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useful for newcomers.
Japanese Language
February 23, 2009
Can you guess the real meaning?
| Reading (Romaji) |
Japanese-English (Janglish) |
English |
|---|---|---|
| Afutah-sa-bisu | After service | Follow-up service |
| Baikingu | Viking | Buffet |
| Baiku | Bike | Motorcycle |
| Bini-ru-bukuro | Vinyl bag | Plastic bag |
| Bo-ru-pen | Ball pen | Ball-point pen |
| Furi-daiyaru | Free dial | Toll free number |
| Furi-saizu | Free size | One-size-fits-all |
| Gahdo-man | Guard man | Security Guard |
| Gasorin-sutando | Gasoline stand | Gas (petrol) station |
| Ge-mu-sentah | Game center | Amusement arcade |
| Go-ruden-taimu | Golden time | Prime time |
| Gure-do-appu | Grade up | Upgrade, update |
| Handoru | Handle | Steering wheel |
| Hochikisu | Hotchkiss | Stapler |
| Ku-rah | Cooler | Air conditioner |
| Kyacchi-bo-ru | Catch ball | Play catch |
| Kyacchi-hon | Catch phone | Call waiting |
| Mohning-sa-bisu | Morning service | Breakfast special |
| Mohningu-kohru | Morning call | Wakeup call |
| Nanbah-pure-to | Number plate | License plate |
| No-to-pasokon | Note PC | Laptop PC |
| Ohdah-meido | Order made | Custom-made |
| O-pun-kah | Open Car | Convertible car |
| Pe-pah-doraibah | Paper driver | Driver on paper only |
| Renji | Range | Microwave oven |
| Sa-bisu | Service | Discount |
| Saido-bure-ki | Side break | Hand brake |
| Sero-te-pu | Cello tape | Scotch tape, tape |
| Y-shatsu | Y shirt | Business shirt |
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January 23, 2008
- Sightseeing / Place to go -
-Tourist information = Kanko annaijo
-Tokyo Tower = Tokyo Tawah
-Zoo = Dobutsu-en
-Amusement Park = Yuenchi
-Museum = Hakubutsu-kan
-Art gallery = Bijutsu-kan
-Aquarium = Suizoku-kan
-Botanical garden = Shokubutsu-en
-Park = Koen
-Baseball ground = Yakyu-jo
-Temple = Tera
-Shrine = Jinja
-Golf course = Gorufu-jo
-Theater = Geki-jo, Eiga-kan (Cinema)
-Shopping Center = Shoppingu Sentah
Where is Ueno Zoo?
=Ueno Dobutsu-en wa doko desuka?
Which direction = docchi
Is it far from here? = Koko kara tooi desuka?
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November 28, 2007
- Post Office -
- Post office = yubin-kyoku
- Stamps = kitte
- letter = tegami
- weight = jyu-ryo / omosa
- express mail = sokutatsu
- mailbox, postbox = posto/yubin-posto
- registered mail = kakitome
- size = saizu/ookisa
- air mail = ea-me-ru, kokusai-yubin
- Where is the post office? = Yubin-kyoku wa doko desuka?
- How much does it cost to send this to ~ ?
= Kore wo ~ ni okuru niwa ikura desuka?
- I want to send this letter to ~(country).
= Kore wo ~ ni okuritai no desuga.
- I want to buy stams.
= Kitte wo kudasai.
COUNTRIES IN JAPANESE
- America = Amerika
- UK/England = Igirisu
- France = Furansu
- Germany = Doitsu
- Switzerland = Suisu
- Spain = Supein
- Italy = Itaria
- Australia = O-suto-raria
- New Zealand = Nyu-ji-rando
- Russia = Roshia
- Korea = Kankoku
- China = Chu-goku
- Hong Kong = Hon-kon
- Taiwan = Taiwan
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November 15, 2007
For Accidents and Emergencies
Accidents or Crime situations: Call 110 (Police)
Sudden Illness, Injury or Fire: Call 119 (Ambulance/Firetruck)
Useful Japanese in the event of an emergency
- Help! = Tasukete!
- Fire! = Kaji desu!
- Thief! = Dorobo!
- It's an emergency! = Kinkyu desu!
- Stop! = Tomare!
- Stop it! = Yamero! / Yamete!
- Go away! = Acchi e ike!
- Over here! = Koko desu!
- Please call the police. = Keisatsu wo yonde kudasai.
- Please call the ambulance. = Kyu-kyu-sha wo yonde kudasai.
- Please call the fire department. = Shobo wo yonde kudasai.
- Please call a doctor! = Isha wo yonde kudasai.
- Please help me. = Tasukete kudasai.
- I'm lost = Michi ni mayoi mashita.
- I lost my ~ = ~ wo nakushi mashita.
(I lost my wallet = Saifu wo nakushi mashita.)
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September 04, 2007
We get so many questions from expats everyday.
Please see below the answers for the questions we are often asked:
1. License for Motorbikes & Vehicles
Motorbikes over 50cc~under 400cc: age of 16 and over
Motorbikes over 400cc: age of 18 and over
Ordinary Vehicles: age of 18 and over
Heavy Vehicles: age of 20 and over with at least 2-year
driving experience of ordinary vehicle.
About International license, please check our previous blog
here.
2. Drinking and Smoking
Must be over 20-year of age to drink alcohol and
smoking cigarettes.
3. Voting Age
Age of 20 and over
4. Marriage Age
Male: 18 Female: 16
*Need parents’ permission if they are under the age of 20.
5. Mandatory Education
9 years in total. 6 years in Elementary (age 7-12), and
3 years in Junior High School (age 13-15).
School Grades’ cut off date is the 1st of April,
and a new school year starts in April.
*Fees for buses and trains, up to 12-year old
(Elementary School) it will be a half price of adults’ fees.
When they enter Junior High School they must pay the
full fee.
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July 05, 2007
Respectful language in Japanese is difficult.
We must choose our words according to the relative
age and social position of the person we are speaking to.
For example, the verb 'taberu' (to eat) changes to the
honorific 'meshiagaru' when the subject is a superior.
When referring to oneself, the humble from 'itadaku' is
used to show modesty.
So Keigo include both honorific and humble language, and
also we use polite language to show deference.
The auxiliary verbs -masu and -desu are examples of
polite language.
'O' --
The honorific 'o' is one of the most frequently used keigo forms.
It performs all three functions of keigo-honorific, humble, and
polite --- and is prefixed to both nouns and pronouns and
inflected words.
Honorific: the teachers honorable opinion (sensei no o-kangae),
Humble: speak humbly (o-hanashi moushiageru)
Polite: honorable water (o-mizu), honorable cold (o-samui)
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June 15, 2007
BASIC JAPANESE CONVERSATION 6
There are some special words you should remember
when you are invited to someone's house.
First, when you are entering someone's house,
you should say; 'Ojama shimasu', which means
'I hope I'm not bothering you.'
(Jama=bother, interruption)
Then, dinner starts.
Before you start eating, you should say;
'Itadaki masu', means 'let's eat'.
After you finish eating, you should say;
'Gochiso-sama deshita', means 'I've enjoyed the meal'.
(Gochiso=treat)
After the dinner, you are about to go home.
When you leave, you should say;
'Ojama shimashita'.
Literal translation is 'Sorry to have bothered you',
but it's more like 'Thank you for letting me in your place.'
And when you get home, you should say;
'Tadaima.' - I'm home! 
April 18, 2007
BASIC JAPANESE CONVERSATION 5
Parts of the Body
Head - Atama
Face - Kao 
Eye(s) - Me 
Nose - Hana
Ear(s) - Mimi 
Mouth - Kuchi
Chin - Ago
Throat - Nodo
Shoulder(s) - Kata
Neck - Kubi
Back - Senaka
Chest - Mune
Arm(s) - Ude
Elbow - Hiji
Waist/Hip - Koshi
Stomach/Abdomen - Onaka
Buttocks - Oshiri
Thigh(s) - Momo
Wrist(s) - Tekubi
Hand(s) - Te 
Finger(s) - Yubi
Knee - Hiza
Leg(s) - Ashi
Foot/Feet - Ashi 
Sore, hurt, painful - Itai
Itchy - Kayui
(Example)
-My leg hurts.
Ashi ga itai desu.
-I have a headache. (= My head hurts.)
Zutsuu ga shimasu. (= Atama ga Itai desu.)
*headache = zutsuu, zu=head, tsuu=pain
-My eyes feel itchy.
Me ga kayui desu.
April 05, 2007
BASIC JAPANESE CONVERSATION 4
Convenience store - Kon-bini
Department store - Depaato
Telephone - Denwa 
Mobile phone - Keitai
Hospital - Byoin 
Drug store - Yakkyoku
Train - Densha 
Bullet train - Shinkansen 
Station - Eki
Post office - Yubin-kyoku 
Airport - Ku-kou
Airplane - Hikouki 
Taxi - Takushii
Car - Kuruma 
Time - Jikan 
Water - Mizu 
English Tea - Koucha
Green Tea - Ocha or Ryoku-cha
Coffee - Ko-hii 
Beer - Bi-ru 
Restaurant - Resutoran
Coffee shop, Tearoom - Kissaten
Today - Kyou
Yesterday - Kinou
Tomorrow - Ashita
The day before yesterday - Ototoi
The day after tomorrow - Asatte
Weekend - Shu-matsu
Monday - Getsuyo-bi
Tuesday - Kayo-bi
Wednesday - Suiyo-bi
Thursday - Mokuyo-bi
Friday - Kinyo-bi
Saturday - Doyo-bi
Sunday - Nichiyo-bi
Morning - Asa
Afternoon - Gogo
Evening - Yu-gata
Night - Yoru
Midnight - Yonaka 
March 06, 2007
How to count in Japanese -PART 5-
| HOW TO COUNT: |
||
| CAR / ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES | ||
| 1 | ichi-dai | |
| 2 | ni-dai | |
| 3 | san-dai | |
| 4 | yon-dai | |
| 5 | go-dai | |
| 6 | roku-dai | |
| 7 | nana-dai | |
| 8 | hachi-dai | |
| 9 | kyu-dai | |
| 10 | jyu-dai | |
| 100 | hyaku-dai | |
| 1000 | sen-dai | |
My friend John owns 3 cars.
Watashi no tomodachi no John-san wa
kuruma wo san-dai motteimasu.
I went to Akihabara today and the shop had a
big sale, DVD players was only 10,000 yen and
there were only 2 left, I was lucky to get one.
Kyou Akihabara ni ittara omise ga seeru wo shiteite,
DVD pureiya ga ichi-man-yen de
ni-dai nokotte-ite ichi-dai kaukotoga dekita.*
*kau (=buy, purchase) koto(=thing) dekiru (=can) / dekita (=could)
