刻しちゃうよ！ can be used. The latter adds an undertone of regret.\n\n遅れる works as an alternate for 遅刻する, if you want to avoid 漢語: 遅れちゃうよ！\n\nAnd depending on the speaker and situation, ぞ can be substituted for よ, which\nwas [covered in this\nquestion](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/617/in-what-situations-\ncan-you-use-as-a-sentence-ender).", "comment_count": 3, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T17:57:56.673", "id": "826", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T17:57:56.673", "last_edit_date": "2017-04-13T12:43:44.740", "last_editor_user_id": "-1", "owner_user_id": "94", "parent_id": "820", "post_type": "answer", "score": 8 }, { "body": "What about 遅れるよ！ ？ I hear 遅れちゃった a lot when people show up to events.", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-10T07:05:12.830", "id": "924", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-10T07:05:12.830", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "294", "parent_id": "820", "post_type": "answer", "score": 2 }, { "body": "As an alternative to 遅刻 and its variants you can flip it around a little bit\nand say 間に合わないよ, which I think is also a common way to say it. So instead of\nsaying that you'll be \"late\" you're saying you \"won't be on time.\"", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2014-02-24T00:26:17.987", "id": "14587", "last_activity_date": "2014-02-24T00:26:17.987", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "1797", "parent_id": "820", "post_type": "answer", "score": 2 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "5123", "answer_count": 1, "body": "After I've say watched a film with some friends (or read a fable or something)\nand learned something from it, i want to say `\"It [the teachings of this\nfable/film] serves as a good reminder for me\"`. I'm wondering is there a\nphrase in japanese which conveys this meaning?\n\nIf not could I say this: `僕にとって良いリマインダとして提供してる。`?\n\nOr will it sound awkward (like a non-native speaker)?\n\nIf so what are the alternatives?", "comment_count": 16, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T17:10:20.347", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "821", "last_activity_date": "2012-03-28T03:44:11.463", "last_edit_date": "2012-03-26T07:13:11.477", "last_editor_user_id": "542", "owner_user_id": "264", "post_type": "question", "score": 7, "tags": [ "usage", "translation", "set-phrases", "phrase-requests" ], "title": "translation for \"It serves as a good reminder for me\"?", "view_count": 1220 }

[ { "body": "Even if it might sound awkward to a native-speaker, I think the point you are\nmaking would still make its way across languages. But, as a nit-picking aside,\nhow would something be a _reminder_ if it is something you _just_ learned? :)\n\nAlthough it's not the explicit meaning you are wanting to use here, it may be\nmore natural to (instead) use a phrase like: `あの映画には感動したよ.私に大切なことを考えさせてくれました.`\nBut it's up to you; one of the best ways to find out the \"awkwardness factor\"\nis to try using your phrase and seeing how the listener responds. :)", "comment_count": 4, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2012-03-28T03:31:23.930", "id": "5123", "last_activity_date": "2012-03-28T03:44:11.463", "last_edit_date": "2012-03-28T03:44:11.463", "last_editor_user_id": "1188", "owner_user_id": "1188", "parent_id": "821", "post_type": "answer", "score": 3 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "3173", "answer_count": 2, "body": "I'm curious if there is any difference in nuance between these two sentences:\n\n 1. 彼は少なくとも週に一度車を洗う。\n 2. 彼は週に少なくとも一度車を洗う。\n\nI'm aware that grammatically speaking both are 100% right, but this question\nis not targeted at this issue.", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 4.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T17:17:23.150", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "823", "last_activity_date": "2022-04-26T02:04:39.770", "last_edit_date": "2022-04-26T02:04:39.770", "last_editor_user_id": "30454", "owner_user_id": "264", "post_type": "question", "score": 13, "tags": [ "grammar", "nuances", "particles", "syntax", "adverbs" ], "title": "Can placements of adverbs be altered freely? 少なくとも週に一度車を洗う vs 週に少なくとも一度車を洗う", "view_count": 1712 }

[ { "body": "I don't detect any difference in meaning, but splitting frequency expressions\n(週に一度, 年に３回, etc) as you did in the second sentence sounds disjointed. As far\nas general adverbs go, technically you can put them just about anywhere, but\nmost often you'll find them right in front of the verb they modify.", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T17:46:42.903", "id": "825", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T17:46:42.903", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "94", "parent_id": "823", "post_type": "answer", "score": 5 }, { "body": "Your sentence 1 is ambiguous with respect to the scope of `少なくとも`:\n\n> 彼は[少なくとも週に一度]車を洗う \n> 'He washes his car at least once a week.'\n\n> 彼は少なくとも[週に一度車を洗う] \n> 'He at least washes his car one a week. (He also changes the motor oil once\n> a month.)'\n\nThe first meaning is the same as your sentence 2, but the second meaning\ncannot be expressed by sentence 2.\n\nIn general, the position of an adverb often gives different possibility for\nits scope.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 4.0", "creation_date": "2011-09-19T02:12:34.660", "id": "3173", "last_activity_date": "2022-04-26T01:59:37.220", "last_edit_date": "2022-04-26T01:59:37.220", "last_editor_user_id": "30454", "owner_user_id": null, "parent_id": "823", "post_type": "answer", "score": 13 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "829", "answer_count": 3, "body": "EDICT gives almost the same translation for these two expressions:\n\n> 出来る限り; できる限り 【​できるかぎり】 (n) as ... as one can\n>\n> できるだけ 《出来るだけ》 (exp) (uk) as much as one can; as much as possible; if at all\n> possible;\n\nEven the example sentences are almost the same:\n\n> 私はできる限りあなたの援助をします。 I'll help you as far as I can. \n> できるだけ多くの本を読みなさい。 Read as many books as you can\n\nWhat is the difference between the two expressions?", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T18:08:48.633", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "827", "last_activity_date": "2014-12-20T06:25:51.343", "last_edit_date": "2020-06-17T08:18:27.500", "last_editor_user_id": "-1", "owner_user_id": "112", "post_type": "question", "score": 15, "tags": [ "set-phrases", "expressions" ], "title": "What is the difference between 出来る限り and 出来るだけ?", "view_count": 1985 }

[ { "body": "Quoting from a \"teach me goo\" question of the same content:\n\n> 最大限の度直をするという基本的には同じ意味ですが、「できるかぎり」の方が最大限で最高というか「できるだけ」よりも努力する強さがより大きいです\n>\n> 使い分けは微妙にあります\n>\n> 自分が何かを行う場合は「できるかぎり」の方が強い意志を相手に感じさせるでしょう 「できるだけ」と言うと場合によっては手抜きに感じられる場合もあります\n\nSource: <http://oshiete.goo.ne.jp/qa/4891438.html>\n\nThe general summary is that 「限り」 shows that you're doing the most possible to\ncomplete the task, as in \"I'll do everything in my power\" type of motivation.\nWhereas in the case of 「だけ」, it has somewhat of a \"yeah, I'll do what I can\"\ncontext, as in you might cut corners.", "comment_count": 5, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T18:19:50.950", "id": "828", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T18:19:50.950", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "180", "parent_id": "827", "post_type": "answer", "score": 4 }, { "body": "The meaning is the same. If we compare できるだけ and できる限り, できる限り (literally “to\nthe limit one can”) sounds stronger than できるだけ (literally “as much as one\ncan”), so the nuance is slightly different, but not much.\n\nWhile onteria_’s answer and the answers on Goo to which it links have some\npoints, I think that they are describing the difference between the two\nphrases bigger than it actually is.\n\nI wrote above “ _If we compare_ できるだけ and できる限り, できる限り sounds stronger than\nできるだけ.” But when we hear one of the phrases, it is rare to compare it to the\nother phrase which was not used.\n\nI do not buy the argument that できるだけ implies the possibility of cutting\ncorners. Sure, it is true that “ **depending on the situation** , できるだけ\n**sometimes** gives the impression of cutting corners,” of course, but that is\nsaying nothing. The same applies to できる限り, and it does not explain any\ndifference between the two phrases.", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T20:20:09.303", "id": "829", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T20:20:09.303", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "15", "parent_id": "827", "post_type": "answer", "score": 12 }, { "body": "出来る限り: Do whatever it takes. できるだけ: Do what you can.", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-09T03:34:09.420", "id": "852", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-09T03:34:09.420", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "275", "parent_id": "827", "post_type": "answer", "score": 2 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "832", "answer_count": 2, "body": "A little while back I was working my way through the Book \"Japanese Sentence\nPatterns for Effective Communication\" When I got to page 156 it explains the\ntopic of the section which is \"The te form of a verb, followed by ください,\nexpresses a polite request or command....\" It then gives some examples and\nasks you to solve a few problems. One of the sentences to translate was\n\"Please carry this chair to the conference room\"\n\nI worked out the problem like so\n\n会議室にこのいすを運んでください。\n\nhowever the answer the book gives is\n\nこのいすを会議室に運んでください。\n\nThis seemed very strange because the conference room is a direct object of the\nchair. I am also aware that を can mean the space through which something is\ngoing, but again that usage seems incorrect since we are talking about a\ndestination.\n\nCan anybody explain this usage of the を particle and if my answer makes any\nmore or less sense than the book answer? If I had never seen this sentence\nbefore Im sure I could make out what it means, but the way it uses the を\nparticle is tripping me up. Thanks!", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T23:05:47.053", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "831", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-09T00:11:23.423", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-08T23:32:16.973", "last_editor_user_id": "125", "owner_user_id": "235", "post_type": "question", "score": 8, "tags": [ "grammar", "particles", "particle-を" ], "title": "Use of the particle を to mean where something is going?", "view_count": 468 }

[ { "body": "The two sentences are actually completely grammatically equivalent. Phrases\nending in particles can be placed in an arbitrary order so long as they all\nprecede the verb. That's because the particles indicate the function of the\nphrase, not the word order. For example, the following two sentences are also\ngrammatically equivalent:\n\n私は東京に行きます。 東京に私は行きます。\n\nNow, even though they mean the same thing, the emphasis is not the same.\nUsually the subject precedes any objects, for example. But getting a feel for\nhow word order affects emphasis is something that can really only come through\npractice, except that things at the front of the sentence are generally\nemphasized more. For instance, the first one is just \"I'm going to Tokyo\", but\nthe second one might seem more like, \"Tokyo? As it happens, I'm going there.\"", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-08T23:20:32.247", "id": "832", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-08T23:20:32.247", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "224", "parent_id": "831", "post_type": "answer", "score": 10 }, { "body": "The direct object marker を always comes straight after the direct object, not\nbefore it. You can have a place as the direct object with を (町を歩く) but here\nthe direct object is still the chair, not the conference room. The sentence is\nbasically このいすを運んでください, but with some extra information placed in the middle\n(会議室に).\n\nTo my ears, the book answer sounds more correct. Your sentence sounds correct,\nbut sort of stiff. Your sentence has the を in the correct place, but you don't\nnecessarily need for the verb to follow directly. You can put some extra\ninformation between を and the verb:\n\n寿司を笑顔で食べる (すしをえがおでたべる) Eat sushi with a happy face.\n\nThis page explains particles better than I can: \n<http://www.guidetojapanese.org/learn/grammar/verbparticles>", "comment_count": 1, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-09T00:01:31.207", "id": "836", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-09T00:11:23.423", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-09T00:11:23.423", "last_editor_user_id": "36", "owner_user_id": "36", "parent_id": "831", "post_type": "answer", "score": 9 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": null, "answer_count": 2, "body": "What are the common 謙譲語 verbs that start with 「拝」? I know these ones:\n\n> 見る → 拝見する (to see), 拝観する (to view something -- limited usage)\n>\n> 聴く → 拝聴する\n>\n> 読む → 拝読する\n>\n> 会う → 拝謁する (although I've never heard this used, and know that 目にかかる is more\n> common)\n>\n> 借りる → 拝借する\n\nAre there any others that commonly used?? Actually, I've used **拝読** before\nbut was later told that no one really uses it, and お読みする was more common.", "comment_count": 6, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-09T02:02:14.120", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "838", "last_activity_date": "2013-01-01T07:57:29.207", "last_edit_date": "2020-06-17T08:18:27.500", "last_editor_user_id": "-1", "owner_user_id": "78", "post_type": "question", "score": 6, "tags": [ "words", "keigo" ], "title": "「拝」から始まる謙譲語 -- humble keigo starting with [hai]", "view_count": 1059 }

[ { "body": "「拝啓」 （はいけい） is also quite common on writing letters.", "comment_count": 3, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-09T03:16:20.470", "id": "849", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-09T03:16:20.470", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "100", "parent_id": "838", "post_type": "answer", "score": 3 }, { "body": "WOW, I was surprised how much people study formal saying of polite, and I've\nNEVER used it. we use 拝 for 拝見 and 拝借 but for others, for example 拝聴, we use\nお聞きになる because it's easier to understand.\n\nWe don't usually use 拝読, instead we use 拝見.\n\nFor example:\n\n\"Could I read your letter?\" It's actually **read** but we use 拝見 which means\n**look**.", "comment_count": 5, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-25T00:47:47.933", "id": "1496", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-25T01:58:39.407", "last_edit_date": "2011-06-25T01:58:39.407", "last_editor_user_id": "290", "owner_user_id": "426", "parent_id": "838", "post_type": "answer", "score": 0 } ]

{ "accepted_answer_id": "865", "answer_count": 2, "body": "The other day I posted a picture of some food on Facebook, and I noticed that\nall of my Japanese friends were saying 「おいしそう」. I made a good guess to what it\nmeant, but I wasn't certain what exactly they were saying. I've seen this\nstem+そう with other i-adjectives too, such as 楽しそう, but none of this is covered\nin any of my Japanese books.\n\nWhat exactly is this? Is it slang? Can it be used with na-adjectives or nouns\ntoo? If so how? Thanks! :)", "comment_count": 2, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-09T03:25:07.407", "favorite_count": 0, "id": "850", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-09T05:57:10.830", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "58", "post_type": "question", "score": 18, "tags": [ "conjugations", "adjectives" ], "title": "What exactly does an adjective stem + そう mean?", "view_count": 3937 }

[ { "body": "It seems ...\n\nFor instance\n\n * おいしそう = it seems delicious\n * 行けそう = it seems I will be able to go\n\nIt is not slang, it is grammatically correct.\n\nDetailed explanation: <http://www.guidetojapanese.org/similar.html#part4>", "comment_count": 0, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-09T03:28:09.427", "id": "851", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-09T03:28:09.427", "last_edit_date": null, "last_editor_user_id": null, "owner_user_id": "107", "parent_id": "850", "post_type": "answer", "score": 4 }, { "body": "[See [this question](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/607/what-is-\nthe-difference-between-plain-form-of-verb-and-root-of-verb), which deals with\nthe same pattern when used with verbs. I'll adapt my answer from that question\nto answer yours.]\n\n-そう after the stem of a adjective means \"looking/sounding as if ___.\" おいしそう means \"it looks as if it will be delicious.\" It is similar to constructions like おいしいみたい or おいしいよう, but -そう emphasizes evidence of the senses rather than general \"seeming.\"\n\nContrast it with おいしいそう, which means \"it is said to be delicious.\"\n\nYou can use -そう with verbs, adjectives, and some na-adjectives, but not with\nnouns. Here are some na-adjective examples:\n\n * 駄目そう (looks like it's no good)\n * 丈夫そう (sturdy-looking)\n * 元気そう (peppy-looking)\n * 大変そう (Sounds rough!)\n\nYou can also use the -そう phrase itself as a na-adjective:\n\n * おいしそうなケーキ (a delicious-looking cake)", "comment_count": 3, "content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0", "creation_date": "2011-06-09T05:57:10.830", "id": "865", "last_activity_date": "2011-06-09T05:57:10.830", "last_edit_date": "2017-04-13T12:43:44.260", "last_editor_user_id": "-1", "owner_user_id": "28", "parent_id": "850", "post_type": "answer", "score": 15 } ]