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{
"accepted_answer_id": "19785",
"answer_count": 1,
"body": "> 最新の医療技術をもってすれば、人はさらに寿命を伸ばせるだろう。 OK\n>\n> 森田さんは **人一倍の努力** をもって病気を克服したのである。 OK \n> 森田さんは **新開発の薬** をもって病気を克服したのである。 KO\n\nMy textbook* says the third sentence is not OK, but I don't understand why, as\nit seems to respect the usage rules explained in the same textbook. \nCan someone enlighten me?\n\n*:スリーエーネットワーク新完全マスター文法日本語能力試験N1",
"comment_count": 10,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-06T06:08:34.253",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "19783",
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"last_edit_date": "2020-06-17T08:18:27.500",
"last_editor_user_id": "-1",
"owner_user_id": "107",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 0,
"tags": [
"grammar",
"usage",
"jlpt"
],
"title": "What is wrong in \"森田さんは新開発の薬をもって病気を克服した\"?",
"view_count": 214
} | [
{
"body": "「をもって」 couldn't be used with the tools which directly takes effect, but with\n**methods** or something helps achieve purpose **where the linkage is\nperceived abstractly**.\n\nYour third example,\n\n> 森田さんは新開発の薬をもって病気を克服したのである。\n\nmeans _the new medicine cured his/her disease_ , thus unacceptable. In\ncontrast,\n\n> 森田さんは人一倍の努力をもって病気を克服したのである。\n\nonly mentions how his/her state of mind helped when Morita overcame the\ndisease. (At least, the effort couldn't attack pathogens, according to modern\nunderstanding.)",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-06T08:39:39.853",
"id": "19785",
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"score": 4
}
] | 19783 | 19785 | 19785 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "19792",
"answer_count": 1,
"body": "I am just wondering if anyone can explain the differences between these in\nterms of nuances.\n\nWhen I say nuances, can you give examples of whether one is for more polite\nsituations, or whether one is more akin to `regardless of whether X, Y` or\n`even if X, Y`, or anything like that.\n\nI just can't see myself using anything other than でも if I am stuck believing\nthey are all the same.",
"comment_count": 5,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-06T06:39:01.867",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "19784",
"last_activity_date": "2014-12-07T09:54:27.003",
"last_edit_date": "2014-12-06T09:22:08.673",
"last_editor_user_id": "3275",
"owner_user_id": "3754",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 4,
"tags": [
"grammar"
],
"title": "ですら・でも・さえ・だろう（と／が）。 Are there any differences?",
"view_count": 2637
} | [
{
"body": "### Overview\n\nThese words have their own meanings, only being alike when translated into\nEnglish. Those other than `だろう(と/が)` don't convey any politeness or formality\nby themselves.\n\nThe \"regardless of whether\" sense is shared by: `でも` and `だろうが`. \n(but the best choice is `であるかにかかわらず`, I think.) \nThe \"even if\" could be shared by: `でも`, `すら` and `さえ`.\n\n### だろう(と/が) vs. the others\n\n`だろう(と/が)` is the odd one out here, which has little chance to be used in\nsimilar situations to the others. It could be translated into \"no matter ...\"\nor \"whatever ...\", always **connoting subjective emphasis** , usually\nassociated with decision, irritation or even disdain according to the context.\nIt could be formal, but no way polite (neutral ~ offending).\n\nYou can duplicate two or more units: `A だろう(と/が) B だろう(と/が)` \"no matter A or\nB\"\n\nThe grammatical breakdown is `だろう` \"will/would be\" + `と` \"when, whereas\" or\n`が` \"though\". `だろうと` is literary, while `だろうが` is colloquial. Note that `だろうと`\nshares the form with other expression, namely \"(say) that ... would ...\".\n\n### でも vs. さえ/すら\n\n`でも` is basically an expression for **enumerating adequate instances** \"as\nlike ...\", while `さえ` and `すら` are for **convincing by one extreme example**\n\"even ...\". However, a single `でも` could be used as substitution to `さえ`/`すら`,\nsince the only example tends to be used as the most powerful exemplification.\n\n> こんな問題、子供( **でも** / **でさえ** / **ですら** )解ける。 _**Even** a child could solve the\n> problem._\n>\n> 難しい問題 **でも** 考えているのだろうか。 _Is he/she thinking on a difficult problem **or\n> something**?_ \n> × 難しい問題(でさえ/ですら)\n\nAs you can see, `でも` can be duplicated: `A でも B でも` \"either A or B\", but\n`さえ`/`すら` not.\n\n`でも` originates from the combination `で` \"in (the case of)\" + `も` \"even, too\",\nthus inevitably shares the form with many other irrelevant expressions, due to\n`で`'s ambiguity. Especially `でもある` is `も` incorporated in `である` (=だ), and\nusually has nothing with the expression.\n\n### さえ vs. すら\n\nAs said above, `さえ` and `すら` are used to focus on the most significant\nexample. There are few reliable sources which could explain the difference\nbetween them exhaustively. In my opinion, their usage is somewhat merging, and\nhighly interchangeable, except for one point observable: `A さえ B` usually\nmeans \"even [A do B]\", while `A すら B` is \"[even A] do B\".\n\n> 宿題 **さえ** なければよかった。 _If **only** there weren't homework._ \n> 宿題 **すら** なければよかった。 _I wish if there weren't **even** homework._\n>\n> ○ 愛 **さえ** あれば何もいらない。 _I need nothing **as long as** I have love._ \n> ? 愛 **すら** あれば何もいらない。 _?? I need nothing if I have **even** love._\n\nGrammatically, when the bare `さえ`/`すら` are used with **transitive** verbs, the\nwords before tend to be interpreted as the objects. Use `でさえ`/`ですら` for the\nsubjects.\n\n> 君 **さえ** 止められない人間を見たことがない。 _I've never seen someone who **even couldn't stop\n> you**._ \n> 君 **でさえ** 止められない人間を見たことがない。 _I've never seen someone who **even you\n> couldn't stop**._",
"comment_count": 0,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-07T01:25:40.090",
"id": "19792",
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"score": 9
}
] | 19784 | 19792 | 19792 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "19790",
"answer_count": 1,
"body": "Here are kanji variants:\n\n * 海 (as an image: )\n * 海\n\nIn case it does not display correctly for you, [the first _kanji_ is unicode\nU+FA45.](http://glyphwiki.org/wiki/ufa45)\n\nIs `海` considered a variant of the much more common `海`? Or, are `海` and `海`\njust considered mutual variants of each other?\n\nMore broadly, do you say that the most frequently used version of a _kanji_\nwith a variant is \"the\" kanji? And that the kanji that is much less frequently\nused is the variant?\n\nAlso: What about rare cases such as `才` and `歳`, both of which are very\nfrequently used?",
"comment_count": 6,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-06T14:49:53.810",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "19788",
"last_activity_date": "2014-12-06T19:21:15.420",
"last_edit_date": "2014-12-06T19:21:15.420",
"last_editor_user_id": null,
"owner_user_id": "4835",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 3,
"tags": [
"kanji"
],
"title": "Categorizing kanji variants - is there a \"proper\" form?",
"view_count": 568
} | [
{
"body": "The Japanese Ministry of Education has published a list of kanji. I think this\nis the official document:\n<http://www.bunka.go.jp/kokugo_nihongo/pdf/jouyoukanjihyou_h22.pdf>\n\nThe \"proper\" form is whatever form is in that document. So the answer is\nbasically that the government determines the \"proper\" form.",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-06T18:46:30.413",
"id": "19790",
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"owner_user_id": "3221",
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"score": 3
}
] | 19788 | 19790 | 19790 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "19794",
"answer_count": 1,
"body": "I am still reading the 十二国記 novel 月の影 影の海. At the end of the first part, after\na rather harrowing day, Yoko is riding a leopard-like magical creature, flying\nthrough the night sky, when they are attacked by a multitude of enemy\ncreatures. Eventually trapped, she is thrown off the leopard's back, falling\nfrom the sky. She opens her eyes, sees a boar-like creature coming at her, and\nfeels a flesh-tearing impact in her right hand. She hears a creature's scream\nand her own yell. Then follows this sentence:\n\nそれを最後{さいご}に五感{ごかん}までもが闇{やみ}の中【なか】に墜落{ついらく}していった。\n\nI understand the general gist of the sentence - at this point her five senses\ngive in - figuratively joining her body in falling into the darkness.\n\nThe trouble I'm having is with the `までもが` there. This is not the first time I\nrun into a `もが` - I've seen `誰もが` already, but it, too, confuses me.\n\nHow does が following も work? What is the meaning of this particular case\n(`までもが`), is there any relation between this construct and `誰もが`, and are\nthere additional examples of such `も＋が` constructs?",
"comment_count": 2,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-06T18:59:22.567",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "19791",
"last_activity_date": "2014-12-07T08:56:16.763",
"last_edit_date": "2014-12-07T08:45:07.730",
"last_editor_user_id": "7446",
"owner_user_id": "7446",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 3,
"tags": [
"grammar",
"meaning"
],
"title": "What does までもが mean in this sentence, and もが in general",
"view_count": 1024
} | [
{
"body": "There is a small set of quasi-noun idioms made of question words + `も`, which\nroughly means \"every-X\". Since they are nouns, they can theoretically put any\nkind of postpositions after them. But actually they are only used with `が`,\nless often `に` or `を`, and sometimes `の` (except for `いつも`, which is a full-\nfledged noun).\n\n * Who: `誰{だれ}も`, `誰{だれ}もかも`, `誰{だれ}も彼{かれ}も` \"everybody\"\n * What: `何{なに}もかも` \"everything\"\n * When: `いつも` \"every time, the usual\" (full-fledged noun)\n * Which: `どれも`, `いずれも`, `どちらも`, `どの noun も`, `いずれの noun も` \"any one, any of ...\"\n\nThe quasi-nouns may have different accents to ordinary combinations:\n\n> だれも{HLL}が vs. だれも{LHH}いない, どれも{HLL}が vs. どれも{LHH}いらない\n\nThe questioned `までも` is considered to be a derivation of them, which could be\ntranslated into \"everything down to X\" or \"eventually X (with all other\nthings)\". Similar expressions are `さえも` and `すらも`, both with boundary-\ndelimiting particles.",
"comment_count": 2,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-07T04:33:40.980",
"id": "19794",
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"post_type": "answer",
"score": 3
}
] | 19791 | 19794 | 19794 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "19801",
"answer_count": 1,
"body": "[Weblio](http://www.weblio.jp/content/%E8%80%83%E3%81%88%E6%96%B9) states that\n考え方 is 思考の傾向...but when I look up 思考 I get confused because now I'm not sure\nif I'm dealing with an objective thought process or subjective feelings.\n\nI get the feeling (no pun...) that 考える refers to a more objective action than\n思う, which refers to one's subjective thoughts/beliefs.\n\nSo, can things like 世界観 (world view), 価値観 (values), 意見 (opinion) also be\nincluded to any extent within one's 考え方 (thought process, method of thinking,\nway of thinking?)\n\nMaybe I'm over thinking this?",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-07T03:36:44.673",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "19793",
"last_activity_date": "2014-12-07T22:00:20.070",
"last_edit_date": null,
"last_editor_user_id": null,
"owner_user_id": "7844",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 1,
"tags": [
"words"
],
"title": "Does 考え方 usually refer to the \"methodology\" of one's thought process, or can it also refer to something more subjective?",
"view_count": 168
} | [
{
"body": "> I get the feeling (no pun...) that 考える refers to a more objective action\n> than 思う, which refers to one's subjective thoughts/beliefs.\n\nThis is absolutely correct. For example:\n\n思う：そこの銭湯【せんとう】はとてもいいと思う。 - _I think that bathhouse is really good._\n\n考える：ゆっくり考【かんが】えればわかる。 - _If you think carefully, you'll understand._\n\nSometimes you'll see sentence where either is appropriate, but the former is\nindeed a bit more subjective than the latter in cases where they both fit.\n\nJudging from how I've seen the word used in print (admittedly, I'm not a\nnative speaker, so take this with a minor grain of salt), it seems to have the\nsame kind of duality that the terms \"way of thinking\" and \"mindset\" have in\nEnglish—they can include one's subjective views and _also_ one's logical\nthought process.\n\nFor example, in [this article](http://gigazine.net/news/20140213-fixed-vs-\ngrowth-brain/) it refers to one's logical mindset.\n\nAlternatively,\n[ejje.weblio.jp](http://ejje.weblio.jp/content/%E8%80%83%E3%81%88%E6%96%B9)\nlists this example sentence:\n\n> 儒教の価値観が今なおほとんどすべての日本人の考え方に浸透している。\n>\n> Confucian values still permeate the thinking of virtually the entire\n> Japanese population.\n\nThis uses the term 価値観【かちかん】 that you mentioned before. So, it seems that your\ninitial belief was correct, and the term can refer to both.",
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"score": 1
}
] | 19793 | 19801 | 19801 |
{
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"body": "I am going through some Kanji and I was looking for the usage of 召す when I\ncame across the following translation (from jisho.org):\n\n> 1: (Honorific or respectful language) to call; to invite; to send for; to\n> summon;\n>\n> 2: to eat; to drink;\n>\n> 3: to put on; to wear;\n>\n> 4: to ride;\n>\n> 5: to catch (a cold); to take (a bath); to tickle (one's fancy); to put on\n> (years); to commit (seppuku);\n>\n> 6: to do;\n>\n> 7: (Archaism) honorific suffix used after the -masu stem of a verb\n\nI think I understand 2: 召し上がる is a polite version of eat/drink. There is even\none example sentence on jisho.org:\n\n> ワインがお気に召すといいのですが。= I hope the wine is to your taste.\n\n(I think the English translation is not grammatical but I guess the meaning is\nclear)\n\nBut I'm unclear about the other meanings. Could someone provide example\nsentences on how I can use 召す?",
"comment_count": 4,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-07T07:20:50.820",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "19796",
"last_activity_date": "2014-12-07T14:00:03.980",
"last_edit_date": "2014-12-07T11:51:17.560",
"last_editor_user_id": null,
"owner_user_id": "388",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 3,
"tags": [
"words",
"word-usage"
],
"title": "Usage and meaning of 召す【めす】 in different contexts",
"view_count": 475
} | [
{
"body": "1: (Honorific or respectful language) to call; to invite; to send for; to\nsummon; \n\n> 父は今年の4月、天に召されました。My father passed away in April.\n\n2: to eat; to drink; \n\n> どうぞ、遠慮なくお召し上がりください。Do help yourself.\n\n3: to put on; to wear; \n\n> その女性はお着物を召されていました。The lady was wearing kimono.\n\n4: to ride; \n???\n\n5: to catch (a cold); to take (a bath); to tickle (one's fancy); to put on\n(years); to commit (seppuku); \n\n> お風邪を召されたようですね。You seem to have caught a cold. \n> お気に召しますか。Do you like it? \n> お年を召したご婦人 an old lady\n\n6: to do; \n???\n\n7: (Archaism) honorific suffix used after the -masu stem of a verb \n???\n\n* * *\n\nThis is all I can think of. Sorry!",
"comment_count": 3,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-07T14:00:03.980",
"id": "19798",
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}
] | 19796 | null | 19798 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "19800",
"answer_count": 1,
"body": "I've heard the ねん ending a lot in 関西弁{かんさいべん} but I'm still struggling to find\nwhen it's used. Can you use it with all kinds and conjugations of verbs? I've\nheard ちゃうねん over and over, but if I try to use ねん with e.g. 食べる I can't make\nit sound right in my head. And what is the standard Japanese equivalent of\nやねん？ だよ？ If it is, then what's the difference between やで and やねん？",
"comment_count": 1,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 4.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-07T16:47:22.340",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "19799",
"last_activity_date": "2021-09-21T02:15:21.547",
"last_edit_date": "2021-09-21T02:15:21.547",
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"owner_user_id": "4157",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 5,
"tags": [
"dialects",
"kansai-ben"
],
"title": "ねん in the Kansai dialect",
"view_count": 2236
} | [
{
"body": "> Can you use it with all kinds and conjugations of verbs?\n\nYes, I think so.\n\n(verb+ねん/で) \nちゃうねん ≒ ちがうんだ(よ)/ちがうの(よ) \nちゃうで ≒ ちがうよ \n\n行くねん ≒ 行くんだ(よ)/行くの(よ) \n行くで ≒ 行くよ \n\n食べんねん ≒ 食べるんだ(よ)/食べるの(よ) \n食べんで ≒ 食べるよ \n\n(negative) \n知らんねん ≒ 知らないんだ(よ)/知らないの(よ) \n知らんで ≒ 知らないよ \n\n食べへんねん ≒ 食べないんだ(よ)/食べないの(よ) \n食べへんで ≒ 食べないよ \n\n(i-adjective+ねん/で) \nかわいいねん ≒ かわいいんだ(よ)/かわいいの(よ) \nかわいいで ≒ かわいいよ \n\n(noun+や/na-adjective+ねん/で) \nせやねん/そやねん ≒ そうなんだ(よ)/そうなの(よ) \nせやで/そやで ≒ そうだよ/そうよ \n\nあほやねん ≒ 馬鹿なんだ(よ)/馬鹿なの(よ) \nあほやで ≒ 馬鹿だよ/馬鹿よ",
"comment_count": 3,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-07T17:01:07.367",
"id": "19800",
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"score": 7
}
] | 19799 | 19800 | 19800 |
{
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"body": "My Kanji textbook mentions 田 to have the kunyomi た and the onyomi デン. デン is\nnot mentioned in brackets so I conclude it is a very common reading.\n\nBut I hardly find any words that use デン. In an example in the book is a word\n田水 written and it says its read でんすい, but there is no translation. I cannot\nfind a translation of that word anywhere, but if I google the word I get たみず\nwith explanation 田の水. Water on a rice field? That doesn't seem a common word\nat all! Can someone clarify this word and perhaps give examples of words where\n田 is read als デン?\n\nThank you.",
"comment_count": 8,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-08T00:23:18.993",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "19803",
"last_activity_date": "2014-12-10T23:45:32.363",
"last_edit_date": null,
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"owner_user_id": "5050",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 2,
"tags": [
"kanji",
"readings"
],
"title": "When is the onyomi of 田 used?",
"view_count": 1249
} | [
{
"body": "There are a few 田 words which use the デン reading. Each of them is a kind of\nfield or plantation. **水田 is すいでん (paddy field)** (でんすい sounds like a typo),\n油田 is ゆでん (oil field) and 桑田 is そうでん (mulberry field). The 水 in 水田 is present\nbecause it's a water-filled (irrigated) paddy field.\n\nSource - Both Google and Obenkyo (android app)",
"comment_count": 1,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-08T21:37:25.110",
"id": "19813",
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},
{
"body": "塩田{えんでん} - [Google Image\nSearch](https://www.google.com/search?q=%E5%A1%A9%E7%94%B0&safe=off&espv=2&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=0dqIVMHjOdWyoQSSn4DQAg&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAg&biw=1680&bih=935)",
"comment_count": 0,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-10T23:45:32.363",
"id": "19832",
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"parent_id": "19803",
"post_type": "answer",
"score": 0
}
] | 19803 | null | 19813 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "19806",
"answer_count": 2,
"body": "A few pre-simplification kanji (旧字体) that had the 䜌 \"radical\" in them were\nsimplified such that they instead used the simpler 亦 \"radical\" in its place,\nas with 戀 to 恋, and 變 to 変.\n\nHowever, 欒 (as in 団欒) does not have a simplified form (新字体) that is used in\nJapanese (though it appears that 栾 _is_ used in simplified Chinese).\n\nIs there a reason that 欒 wasn't simplified, or is it just one of those\narbitrary things for which there isn't a real explanation?",
"comment_count": 4,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-08T05:46:31.250",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "19804",
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"post_type": "question",
"score": 5,
"tags": [
"kanji",
"kyūjitai-and-shinjitai"
],
"title": "Why wasn't 欒 simplified to 栾, when 戀 was simplified to 恋?",
"view_count": 628
} | [
{
"body": "It is because that \"䜌\" is too complex and difficult to write in short space. \nSince \"亦\" is simplified version of \"䜌\" in Shodo(Japanese calligraphy),\nJapanese usually use simplifed version \"亦\" \nBut there is some expections,like \"団欒\" An expression like this makes Japanese\na little old-fashioned.",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-08T10:37:05.847",
"id": "19805",
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{
"body": "Because, in principle, Japanese kanji **simplification only affects those\nin[常用漢字](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C5%8Dy%C5%8D_kanji)**.\n\nThe 常用漢字 (originally named 当用漢字) was legislated to limit kanji usage within\nit, as the first step of gradual abolition of kanji. So no regard is given to\nunlisted kanjis in the first place, that is, there was no official stipulation\nabout the rest of kanjis. People usually just followed previous customs, while\nsome of them tried to apply it to all kanjis analogically (see\n[朝日字体](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asahi_characters) and\n[拡張新字体](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extended_shinjitai)). The ultimate\npurpose of 当用漢字 was soon abandoned, and only the half-baked standard remained\nunder the name of 常用漢字.\n\nToday, kanji restriction is virtually no longer desired, and\n[表外漢字字体表](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%A1%A8%E5%A4%96%E6%BC%A2%E5%AD%97%E5%AD%97%E4%BD%93%E8%A1%A8%E3%81%AE%E6%BC%A2%E5%AD%97%E4%B8%80%E8%A6%A7)\npublished in 2000 was seen as official discouragement against any further\nsimplification outside 常用漢字. Since these rules only cover printed characters,\nyou are allowed to write in simplified way by hand, in theory. But in your\ncase, 栾 looks so different with 欒 that you might have difficulty being\nunderstood.\n\nP.S. [This article](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_script_reform)\ncould be a good summary to this problem in English, which I haven't read\nthrough :)",
"comment_count": 1,
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}
] | 19804 | 19806 | 19806 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": null,
"answer_count": 3,
"body": "In Japanese あいうえお are pronounced 'a i u e o', かきくけこ are pronounced 'ka ki ku\nke ko'. The spelling is simple and natural. However, when it comes to サ行,\nさしすせそ, its relevant roman spelling is 'sa shi su se so'; the same issue also\nexists in タ行, たちつてと, for which the roman spelling is 'ta chi tsu te to', which\nmakes me confused.\n\nThe question I want to ask is that why is it spelled 'sa shi su se so', but\nnot 'sa si su se so' for サ行, and 'ta chi tsu te to' instead of 'ta ti tu te\nto' for タ行?\n\n 1. Just to make its spelling correspond with the pronunciation? I don't think so, if you spell it phonetically like the book tells you, the pronunciation would be strange. \n\n 2. In order to let you type the relevant Japanese letters? If you type 'ta ti tu te to', for instance, you can also get 'たちつてと', without needing to type 'ta chi tsu te to'.",
"comment_count": 0,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-08T13:32:04.650",
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"id": "19807",
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"post_type": "question",
"score": 4,
"tags": [
"pronunciation",
"spelling",
"rōmaji"
],
"title": "Why are し/ち transliterated as 'shi'/'chi', and not 'si'/'ti'?",
"view_count": 11030
} | [
{
"body": "Technically there is no right or wrong way to spell kana in roman characters.\nIn your Japanese studies you are sure to see just about every combination\nthere is. Just learn to get used to them, and choose the one you like when\nwriting. Personally, \"ti\" for ち irks me to no end, but technically it's\n\"valid\".",
"comment_count": 1,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-08T14:30:56.823",
"id": "19808",
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{
"body": "Systems of romanisation which were originally intended to render Japanese in a\nway that makes it easier for foreigners to pronounce, like\n[Hepburn](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hepburn_romanization), will use \"shi\"\nand \"chi\" because those are closer to the correct pronunciation.\n\nOther systems, like [Kunreisiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kunrei-\nshiki_romanization), will use \"si\" and \"ti\" instead.\n\nWhich is used where is partly down to what the purpose is - Hepburn (or\nvariants of) is often used when the aim is to represent words for the benefit\nof non-Japanese speakers. Kunreisiki is apparently popular in lingustics. [Wa-\npuro romaji](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W%C4%81puro_r%C5%8Dmaji) is for\nthose of us who are too lazy to change the way we type even when Japanese\ninput mode is off.",
"comment_count": 0,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-08T14:48:49.907",
"id": "19810",
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},
{
"body": "When talking about _shi_ (and absence of _si_ ), to say \"there is no _si_ but\n_shi_ in Japanese\" is not really correct. The truth would rather be **\"there\nis no distinction between _si_ and _shi_ in Japanese\"**.\n\nIn other words, there is only one such \"voiceless sibilant\" phoneme in\nJapanese, which is usually written as /s/, and さしすせそ are phonemically parsed\nas /sa si su se so/, all sharing the same consonant.\n\nBut this /s/ sound somewhat changes its color when it is followed by /i/ (or\nmerged with /y/), under the influence of its palatal feature, resulting in a\nsound a bit more similar to English _sh_.\n\nIn English, there are two \"voiceless sibilant\" consonants, which are /s/ and\n/ʃ/ ( _s_ and _sh_ ), and speakers would naturally take it for granted that\nthese two are different and independent from each other. To their ears, while\nconsonants in さすせそ sounds almost identical to /s/, that of し feels more like\n/ʃ/, and the Hepburn romanization (de-facto standard romanization system for\nmodern Japanese) spells consonants just according to these impressions.\n\nSo, to summarize, while English sounds _s_ and _sh_ are expressions of /s/ and\n/ʃ/ respectively, Japanese _s_ and _sh_ are \"allophones\" of one phoneme /s/,\nwhich are kind of expedientially written in two different ways according to\nthe impressions conceived by English speakers.\n\nIn fact, Japanese _sh_ sound is not completely identical to English _sh_ and\nfalls somewhere between English _s_ and _sh_. I don't think there would be ANY\nproblem if you pronounce し like \"see\" rather than \"she\" (or like russian сь in\nsome cases like ～ました), at all.\n\n* * *\n\nThe same story applies to _chi_ and absence of _tsi_ (despite _tsu_ existing).\nThe two consonants are phonemically the same (commonly written as /c/ avoiding\nwriting in two letters), which means \"there is no distinction between _chi_\nand _tsi_ \".\n\nAbout distinction between _t_ and _ts/ch_ is another long story. All たちつてと are\nbelieved to have shared the same phoneme /t/ until recent period, despite that\nち and つ no longer kept the original _t_ sound for these several centuries.\n\nHowever during the last century, hundreds of imported words from foreign\nlanguages (mainly English) urged people to begin distinguishing ち _chi_ and てぃ\n_ti_ (like in チー (a mahjong term) and ティー (\"a golf tee\")), which automatically\nmeant two consonant phonemes involved within the two sounds, namely, /t/ for\n_ti_ /ti/ and /c/ for _chi_ /ci/.\n\nNow たちつてと is generally considered to be /ta ci cu te to/ (some theories stick\nto more classcal /ta ti tu te to/, but they can't explain the distinction\nbetween チー and ティー very well). In this respect you can say that たちつてと contains\ntwo differents consonants that historically used to be one.",
"comment_count": 1,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-09T02:22:06.593",
"id": "19815",
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"post_type": "answer",
"score": 7
}
] | 19807 | null | 19810 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "19812",
"answer_count": 1,
"body": "I found somewhere on the internet that the romanization of 八丁堀{はっちょうぼり} is\nwritten as \"Hatchōbori\".\n\n 1. Given that scheme, how could you write \"しゅっぱつ\"?\n 2. Given that scheme, how could you write \"しゅぱつ\"? \n 3. What is the name of that romanization scheme?",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-08T15:29:55.763",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "19811",
"last_activity_date": "2014-12-08T16:11:11.190",
"last_edit_date": null,
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"owner_user_id": "4835",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 3,
"tags": [
"rōmaji"
],
"title": "What type of romanization is \"Hatchōbori\"?",
"view_count": 488
} | [
{
"body": "This is an example of [Hepburn\nromanization](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hepburn_romanization), which\nattempts to represent Japanese according to how it is pronounced. With\ngeminated っち, it's standard to use tch instead of a double c, so instead of\n\"maccha\" you would write \"matcha\" for 抹茶. Similarly, long vowels use a macron\n(bar) instead of doubling, so \"Hatchōbori\" instead of \"Hatchoobori.\"\n\n出発{しゅっぱつ} is \"shuppatsu.\" しゅぱつ (not a word) would be \"shupatsu.\"",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-08T15:56:01.957",
"id": "19812",
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"last_editor_user_id": "1797",
"owner_user_id": "1797",
"parent_id": "19811",
"post_type": "answer",
"score": 11
}
] | 19811 | 19812 | 19812 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": null,
"answer_count": 1,
"body": "I once asked why there are two input systems to type some of the same letters,\nlike し or つ, which can be written as shi/si or tsu/tu. I was told that both\nare okay, I could choose the way I like to type the kana.\n\nBut if it is about people's names, for instance _Yoshizawa_ or _Abe Shinzō_\n，can I write _Yosizawa_ and _Abe Sinzo_ instead?",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-09T06:12:31.650",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "19816",
"last_activity_date": "2014-12-11T23:36:15.530",
"last_edit_date": "2014-12-09T09:14:08.810",
"last_editor_user_id": "3275",
"owner_user_id": "7897",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 4,
"tags": [
"word-choice",
"spelling"
],
"title": "Can both Hepburn and Kunreisiki romaji be used to write a person's name?",
"view_count": 571
} | [
{
"body": "Your choice of Romanization will depend on your target audience. In my\nopinion, your absolute safest bet is to go with strict Hepburn style. If it's\nfor Japanese people, feel free to use kunrei. This is what Japanese people\nlearn when they are kids, and many write their names that way. They learn\nHepburn in English classes in junior high school. If it's targeting an\nEnglish-speaking audience, though, it would be a bit confusing for someone who\nisn't familiar with Japanese to see something like \"tyûsyajyô.\"\n\nWhile Hepburn is the standard, many Western publications use something based\non it but that uses a few shortcuts when talking about Japanese places or\npeople's names. For example, it's totally fine to write \"Shinzo Abe\" without\nany marking on the long vowel. Notice how places like Tokyo or Kyoto have\nEnglish spellings that technically deviate from accepted romanization\nstandards.\n\nThere are some other shortcuts that are frequently taken with names, for\nexample writing something like Kenichi (which would be けにち) instead of\nKen'ichi, which is the 'right' way to write けんいち as it avoids all ambiguity.\n\nRomanization can be a tricky issue, and some people take it pretty seriously.\nNevertheless, we frequently take shortcuts when writing, especially when such\nshortcuts help to obscure the finer details of Japanese phonology and\northography that might be confusing to people who do not speak Japanese. The\nmore pedantic you anticipate your readers to be, the closer you should stick\nto some standard.\n\nLast, especially with people, it's best to ensure that someone does not have a\npreferred way of writing their name that deviates from standards.",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-09T07:16:28.457",
"id": "19817",
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"post_type": "answer",
"score": 10
}
] | 19816 | null | 19817 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": null,
"answer_count": 2,
"body": "As I understand it, the word 学際 is usually used to mean \"interdisciplinary\"\nwhen referring to college courses. However, I recently came across the word\n\"超域文化科学\" while browsing college websites. In this context, 超域 seems to mean\n\"interdisciplinary\" too, but I'm not 100% sure.\n\nWhat exactly is 超域, how is it different from 学際 and how is it pronounced?",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-09T09:12:58.657",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "19819",
"last_activity_date": "2014-12-09T22:01:51.233",
"last_edit_date": null,
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"owner_user_id": "6861",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 1,
"tags": [
"word-choice",
"words",
"pronunciation"
],
"title": "How are 超域 and 学際 different?",
"view_count": 154
} | [
{
"body": "Both exactly means \"interdiscipline(-ary)\" here.\n\nJapanese vocabulary doesn't have a word that can translate \"discipline\", you\ncan only refer to it by saying \"academic field\" 学問分野 or \"specialized field\"\n専門分野 etc. Thus if you want to make a two-part compound like \"inter\" +\n\"discipline\", you have to think of a workaround.\n\n**学際{がくさい}** is a solution based on the fact most disciplines are named after\n～学 \"-logy\", and putting it in front of 際 \"border, inter-, trans-\". So\nliterally it means \"inter-learning\".\n\n**超域{ちょういき}** is, on the other hand, composed of 超 \"beyond, super-\" and 域\n\"domain, region\", which also associable with 領域 \"field, area\". It literally\nmeans \"cross-domain\".",
"comment_count": 4,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-09T10:08:21.067",
"id": "19821",
"last_activity_date": "2014-12-09T10:08:21.067",
"last_edit_date": null,
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},
{
"body": "I think 学際 is the only standard translation of _interdisciplinary_ (at least\naccording to the dictionary).\n\nAlthough it is easy to imagine what 超域 means, this word is unfamiliar to me at\nleast as a name of an academic field. And apparently there are very few\nJapanese university departments with 超域 in their names.\n\nI feel there is no meaningful difference between 学際 and 超域 here. But \"超域\"\nsounds somewhat unique and attractive, and that may be the only reason why\nthey used 超域.\n\nAnd it's a shame that Japanese universities are [full of such unusual faculty\nnames](http://blogos.com/article/51932/).",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-09T22:01:51.233",
"id": "19828",
"last_activity_date": "2014-12-09T22:01:51.233",
"last_edit_date": null,
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"owner_user_id": "5010",
"parent_id": "19819",
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"score": 4
}
] | 19819 | null | 19828 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "19823",
"answer_count": 3,
"body": "> ともだち **に** あいます。 \n> To meet friend\n\nMy understanding of the に particle is that it is used to indicate the indirect\nobject, for time, and for location only when the verb is a \"to exist\" verb\nlike います or すみます, and if the verb is an action you use で.\n\nI would have used を in the sentence above as friend is the direct object.",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 4.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-09T09:42:30.840",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "19820",
"last_activity_date": "2021-06-05T04:51:36.593",
"last_edit_date": "2021-06-05T04:51:36.593",
"last_editor_user_id": "9831",
"owner_user_id": "5237",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 2,
"tags": [
"particle-に",
"transitivity"
],
"title": "Why is the に particle used in this sentence?",
"view_count": 5684
} | [
{
"body": "The に particle is literally in/on/to, as in つくえの 上に 本が あります。(here it is 'on')\nその へやに ねこが います。(here it is 'in') ともだちに 『こんにちは』と あいさつします。(here it is 'to')\n\nAnd に does not necessarily come only for います/あります。\n\nAs for why を did not come in the place of に in ともだちに あいます, it's one of the\nrules of the language. を occurs for objects/jobs/nouns whereas に occurs for\npersons/adjectives.\n\nHowever there can be exceptions like に being used for objects before のる。\n\nバスを おりる - to get down from the bus (this is standard)\n\nバスに のる - to get on the bus (this is an exception)\n\nIn the case of adjectives, なる - to become, is always preceded by the particle\nに。 Eg. わたしは つよいに なりました。",
"comment_count": 2,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-09T12:09:09.247",
"id": "19822",
"last_activity_date": "2014-12-09T12:09:09.247",
"last_edit_date": null,
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"owner_user_id": "7892",
"parent_id": "19820",
"post_type": "answer",
"score": -1
},
{
"body": "The particle に is a \"grammar\" word, so it is not a good idea thinking of it as\n\"meaning\" any list of English words. For particular verbs, you have to learn\n\"case-by-case\" what particles it uses to hook to different types of object.\n(This is very like the way you just have to learn which preposition to use in\nFrench, or which case in languages like German or Russian.)\n\nAnyway, in this particular case consider two sentences:\n\nともだちに 会います。 (takes に) I meet a friend. (direct object)\n\nともだちを 待っています。 (takes を) I am waiting for a friend. (preposition 'for')\n\nNow imagine a Japanese friend asks you: \"Why do you say 'waiting for a\nfriend', and not 'waiting a friend'.\" How do you answer? Probably just\n\"Because that's what we say\"...? In which case you have the answer to your own\nquestion. And if you find that unsatisfactory, imagine the Japanese friend\nsaying \"Well, I find that unsatisfactory...\" You can sure see where this goes.\n\nAnother verb you have to learn a similar pattern is のる. Riding a bicycle\n(direct object) is じてんしゃに のる (particle に）. Again you just have to learn it,\nbut there are not so many of these that it is a big problem.",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-09T13:42:41.703",
"id": "19823",
"last_activity_date": "2014-12-09T13:42:41.703",
"last_edit_date": null,
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},
{
"body": "The particle に, rather than を, appears because the\n[valency](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valency_%28linguistics%29) of the verb\n会う requires it. Instead of に, the particle と is also possible. \nEnglish **meet** can appear with a bare object ( _I met him_ ), or the\npreposition **with** ( _I met with him_ ). \nWhile most valencies are constant across languages (most transitive Japanese\nverbs are also transitive verbs in English), there are clear and obvious\ndifferences. For instance, Japanese 待つ ' _wait_ ' requires the particle を, but\nEnglish _wait_ requires the preposition **for** , rather than a bare object.",
"comment_count": 1,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-09T15:37:36.647",
"id": "19825",
"last_activity_date": "2014-12-09T15:37:36.647",
"last_edit_date": null,
"last_editor_user_id": null,
"owner_user_id": "5362",
"parent_id": "19820",
"post_type": "answer",
"score": 3
}
] | 19820 | 19823 | 19823 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "19827",
"answer_count": 1,
"body": "When the regular student is hearing a lecture he needs to write the lecturer's\nwords very fast. So many of them are shortening the words (like smb.) and\nsentences but after the lecture they can still understand what they have\nwritten (usually).\n\nIs it possible to shorten Japanese words or there are another ways to write\ncomplicated symbols fast?",
"comment_count": 5,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-09T14:08:17.197",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "19824",
"last_activity_date": "2019-01-27T07:38:29.167",
"last_edit_date": "2015-06-15T15:54:29.367",
"last_editor_user_id": "1628",
"owner_user_id": "7898",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 8,
"tags": [
"learning",
"handwriting",
"abbreviations"
],
"title": "Are there ways to write Japanese fast (like shortening the words)?",
"view_count": 4400
} | [
{
"body": "# 行書 & 草書 (semi-cursive and cursive writings)\n\n行書【ぎょうしょ】 (semi-cursive script) is similar to English 'handwriting' style, and\nthis is the most orthodox way of writing Japanese sentences fast. This is what\nJapanese students learn at middle school, although that does not necessarily\nmean all students master beautiful 行書. You can compare 楷書【かいしょ】 (regular\nstyle) and 行書 [in this page](http://daigotorena.moo.jp/lesson/bushu-hen2.htm).\n\n[草書【そうしょ】](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cursive_script_\\(East_Asia\\)) (cursive\nscript) refers to more aggressively abbreviated kanji/kana. Ordinary Japanese\npeople do not know how to write these, and have difficulty reading 草書.\n\n# 略字 (abbreviated character)\n\nWhile 行書 and 草書 are standardized and sophisticated, people often simplify\nkanji in non-standard ways. You can see the two best-known examples\n[here](http://detail.chiebukuro.yahoo.co.jp/qa/question_detail/q1340887073).\nTo take an extreme example, 慶応【けいおう】 is sometimes written [like\nthis](http://patica2nd.blog.fc2.com/blog-entry-390.html) using English\nalphabets. Although being useful, these types of 略字 are generally frowned upon\nin formal situations, and I prefer to use 行書 whenever possible.\n\n# 略語 (abbreviated words)\n\nSimilar to English acronyms. For example, 国際連合 (Unitated Nations) is shortened\ninto 国連【こくれん】, 高等学校 (high school) is shortened into 高校【こうこう】, リモートコントローラー\n(remote controller) is shortened into リモコン, etc. Coining a new 略語 is not what\npeople do very often.\n\nIn Japanese, you can't shorten long words by piking their consonants (i.e.\nsomebody => smb, statement => stmt, ... is there a name for this?). But\nbecause kanji are ideographic characters, many things can be expressed using\nonly one or two kanji. \"Somebody\" can be written as simply as \"人\" in a grammar\ntextbook, etc.\n\n# 速記 (shorthand)\n\nThere is a Japanese version of shorthand, which allows us to write Japanese as\nquickly as people speak Japanese. Of course this is definitely for those who\nare professionally trained. [Example](http://www.sokki.or.jp/sokki/tango).",
"comment_count": 3,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 4.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-09T21:26:08.870",
"id": "19827",
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"parent_id": "19824",
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"score": 15
}
] | 19824 | 19827 | 19827 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "19830",
"answer_count": 1,
"body": "I have been learning japanese for 6 months now and thought that I would have a\nstab at buying a Japanese comic book to try and read/ translate but I'm\nstruggling! There are many different words that are included in the comic that\ndo not appear in the dictionary or in my Google searches. One example is:\n\n```\n\n じいちやん - grandfather\n エサ\n とつてくる\n \n```\n\nThese last two words I have no idea about. I've spent my entire lunch break on\njust these two. Any help on what they mean and how to better look up words\nlike this?\n\nThanks",
"comment_count": 6,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-10T02:12:08.657",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "19829",
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"owner_user_id": "7907",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 0,
"tags": [
"translation",
"manga"
],
"title": "How to find words you cant find in a dictionary? Help with translating Dragon Ball",
"view_count": 172
} | [
{
"body": "Have a look at the resources : [Resources for learning\nJapanese](https://japanese.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/756/resources-for-\nlearning-japanese) a number of online dictionaries are listed.\n\nIf you look for example at [Jisho](http://beta.jisho.org/ \"Jisho\"), both your\nexamples are listed. I have seen some people dislike Edict-based dictionaries\nso please keep an open mind and try other things.\n\n * `爺{じい}ちゃん`\n\n * Grandfather (may be used after name as honorific).Familiar language, See also 祖父{}さん, usu. 祖父ちゃん\n * Male senior-citizen (may be used after name as honorific).usu. 爺ちゃん\n * `餌｛えさ｝` Noun\n\n * (animal) feed; fodder.\n * Bait; lure; enticement.\n * `取{と}って来｛く｝る`\n\n * Kuru verb - special class,To fetch; to go and get. Other form 取ってくる 【とってくる】\n\nFor the last one, the confusion arose from the fact that you mistook `っ`\n(small つ used for doubling consonants) for `つ`. I honestly think that reading\nanything after only 6 months of Japanese will be really hard, but good luck\nand I hope this helps !",
"comment_count": 1,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-10T02:31:47.773",
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}
] | 19829 | 19830 | 19830 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "20836",
"answer_count": 2,
"body": "First, some background. My question is kind of an extension of [this\npreviously-answered\nquestion](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/22/whats-the-\ndifference-between-wa-%E3%81%AF-and-ga-%E3%81%8C) about the difference between\nは and が. While I am fairly clear on the different usages of は as a contrastive\nmarker or a thematic marker, the explanation given on the page linked above\nincluded an example of this sentence used by Susumu Kuno\n\n> 「わたくしが知っている人はパーティーに来ませんでした」\n\nin which the わたくしが知っている人（は） could be translated to something either along the\nlines of 'As for the people I know (they didn't come to the party)' or '\n_People I know_ didn't come to the party (but people I _don't_ know did)'.\nWhich translation is correct would depend on whether the は is used as a\nthematic marker (to refer back to people who were previously-mentioned), or\nwhether it is used as a contrastive sentence (that doesn't directly refer to\npeople who may have previously been mentioned).\n\nHere's the main question: assuming that a sentence was used in the context of\na conversation where は could be taken either way, such as a conversation\ncontaining the sentence above, how would a native Japanese speaker rephrase\nsuch a sentence so that the meaning of the phrase modified by は (e.g.\n私が知っている人) is more obvious? This is a two-pronged question, since は would have\nto be rephrased differently depending on which of the two meanings was\nintended in this hypothetical situation.\n\nMy guess would be to use something like としては instead of は to rephrase a\nsentence if the phrase was meant to be contrastive, and maybe といえば instead of\nは if the phrase was thematic and referring to something previously mentioned.\nWhether those would be in any way correct or not, I am not sure what kind of\nrephrasing would be most 'natural' or 'elegant', so to speak.",
"comment_count": 1,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-10T02:33:06.800",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "19831",
"last_activity_date": "2015-11-18T19:39:54.910",
"last_edit_date": "2017-04-13T12:43:44.207",
"last_editor_user_id": "-1",
"owner_user_id": "7281",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 5,
"tags": [
"grammar",
"particle-は",
"ambiguity",
"cleft-sentences"
],
"title": "How to rephrase sentences with an ambiguous は to indicate the contrastive or thematic / 「主題」と「対比」の解釈の余地のある、あいまいな「は」の言い換え方",
"view_count": 668
} | [
{
"body": "My suggestion is to keep using は and that is the most natural way that I can\nthink of as a native Japanese speaker.\n\nThe description of は and が by Kuno (1973) is widely used. Kuno (1973) mentions\nは indicates the known information and が indicates the unknown information but\nit is actually similar to distinguish a/an and the in English for instance if\nEnglish is your first language. When は is used, the speaker/writer believes\nthat s/he shares the same information (theme/topic) with the listener/reader.\n\nMoreover, they are two different kinds of particles. は is 係助詞{かかりじょし} or\nとりたて助詞{じょし} (focus particles) whereas が is 格助詞{かくじょし} (case particles)\n(Mikami, 1960; Saji, 1991; etc.). A case marker shows the relation with the\npredicate of the sentence and が marks the subject and indicates exhaustive and\nneutral description. A focus particle follows right after the case and shows\nthe speaker's perspective to the event. Each focus particle has a different\nconnotation. As for は, it marks the theme/topic of the sentence.\n\n> 1.花子{はなこ}が９時{じ}に劇場{げきじょう}で歌{うた}う。\n>\n> 2. ９時{じ}に **は** 花子{はなこ}が劇場{げきじょう}で歌{うた}う。\n>\n> 3. 劇場{げきじょう}で **は** 花子{はなこ}が９時{じ}に歌{うた}う。\n>\n>\n\n1 is the original sentence which means \"Hanako will sing at the theatre at 9\no'clock\" and the rest of sentences contains the は particle. Each sentence 2\nand 3 have the time (9時{じ}) and the place (劇場{げきじょう}) as a theme/topic of the\nevent, so they can be translated like \"As for the time, it's 9 that/when\nHanako will sing at the theatre\" and \"As for the place, it is the theatre\nwhere Hanako will sing at 9\". The problem is when the subject is marked as a\ntheme/topic of the event.\n\n> 4. *花子{はなこ}が **は** ９時{じ}に劇場{げきじょう}で歌{うた}う。\n>\n> 5. 花子{はなこ} **は** ９時{じ}に劇場{げきじょう}で歌{うた}う。\n>\n>\n\n>\n> *=ungrammatical sentence\n\nBoth sentence 4 and 5 mark the subject/doer (花子{はなこ}) as a theme/topic and\nmean \"As for Hanako or the person, it is Hanako who will sing at the theatre\nat 9\". Japanese language, however, phonetically avoid the combination with がは.\nTherefore, sentence 4 is considered as an ungrammatical sentence. は is not\nreplaced the place but more likely が hides itself behind は.\n\nReferring to the connotation of は, it just indicates the theme/topic of the\nevent. Imagine the box with full of toys. If you pick the one up, the rest of\ntoys will remain in the box. That creates two elements: the toy chosen and the\nrest left in the box. When は is used in a sentence, the case followed by は is\nfocused on. Sentence 2, for example, the time \"９時{じ} (9 o'clock)\" is focused\non but there is an implicit element which means the events except the one at\n\"９時{じ} (9 o'clock)\". So, because the speaker chooses the theme/topic by using\nは, s/he makes the contrasiveness implicitly or explicitly (eg. \"山田{やまだ} **は**\n来{く}るが、佐藤{さとう} **は** 来{こ}ない。(Yamada will come but Satō won't come\").\n\nAs for the replacement of は of \"わたくしが知{し}っている人{ひと}はパーティには来{き}ませんでした。た\", you\ncould replace with \"に関{かん}して言えば\", \"については\" or some other functional words but\nit doesn't really sounds natural to be honest. \"としては\" cannot be used. \"として\" is\nused to indicate the position, name or license to do or evaluate something\n(eg. \"田中{たなか}さん **は** 医者{いしゃ} **として** よりも小説家{しょうせつか}として有名{ゆうめい}だ。(As for\nMr/Ms. Tanaka, s/he is not famous as a doctor but as a novelist)\") and \"としては\"\nis composed with \"として\" + the focus particle は. \"に関{かん}して言{い}えば\" and \"については\"\nalso contains the focus particle は (\"に関{かん}して言{い}う\" + は and \"について\" + は)\nanyway.",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-11T13:44:35.720",
"id": "20835",
"last_activity_date": "2014-12-11T13:44:35.720",
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{
"body": "The bad news-は we don't really have an effective way to distinguish them. The\ngood news-は in fact you don't have to distinguish them.\n\nThe particle は's function could be loosely described as \"singling out one\nthing you and I know as the current focus,\" that is, every usage theoretically\ncarries contrastive overtones, as long as it has possible competitors in the\ncontext.\n\nFollowing criteria generally explain when は loses contrastive reading _if used\nwithout any advance context_.\n\n * attached to **subject, object, time or place** the event take place, or **possessor** of what you intend to mention in the rheme part.\n * **not** attached to words which already have **contrastive connotation**. \n(all adjectival phrases stumble over this: わたくしが知っている人 \"people I know\" is\npremised on the existence of \"people I don't know\")\n\n * used as the **outermost** one in the sentence. (私 **は** [今日は [テニスはしない] ])\n\nand _in the middle of passage_ , you also have to make sure:\n\n * having **no valid opponent or counterpart** in current context.\n * **not a part or possession** of something mentioned in current context or parent clause.\n\nThese things are not as complicated as it looks like, when you're actually\ntaking part in a conversation. Nor is it likely you can easily overturn the\ninterpretation within a sentence: manage the context instead. Perhaps you\nshould rather pay attention to the distinction between は and が.\n\nIf you _really_ need workarounds, you can certainly have some. But remember\nthat none of them is cure-all, for there's no word can truly rephrase は.\n\n* * *\n\nWhen you want to have a word as theme without implying contrast:\n\n * use **zero-postposition** (無助詞) form \n\n> わたしが知っている人[、]{L}パーティーに来ませんでした。\n\nIn spoken language, you can use zero postposition form to thematize the\npreceding noun without side effects. The \"zero postposition\" is rendered as _a\nbrief pause_ (~ 1 mora) or _a slightly prolonged final syllable_ , and usually\ntranscribed in Japanese comma `、`. This performs fairly well in oral\ncommunication, but is unusable in written language. \n(I replaced わたくし with わたし here, since the former is either too formal to use\nwith this expression, or sounds too nerdy.)\n\n * use `ですが`, `だが`, `だけ(れ)ど` etc.\n\n> わたくしが知っている人 **ですが** 、パーティーに来ませんでした。\n\nThey means \"it's about...\" or \"when it comes to...\", and could be used as\nworkaround. They in turn have their own ambiguity, that with \"though it\nis...\".\n\nand when you want to explicitly show the contrast:\n\n * put **stress** on the contrastive part, or the particle itself\n\n> わたくしが **知っている** 人はパーティーに来ませんでした。 \n> People I **_know_** didn't come to the party.\n\nYou can make it clear that you intend to compare it with something, by\nemphasizing the contrastive part, as much we do in English. It has no steady\ngraphical rendering, while sometimes written in following form, which is far\nless frequently used than English _italics_.\n\n> わたくしが[知っている]{﹅・﹅・﹅・﹅・﹅}人はパーティーに来ませんでした。\n\n * use emphasis (cleft) construction\n\n> パーティーに来なかったのは、わたくしが知っている人です。 \n> _It was people I know, that didn't come to the party._\n\n * use `（の）方{ほう}` in bisect situation\n\n> わたくしが知っている **方** （の人）はパーティーに来ませんでした。\n\nWhen there are only two things mentioned, you can attach `方` \"the side\" to\ntell you're referring the one side in contrast with the other.\n\n* * *\n\nUnfortunately, としては and といえば you suggested won't work as you expected. としては\nmeans \"considering as ...\" or \"among those ...\", which has nothing to do with\nthe problem. といえば \"speaking of ...\" is expected to introduce some unrelated\ntopics to hearer. (Maybe you meant was はといえば, which practically just\nemphasizes は, but this one still doesn't resolve the ambiguity.)",
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"creation_date": "2014-12-11T13:52:59.100",
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"score": 4
}
] | 19831 | 20836 | 20836 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "19834",
"answer_count": 1,
"body": "I tried to add a definition for ギッタンギッタン to JDIC using references on the\nInternet.\n\n[http://www.edrdg.org/jmdictdb/cgi-\nbin/entr.py?e=1907714&svc=jmdict&sid=](http://www.edrdg.org/jmdictdb/cgi-\nbin/entr.py?e=1907714&svc=jmdict&sid=)\n\nThey're slow to add it (or reject it) which is highly unusual. I'm guessing\nthe provided references are not authoritative enough.\n\nWould anybody have any good double checked references for this ?\n\nthe current definition I have is :\n\n * (ギッタンギッタンにする、ギッタンギッタンにやる) to obliterate, to destroy completely, to inflict tremendous pain",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-11T04:05:58.313",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "19833",
"last_activity_date": "2014-12-11T08:05:29.447",
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"owner_user_id": "7576",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 0,
"tags": [
"definitions"
],
"title": "meaning of ギッタンギッタン with reference",
"view_count": 664
} | [
{
"body": "I don't have any authoritative reference for now, but I think the definition\nyou provided has room for improvement.\n\nギタギタ/ギッタギタ/ギタンギタン/etc is a mimetic word which describes the status of someone\nseverely beat up by a fight. More common synonyms are \"けちょんけちょん\" and \"こてんぱん\".\nThese can also be metaphorically used for one-sided arguments/debates/games. I\nhave not seen ギタギタ used for inanimate objects (e.g. 車がギタギタになった).\n\nAnd ギタギタ usually means to knock someone down, maybe until he loses\nconsciousness, but does not imply complete destruction or death.",
"comment_count": 5,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-11T05:21:37.647",
"id": "19834",
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"score": 2
}
] | 19833 | 19834 | 19834 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": null,
"answer_count": 1,
"body": "I think that these sentences are both correct:\n\n> 旅行の日程 **が決められました** 。\n\nand\n\n> 旅行の日程 **が決まりました** 。\n\nBut if I use\n\n> 旅行の日程 **を決まりました** 。\n\nis this correct?",
"comment_count": 1,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-11T12:18:49.107",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "20833",
"last_activity_date": "2014-12-11T13:49:49.037",
"last_edit_date": "2014-12-11T12:24:40.680",
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"owner_user_id": "7920",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 0,
"tags": [
"particles",
"transitivity"
],
"title": "Transitive, Intransitive Verbs and Particles",
"view_count": 141
} | [
{
"body": "旅行の日程が決まりました is correct and natural.\n\n旅行の日程が決められました is not grammatically mistaken, but unnatural (hardly heard).\n\n旅行の日程を決まりました is grammatically wrong, sounds weird.",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-11T13:33:43.200",
"id": "20834",
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"owner_user_id": "7667",
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"score": 1
}
] | 20833 | null | 20834 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "32864",
"answer_count": 4,
"body": "I recently was on the phone with a Japanese customer service representative\nand I couldn't quite understand what she had said. I wanted her to repeat what\nshe had said so I said something along the lines of 'again please' or 'one\nmore time please'. What I really wanted to say was 'could you repeat that\nplease'.\n\nHow do I say the latter in Japanese?",
"comment_count": 2,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-11T16:18:14.047",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "20837",
"last_activity_date": "2016-03-12T22:15:56.497",
"last_edit_date": null,
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"owner_user_id": "7923",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 8,
"tags": [
"phrases",
"english-to-japanese"
],
"title": "Could you repeat that please?",
"view_count": 21581
} | [
{
"body": "```\n\n もう一度言ってくれませんか？\n \n```\n\n...will work just fine. If you want to go really colloquial but somewhat\nchallenging:\n\n```\n\n はい？ \n \n```\n\nElegant, but requires the right intonation. You have to make it sound like a\nquestion. There are other ways, such as \"sorry, I couldn't hear you\", or\n\"Sorry, the signal is bad...\" Another cheat I use all the time is built on the\nconcept of repeating everything the other side says on a business call in\nJapan (and adding ということですね as a suffix). If you're in the right ballpark, just\nthrow out something as a guess. If you're wrong, they'll tell you again (and\nhopefully clearer/slower). The caveat is that w/ customer service, they will\nalways speak keigo which can be a nightmare for a while.",
"comment_count": 1,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-11T16:59:49.693",
"id": "20838",
"last_activity_date": "2014-12-11T16:59:49.693",
"last_edit_date": null,
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"owner_user_id": "7550",
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"score": 2
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{
"body": "If you wanted to say it a little more properly:\n\n```\n\n すみませんが、もう一度{いちど}お願{ねが}いします。\n \n```\n\nThis is more explicit; \"Sorry but can you please say that again?\". I would use\nthis if I couldn't understand one piece of the conversation.\n\nor\n\n```\n\n すみません。声{こえ}が／お電話{でんわ}が遠{とお}いようなのですが。\n \n```\n\nThis is a soft or roundabout way of asking the other person to repeat\nthemselves. I usually use this if the person in general is hard to understand\nor there is light static on the line. It would be a cue for the other person\nto speak up or speak more clearly.",
"comment_count": 2,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-11T17:31:33.990",
"id": "20839",
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{
"body": "To a customer rep. I would say: すみませんが、先ほどのを聞き取れませんでした。もう一度お願いできませんか。\n\nIf I was a customer rep. talking to a customer for e.g., I might be more\npolite and say something like: 申し訳ございません、お電話が遠いようなのですが。もう一度お願いできませんでしょうか。",
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"creation_date": "2014-12-12T14:42:39.427",
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{
"body": "もう一度説明してくれますか？ is what I was looking for.",
"comment_count": 0,
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"creation_date": "2016-03-12T22:15:56.497",
"id": "32864",
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}
] | 20837 | 32864 | 20839 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "20857",
"answer_count": 3,
"body": "I was wondering why fruits, vegetables, animals and plants, are written in\n_katakana_? Often, there exist _kanjis_ for those, so why aren't they written\nwith those _kanjis_ instead? For example:\n\n * カマキリ instead of 蟷螂\n * ヒマワリ instead of 向日葵\n * シイタケ instead of 椎茸\n * バナナ instead of 甘蕉",
"comment_count": 0,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-11T18:31:32.200",
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"last_edit_date": "2014-12-11T20:31:49.110",
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"owner_user_id": "7387",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 16,
"tags": [
"words",
"katakana",
"food"
],
"title": "Why are the names of plants and animals often written in katakana?",
"view_count": 10346
} | [
{
"body": "I think it has more to do with style.\n\nLegibility - There are times where it is easier to read or glance at when\nwritten in hiragana/katakana.\n\nKanji difficulty - For example, 豌豆{えんどう} is a very difficult kanji to begin\nwith. Simplifying to hiragana/katakana would make it easier to understand.\n\nAesthetics - Perhaps it lends itself better to the presentation of the\ndocument.\n\nWord origin - For example, pumpkin is written in kanji as 南瓜{かぼちゃ}. It uses\n熟字訓 by applying an existing Japanese pronunciation to an existing set of kanji\nof Chinese origin, but may not always be intuitive or recognizable. This is\nopposed to, for example, 大根{だいこん} where almost everyone recognizes this\nbecause it is read naturally and the kanji matches the pronunciation of the\nword.",
"comment_count": 1,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-11T18:43:17.093",
"id": "20842",
"last_activity_date": "2018-02-06T19:35:48.557",
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"body": "If explained within the framework of [Tinbergen's four\nquestions](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinbergen%27s_four_questions): (don't\ntake it too seriously)\n\nThe proximate explanation is, because _it's a convention in the biological\nsociety_. In academic field, every creature's name is written in katakana when\nit refers to a equivalent of a scientific name. It once was even required by\n[law](http://www.bunka.go.jp/kokugo_nihongo/joho/kakuki/syusen/tosin02/index.html)\n(though it didn't state explicitly to use katakana). Today, the practice is\ngetting more and more popular, which I think is because we do it so\nextensively in the science class that even people unrelated to biology prefer\nkatakana for any plant or animal name.\n\nThe ultimate explanation is, _it stands out in the text_. The original reason\nwhy biologists started to write them in kana, I guess, was they wanted to\ndistinguish them from ordinary words, as Japanese writing doesn't have\n_italics_ or Capital Letters. Interestingly, in the pre-WWII ages academic\ndocuments were commonly written in a mixture of kanji and katakana, so they\nused _hiragana_ to render those terms. Nowadays we use hiragana for standard\northography, and katakana for foreign words. Since many plants and animals are\ninnately written in katakana, it may feel consistent to write all of them in\nthe same way.\n\nNote that not every situation is appropriate for katakana. Vegetables, meats\nand fishes in the store (as well as woods) are less likely to be seen written\nin katakana. Generic words ( _fish_ , _bird_ , _mammal_ , or _bear_ when\nyou're talking about many bear species) are often left in hiragana or kanji.\nAdvertisers prefer kanji, especially when they want the advertisement to look\nclassy.",
"comment_count": 0,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-12T02:09:32.097",
"id": "20850",
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},
{
"body": "This depends on the type of the words.\n\n * As for easy and common words, such as 桜, 犬, 蚊, they are usually written _in kanji_. These are written in katakana only in biological contexts. 常用漢字表 generally tells us what is considered easy and standard in modern Japanese. If you wrote \"東京はサクラがきれいです\" or \"イヌを飼いたいと思う\", that would look unnatural.\n\n * Relatively difficult words whose kanji are not listed in 常用漢字表, such as 薔薇, 豹, 蜻蛉, are usually written in katakana or hiragana in newspapers and official documents. People can generally read these kanji, but don't remember how to write them with confidence, because they are not something we learn at school. Using kanji for those words (with the aid of IME) is generally safe, but that may look too stiff or literary. Whether to use katakana or hiragana is up to the writer's taste. Katakana may look a bit technical, but it does stand out in the sentence, which will help us read smoothly.\n\n * There are hundreds of plants/animal names whose kanji are simply too difficult. I think majority of the Japanese population do not know (and do not want to know) how to read 紫萁, 臘虎 and 蟷螂. We have no choice but to use either hiragana or katakana in these cases.\n\n * Loanwords such as バナナ, チンパンジー, ピラニア must almost always be written in katakana. This is not surprising, is it? There may be 当て字 or corresponding Chinese names (香蕉, 黒猩々, ...) but they are only for kanji maniacs.",
"comment_count": 0,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-12T12:37:14.760",
"id": "20857",
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"score": 17
}
] | 20840 | 20857 | 20857 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "20847",
"answer_count": 2,
"body": "I recently came across a document that says the radical of \"字\" is \"こへん\". And I\nthink that is wrong. Any \"_へん\" must be in the left region of a kanji (or is\nthat just a guideline?).\n\n[The aliases for \"子\"](http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%AD%90%E9%83%A8) are\nlisted as: [こども、こ、こへん、こどもへん]. Which of these statements is correct?:\n\n * \"字\"の部首{ぶしゅ}はこへんです。\n * \"字\"の部首はこどもへんです。\n * \"字\"の部首はこです。\n * \"字\"の部首はこどもです。\n\nJust like with \"子\", there are lots of radicals that can be placed in different\nregions. So how do you decide the proper radical alias to use for each kanji?\nFor example, the radical of \"明\" is definitely \"ひへん\". But, should the radical\nof \"旧\" also be called \"ひへん\"?\n\n**CLARIFICATION** \nI am not asking how to identify the radical of a kanji. Rather, I want to know\nhow to decide the name of the kanji radical aliases.\n\n字 = (うかんむり + こへん)\n\n\"うかんむり\" is perfectly placed. A radical alias with a \"かんむり\" suffix goes on top. \n\"こへん\" seems wrong because a radical alias with a \"へん\" suffix goes in the left\nregion.\n\n字 = (うかんむり + **?** )\n\nI'm thinking those suffixes are just guidelines.",
"comment_count": 0,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-11T18:54:27.493",
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"last_edit_date": "2014-12-11T21:32:39.230",
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"post_type": "question",
"score": 2,
"tags": [
"radicals"
],
"title": "How do you decide the alias of the radical for kanjis such as \"字\" and \"旧\"?",
"view_count": 240
} | [
{
"body": "I forgot the names of them but they are definitely not only on the left. How\nwould you define the radical of 本 ? Plenty on the top... bottom... right...\netc.\n\nHave you ever looked at the Nelson dictionary? Not sure if it's useful in\nstudies these days, but it was back before computers took over the world. The\ninside cover is the radical table. Somewhere in the book it explains the\nscience behind determining the radical.\n\nEDIT: I use science very lightly. While there is a science, you don't need to\nknow it extensively to properly look up kanji .:)",
"comment_count": 5,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-11T20:45:46.073",
"id": "20845",
"last_activity_date": "2014-12-11T20:45:46.073",
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{
"body": "Words like へん and かんむり are not arbitrary suffixes. So the list of names you're\nseeing are not \"aliases\" we can use whenever. See:\n<http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%81%8F%E6%97%81> that explains in Japanese\nwhere each name type goes. It's also done a little better on the\n[部首](http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%83%A8%E9%A6%96) page.\n\nHere's my rough translation of that with some slight amending:\n\n```\n\n 偏（へん）：Placed on the left part.\n 旁（つくり）：Placed on the right part.\n 冠（かんむり）：At the top.\n 脚（あし）：On the bottom\n 構（かまえ）：Makes a box around it e.g., 囲\n 垂（たれ）：hangs around the top 广、厂, etc.\n 繞（にょう）：left and bottom 遊、走 (the parts that are left and bottom)\n \n```\n\nThus a 子 on the bottom should not be called 子編 nor a 日 on the right 日編. In\ngeneral, the first name on the list of words for that bushu is the one you\nshould use unless its occupying a specific position that has a name.\n\nWhat I do (as a non-native speaker) and what I hear other people do is things\nlike (without really caring which is the actual radical on the character):\n\nウ冠、したに子ども or したに子.\n\nごんべんで、東 = 諌める\n\nFor instance, [分 is \"「八」に「刀」です。\"](http://kakijun.jp/page/0428200.html).",
"comment_count": 7,
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"score": 2
}
] | 20843 | 20847 | 20847 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": null,
"answer_count": 1,
"body": "I'm surprised I haven't been able to turn up anything, but I'm sure you'll\nnotify me if there's a dupe I missed.\n\nDid the verbs ある and いる ever have kanji? I recognise that it won't be in use\ntoday.",
"comment_count": 6,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-11T22:31:53.107",
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"post_type": "question",
"score": 2,
"tags": [
"kanji",
"verbs"
],
"title": "Did ある and いる once have kanji?",
"view_count": 415
} | [
{
"body": "They are rarely used, but Kanji do exist for いる and ある. FWIW I've seen it used\nin formal documents.\n\n## 居【いる】\n\n * To be as in to be physically somewhere as opposed to exist or to have a quality.\n\n### Vocabulary\n\n居留守{いるす} Pretending to be not home.\n\n住居{じゅうきょ} To reside, residence.\n\n## 有【ある】\n\n * To exist, to have something.\n\n### Vocabulary\n\n有限{ゆうげん} With limit, _limited_ as in **limited** resources or time.\n\n存在{そんざい} Existence.",
"comment_count": 3,
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] | 20846 | null | 21066 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "20849",
"answer_count": 1,
"body": "Right now, I'm reading the Japanese translation of Catcher in the Rye.\n\nThis sentence has been puzzling me:\n\n奴さん、ジャガーをもってやがんだよ。\n\nI know that the author is saying that his brother owns a Jaguar, but I'm not\nsure what 「やがんだ」 means exactly.\n\nSo my question is: How is やがんだ used and when is it used?",
"comment_count": 0,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-12T01:05:07.957",
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"post_type": "question",
"score": 5,
"tags": [
"grammar",
"usage"
],
"title": "What does やがんだ mean?",
"view_count": 1601
} | [
{
"body": "This is a colloquial contraction of\n〜て[やがる](http://www.weblio.jp/content/%E3%82%84%E3%81%8C%E3%82%8B)＋んだ, from\n〜て＋いやがる＋のだ. Holden thinks that his brother is a big phony because he has a\nJaguar, and he's expressing his negative attitude toward that with 〜てやがる.",
"comment_count": 0,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-12T01:26:08.863",
"id": "20849",
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"score": 8
}
] | 20848 | 20849 | 20849 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "20853",
"answer_count": 1,
"body": "I've been writing little news pieces lately for practice, and I'm presently\nhung up on this passage. I'm trying to express the idea \"This decision caused\nmany protests, which have remained peaceful thus far.\" I could split these\nclauses into two sentences and have an easy time of it, but I've been trying\nto dig up some information on how I could actually convey that \"which\"\nappositive relationship.\n\nI had a look at [this excellent\ndiscussion](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/14541/relative-\nclauses-distinguishing-whom-with-which-that), but I don't think the examples\nprovided address my usage case, because the closest equivalency I can draw to\nthose would involve changing the sentence to \"This decision cause many\nprotests which are peaceful,\" or \"many peaceful protests,\" and I specifically\nwant to retain the indication that the protests are ongoing and that their\nremaining peaceful is not a certainty.\n\nI'd field some guesses, but I've come up short on any material that gets any\ncloser to discussing what I have in mind, so I'm at a loss.",
"comment_count": 1,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-12T02:17:02.517",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "20851",
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"last_edit_date": "2017-04-13T12:43:44.740",
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"post_type": "question",
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"tags": [
"english-to-japanese",
"relative-clauses"
],
"title": "Rendering an appositive \"which\" clause in Japanese",
"view_count": 531
} | [
{
"body": "Your original text seems to be an instance of a very English way of sentence-\nbuilding, which adds comments as appositive afterthoughts. This sort of idea\nis often hard to transplant into Japanese, because the language doesn't have\nany postmodifing (i.e. adding adjectives after) mechanism. It is often\nseparated or linked by conjunctions, like multiple sentences.\n\nSo a possible translation is:\n\n> この決定は多くの抗議活動を巻き起こしたが、それらは今のところ平和裡に行われている。\n\nBut if I'm allowed to translate freely, I'd reword it as:\n\n> この決定は多くの抗議活動を巻き起こしたが、現時点で暴動には発展していない。 \n> _This decision caused many protests, but they have not exploded into\n> violence thus far._",
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"creation_date": "2014-12-12T04:19:14.807",
"id": "20853",
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] | 20851 | 20853 | 20853 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "20860",
"answer_count": 2,
"body": "While doing some translating, I stumbled upon this usage of 立ち上がる。\n\n> わたしが **ゴミ袋を手に立ち上がる** と、イツカ君とお姉ちゃんは二人一緒にわたしの所へやって来ました。\n\nIt doesn't match up with the definitions I'm familiar with, nor any of the\nother ones I found in the\n[dictionary](https://kotobank.jp/word/%E7%AB%8B%E3%81%A1%E4%B8%8A%E3%81%8C%E3%82%8B%E3%83%BB%E7%AB%8B%E4%B8%8A%E3%81%8C%E3%82%8B-320473).\n\n> ①座ったり腰かけたりしていた人が，立つ。 「座席から－・る」 \n> ③まったく打ちひしがれていた者が，勢いを取り戻す。「破産の憂き目から－・る」 「廃墟の中から－・る」\n\nA [google\nsearch](https://www.google.com/search?q=%E3%82%92%E6%89%8B%E3%81%AB%E7%AB%8B%E3%81%A1%E4%B8%8A%E3%81%8C%E3%82%8B&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8)\nfor ~を手に立ち上がる with over a million hits suggests it's used often enough.\n\n> 総大将は **軍扇を手に立ち上がる**\n\nCould someone elaborate on what's going on and the precise meaning of the\nword?",
"comment_count": 2,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-12T08:13:27.677",
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"post_type": "question",
"score": 14,
"tags": [
"words",
"transitivity"
],
"title": "Meaning and transitivity of ゴミ袋を手に立ち上がる",
"view_count": 1267
} | [
{
"body": "して has been omitted from 〜を〜に（して）:\n\n> わたしがゴミ袋を手に **（して）** 立ち上がる\n\nして is often omitted from this construction. In this case, we can tell it's\nomitted for two reasons:\n\n 1. The following verb is intransitive and can't take an を-argument.\n 2. ゴミ袋を and 手に don't make sense as arguments of 立ち上がる here.\n\nSo the key isn't the meaning of the verb, but the ellipsis of する.",
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"creation_date": "2014-12-12T09:28:47.207",
"id": "20855",
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},
{
"body": "`A を B に` is a common literary adverbial expression that means _with A in/on\nB_ , literally or figuratively.\n\nIn most cases you have a part of body in _B_ , as `小銭を手に` _with coins in\n**hand**_ , `期待を胸に` _with expectation in **chest**_ (= heart), `ドアを背に` _with\ndoor in **back**_ (= with back against the door), `リュックを(背/肩)に` _with backpack\non **shoulder**_ etc.\n\nBut it's also frequently used with position/moment words in _B_ , notably\n`心配をよそに` _with concern in **elsewhere**_ (= much to others' unease), `敵を前に`\n_with enemy in **front**_ (= confronting one's enemy), `その手紙を最後に` _with the\nletter at the **end**_ (= no contact since the letter) etc.\n\nsnailboat's analysis isn't wrong, but you can't expect ～に and ～にして to be used\ninterchangeably in real life, because:\n\n> ゴミ袋を手に立ち上がる _to stand up with garbage bag in hand_ \n> ゴミ袋を手にして立ち上がる _to stand up after grasping the garbage bag_\n\n～にして contains a verb _te-form_ , thus always describes two motions occurring\nin succession, but not concurrently.\n\nHere is [a Japanese thesis](http://ci.nii.ac.jp/naid/110008005817) about the\ndifference between AをBに with and without して. You can also find more examples\nof this construction, which I didn't cover here.\n\nP.S. \nI forgot the most crucial thing. So the 立ち上がる is but an ordinary intransitive\nverb \"to stand up\".",
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}
] | 20854 | 20860 | 20860 |
{
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"body": "For example, \"He knows that he's a lazy guy\" or something like that.\n\nSomething along the lines of **he/she is aware of something** + **the thing\nhe/she is aware of**.",
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"title": "How to say \"he/she knows\"?",
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{
"body": "“He knows that A” is “彼はAを知っている” or “彼はAをわかっている”.\n\nYour example is “彼は自分が怠け者であることをわかっている”. The second “he” is translated into\n“自分” because it means “himself”.",
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{
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"body": "[From JapanesePod101:](http://blogs.japanesepod101.com/blog/2014/08/08/)\n\n> 十四番のボールは、緑の帯が入っている。 \n> The fourteen ball has a green stripe.\n\nI'm not sure how and why 入る is being used here. There doesn't seem to be any\nclear fit amongst the dictionary meanings of\n[入る](http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/leaf/jn2/174460/m0u/%E5%85%A5%E3%82%8B/). I\nusually understand 入る as `to enter/to be inside (intransitive)`, so the stripe\ninstead of the ball being the subject of 入る seems a bit weird - shouldn't the\nball be \"inside\" the stripe?",
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"tags": [
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"title": "Meaning of 入る in 帯が入る",
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{
"body": "According to a\n[大辞林](http://www.weblio.jp/content/%E3%81%AF%E3%81%84%E3%82%8B), “入る (はいる)”\nalso means that something exists on something else. Thus, your example means\nthat a green stripe is on the ball.\n\nThe dictionary provides another example: “ネームの入った便箋” (a letter with your name\non it). In my experience, this meaning of “入る” is used only when something is\nwritten or drawn.\n\nA related example is “ひびが入る”, which is listed as another meaning in the\ndictionary.",
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{
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"body": "日本語の名詞を修飾する時、「が」しか使えないでしょう？\n\n例えば、\n\n> 私 **が** いつも遊んでいたところはあの川の傍の公園です。 \n> 友達 **が** 買ってくれたパソコンはこれだ。\n\n今私の質問は、～か／～かどうか についてはそういう文法がありますか？？\n\nそして、そういう思いの上で文を書いてみました（英語で同じ意味を表してみました、意味は正しくないなら 是非教えてくださいね）：\n\n> あなた **は** 何をしているかを知っている。 \" **You** know what you are doing.\"\n>\n> あなた **が** 何をしているかを知っている。 \" **I** know what you are doing.\"\n\n以上の文の意味は違うのでしょう？？ 違うのなら何処が違うかを教えてください。\n\n質問が多くてすみません。",
"comment_count": 2,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-12T17:55:05.837",
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"tags": [
"grammar"
],
"title": "名詞の修飾と「～か」・「～かどうか」についての質問",
"view_count": 610
} | [
{
"body": "> 日本語の名詞を修飾する時、「が」しか使えないでしょう？\n\nこれは完全に正確だと言えません。連体修飾句では、一般的には「が」が使われていますが、「は」も可能です：`あれは［私には役に立たない］方法だ。`こういう場合には、「は」が対比を表します。\n\n> 以上の文の意味は違うのでしょう？？\n\n注釈は間違ってはいませんが、他の意味も可能です。\n\n簡単に言うと、両文に二つの構造があります。その上に、「は」も「が」も複数の意味を持っています。主語が決まっているわけでもありません。したがって、意味はたくさんあります。\n\n * > **文１構造１** ：あなた **は** ［（○が）何をしているか］を知っている。 \n> 普通の「は」：\"You know what (you/I/he/she/X) is doing.\" \n> 対比を表す「は」：\" _You_ know what (you/I/he/she/X) is doing (but someone else\n> doesn't).\"\n\n「あなたは」が主節にある場合。\n\n * > **文１構造２** ：（○は）［あなた **は** 何をしているか］を知っている。 \n> 対比を表す「は」：\"(You/I/he/she/X) knows what _you_ are doing (but not someone\n> else.)\"\n\n「あなたは」が埋め込み文にある場合。（ご注意：文脈があっても、この解釈はほぼ不可能です。）\n\n * > **文２構造１** ：あなた **が** ［（○が）何をしているか］を知っている。 \n> 何かを特定する「が」：\" _You_ are the one who knows what (you/I/he/she/X) is doing.\"\n\n「あなたが」が主節にある場合。\n\n * > **文２構造２** ：（○は）［あなた **が** 何をしているか］を知っている。 \n> 普通の「が」：\"(You/I/he/she/X) knows what you are doing.\" \n> 何かを特定する「が」：\"(You/I/he/she/X) knows what _you_ are doing.\"\n\n「あなたが」が埋め込み文にある場合。",
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] | 20863 | 20867 | 20867 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "20865",
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"body": "> でもありやいい制度だ\n\nAs in the title, could you help with the translation to English of this one\nsentence? If you want the context, [here](http://puu.sh/drYw3/37b87ca019.jpg)\n\nI've got an English version\n[here](http://mangafox.me/manga/yoroshiku_master/v01/c001/28.html) too, but it\ndoesn't make any sense(at least to me).",
"comment_count": 1,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-12T20:23:19.857",
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"post_type": "question",
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"tags": [
"translation",
"manga"
],
"title": "”でもありやいい制度だ” Help with one line from manga translation",
"view_count": 198
} | [
{
"body": "First of all, it's ありゃ not ありや And it's slang (or contraction?) for でもあれはいい制度だ\nwhich means \"But that's a good system\". [Might have some contextual\nvariances].\n\nI'd also recommend asking questions in a different way. Straight up\ntranslations aren't allowed here. If you can dissect the sentence a bit (and\nmaybe offer an attempt) it's more likely to not get flagged.",
"comment_count": 2,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-12T20:32:16.540",
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] | 20864 | 20865 | 20865 |
{
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"body": "> れいぞうこ の なか に ケーキ は 3こ ありました.\n>\n> せんしゅう 、かんじ を 20こ おぼえ ました.\n\nIn the above examples, why does こ come after the number? Is it a counter? If\nyes, at what instances can it be used? If not, please advise how and when it\nshould be used.",
"comment_count": 1,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-13T16:21:19.300",
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"tags": [
"numbers",
"counters"
],
"title": "What does it mean when a number is followed by こ",
"view_count": 257
} | [
{
"body": "It is a counter. Ko is a kind of generic counter.For example if you were\ncounting paper you would use mai（枚）, cars would use（台）, animals in many cases\nuse hiki/piki (匹) or tou（頭）.\n\nThere are many cases, so I would recommend you look up counters. ;)\n\nWish you the best. 頑張ってね。 ラドより",
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"body": "The こ is indeed a counter, usually written 個.\n\nIt is a _general_ counter for counting objects, much like つ. Your two example\nsentences provide proof of the generality of 個, since cakes and kanji\ncharacters have few common features.\n\nつ is often taught as the \"default\" counter (\"default\" meaning that it can be\nused in practically any situation to make yourself understood). But つ is only\nused up to 10 objects. For 11 or more objects, 個 could be regarded as the\ndefault counter.",
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{
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"body": "Consider the two sentences:\n\n> 1. うちに犬がいます。 \n> uchi-ni inu-ga imasu\n> 2. 犬がうちにいます。 \n> inu-ga uchi-ni imasu\n>\n\nIs it correct to translate these as\n\n> 1. \"There is a dog at home\"\n> 2. \"The dog is at home\"\n>\n\nrespectively?\n\nTo me, the first sentence feels like a statement of fact, and the second feels\nlike an answer to the question \"Where is the dog?\". Is this interpretation\ncorrect? If not, how does the order of subject and place affect the meaning?\n\nFurthermore, how do either of these differ from the following sentence?\n\n> 3. 犬はうちにです。 \n> inu-wa uchi-ni desu\n>",
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"tags": [
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"title": "How does the order of place and subject affect the meaning of a sentence using the verb iru",
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{
"body": "uchi-ni inu-ga imasu (家に犬がいます) and inu-ga uchi-ni imasu (犬が家にいます) sounds, to\nme at least, the same. It's very commonly the case in Japanese that you can\nrearrange words and construct virtually the same sentence. Personally, I would\nsay \"uchi ni inu ga imasu\". They both seem like statements of facts. If you\nwere asked directly, \"Where is the dog?\" (犬はどこ？) you would probably just say\n\"uchi ni imasu (家にいます)\" and omit the subject, dog, completely because it's\nobvious from the context.\n\nThere is a difference between inu-wa uchi-ni desu (犬は家にです) and the the other\ntwo sentences, however. You don't actually need ni before desu. ni arimasu and\nni imasu can be abbreviated to just desu. For example \"uchi ni imasu (家にいます)\"\nis the same as \"uchi desu (家です).\" However, when you're using this form it\nsounds more to me like, \"The dog is home\" as opposed to the statement of fact\nthat \"the dog resides in the house.\" Nevertheless, depending on the context,\nin this case if you were asked directly, \"Where is the dog?\" they would both\nsound the same to me.",
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] | 20877 | 20879 | 20879 |
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"body": "The dictionary I'm using lists two common pronunciations of 「九」: 「きゅう」 and\n「く」. I've usually heard it as 「きゅう」 before, but when saying 「９時」, it always\nseems to be 「くじ」. Is there a rule to this?",
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"creation_date": "2014-12-14T09:08:26.987",
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"tags": [
"pronunciation",
"readings",
"numbers"
],
"title": "Pronunciation of 九",
"view_count": 782
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{
"body": "> Is there a rule to this?\n\nYes! The rule is **9時 is always くじ**. (And similarly, 9月 \"September\" is always\nくがつ. Cf. 9ヶ月 きゅうかげつ \"nine months\".)",
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"creation_date": "2014-12-14T12:47:12.507",
"id": "20882",
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"body": "A single Kanji usually has several different readings, and numbers 1-10 are\nprobably some of the most salient examples of this. The readings can vary\nwildly. For example,\n\n九｛きゅう｝ (nine) 九本｛きゅうほん｝ (nine bottles) 九番{きゅうばん} (problem number 9) 九時｛くじ｝\n(nine o'clock) 九月｛くげつ｝ (September -- 9th month) 九日｛ここのか｝ (the 9th day of the\nmonth) 九つ｛ここの｝ (nine objects that are either round or of no discernible shape)\n\nI can't really think of a general rule, unfortunately. I can say, however,\nyou'll eventually get used to all the exceptions.",
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"body": "Generally speaking, there is no hard rule to decide which reading of a _kanji_\nis used for a given word or compound. To be certain, you need to look it up in\na dictionary and remember each word on a case-by-case basis.\n\nHowever, there are certain _tendencies_ that allow you to guess, better than\nby random guessing, which reading to use for a certain _kanji_. To put it\nanother way, you can use your feeling for the language to come up with an\neducated guess for a new word, and need to remember only the exceptions,\nreducing the required mental load and capacities.\n\nAnother point I believe is worth mentioning, you need to learn each word\nanyway, be there _kanji_ or not. By `learning a word`, I am referring to the\nassociation between meaning and sound. You need to do that for any other\nlanguage as well. And once you _know the word_ , all you need to do when\nreading a text with kanji is identifying the word in question, and you will\nknow its pronunciation. For example, if you have learned the word `kuji = `,\nand you see `九時` in some written text, your knowledge that `九 = 9, 時 = time`\ntogether with the context allows you to conclude that `九時 = `. Therefore, even\nwithout remembering which reading to use for each word, you know that `九時 =\nkuji`.\n\nTendencies include the following:\n\nON/KUN reading:\n\n * ON, in _kanji_ compounds, eg. 芸者【げいしゃ】, 恍惚【こうこつ】\n * ON reading if it has become an individual word on its own*, eg. 肉【にく】, 秒【びょう】, 魔【ま】, 豹【ひょう】, 雹【ひょう】, 生【せい】, 僕【ぼく】, 本【ほん】, 印【いん】\n * KUN reading if there are _okurigana_ forcing it, eg. 頂【いただ】きます, 行【おこな】う, 躊躇【ためら】う (cf. 躊躇【ちゅうちょ】), 話【はな】し\n * KUN for individual kanji whose ON reading is not an individual words, especially if it is a noun with the _okurigana_ of the 連用形 omitted, eg. 神【かみ】, 鏡【かがみ】, 話【はなし】, 歌【うた】, 鉈【なた】\n * words consisting of multiple words etymologically are prone to mixed readings, especially when the ON reading exists as a word, or it contains pre/suffixes: 取調室【とりしらべしつ】, 秒読み【びょうよみ】, 消印【けしいん】, 団子【だんご】, 客間【きゃくま】, 時代物【じだいもの】\n * Words referring to cultural activities, rituals, objects, food, clothing, medicine, plants, weaponry etc. tend to use irregular readings, and you had better look them up, eg. 八咫烏【やたがらす】, 地謡座【じうたいざ】, 栴檀板【せんだんのいた】, 上四方固【かみしほうがため】, 天照大神【あまてらすおおみかみ】, 剪定鋏【せんていばさみ】\n\nSome compound words without _okurigana_ read KUN: 子守唄【こもりうた】, 神々【かみがみ】,\n素直【すなお】, 取引【とりひき】. Note that there are some mixed ON/KUN compounds (cf. 湯桶読み,\n重箱読み).\n\nDifferent ON readings:\n\n * Most _kanjis_ have got one ON reading that is much more common in contemporary Japanese. Often, this is the KAN (漢音) reading. Some of the more frequent _kanjis_ have got more common readings, but the rarer, the less irregular, and most kanji are infrequent**. Eg., 植【しょく】, 衛【えい】, 療【りょう】, 恥【ち】, 攪【かく】, 命【めい】, 焉【えん】, 集【しゅう】. Words with other readings are not so common: 命終【みょうじゅう】, 駢植【へんち】, 兵衛【ひょうえ】, 結集【けちじゅう】, 攪拌【こうはん】\n * GO (呉音) reading for Buddhistic vocabulary, and common words of Buddhistic origin: 薬師 **如** 来【やくしにょらい】, お経【きょう】, **涅** 槃【ねはん】, **解** 脱【げだつ】,八 **正** 道【はっしょうどう】, **精** 進【しょうじん】, 名色【みょうしき】, **怨** 憎 **会** 苦【おんしょうえく】, 不動 **明** 王【ふどうみょうおう】\n * Some older (Heian/Kamakura - Edo) words use TOU/SOU (唐宋音), eg. 椅 **子** 【いす】, 杏 **子** 【あんず】, **行** 灯【あんどん】, 箪 **笥** 【たんす】, 九時【くじ】\n\n* * *\n\n(*) Often, these words are used only as part of some larger sentence and might\nbe unintelligible if used in isolation. For example, `この世に生をうける` is\nunderstandable, but saying `せい` without context is not.\n\n(**) Some less frequent _kanji_ with a reading different than what their\nstructure (semantic-phonetic compound) suggests have acquired a new ON reading\ncorresponding to the phonetic element. This is called 慣用音, eg. 消耗【しょうもう】\ninstead of the original 消耗【しょうこう】.",
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"body": "Today, きゅう is the default (i.e. productive) _on-yomi_ pronunciation of 九 (or\n9) for counting most things, and only a small portion of words requires く.\n\nAlways: \n**hours** (o'clock) (`9時`, `19時`), **dates** (`19日`, `29日`), **month name**\n(`9月`)\n\nPreferred or alternative to きゅう: \n**hours** (duration) (`9時間`, `19時間`...), **years** (`9年(間)`, `2009年`...),\n**people** (`9人`, `19人`...), **degree** (`29度`, `39度`...), **bare double-\nfigure numbers** (`19`, `29`, `1029`...), **-fold, -ple** (`9重`, `19重`...),\nfollowed by **次** (`第9次`, `9次元`...)\n\nSporadic traditional or euphonic examples (Google it for details): \n`九段`, `九十九里`, `四十九日`, `九分九厘`, `九条`, `九九`, `九曜`, `第九`, `月9` (= 月曜9時) etc. \n(There are far more old words; historically く had been the prevailing\npronunciation until it was replaced because of its homophony with 苦{く}\n\"anguish\".)",
"comment_count": 3,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-15T09:49:35.727",
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] | 20881 | null | 20895 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": null,
"answer_count": 2,
"body": "I found many people say 好きでした when they actually mean 好きです. I think it is\nshort for ずっと好きでした. I know ずっと～していた and ずっと～している can well mean the same, but I\nstill do not know the nuance between 好きでした and 好きです.\n\n* * *\n\nThe question is about the difference between 好きでした and 好きです. The following do\nnot have to be relevant, but I hope it can inspire discussions and answers.\n\nMy first thought is that ずっと may be the culprit. It is often used with た even\nwhen る is possible and more logically correct. ずっと is often used with していた and\nしている. The two expressions often happen to be interchangeable. And I think\ncompared with している, していた often implies the process/action/state is\n_interrupted_ or _something else_ happens in the meanwhile, like in\n\n> 彼女に電話をかけようと考えていたところ、彼女の方から、電話をかけて来た\n\nMy another observation is that た is often used to in _experience-based_\nexpressions. It seems that た (as well as the particle だ, adjective ending い)\nis especially common in expressions involving expressing emotions, and る is\nrare in this usage. All following sentences are _stative_ , very different\nfrom verbs. I assume 好きでした has something to do with it.\n\n 1. Impressions, reports\n\n> (After watching) いい最終回だった\n>\n> (Looking out the window, then coming back and saying) 誰もいなかった\n\n 2. Feelings\n\n> (Hearing good news) よかった\n>\n> (After the issue is solved) ありがとうございました\n\n 3. Something between 1 and 2\n\n> (When you finally got to see someone) 会いたかった\n>\n> (Same as above) 待っていました\n\nThere are many other usages of た, but I do not think they are particularly\nrelevant.\n\nI feel that 好きでした is more or less the same as 会いたかった and 待っていました. Unlike case\n1 and 2, both sentences can be used with ずっと, which is similar to 好きでした. But\nit can be argued that the uses of た in both sentences are logical, because\nboth imply 会えた so the speaker is no longer 会いたい or 待っている. Nevertheless, I\nthink 好きでした conveys the same level of emotional intensity as 会いたかった and\n待っていました, if you compare them with 待たせたな, 遅い、すごく待った. I think people say 愛してる\nrather than 愛してた probably because 片思いのほうが辛い.\n\n_To emphasize the feeling over a long past period of time_ , is this the\nreason that makes た often fit better with ずっと?",
"comment_count": 3,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-14T14:14:57.017",
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"last_edit_date": "2020-06-17T08:18:27.500",
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"post_type": "question",
"score": 9,
"tags": [
"usage",
"tense"
],
"title": "好き【すき】でした。付き【つき】合って【あって】ください。",
"view_count": 1336
} | [
{
"body": "The difference between 好きでした and 好きです is somewhat subtle. It depends on\nwhether or not the action/event/whatever being described is a one time event\nor an ongoing action. For example, If you liked a concert you would probably\nsay 好きでした (or, if you wanted to sound even more natural, 面白｛おもしろ｝かった -- It was\ninteresting). If you like studying Japanese, you would say\n日本語を勉強｛べんきょう｝するのが好きです. It's similar to the English, \"I _liked_ that movie.\" as\nopposed to \"I _like_ that movie.\" Both are correct, but in Japanese you would\nslightly prefer the past tense if you're talking about a single event.\n\n* * *\n\nFor 「よかった, いい最終回だった」, this is actually two independent clauses so the adverb\nずっと wouldn't work. The 良{よ}かった is saying, \"That was great.\" If you wanted to\nuse ずっと, you would put if before the verb and make the verb past tense. For\nexample, この道{みち}をずっと行った (I went all the way down this road).",
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"body": "Just an addition to current answers/comments. It could also be a Hokkaido\nthing. When I lived and worked in Sapporo, some people (mostly 50 and older)\nwould use a similar past tense. For e.g., I might get a phone call where the\nother person might say \"もしもし、佐藤でした\" instead of \"もしもし、佐藤です\"\n\nyou might find more details by googling \"北海道弁 過去形\"",
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] | 20883 | null | 20884 |
{
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"body": "In English, if you have a poem, like\n\n> Roses are red, \n> Violets are blue, \n> Sugar is sweet, \n> And so are you.\n\nand you need to write it on just one line (for reasons of space or whatever),\nyou would write it like this:\n\n> Roses are red, / violets are blue, / sugar is sweet, / and so are you.\n\nThat is, you use a single forward slash to separate the lines of the poem.\n\nWhat is the equivalent of this in Japanese? I know that in some cases, you can\njust omit the line breaks altogether, e.g. writing\n\n> 古池や \n> 蛙飛び込む \n> 水の音\n\nas\n\n> 古池や蛙飛び込む水の音\n\nBut supposing you did need to indicate the line breaks, how would you do so?",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-14T22:09:42.470",
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"id": "20889",
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"owner_user_id": "3437",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 5,
"tags": [
"punctuation",
"orthography",
"poetry"
],
"title": "How do you indicate line breaks in a poem when it is written without actual line breaks?",
"view_count": 1239
} | [
{
"body": "Japanese doesn't traditionally use spaces, so a space will indicate a line\nbreak. For example,\n\n八雲立つ 出雲八重垣 妻籠みに 八重垣作る その八重垣を\n\nWhich, if choose to write it in rōmaji, is\n\nYakumo tatsu / Izumo yaegaki / Tsuma-gomi ni / Yaegaki tsukuru / Sono yaegaki\nwo\n\nI will say, however, texts containing poems would almost always be written\nvertically, so the need to write a poem horizontally is rare.",
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"creation_date": "2014-12-14T22:17:57.113",
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] | 20889 | null | 20890 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "20902",
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"body": "The sentence is taken from a fantasy visual novel.\n\n> 現の神と古の神が相克するこの世界でも類を見ない、 双方にとって、 忌み嫌われる世界の敵\n\nIt's a bit unclear for me which clause is modified by the word 「忌み嫌われる」 Does\nit mean: \"The abhorred/detested **enemy** of the word\" or \"The\nabhorred/detested **world's** enemy\"?\n\n**Edit 1** : Full sentence provided",
"comment_count": 2,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-14T23:39:31.900",
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"score": 0,
"tags": [
"relative-clauses"
],
"title": "The modification target of 忌み嫌われる",
"view_count": 71
} | [
{
"body": "忌み嫌われる modifies (世界の)敵. The first half of the sentence says 現の神 and 古の神\nconflict with each other in 'this world', and this \"世界の敵\" is detested by both\n現の神 and 古の神. Interpreting this part as \"detested world\" is grammatically\npossible, but it doesn't match the context.",
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"creation_date": "2014-12-15T13:30:17.853",
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] | 20891 | 20902 | 20902 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "20894",
"answer_count": 3,
"body": "Does anyone have a good rule for converting to dictionary (u)form from masu\nform regarding the different verb groups? Most websites start with dictionary\nand go to masu but I learned starting with masu.",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-15T07:09:39.710",
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"owner_user_id": "7952",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 4,
"tags": [
"verbs",
"conjugations",
"politeness"
],
"title": "How to convert verbs from polite form to dictionary form?",
"view_count": 17680
} | [
{
"body": "As you may know, Japanese verbs are either godan (five step) or ichidan (one\nstep) verbs.\n\nGodan Verbs:\n\n```\n\n remove the masu e.g. ikimasu -> iki\n then change the final syllable to a 'u' sound, e.g. iki -> iku\n other examples: iimasu -> ii -> iu\n nomimasu -> nomi -> nomu\n \n```\n\nIchidan verbs:\n\n```\n\n remove the masu\n then add 'ru', e.g. tabemasu -> tabe -> taberu\n \n```\n\nThe trick of course is knowing what sort of verb is it. Generally, verbs whose\nfinal stem syllable (before masu) is an 'e' sound are ichidan (tabemasu,\nakemasu). Howeverm, there others (dekimasu, karimasu). So, you will have to\nlearn it for each verb. However, it's quite easy to form the dictionary form.",
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"creation_date": "2014-12-15T09:30:25.317",
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"body": "As James said, without knowing the group of the verb, you can't really guess.\nNote that this is also true for the inverse step : i.e. you cannot, simply\nfrom the dictionary form guess what is the ます-form nor the て-form.\n\nFrom there, look for go-dan (`五段`) or ichi-dan (`一段`) in your dictionary.\nDuring my studies, my teacher also reffered to them as \"strong\" and \"weak\"\nverbs respectively.\n\nThen, it is pretty simple :\n\n * For godan:\n\n * Remove the ます stem\n * Take the last syllable of your verb, before the ます stem.\n * Change it to the \"u\" sound of the same line. (Be careful, the \"u\" sound of the \"t\" line is `つ` and not `テゥ` !).\n * For ichidan:\n\n * Remove the `ます` stem\n * Add `る`\n\nSo now, the real question is, in which category does your verb fall in ?\n\n * If the last syllabe of the dictionary form (a.k.a. the one just before your ます stem) is a \"e\" syllabe, it is ichidan. See for example, 食｛た｝べる, 教{おし}える, 負｛ま｝ける...\n * If your verb has only one syllabe (excluding the ます stem) it is also ichidan ! For example 見｛み｝る/見ます、着{き}る/着ます. Be careful, some of this verbs have false friends : they have the same dictionary form but are actually godan. Check for example 着る and 切{き}る/切ります.\n * If your verb ends with an `i` vowel, it is most often a godan, see 飲｛の｝む/飲みます, 書｛か｝く/書きます, 勝{か}つ/勝ちます. However, you really need to memorize the exceptions to this rule : some are ichidan, like 起｛お｝きる/起きます, 降｛お｝りる/降ります, 借｛か｝りる/借ります\n * There are a few exceptions to this rule, most notably :\n\n * する/します\n * 来｛く｝る/来｛き｝ます\n\nAs a side note, when you will know about more forms, you can always deduce the\ngroup of a verb from two forms, and from there construct the other ones. godan\nverbs change at all forms (five, hence godan) and add a suffix while ichidan\nnever change their root and are simply added a suffix (hence a one step verb).\n\nGood luck in your studies !",
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"creation_date": "2014-12-15T10:11:16.883",
"id": "20897",
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"body": "I would like to add some numbers, now that we can easily search for tags with\nthe new beta jisho. `http://beta.jisho.org/search/*しる%20%23v1`, for example,\nsearches for 一段 verbs ending on `しる`.\n\n```\n\n [ending]: [五段 verbs], [一段 verbs], [一段 verbs with more than 1 syllable without the final る]\n \n Note that the last count does not include compound verbs such as 見飽きる, 言いすぎる, or おおめに見る.\n \n - imasu: 728, 35, 4\n -kimasu: 885, 30, 4\n -simasu: 1826, 1 (接しる), 1\n -timasu: 253、39, 3\n -nimasu: 2 (死ぬ & 往ぬ)、2 (煮る & 似る), 0\n -mimasu: 603、62, 4\n -rimasu: 2275、25, 3\n -gimasu: 138、29, 1 (過ぎる)\n -jimasu: 0、102, n/a\n -bimasu: 103, 41, ~15\n \n```\n\nFor 五段 verbs you remove _-imasu_ and add *-u\", for 一段 verbs you remove _-masu_\nand add _-ru_. From the above table, as a best guess you can assume that most\nverbs with a _masu-form_ on _-imasu_ are 五段.\n\nHowever, verbs ending on _-jimasu_ are always 一段, and verbs ending on\n_-simasu_ almost always 五段.\n\nFurthermore, you should exert some caution for verbs ending on _-nimasu_ and\n_-bimasu_ , as there are not significantly more verbs of one type than\nanother.\n\nFinally, if you are able to identify the compounds of a compound verb and\napply the rule regarding the number of syllables (one syllable before _-masu_\nmust be 一段, except for 来ます and します), you will only need to remember a handful\nof exceptions.\n\nFor reference, there are about 3k verbs ending on _-emasu_ , but they are\nalways 一段, thus you remove _-masu_ and add _-ru_.\n\n* * *\n\nA word of warning about these numbers: they do no include the frequencies with\nwhich each verb occurs. There might be many more 五段 verbs ending on _-gimasu_\nthan 一段 ones, but most 五段 might be used only rarely.",
"comment_count": 0,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-15T19:03:39.283",
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}
] | 20893 | 20894 | 20897 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": null,
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"body": "I've seen/heard both を言います and と言いますof these used. What is the difference?",
"comment_count": 1,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-15T09:50:49.800",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "20896",
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"post_type": "question",
"score": 1,
"tags": [
"particles"
],
"title": "。。。を言います 。。。と言います？",
"view_count": 66
} | [] | 20896 | null | null |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "20899",
"answer_count": 2,
"body": "I recently learnt that 「何も」 means 'nothing' (e.g. 「何も怖くないです。」 means 'Nothing\nscares (me).').\n\nBut how do I say 'What else'? (e.g. 'What else goes well with this dress?' or\n'What else never dies?)",
"comment_count": 2,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-15T11:40:52.647",
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"score": 2,
"tags": [
"grammar",
"words"
],
"title": "何も means 'Nothing' instead of 'What also'",
"view_count": 244
} | [
{
"body": "I would go with \"他に\" 'What also goes well with this dress?'→このドレスに合うものは **他に**\n何がある？ 'What also never dies?→死なないのは、 **他に** 何がある？ As mentioned in a comment\nabove, this is more of a \"what else\" as opposed to a \"what also.\"",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-15T12:31:32.543",
"id": "20899",
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{
"body": "Ah, I see what you're asking. The particle も can indeed be used in a similar\nmanner to the English _also_ , e.g. 子供｛こども｝の時｛とき｝、あまりゲームをしなかった。 今 **も**\nゲームをしない (When I was a child, I didn't really play games. I also don't really\nplay games now). But there isn't really a way to contract _also_ into 何 in the\nsame manner of 何も (nothing) 何か (something).\n\nIf you wish to say _also_ , as in, \"Also, what will we eat?\", where _also_ is\nbeing used as a conjunction, you would use 「また」. For example: **また**\n、何を食{た}べる？\n\nIf you wish to use _also_ to mean, \"In addition to\" or \"additionally\" or\n\"furthermore\", you would use さらに instead of また. さらに is a bit more challenging\nto use because さらに often requires you to change certain particles to も, for\nexample さらに、水 **も** 飲みたいです instead of さらに、水 **を** 飲みたいです.",
"comment_count": 3,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-15T12:35:12.287",
"id": "20900",
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}
] | 20898 | 20899 | 20899 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "20914",
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"body": "I know that from adjective we can make adjectival noun like: 高{たか}い -> 高さ -\nmeans _high_ and _hight_. But how to understand/translate the word 愛しさ? I\nheard it in one of _C-ute_ songs.",
"comment_count": 3,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-15T17:19:45.543",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "20903",
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"owner_user_id": "7045",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 1,
"tags": [
"grammar",
"meaning"
],
"title": "How to understand the meaning of 愛{いと}しさ",
"view_count": 1233
} | [
{
"body": "I think I've figured out what you are asking about. Mental adjective + さ can\nrefer to _**one's feeling**_ as well as _quality_ invokes the emotion. I'm not\nsure I'm able to tell their difference using English words, but you can\nparaphrase it with 〜と思う気持ち when it means the feeling. Maybe what you\nencountered was this kind of usage, where in this case 愛しさ = 愛しいと思う気持ち →\nあなたが愛しいと思う気持ち ≈ \"earnest love for you\".",
"comment_count": 0,
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}
] | 20903 | 20914 | 20914 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "20910",
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"body": "I'm learning from the \"Japanese from zero\" course (currently book 2). It\ntranslates the following sentence: \nKonbiniの ひだりうしろに ほんやが あります \nas \nThere is a convenience store behind the bookstore on the left.\n\nFirstly, am I write in thinking that konbini and ほんや are the wrong way round?\n\nSecondly, in the English translation 'on the left' implies that the bookstore\nis to the left of the speaker. The Japanese sentence suggests that the\n'behind' and 'left' are relative to the konbini. So I would translate this\nsentence as \nThere is a bookstore at the back left of the convenience store. Am I correct?\nIf so how would you translate the the original sentence (There is a\nconvenience store behind the bookstore on the left) into Japanese? Thanks",
"comment_count": 3,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-15T20:58:27.913",
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"tags": [
"syntax"
],
"title": "confusion with location words",
"view_count": 213
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{
"body": "The translation isn't right... _OR_ , yes, you are right in your assumption.\n\"There is a book store behind and to the left of the conbini\".\n\nSecondly: The sentence implies that the the bookstore is on the left (and\nbehind) _the conbini_ - not the speaker. The speaker is totally irrelevant. の\nis giving the conbini possession.\n\nSo yeah, in short, you are right. The translation in the book sounds pretty\npoor, to say the least. I'd translate it closer to you (see above).\n\nHope that helps.",
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"creation_date": "2014-12-15T21:10:31.790",
"id": "20907",
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"body": "For your first question, regarding 「コンビニの左後｛ひだりうし｝ろに本屋｛ほんや｝があります」, you are\ncorrect in that their translation seems to have flipped honya and konbini.\n\nFor your second question, it's relative to the store. The particle の in\nkonbiniの [...] あります indicates where it's relative to. If you wish to say\n_your_ left side, or on _my_ left you would just say 左側｛ひだりがわ｝にあります. 「がわ」\nmeans \"side\", and in this case your left side.\n\nFor your third question regarding the translation of \"There is a convenience\nstore behind the bookstore on the left,\" you could say\n「konbini(は/が)ほんやのひだりうしろにあります」 which translates literally to, \"As for the\nkonbini, behind and to the left of the bookstore it exists.\" There's a few\nother ways you could say it, I personally would probably say it like this\n(thought you may not have learned this grammar yet)\nほんやのうしろにいくと、konbiniがひだりがわにあります。 The particle と when used after the plain form\nof a verb, in this case いく means, \"whenever\" or \"if\", so that sentence\ntranslates to, \"If you go behind the bookstore, the konbini is on you're\nleft.\"",
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] | 20906 | 20910 | 20907 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "20909",
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"body": "I am a beginner in Japanese.\n\nI want to say \"There is a car, that I want to show you.\"\n\nThere is a car, should be: 車があります\n\nI want to show you: 私はあなたに見せたい。 (may be? Is this right?)\n\nI want to show you this: 私はあなたにこれを見せたい。\n\nbut this sounds really weird to me: 私はあなたに車がありますを見せたい。\n\nWhat is the right way to say this?\n\nThank you for reading this far. Any help is appreciated :)",
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"creation_date": "2014-12-15T23:50:57.947",
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"tags": [
"translation"
],
"title": "order of words in a sentence",
"view_count": 132
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{
"body": "車があります is correct. 見せたい (want to show) is also correct, however, for the\nsentence 「私はあなたに見せたい」 you would probably want to omit 私は and you wouldn't say\nあなた either. 車が見せたいです would already imply it was you who wanted to show the car\nto the person you're talking with.\n\nThere are several ways one could translate \"There is a car, that I want to\nshow you.\" The way I would probably do it here would be 「(私が)見せたい車があります」 \"(I)\nhave a car that I want to show you.\" You're probably already familiar with\nsentences like 赤{あか}い車があります \"There is a red car\", but you can also create\n_noun-modifying clauses_ , in this case, the noun is the car, using verbs as\nwell, so long as the verbs are in the plain/dictionary form. Another example\nis something like 「昨日｛きのう｝来｛こ｝なかった人は誰｛だれ｝ですか」 \"Who was the person who did not\ncome yesterday?\"",
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] | 20908 | 20909 | 20909 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "20917",
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"body": "Is 四分の一 a natural way of referring to \"a quarter\" as in \"a three-month\nduration\" (usually e.g. January-March, April-June, July-September, or October-\nNovember) in Japanese?\n\n[Japanese Stack Overflow](https://ja.stackoverflow.com/) uses 四分の一 on its\n[users page](https://ja.stackoverflow.com/users?tab=Reputation&filter=quarter)\nto mean \"quarter\" in this sense, but that looks kind of strange to me. I know\nthat 四分の一 means \"one quarter\" as in \"one fourth\" or \"25%\", but can it also be\nused (without any other qualifiers, like 年の四分の一) to mean \"a three-month\nduration\"?\n\nAlso, while we're here, what is the most natural way of referring to \"a\nquarter\" in this sense? I'm aware of 四半期; is that the best option?",
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"score": 4,
"tags": [
"words"
],
"title": "Is 四分の一 a natural way of referring to \"a quarter\" as in \"a three-month duration\"?",
"view_count": 241
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{
"body": "When I read news articles in Japanese, I always see fiscal/yearly quarters\nreferred to by the second phrase you quoted「四半期」So I believe this is the\nproper term to use when referring to quarters of the year. Looking at a\ndictionary for this term will give you that same sense.\n\nWhen I use my GPS (which is set to Japanese), it says 「四分の一マイル」So this seems\nto be used to referred to fractions of a whole. I suppose if you were to try\nto use it referring to a year-- you'd say 「四分の一年」, which I would speculate\nrefers to the raw quantity of three months, and not actually a set fiscal\nsegment Q1, Q2, etc like 「四半期」would. This is just speculation on my part\nthough...",
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"creation_date": "2014-12-16T03:18:35.917",
"id": "20912",
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"body": "I agree that \"四分の一\" in the current _Users_ page of Japanese SE is weird.\n\n四半期【しはんき】 is a technical term that is exclusively used in financial reports,\nbusiness plans, tax calculation, etc. Generally speaking, you can't use 四半期 in\ncasual/private situations, and you have to use \"1年の4分の1\" or \"3か月\" instead:\n\n> 私は1年の4分の1をハワイで過ごします。 \n> = 私は1年のうち3か月をハワイで過ごします。 \n> ([*] 私は四半期をハワイで過ごします。 -- Weird)\n\nHowever 四半期 can explicitly mean the year is delimited into four at the\nbeginning of months. Only by using 四半期 can people notice the current 四半期\nstarted on October 1st, and the rep count for this 四半期 will end at the end of\n2014. If we used \"3か月\" instead, people would interpret it as \"the last 3\nmonths\", which is not the case.\n\nSo I think 四半期 is the best word that describes the SE's rule, although it may\nlook a bit stiff.",
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] | 20911 | 20917 | 20917 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "20920",
"answer_count": 2,
"body": "In these following examples, a few words are given furigana: \n[シドニー立てこもり、治安部隊が突入\n人質？担架で救出](http://www.asahi.com/articles/ASGDJ02M7GDHUHBI044.html) \n[年賀状家族や友達へ投函](http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/local/saga/news/20141215-OYTNT50475.html) \n[金剛峯寺にゴボウ奉納\n黒河道世界遺産目指し](http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/local/wakayama/news/20141215-OYTNT50291.html)\n\nSo, it looks like that furigana is provided when a 人名用{じんめいよう} kanji needs to\nbe read. That makes sense. But, here are exceptions:\n[未](http://jisho.org/kanji/details/%E6%9C%AA)、[雑](http://jisho.org/kanji/details/%E9%9B%91)[事](http://jisho.org/kanji/details/%E4%BA%8B).\nWhile giving furigana for straight-up 常用 kanji happens rarely, it does happen\nand I can't detect why.\n\nSo, what is up when an adult newspaper gives furigana for 常用{じょうよう} kanji that\nare not using [当て字]{あてじ} readings? What metadata is revealed when a (for a\nnative speaker) seemingly simple to read word is given furigana? Asahi and\nYomiuri are written for Japanese native adults. Why then given them an assist\nwith reading?",
"comment_count": 1,
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"score": 8,
"tags": [
"furigana"
],
"title": "What does it mean when newspapers give furigana for 常用{じょうよう} kanji?",
"view_count": 760
} | [
{
"body": "Newspapers give furigana for two reasons:\n\n 1. Because the word contains non-常用漢字, or _non-常用 readings_ of kanji. (This is a PC matter for public media. Novels never do it.)\n 2. Because the kanji is rarely used, or the word should be read in local, irregular, nonce or other unexpected way to readers, or potentially ambiguous in pronunciation. (This is the traditional use of furigana.)\n\nAs I have no subscription accounts for those papers, all furiganas I see\nthrough your links are 閃光{せんこう}, 幇助{ほうじょ}, 投函{とうかん}, 未{ひつじ}, 悠乃{はるの}, 雑事{ぞうじ}\nand 背負子{しょいこ}. They are categorized into:\n\n * 閃光, 幇助, 投函 → #1\n * 未, 悠乃, 雑事, 背負子 → (#1 and) #2\n\nBasically, proper names other than common surnames or famous places are always\naccompanied by furigana.",
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"creation_date": "2014-12-16T07:29:28.603",
"id": "20915",
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"body": "Newspapers do not 100% stick to the 常用漢字 kanji. They have their own style\nguidelines for kanji use, and there is such a thing as the\n\"[新聞常用漢字表](http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E%E5%B8%B8%E7%94%A8%E6%BC%A2%E5%AD%97%E8%A1%A8)\".\n\nThis includes:\n\nKanji not in the joyo treated as joyo:\n\n> 磯（いそ） 絆（きずな） 哨（ショウ） 疹（シン） 胚（ハイ）\n\nKanji in the joyo treated as non-joyo:\n\n> 虞 且 遵 但 朕 附 又\n\nAdditional non-joyo readings treated as joyo:\n\n> 証（あか-す） 鶏（とり） 虹（コウ）\n\nIndividual newspapers then have their own adjustments to this list. Asahi\nactually has the largest adjustments, and lists 66 joyo characters they treat\nas non-joyo (including the seven listed above).\n\n[This PDF](http://www.pressnet.or.jp/publication/book/pdf/shimbun_yogo.pdf)\ncontains the 新聞用語集 published in response to the new joyo list. It is quite\nthorough, not just a list of kanji you can/can't use. For example, for 茨\nthere's a warning note that it should be いばら if referring to the plant, 茨 to\nbe used only for proper nouns (e.g. 茨城県, the reason that kanji is in the new\nlist anyway).",
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] | 20913 | 20920 | 20915 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "20921",
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"body": "Dictionary (at least Jisho and WWWJDIC) defines them as:\n\n * 気象{きしょう} = weather, climate\n * 天気{てんき} = weather, the elements\n * 天候{てんこう} = weather\n\nThey all have quite similar definitions, so I don't quite understand the\ndifference. I would appreciate if someone could shed some light into this (in\nEnglish preferably), i.e. when to use each of these words.\n\nThen there is the word 気候{きこう}, which I think means climate, and cannot be\nused to describe the weather on a specific day. Is that correct?\n\nThank you in advance!",
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"tags": [
"word-choice",
"words",
"nuances",
"synonyms"
],
"title": "What is the difference between all the weather words: 気象{きしょう}, 天気{てんき} and 天候{てんこう}?",
"view_count": 3240
} | [
{
"body": "天気 (1-3 days): You'll hear 天気 used the most, as in 天気予報 _weather forecast_ or\n天気はいいですか _Is the weather good today?_ You should almost always translate 天気 as\n\"weather\" in English.\n\n天候 (2-10 days): 天候 refers to the overall state of the atmosphere between a few\ndays to about 10 days. Its use isn't that common, however, in casual\nconversation it shows up in the phrases 悪天候 \"bad weather\", referring the the\nweather in the past week or two, or 天候に恵まれる \"we've been blessed by the\nweather.\"\n\n気候 (climate) can be translated into English as weather or climate, depending\non the context, however, it's used to refer to timescales on the order of a\nyear. For example, カイロの気候はいいですか is the weather/climate in Cairo good? In this\ncase, you mean climate, but in English it's rare to ask \"How's the climate\nwhere your from?\". Rather, \"How's the weather where your from?\" already\nimplies you mean weather on a large scale, season to season.\n\n気象 (meteorological phenomena): For example, 気象学者=meteorologist but\n天気予報官=weatherman. 気象 refers to weather/climate, as well, but in a bit more\nquantitative context regarding changes in pressure and temperature, not simply\n\"hot\" or \"cold\". An English equivalent would be, \"I'm studying meteorology\"\nvs. \"I'm studying weather.\" Studying meteorology means you're studying\nweather, but if you merely said, \"I'm studying the weather\" it doesn't\nnecessarily carry with it the quantitative scientific connotation associated\nwith the word meteorology.",
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"body": "### 天気\n\nThis is the most common word for _weather_ , and expresses a naive concept of\n**the entire perceptive state of sky (and air) in some place at some moment**.\nIt includes sunshine, cloudage, precipitation, wind, humidity and temperature,\nbut not likely air pressure. By _at some moment_ I mean, this word is expected\nto state an overall impression at a certain time-point, or in a short\ntimespan, which has no complex changes of state needed to mention.\n\nYou can assume a unit of 天気 to be a piece of information that a single column\nof a table in the newspaper's forecasting section can describe.\n\n* * *\n\n**On actual usage of the word 「天気」**\n\n```\n\n ○ 良い天気 天気が良いです。\n ○ 晴れの天気 天気は晴れです。\n ？ 晴れている天気 天気(は/が)晴れています。\n × 寒い天気 天気(は/が)寒いです。\n ○ 死ぬほど寒い天気 天気(は/が)死ぬほど寒いです。\n △ 涼しい天気 天気(は/が)涼しいです。\n \n```\n\nIf you'd like to use the word 天気 itself in a sentence, you should take care\nthat most expressions people like to use with 天気 are subjective evaluations\n(row #1) or metaphors. Only this sort of expressions can used with 天気 without\nlimitation.\n\nWhen you need a word that means a part of 天気 (be sunny, rainy, windy etc.) to\nexplain 天気, don't use it adjectively (#3) but appositively (#2). 天気 usually\nrejects such \"a round circle\" type attributions. Though, in many cases, it's\nenough to mention them without 天気: `晴れています` \"It's sunny.\"\n\nDon't say `暑い天気` and `寒い天気`, because the two words already contain \"feel\nhot/cold in environment\" senses (#4). You can however put your comments to\nmake them subjective statements: `寒すぎる` or `死ぬほど寒い` (#5).\n\nOther objective words also generally don't get along with 天気, for example,\n`涼しい天気` is only valid when it means \" _comfortably_ cool\".\n\n* * *\n\n### 天候\n\nIt also refers to **the state of atmosphere observed in a place** , but this\none **mainly describes successive shift or tendency in a period of time**. In\na short term whose time lapse can be ignored, it becomes interchangeable with\n天気.\n\nSince this word is an unnativized Sino-Japanese compound carries formal mood,\nwe don't use it much in casual conversation. If I say \"the weather turns bad\"\nwith `天気`, I prefer `天気が悪くなる`, but with `天候`, `天候が悪化する`. I expect from\n`この一週間の天気` the weathers of Sunday, Monday, Tuesday..., but from `この一週間の天候` a\ndescription of how weather changes, getting warmer or colder, whether typhoons\ncome or not, and so on.\n\nOther usage is basically the same as that of `天気`.\n\n### 気象\n\nThis could be translated as _meteorological phenomenon_ or _\"meteorologies\"_ ,\nbut not very common to be used as noun (as in `異常気象` \"abnormal meteorology\").\nThe main usage of it is as adjective, _meteorological_ (as in `気象衛星`\n\"meteorological satellite\"). This word refers to each **physical phenomenon\ndetached or not observable from a single viewpoint**.\n\nAs you can see, satellites only monitor `気象` and not `天気` or `天候` (unless you\nsay that the solar wind or the magnetosphere oscillation is `地球の天気`). You\ncan't mention El Niño and La Niña as `天気` or `天候`, either.\n\n### 気候\n\nBasically identical to _climate_ , that is **a unique environmental feature of\na location** never changes overnight.\n\nYou want to live in Florida because `気候が良い`, to go for a trip to Florida not\nLouisiana because `天候が良い`, and to choose to go to FL not LA tomorrow because\n`天気が良い`.",
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] | 20919 | 20921 | 20921 |
{
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"body": "Everything I have known about Japanese grammar structure till now is S-O-V.\nJapanese is S-O-V language. But what's about adj? Adverb?... Something like\nthat. Of couse that I did some research about this. But all I found is this:\n\n> Sentence Topic, Time, Location, Subject, Indirect Object, Direct Object,\n> Verb. [[Source](https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Japanese/Grammar)]\n\nBut I understand nothing at all. I mean it isn't answer my question: the order\nof adj, adverb... Is it standing before noun or after, what happen if I got 2\nadj... Do you guys know it? Please teach me about it. It terribly confuses me.\n\nAnd thank you for reading my... query?",
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"tags": [
"grammar"
],
"title": "Japanese grammar structure order",
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} | [
{
"body": "Adjectives (and relative clauses for that matter) are always _before_ the noun\nthey modify. I don't know if there are rules for the ordering of adjective\ngroups. Maybe [Wikipedia](http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_grammar) can\ntell you more.\n\nAs for the `I understand nothing at all` part:\n\n * Wikipedia can help you on \"sentence topic\";\n * \"time\" refers to time expressions such as \"three hours ago\", \"yesterday\", \"in a week\" etc.;\n * \"location\" means an expression indicating the place where an action takes place, such as \"here\", \"in a church\", \"near the riverbank\", \"underneath a tree\" etc.;\n * \"Subject\" is the subject, which is roughly the doer of the action, but there are exceptions, most notably the verb `aru` (~to have), where the subject is the topic and what is possesed is the subject; `aru` is lit. to exist, so `As for (possessor), (possessed thing) exists` is the idea behind it, reminding me of the Latin use of the dative in this case;\n * \"Indirect object\" is a second object some verbs have, e.g. \"give\", where it is the person you give something; and \"direct object\" is the \"object\" in SOV.\n * \"Verb\" is the sentence's verb.\n\nI honestly didn't know place expressions were confined to before the subject;\nand time expressions as well. I'm rather inclined to think that this is\nflexible, and the only real rule is that the verb ends the sentence - for\nwhich, unfortunately, you can find exceptions in songs.\n\nAlso, I don't know whether to include complements of motion (from somewhere,\nto swhr., through swhr.) in \"location\" or not.\n\nI will take look in the cited source and see what it says. Or maybe I'll just\nwait for comments here.\n\n**Update:** the cited reference states that:\n\n> Japanese is flexible in terms of word-order due to use of particles.\n> Sentences, however, generally have the following structure:\n>\n\n>> Sentence Topic, Time, Location, Subject, Indirect Object, Direct Object,\nVerb.\n\nAlso, it does not appear (most incredibly in my opinion) to have anything\nabout the adjective-noun ordering in a location you'd expect to find it in. I\nmight consider reporting this to the wikibooks community. Somebody definitely\nshould.",
"comment_count": 3,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-16T19:51:51.750",
"id": "20923",
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"parent_id": "20922",
"post_type": "answer",
"score": 2
}
] | 20922 | null | 20923 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": null,
"answer_count": 3,
"body": "The good old nonsense phrase of foreign languages is Monty Python's classic\n\"My hovercraft is full of eels\".\n\nAccordingly in Japanese one of the first things I learned was\n\"私のホバークラフトはうなぎがいっぱいです\".\n\nHowever, today I have been told that this is wrong, that I should in fact be\nusing \"私のホバークラフトはうなぎ **で** いっぱいです\"\n\nCan anyone shed some light on this? Does the first one truly make no sense (as\nfar as the sentence can make sense anyway)?\n\nWhy is it で and not が?",
"comment_count": 1,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-16T21:53:30.187",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "20924",
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"last_edit_date": "2014-12-19T04:12:52.543",
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"owner_user_id": "7973",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 5,
"tags": [
"translation",
"particles"
],
"title": "How do you translate \"My hovercraft is full of eels\"?",
"view_count": 3014
} | [
{
"body": "> 私のホバークラフトはウナギで一杯{いっぱい}です\n\nThis sentence takes the particle で because で indicates the location of the\neels (the hovercraft). で is used to mark a location instead of に because, in\nthis case, 一杯｛いっぱい｝ is an adverb which is modifying the copula verb です. で\nmeans/translates to _in_ when used with a verb, for example,\n\n> 日本語 **で** 話す _To talk **in** Japanese_.\n\nYou can use が, if you wish, and say something like:\n\n> 私のホバークラフトの中にたくさんウナギ **が** たくさんいる _There are many eels inside my hovercraft_.\n\nIn this case, you can use が because たくさん (many) is an adjective modifying the\nnoun (eels), as opposed to an adverb 一杯 (fully) modifying the auxiliary verb\nです.\n\nWith regards to the second part of your question, I can assure you the\noriginal sentence using が makes complete sense. It's just a minor grammatical\nmistake, people will still understand you. (Interestingly enough, you can also\neasily drop が or で in this sentence, and remove です and it will have the same\nmeaning. You can do this because certain particles in casual speech (and\nsometimes even formal speech, see 時に vs. 時) can be removed without altering\nthe meaning at all. The particles は、が、に、へ、を all can be removed in casual\nspeech.)",
"comment_count": 2,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-16T23:25:19.533",
"id": "20925",
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},
{
"body": "In simple terms, が is a subject marker. So your first sentence parses out to\nsomething like, \"As for my hovercraft, the eel(s) is (are) full.\"\n\nMeanwhile, で can be used as a marker for the instrument by which something\nhappens, a bit like English \"by\" or \"with\". 手で作る is to make something _by_ or\n_with_ your hands. So the second sentence parses out to, \"As for my\nhovercraft, it is full _with_ eels → it is full of eels.\"",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-17T04:38:14.093",
"id": "20926",
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},
{
"body": "> 私のホバークラフトはうなぎ **が** いっぱいです _Eels abound in my hovercraft._ \n> 私のホバークラフトはうなぎ **で** いっぱいです _My hovercraft is filled with eels._\n\nThus, the latter sentence should be used to express your original English.\nI've found [this\npage](http://www.omniglot.com/language/phrases/hovercraft.htm) translates it\nin the same way, too.\n\nいっぱい literally means \"full\", but only used in this sense with the construction\n`A が B でいっぱい` \"A is filled with B\" or \"A is full of B\". It has another usage\n`X が Y にいっぱい`, in turn means \"X abounds in Y\" or \"X is everywhere in Y\".\n\nAs a native speaker, I can't help but imagine a hovercraft fully decorated\nwith eel-motif carvings and accessories with `ホバークラフトはうなぎがいっぱい`, before I\nreach the correct interpretation.\n\nIf you'd like to rephrase it with eel + が, you'd say:\n\n> 私のホバークラフトはうなぎがいっぱい **入っています**\n\nBut it doesn't necessarily mean that hovercraft is literally _full_ , while\n`うなぎでいっぱい` always does.",
"comment_count": 1,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-17T05:25:11.933",
"id": "20927",
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"score": 4
}
] | 20924 | null | 20927 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "20929",
"answer_count": 2,
"body": "I was going through some Japanese phrases when this came up： 「写真は良い思い出になります。」\n\nAccording to my limited Japanese knowledge, that means \"Pictures become great\nmemories.\" However, the translation present in the source material is\n\"Pictures make for great souvenirs.\"\n\nI looked up 思い出, but couldn't find \"souvenir\" as a definition. I was just\nwondering which of the translations are correct, since the disparity of\nmeaning between them is too big for both to be correct.",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-17T11:56:34.510",
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"id": "20928",
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"post_type": "question",
"score": 0,
"tags": [
"translation",
"words"
],
"title": "「写真は良い思い出になります。」 \"Pictures make for great souvenirs\"?",
"view_count": 250
} | [
{
"body": "As far as I can tell, 'Pictures become great memories' is a literal\ntranslation whereas 'Pictures make for great souvenirs' is a translation that\nis more contextualised (You keep pictures for the sentimental value, thus they\nare keepsakes/souvenirs/momentos).",
"comment_count": 2,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-17T12:21:29.453",
"id": "20929",
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},
{
"body": "You might look at the French entry (noun) in\n[Wiktionary](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/souvenir#Noun_3) -- 'souvenir' is\noriginally the French for 思い出 and is still used in that sense sometimes, as in\nthe piano duet suite _Souvenirs_ by Samuel Barber, nostalgic look back to the\n1920s. The origin of the \"tourist\" meaning is that you bring back things to\nremind you where you went, whereas お土産 originally means things you give to\nother people so they know where you've been.",
"comment_count": 1,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-17T13:20:05.443",
"id": "20930",
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"owner_user_id": "7717",
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"score": 3
}
] | 20928 | 20929 | 20929 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "20935",
"answer_count": 3,
"body": "According to the ipadic attached to [Mecab](https://code.google.com/p/mecab/),\nit's \"so u ru\".\n\nAccording to the bccwj dict attached to\n[Julius](http://julius.sourceforge.jp/), it's \"so: ru\". Which one is correct?\nOr are they both OK?",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-17T16:35:48.203",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "20932",
"last_activity_date": "2014-12-19T05:50:06.533",
"last_edit_date": null,
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"owner_user_id": "5346",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 3,
"tags": [
"pronunciation",
"long-vowels"
],
"title": "Should 「ソウル」 be pronounced as \"so u ru\" or \"so: ru\"?",
"view_count": 250
} | [
{
"body": "ソウル (Seoul) is pronounced Souru. There's a long O sound in the \"So\" which is\nwritten in English as either Souru or Sōru.",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-17T16:41:14.697",
"id": "20933",
"last_activity_date": "2014-12-17T16:41:14.697",
"last_edit_date": null,
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"score": 0
},
{
"body": "ソウル is the pronunciation given in the NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典, but both pronunciations\nare in use; some speakers pronounce it ソール instead.\n\nFrom _The Sounds of Japanese_ (Vance 2008), pages 67-68:\n\n> Katakana spellings of recent borrowings and foreign proper names with ウ (\n> _u_ ) instead of ー (the length mark) do represent /ou/, but these are rare;\n> _Souru_ ソウル 'Seoul' in Table 3-8 is one of very few examples (and many\n> speakers do have the pronunciation /soHru/ rather than /souru/).37\n\nFrom footnote 37:\n\n> 37The entry in Kindaichi and Akinaga 2001 gives ソウル (implying /ou/) first\n> but also gives ソール (implying /oH/). NHK 1998:1015 gives only ソウル in its list\n> of foreign place names.\n\nNote: the /H/ symbol in phonemic transcriptions indicates a long vowel.",
"comment_count": 0,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-17T17:06:53.747",
"id": "20935",
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"score": 9
},
{
"body": "The pronunciation closest to Korean is So-ul, with an open o, u sound as in\n'tour' and unreleased final consonant, to match 서울. So the closest in Japanese\nwould be ソ・ウル, losing the close/open o distinction, the u/e distinction and\nunreleased 'l' (the l/r is the same in Korean and Japanese though).",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-19T02:10:40.887",
"id": "20953",
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"post_type": "answer",
"score": 2
}
] | 20932 | 20935 | 20935 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "20936",
"answer_count": 1,
"body": "In the 2nd episode of \"Tokyo Love Story\", from 26:55 to 27:00\n\n<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNW0VEvfIbU#t=26m50s>\n\n「いやだね、この？」\n\nWhat is the word/phrase after 「この」?",
"comment_count": 1,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-17T16:52:12.407",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "20934",
"last_activity_date": "2014-12-17T18:24:58.213",
"last_edit_date": "2014-12-17T18:02:00.643",
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"owner_user_id": "5346",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 2,
"tags": [
"phrases",
"listening"
],
"title": "About a line in a TV drama which is hard to understand",
"view_count": 116
} | [
{
"body": "It sounds like 人間キャッチホン (or 人間キャッチフォン) to me.\n[キャッチホン](https://www.nttdocomo.co.jp/service/communication/catch_phone/) is\nthe Japanese term for [\"call\nwaiting\"](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Call_waiting).\n\nI haven't watched the full episode, but this would make sense in context if\nSatomi (the woman in the apron) is \"putting Mikami on hold\" while she gets\ncloser to Nagao, or something to that effect.\n\nThe meaning of this idiom is pretty transparent (once you know what キャッチホン\nmeans), but I have no idea whether it is common - hopefully a native speaker\nand/or person who lives in Japan can chime in. There are about a dozen Google\nresults for\n[`\"人間キャッチホン\"`](https://www.google.com/search?q=%22%E4%BA%BA%E9%96%93%E3%82%AD%E3%83%A3%E3%83%83%E3%83%81%E3%83%9B%E3%83%B3%22)\nand about a dozen more for\n[`\"人間キャッチフォン\"`](https://www.google.com/search?q=%22%E4%BA%BA%E9%96%93%E3%82%AD%E3%83%A3%E3%83%83%E3%83%81%E3%83%95%E3%82%A9%E3%83%B3%22),\nfor what it's worth.",
"comment_count": 1,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-17T18:14:42.157",
"id": "20936",
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"owner_user_id": "3437",
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"post_type": "answer",
"score": 5
}
] | 20934 | 20936 | 20936 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "20939",
"answer_count": 1,
"body": "> 交換プログラムに選ばれるのが難しいかやさしい **かは**\n> 、大学によって違うが、一般的に言えば、申し込む学生が多ければ多いほど、選ばれるのが難しくなる。\n\nI've checked online but I can't seem to find a proper explanation on how かは is\nbeing used here. Individually, I know they mean (か = question marker, は =\ntopic Marker). I've rechecked the source book ( _An Integrated Approach To\nIntermediate Japanese_ ) countless times to make sure it wasn't a typo either.\n\nIs it asking a question and marking the whole thing in implied quotes using は?\nLike how I can say \"'Are you there?', asked Bob?\"\n\nOr am I completely off in my interpretation?\n\nEdit: It was brought to my attention that I made a mistake. Originally I had\n難しいが when instead it should've been 難しいか. Thank you to senshin and BurakUeda\nfor pointing that out.",
"comment_count": 2,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-18T02:16:37.590",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "20938",
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"last_edit_date": "2014-12-18T04:49:56.430",
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"owner_user_id": "7556",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 1,
"tags": [
"grammar",
"particles"
],
"title": "I've never seen a sentence that uses か and は together like this before",
"view_count": 465
} | [
{
"body": "Most likely the original text should be:\n\n> 交換プログラムに選ばれるのが難しい **か** やさしいかは\n\nwhich means \"whether it is difficult or easy\" But somehow か turned into a が.\nThis commonly occurs when I scan documents and convert them with OCR software.",
"comment_count": 1,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-18T04:09:17.363",
"id": "20939",
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"score": 3
}
] | 20938 | 20939 | 20939 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "20942",
"answer_count": 1,
"body": "I have the following title:\n\n> やり終えたことはチェックしておこう！\n\nwhich I think is roughly saying there is a that in advance of finishing there\nis a checklist (can anybody help with the literal translation?).\n\nMy question is regarding やり as a prefix. I assume this is やる - to do. And 終える\nto finish or graduate. But to me やり seems superfluous.\n\nWhat is the difference between these two?\n\n> やり終えたことはチェックしておこう！\n>\n> 終えたことはチェックしておこう！",
"comment_count": 0,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-18T09:16:01.907",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "20940",
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"last_edit_date": "2020-06-17T08:18:27.500",
"last_editor_user_id": "-1",
"owner_user_id": "4071",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 0,
"tags": [
"verbs"
],
"title": "やり as a prefix - clarification please",
"view_count": 149
} | [
{
"body": "やる(≒する) → やり + ～おえる\n\nやり is not a prefix, rather おえる is one of a great many productive verb\nsuffixes. Moreover, in this case using just 終える sounds a bit strange to me\n(not native though).\n\nYour final examples are the same as asking what the difference is between \"be\nsure to check off what you've finished\" vs \"finished doing\".",
"comment_count": 3,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-18T11:15:40.967",
"id": "20942",
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"post_type": "answer",
"score": 4
}
] | 20940 | 20942 | 20942 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "20983",
"answer_count": 1,
"body": "Today I ran into these three desire words, which are defined:\n\n * 欲 = greed, craving, desire, avarice, wants \n * 欲求 = desire\n * 欲望 = desire, appetite, lust\n\nAnd while searching dictionaries, I also found a fourth word\n\n * 欲念 = desire, wish, passion\n\nAll of these have quite similar definitions, and I couldn't find an\nexplanation of their differences anywhere, not in English at least, but I did\nfind a Japanese site with an explanation of sorts, and what I gathered is that\nat least 欲望 has something to do with the desired thing itself, whereas 欲求 has\nto do with the actual feeling of desire... or something like that.\n\nI'm still quite unsure, so I would appreciate if someone could explain the\nsituations each of them is used, and/or how their nuances differ.\n\nEDIT: The site with the Japanese explanation I found is this:\n<http://okwave.jp/qa/q1543862.html>. I think it only discusses 欲望 and 欲求, and\ntheir differences, though.\n\nEDIT2: I could also add that I ran into the three words in Core 6k deck. The\nfollowing example sentences (some of them not very good) were given for each:\n\n * 欲: 「あまり欲を出しちゃだめだよ。」\n * 欲求:「時には自分の欲求を抑えることも必要です。」\n * 欲望:「彼は欲望が強い人です。」",
"comment_count": 2,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-18T09:21:09.970",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "20941",
"last_activity_date": "2014-12-21T08:00:14.360",
"last_edit_date": "2014-12-20T09:25:07.933",
"last_editor_user_id": "6809",
"owner_user_id": "6809",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 7,
"tags": [
"word-choice",
"words",
"nuances",
"synonyms"
],
"title": "Desire words: When to use 欲望{よくぼう}, 欲求{よっきゅう}, 欲{よく} and 欲念{よくねん}?",
"view_count": 1078
} | [
{
"body": "欲求 is a fairly objective / scientific word which is seen in psychological /\nsociological articles.\n\n欲望 is kind of earthly by far, often meaning a lust toward money, fame,\ndomination, possessions, and sexual actions.\n\nWhile the above two are used mostly in writings, 欲 is by much a conversational\nword, and has a range of various usages.\n\n欲念 is rare. I believe I have met this word in books several times, but that's\nall. Never heard or used it, at all.",
"comment_count": 4,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-21T03:53:52.647",
"id": "20983",
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"parent_id": "20941",
"post_type": "answer",
"score": 10
}
] | 20941 | 20983 | 20983 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "20945",
"answer_count": 1,
"body": "What is the correct way to say: \"I am a beginner in Japanese\".\n\nGoogle Translate shows the translation is:\n\n> 私は日本語 **で** 初心者です\n\nHowever, Google search shows:\n\n> 私は日本語 **の** 初心者です\n\nhas a lot more hits.\n\nWhich one of these is correct?",
"comment_count": 2,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-18T16:59:14.137",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "20944",
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"last_edit_date": "2014-12-18T18:49:32.397",
"last_editor_user_id": "3437",
"owner_user_id": "7983",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 4,
"tags": [
"particles",
"particle-の",
"particle-で"
],
"title": "Correct way to say \"I am a beginner in Japanese\"",
"view_count": 28136
} | [
{
"body": "The right way to say it is:\n\n> 私は日本語の初心者です。\n>\n> I'm a beginner of Japanese language.\n\nHowever, if you use the other variant, you'll still be understood, of course.\nAfter all, you are a beginner. :)\n\nStill, it's kind of difficult to say this. Why not say something simple, like:\n\n> 私【わたし】は日本語【にほんご】を勉強【べんきょう】します。まだ上手【じょうず】じゃありません。\n>\n> I study Japanese. I'm not skilled yet.\n\nYou'll likely be saying the first thing in any case, and the second part is\nwhat you're looking for.\n\nEdit: as pointed out by\n[Shizuma_Hanazono](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/users/7207/shizuma-\nhanazono), it's better still to say:\n\n> 私【わたし】は日本語【にほんご】を勉強【べんきょう】 **しています** 。\n\nThis means you are currently studying Japanese. The 〜ている form (progressive\ntense) is used to indicate ongoing actions. The earlier sentence I gave you is\nsimplified, and if you're a beginner you're probably only familiar with the\n〜ます form.",
"comment_count": 4,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-18T20:53:50.173",
"id": "20945",
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"last_edit_date": "2020-06-17T08:18:27.500",
"last_editor_user_id": "-1",
"owner_user_id": "3785",
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"post_type": "answer",
"score": 4
}
] | 20944 | 20945 | 20945 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "20950",
"answer_count": 1,
"body": "When using 「は」 it means the word before it is the topic of the sentence, it\nalso implies contrast. (e.g. 「私は犬です」 means, \"As for me, I am a dog\" This means\nthat I'm not a cat.)\n\nWhen using 「が」 it means the word before it is a subject, it is picked out of\nseveral possibilities that may also work. (e.g. 「私が犬です」 means, \"I am the one\nwho is the dog\" This means that I am the dog who is being looked for, or\npicked out of other creatures who might be dogs, depending on context)\n\nThese are the nuances of the particles that I'm aware of (Please post others,\nas I'd really like to learn as much about them as possible).\n\n「です」 is shortened from 「である」, if it was theoretically natural to say 「ある」 and\nmove the 「で」 to the beginning of the sentence to say a noun is also another\nnoun, (e.g. 「犬で私はある。」 has the exact same meaning as my first example, except\nit is more polite and usually used in writing) what nuances would 「犬で」 carry?",
"comment_count": 2,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-19T00:41:18.297",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "20949",
"last_activity_date": "2014-12-19T01:13:40.353",
"last_edit_date": null,
"last_editor_user_id": null,
"owner_user_id": "7955",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 0,
"tags": [
"grammar"
],
"title": "If 「は」 marks a topic, and 「が」 marks a subject, what does 「です」 do in terms of nuance?",
"view_count": 96
} | [
{
"body": "You technically can split である and place a topic or something in between, but\nthis is really very unusual (with one exception, which I'll mention in a\nmoment). 「犬で私はある」 is technically possible, but is rare enough to be quite\nnoticeable - it places a strong focus on the predicate noun (犬 here), which is\nfurther amplified by the rarity of the construction. You can only very rarely\nplace a whole noun in between で and ある, and I would avoid doing it if you're\nnot trying to be fancy - certainly I would not expect to hear that in\ncolloquial speech.\n\nYou can, however, quite easily topicalise the argument that's marked with で,\nresulting in は appearing in there:\n\n> 私は犬ではある.\n\nThis construction generally is used in contrast situations, meaning that on\nits own, this example doesn't sound quite like a complete sentence. It makes a\nbit more sense in a context like this:\n\n> 私は猫ではないが、犬ではある.\n\nwhich means something like 'I'm not a cat, but I _am_ a dog.'",
"comment_count": 2,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-19T00:55:19.067",
"id": "20950",
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"parent_id": "20949",
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"score": 1
}
] | 20949 | 20950 | 20950 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "20952",
"answer_count": 1,
"body": "For the longest time, I had never seen _yatsuatari_ written down. I always\nfigured it was written 奴当たり, which I figured would have been derived from\n「あの奴に当たる」 or something.\n\nImagine my surprise when I discovered that it was actually written 八つ当たり! I\nfound myself rather confused by the kanji here. What does 八 \"eight\" have to do\nwith 八つ当たり \"venting one's anger on other people\"?",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-19T01:45:44.487",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "20951",
"last_activity_date": "2014-12-19T04:16:59.717",
"last_edit_date": null,
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"owner_user_id": "3437",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 8,
"tags": [
"words",
"etymology"
],
"title": "What does 八 have to do with [八つ当たり]【やつあたり】?",
"view_count": 401
} | [
{
"body": "I think it means to vent the anger in the 8 compass directions. I.e. you are\nso angry that the effects reach every direction around you.\n\nConsider 四方八方. It refers to all sides or everywhere. I think 八つ refers to the\n八方 part",
"comment_count": 2,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-19T01:49:13.857",
"id": "20952",
"last_activity_date": "2014-12-19T04:16:59.717",
"last_edit_date": "2014-12-19T04:16:59.717",
"last_editor_user_id": "7810",
"owner_user_id": "542",
"parent_id": "20951",
"post_type": "answer",
"score": 12
}
] | 20951 | 20952 | 20952 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": null,
"answer_count": 2,
"body": "> どのような状況下であっても必ず十分な結果 **をと** 思い必死に過ごした３か月でした。\n\nI'm only able to understand \"No matter what circumstances you are put\nthrough...\" and then something about producing sufficient results- the words\nthat follow are what I can't make sense of in a sentence.\n\nI don't understand how を and と (after 結果) can be used together since they're\nboth conjunctive words.",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-19T04:20:50.500",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "20954",
"last_activity_date": "2014-12-20T04:50:25.567",
"last_edit_date": "2014-12-19T15:04:19.787",
"last_editor_user_id": null,
"owner_user_id": "7987",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 3,
"tags": [
"grammar",
"translation",
"particle-を",
"particle-と"
],
"title": "Making sense of をと",
"view_count": 424
} | [
{
"body": "A verb and symbols are omitted in this sentence. Read it like this:\n\n> **「** どのような状況下であっても、必ず十分な結果を **（出したい）」** と思い **、 \n> **必死に過ごした３か月でした。",
"comment_count": 3,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-19T07:07:58.547",
"id": "20957",
"last_activity_date": "2014-12-19T07:07:58.547",
"last_edit_date": null,
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"owner_user_id": "5010",
"parent_id": "20954",
"post_type": "answer",
"score": 4
},
{
"body": "A classic example of unfinished sentences in Japanese. You can make better\nsense with some brackets:\n\n> **「** どのような状況下であっても必ず十分な結果を **」** と思い必死に過ごした３か月でした。\n\nCan be translated something like:\n\n> It was frantic 3 months I spent to get the result, thinking \"No matter what\n> the cirsumstances are, I will...\"",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-20T04:50:25.567",
"id": "20973",
"last_activity_date": "2014-12-20T04:50:25.567",
"last_edit_date": null,
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"owner_user_id": "7975",
"parent_id": "20954",
"post_type": "answer",
"score": 2
}
] | 20954 | null | 20957 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "20960",
"answer_count": 2,
"body": "I'd like to ask about a polite way to say \"I can't (do something for you)\".\nI'm sure the answer will depend on the context, so specifically, I'm curious\nabout how to convey \"I won't be able to answer the phone from...\" over email\nin a business setting.\n\nMy attempt is:\n\n海外旅行のため、1月10日から21日まで電話で対応しかねますので、大変ご迷惑をおかけしますが、メールでご連絡をお願い申し上げます。\n\nMy specific questions are:\n\n 1. Is しかねる valid for politely giving this type of \"excuse\" for why you can't do something?\n 2. Can できない also be used for politely giving this type of \"excuse\" for why you can't do something? (e.g., \"電話で対応できませんが…\")\n 3. If neither of these are polite/appropriate in this case, what is a better alternative?",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-19T06:52:46.893",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "20956",
"last_activity_date": "2014-12-24T11:18:54.900",
"last_edit_date": null,
"last_editor_user_id": null,
"owner_user_id": "6861",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 6,
"tags": [
"grammar",
"word-choice"
],
"title": "Polite Way of Saying \"I can't...(answer the phone)\" (しかねる vs. できない)",
"view_count": 1071
} | [
{
"body": "> 1. Is しかねる valid for politely giving this type of \"excuse\" for why you\n> can't do something?\n>\n\n~~出来かねる or~~ 致しかねる is better. and I think, it's better not to mention about\nthe detailed reason.\n\n> 2. Can できない also be used for politely giving this type of \"excuse\" for why\n> you can't do something? (e.g., \"電話で対応できませんが…\")\n>\n\nYes.\n\n> 3. If neither of these are polite/appropriate in this case, what is a\n> better alternative?\n>\n\n\"1月10日から21日まで休暇を頂くため、お電話での対応を致しかねます。 ~~恐れいります~~\n恐れ入りますが、ご入用の際には、メールにてご連絡下さいますよう、お願い申し上げます。\"",
"comment_count": 4,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-19T09:29:52.837",
"id": "20960",
"last_activity_date": "2014-12-24T10:08:46.210",
"last_edit_date": "2014-12-24T10:08:46.210",
"last_editor_user_id": "7752",
"owner_user_id": "7752",
"parent_id": "20956",
"post_type": "answer",
"score": 5
},
{
"body": "The simple, polite way to say it is:\n\n> １月１０日から２１日まで海外旅行しますので、電話は使えません。メールでご連絡ください。\n\nThat's the way most people will write it in an email. However, if you're being\nvery humble, you could say something more like:\n\n> １月１０日から２１日まで海外旅行しますので、電話はできません。メールでご連絡いただけないでしょうか。\n\nWhich is, more or less, \"I'm going to be away on a trip from the 10th to the\n21st, and won't be able to use my phone. Is there any way I could have you\ncontact me via email?\"",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-24T11:18:54.900",
"id": "21008",
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"last_edit_date": null,
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"score": -1
}
] | 20956 | 20960 | 20960 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "20964",
"answer_count": 1,
"body": "I'm currently watching Rurouni Kenshin, and Kenshin says 忝い（かたじけない） a lot to\nexpress his gratitude. I looked it up a little and based on\n[this](http://www.tofugu.com/2008/02/09/how-to-talk-like-a-samurai/) it seems\nlike it's old Samurai language, but I wonder if people use it today with no\nintention to be Samurai-ish? Sort of like \"I appreciate it\"?",
"comment_count": 1,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-19T08:11:44.703",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "20958",
"last_activity_date": "2015-11-29T09:53:37.477",
"last_edit_date": "2015-11-29T09:53:37.477",
"last_editor_user_id": "11104",
"owner_user_id": null,
"post_type": "question",
"score": 6,
"tags": [
"usage",
"expressions",
"archaic-language"
],
"title": "Is 忝い（かたじけない） used in contemporary language?",
"view_count": 276
} | [
{
"body": "No. かたじけない is one of the most famous 武士語/サムライ言葉, but it's never used in\nordinary conversations today.",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-19T12:27:55.210",
"id": "20964",
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"last_edit_date": null,
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"parent_id": "20958",
"post_type": "answer",
"score": 4
}
] | 20958 | 20964 | 20964 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "20962",
"answer_count": 1,
"body": "I come across the following sentence:\n\n```\n\n 先月 何日 会社を やすみましたか。\n \n```\n\nI am confused about that this is actually asking. Is it asking:\n\n 1. How many days of holidays did the company have last month?\n 2. Which date did the company have holiday last month?\n\nPlease help.",
"comment_count": 1,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-19T09:34:36.950",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "20961",
"last_activity_date": "2014-12-19T10:42:04.483",
"last_edit_date": null,
"last_editor_user_id": null,
"owner_user_id": "7983",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 2,
"tags": [
"meaning"
],
"title": "What does this mean 先月 何日 会社を やすみましたか。",
"view_count": 162
} | [
{
"body": "会社をやすむ means \"to take (a day) off work\"; if the company was having a holiday\nit would be 会社はやすみです. So this clearly means \"How many days did you take off\nwork last month?\"\n\nI am a BrE native speaker, so the American may well be different, if that's\nrelevant. Oh, and I make mistakes sometimes.",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-19T10:42:04.483",
"id": "20962",
"last_activity_date": "2014-12-19T10:42:04.483",
"last_edit_date": null,
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"owner_user_id": "7717",
"parent_id": "20961",
"post_type": "answer",
"score": 5
}
] | 20961 | 20962 | 20962 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "20975",
"answer_count": 2,
"body": "We are asked to stay at a family friend's house for a couple of days. I was\nwondering, given that we're guests, what are the appropriate greetings to say\nwhen you're leaving and coming back to the house? Can one say 行{い}ってきます and\nただいま?",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-19T15:19:45.320",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "20965",
"last_activity_date": "2014-12-29T03:34:59.930",
"last_edit_date": "2014-12-29T03:34:59.930",
"last_editor_user_id": "7998",
"owner_user_id": null,
"post_type": "question",
"score": 4,
"tags": [
"nuances",
"greetings"
],
"title": "Is saying 行ってきます and ただいま appropriate for guests?",
"view_count": 330
} | [
{
"body": "Yes, it's appropriate. Chalk that one up to Japanese hospitality.\n\nThe only gotcha word as a visitor (for your 2nd time) is using 帰る when saying\nyou returned to Japan. I don't know what the cut off is, but you have to have\nspent quite a bit of time there to properly use it.",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-19T18:30:22.653",
"id": "20968",
"last_activity_date": "2014-12-19T18:30:22.653",
"last_edit_date": null,
"last_editor_user_id": null,
"owner_user_id": "7550",
"parent_id": "20965",
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"score": 1
},
{
"body": "The 行ってきます is no problem.\n\nAs for ただいま, even Japanese people hesitate whether use it or not when they're\nnot returning to their _own_ homes. You can find many questions about [using\nただいま at in-laws'\nhouse](http://komachi.yomiuri.co.jp/t/2012/0930/543880.htm?o=0), and [how to\nrespond to neighbor's\nおかえり](http://komachi.yomiuri.co.jp/t/2009/0906/261149.htm) are asked in\nJapanese forums (as well as\n[here](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/1377/appropriate-%E3%81%9F%E3%81%A0%E3%81%84%E3%81%BE-\nlike-greeting-for-a-neighbor?rq=1)!). I still don't know how to greet back my\nlandlord when she says おかえり to me each time :)\n\nMy advice is, if you don't have feeling of resistance, or the host greets you\nおかえり, then use ただいま. If you're disinclined to do, say ただいま戻りました instead. It'll\ngreatly reduce the \"I'm home\" vibe.",
"comment_count": 4,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-20T06:12:34.813",
"id": "20975",
"last_activity_date": "2014-12-20T09:46:51.907",
"last_edit_date": "2014-12-20T09:46:51.907",
"last_editor_user_id": "7810",
"owner_user_id": "7810",
"parent_id": "20965",
"post_type": "answer",
"score": 4
}
] | 20965 | 20975 | 20975 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "20974",
"answer_count": 2,
"body": "What is the difference between すみません and すみませんでした (or すまない and すまなかった)?\n\nIf it is what the 「でした」 suggests and すみませんでした is the past form and used to\napologize for things done in the past, then what I don't understand is that\neven mistakes that I did just now is already in the past (I have already done\nit!). Then すみませんでした should be the correct one to use and すみません should be used\nonly when you are trying to apologize for something that you will do in the\nfuture. But that doesn't seem the way it is used. Can anyone please explain\nthe nuance difference?\n\nEdit: Here is the thing that is bothering me: \nAnime: キルラキル\n\n> (After complementing her clothes 鮮血{せんけつ} about how good it feels, 鮮血 starts\n> to cry) \n> 流子｛りゅうこ｝：「バカ！服が泣くな！ビショビショして気持ち悪いだろうが。せっかくいい着心地{きごこち}だったのに。」 \n> 鮮血：「すまなかった」\n\nSo he was sorry about an incident (crying) which happened in immediate past\n(and he was still crying when he said that), but he didn't use すみません. What\nwould be the difference in meaning if he said すみません? Or is it totally\ninappropriate in this context?",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-19T16:49:46.310",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "20966",
"last_activity_date": "2014-12-20T17:35:15.220",
"last_edit_date": "2014-12-20T17:35:15.220",
"last_editor_user_id": null,
"owner_user_id": "4507",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 8,
"tags": [
"nuances",
"expressions"
],
"title": "What is the difference between すみません and すみませんでした?",
"view_count": 4218
} | [
{
"body": "You're largely correct, both of them refer to situations in the past, however,\nすみません has has the tendency of being used for immediate apologies (stepping on\nsomeone's foot). すみませんでした is more along the lines of, \"Sorry about the other\nday.\"",
"comment_count": 1,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-19T18:19:39.420",
"id": "20967",
"last_activity_date": "2014-12-19T18:19:39.420",
"last_edit_date": null,
"last_editor_user_id": null,
"owner_user_id": "7207",
"parent_id": "20966",
"post_type": "answer",
"score": 5
},
{
"body": "What bothers you is the ambiguity of ～た form which could indicate both _past_\nand _perfect_. And the worse thing is you have no way to distinguish them in\nform, in this case.\n\nWhat you did: `すみませんでした`\n\n> その節はすみませんでした。\n\nWhat you have done: `すみませんでした` (~ _present perfect_ ) or `すみません` (~ _present_\n)\n\n> こんなことになってしまいすみませんでした。 \n> こんなことになってしまいすみません。\n\nNow or future: `すみません`\n\n> すみません。トイレはどこですか？ \n> もし失敗したらすみません。",
"comment_count": 2,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-20T05:42:11.690",
"id": "20974",
"last_activity_date": "2014-12-20T05:42:11.690",
"last_edit_date": null,
"last_editor_user_id": null,
"owner_user_id": "7810",
"parent_id": "20966",
"post_type": "answer",
"score": 7
}
] | 20966 | 20974 | 20974 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "20970",
"answer_count": 1,
"body": "In the anime \"Fairy Tail\", I came across the line 「ってか お色気代 １０００ジュエル パーだわ これ」\nwhich the translator subtitled as \"By the way, I spent the 1000 jewels I saved\nby using my sexual appeal for this...\" I was wondering what パー means here,\nsince I've never seen it by itself before and I can't seem to find it\nanywhere.",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-19T22:26:48.627",
"favorite_count": 0,
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"owner_user_id": "7214",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 4,
"tags": [
"words",
"katakana"
],
"title": "What does パー mean by itself?",
"view_count": 355
} | [
{
"body": "Here, パー means \"completely gone\" or \"entirely wasted\", often with the nuance\nthat the thing that is completely gone is something that you worked hard to\nget. [デジタル大辞泉 offers the following\ndefinition](http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/leaf/jn2/172848/m0u/%E3%83%91%E3%83%BC/):\n\n> ２ 持っていた金品がすっかりなくなること。それまで苦労したことが全くむだになること。また、そのさま。\n\nThere is also a definition in EDICT, but you have to search for ぱあ or パア in\norder for it to show up, which is probably why you couldn't find it:\n\n> ぱあ (n,adj-na) (2) disappearing completely\n\nI have mostly seen this used as 何々が **パーだ** or 何々が **パーになる**. EDICT seems to\nindicate that it can be used as a な-adjective, but I have never seen it used\nthat way.",
"comment_count": 2,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-19T23:21:03.463",
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] | 20969 | 20970 | 20970 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "20972",
"answer_count": 1,
"body": "I wanted to ask my language partner what he ate for breakfast. However, I was\nunsure whether what I said was correct despite him telling me that it's good -\nI would just like some verification.\n\nI said:\n\n> 朝ご飯は何を食べましたか。\n\nI'm unsure whether this is \"correct\" as in is this how one would normally ask\nanother person what they ate for breakfast?\n\nThe Google-translated equivalent is:\n\n> (あなたは)朝食に何を食べたのですか？\n\nI don't like to rely heavily on Google-translated sentences to verify if what\nI mean/say is correct. What is the difference (if any) between these two\nsentences and is what I said grammatically correct?",
"comment_count": 1,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-19T23:22:36.203",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "20971",
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"post_type": "question",
"score": 3,
"tags": [
"nuances",
"particle-に",
"particle-は"
],
"title": "朝ご飯は vs. 朝ご飯に - difference between these two sentences?",
"view_count": 575
} | [
{
"body": "> 朝ご飯は何を食べましたか。\n\nThis is correct. You're literally saying, \"As for breakfast, what did you\neat?\"\n\n> 朝食に何を食べたのですか？\n\nGoogle is using the particle に to indicate _at_ in a similar manner to that of\n今週末に (this weekend), however, に is usually omitted for relative times. They're\nboth grammatically correct. \"At breakfast, what did you eat?\"",
"comment_count": 4,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-19T23:52:38.377",
"id": "20972",
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] | 20971 | 20972 | 20972 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "20981",
"answer_count": 2,
"body": "> 別に僕は周りを無視して本に没頭したいわけでもないので、見ろと **言われれば** 見る\n\nWould it mean the same thing if `言われれば` was replaced with `言われば`? What's the\ndifference if any between ~れれば and ~れば?\n\nI'm also not certain of the meaning of the sentence- is the second part trying\nto say \"If told to look, I'll look\"? (If so `言われば` would be fitting as well\nwouldn't it?)",
"comment_count": 0,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-20T14:44:08.807",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "20976",
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"last_edit_date": "2014-12-20T15:18:17.830",
"last_editor_user_id": null,
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"post_type": "question",
"score": 4,
"tags": [
"translation",
"nuances",
"verbs",
"conjugations",
"conditionals"
],
"title": "What's the difference between ～れれば and ～れば?",
"view_count": 2309
} | [
{
"body": "言われば is not correct. You should use 言われれば (or 言われたら).\n\n> is the second part trying to say \"If told to look, I'll look\"?\n\nYes, I think you're right. 言われれば consists of 言わ(未然形 of 動詞「言う」) + れれ(仮定形 of\n助動詞「れる」) + ば(接続助詞).",
"comment_count": 2,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-20T15:12:50.110",
"id": "20977",
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},
{
"body": "The conditional _-(r)eba_ has two forms:\n\n 1. Following a consonant-stem verb, it takes the form of _-eba_ :\n``` 行く i **k** -u → 行けば i **k** -eba \n 泳ぐ oyo **g** -u → 泳げば oyo **g** -eba\n 差す sa **s** -u → 差せば sa **s** -eba\n 放つ hana **t** -u → 放てば hana **t** -eba\n 死ぬ si **n** -u → 死ねば si **n** -eba\n 運ぶ hako **b** -u → 運べば hako **b** -eba\n 飲む no **m** -u → 飲めば no **m** -eba\n 走る hasi **r** -u → 走れば hasi **r** -eba\n 構う kama **w** -u → 構えば kama **w** -eba （note: / **w** / disappears before vowels other than /a/,\n **** **** so we end up with kama-u and kama-eba instead)\n \n```\n\n 2. Following a vowel-stem verb, it takes the form of _-reba_ :\n``` 食べる tab **e** -ru → 食べれば tab **e** -reba \n 生きる ik **i** -ru → 生きれば ik **i** -reba\n \n```\n\nSo for short, we call it _-(r)eba_ , using the parentheses to indicate both\nforms at the same time.\n\n* * *\n\nWhat about your example, 言われれば? Let's take this apart.\n\nFirst, we'll start with consonant-stem verb 言う. Its stem is _i **w** -_, but\nthe / **w** / disappears before every vowel except /a/ in modern Japanese,\nwhich is why we end up with forms like 言わない _i **w** -anai_ but 言う _i-u_. The\n/ **w** / disappears from _i **w** -u_ and leaves us with _i-u_.\n\nNext, we want to add the passive _-(r)ar **e** -_ to this verb. We add it\ndirectly to the stem _i **w** -_, which gives us 言われる _iw-ar **e** -_. As you\ncan see, we end up with a vowel-stem verb.\n\nLast, we'll add the conditional _-(r)eba_. Since we're adding it to a vowel-\nstem verb, it takes the form of _-reba_ , and we end up with _iw-ar **e**\n-reba_. As you can see, the two れs belong to different morphemes; you can't\nremove either of them.\n\nFor this reason, your alternative, *言われば, is ungrammatical.",
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}
] | 20976 | 20981 | 20981 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "20989",
"answer_count": 2,
"body": "Taito is mentioned as the kanji/kokuji with the highest stroke count\nconsisting of 84 strokes in\n[Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taito_%28kanji%29).\n\n> Taito is composed of two kanji (\"cloud\" (雲) and \"dragon\" (龍) repeated three\n> times each for a total of six characters and has the meaning of \"the\n> appearance of a dragon in flight\"). It is also a ligature formed from 䨺\n> (tai) and 龘 (tō). It has also been pronounced daito (だいと) and otodo (おとど).\n\nApparently, there are two variations:\n\n \n\nWikipedia also adds that it may have been used in Japanese surnames but there\nare no citations. There is also an equivalent character in traditional\nChinese.\n\n[Nihonshock.com](http://nihonshock.com/2009/10/crazy-kanji-highest-stroke-\ncount/) says that it might have started as a joke and gained legitimate usage\nin history and explains the character as below:\n\n> That’s right, a kanji that’s not in the _daikanwa_. And for that matter, a\n> kanji that’s not even in any historical Chinese records.\n>\n> According to a 2002 newspaper article from Kumamoto, somebody in Japan was\n> apparently using this as their personal name as recently as the 1960s. The\n> kanji has been included in the most comprehensive computer-based dictionary\n> software available (the konjyakumojikyou).\n\nSo what is the real story behind this character? Can we say that it is legit\nand was it ever used in the history?\n\n* * *\n\nRelated question: [Which kanji has the greatest number of\nstrokes?](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/5277/which-kanji-has-\nthe-greatest-number-of-strokes)",
"comment_count": 3,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-20T23:20:44.553",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "20980",
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"last_edit_date": "2020-06-17T08:18:27.500",
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"owner_user_id": "8001",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 9,
"tags": [
"usage",
"kanji",
"history",
"names",
"stroke-count"
],
"title": "Is the kanji/kokuji \"taito\" (たいと) with 84 strokes legitimate and ever used?",
"view_count": 14604
} | [
{
"body": "Here is a page showing a detailed study on citation history of the kanji: \n<http://atonal.fc2web.com/mr/something/gather/otodo_taito/otodo_taito.html>\n\nAccording to it, there is a book from 1981 called 姓氏の語源 'Etymology of\nSurnames', and it has a short story about the kanji, which goes; One day a\nyoung guy showed up at a brokerage office, bought a large amount of stock in\ncash, and showed the staff a namecard which has the kanji written on it.\n\nBut this is basically a hearsay of hearsay of hearsay...stuff, and as far as\nthe above page tells us, this seems to be the only clue to the possible (if\npossible) existence of the person name, which, no one knows if it was\nregistered in koseki, or at least it has been used within a small community,\nor it was just a personal invention for a pseudonym.\n\nSo that's it. I think the kanji is infinitely unreal.\n\nEDIT: By the way, this 'equivalent character in Traditional Chinese' that the\nen.wikipedia cites seems to be just three 龍, with no 雲 accompanying. So,\nactually, it is not 'equivalent' to our kanji in question.",
"comment_count": 1,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-21T06:50:59.173",
"id": "20989",
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{
"body": "This is not a definitive answer to your question, but the _koseki_ register\n(accessible [here](http://kosekimoji.moj.go.jp/kosekimojidb/mjko/PeopleTop))\ndoes contain the separate pieces as _kanji_ appearing in officially registered\nnames:\n\n[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/bwSgR.png)\n\nIt is thus definitely possible that there was (or is) someone with the name\n[䨺龘]【たいとう】. However, the _koseki_ does not have an entry for the ligature of\nthe two characters.\n\nWe cannot hope to disprove the existence of _taitō_ / _taito_ as a single\ncharacter. However, there is no evidence in the _koseki_ register that this\ncharacter existed (in a name) as a single \"ligature\" of 䨺 and 龘. On the other\nhand there is evidence that the individual parts exist(ed) as part of a name.\nMaybe (by some version of Occam's razor for _kanji_ ) we should conclude that\n_taitō_ / _taito_ does not exist as a single character, but only as two\ncharacters, 䨺 _tai_ and 龘 _tō_.\n\n* * *\n\nBy the way, the _kanji_ with the largest number of strokes registered in the\n_koseki_ is a _kanji_ consisting of four copies of 龍, giving 64 strokes, which\nis read テツ・テチ\n\n[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/LUiZt.png)\n\nFor more characters with large stroke counts see [my\nanswer](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/a/43379/1628) on [Which kanji has\nthe greatest number of\nstrokes?](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/5277/1628)",
"comment_count": 0,
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"creation_date": "2017-02-11T12:38:02.450",
"id": "43417",
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}
] | 20980 | 20989 | 20989 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "20984",
"answer_count": 1,
"body": "> 「他の人に手紙を見られてしまいました」\n\nI interpret this sentence's meaning as something like, \"The letter ended up\nbeing seen by someone else.\"\n\nFrom what I understand, the verb 見る is transitive, \"to see.\" The verb 見られる\nshould be its passive form then, \"to be seen,\" which should be intransitive.\nThe particle を indicates that the preceding noun is the direct object of a\nverb that follows it, right? So then, wouldn't 「他の人に手紙が見られてしまいました」 make more\nsense?\n\nI have a feeling this might have more to do with the verb than the particle.\nDoes 見る not lose its transitiveness when it is put in its passive form? If so,\nis を able to be used without a transitive verb then?\n\nWhere did I go wrong?",
"comment_count": 4,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-21T03:26:48.120",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "20982",
"last_activity_date": "2014-12-21T07:38:19.593",
"last_edit_date": "2014-12-21T04:00:08.217",
"last_editor_user_id": "3437",
"owner_user_id": "7946",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 1,
"tags": [
"particle-を",
"passive-voice",
"transitivity"
],
"title": "を without a transitive verb?",
"view_count": 1175
} | [
{
"body": "This is the so-called \"adversarial passive\".\n\nI give a detailed explanation of passives (including the \"adversarial\" ones)\nhere:\n\n> [「を」 object marker in this 受身形{うけみけい}\n> sentence](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/18715/%E3%82%92-object-\n> marker-in-\n> this-%E5%8F%97%E8%BA%AB%E5%BD%A2%E3%81%86%E3%81%91%E3%81%BF%E3%81%91%E3%81%84-sentence/18720#18720)\n\nIn your case:\n\n```\n\n ⇓ **Active Sentence** : 他の人が （私の）手紙を 見た ⇓\n ⇓ **Passive Sentence** : （私が） 他の人に 手紙を 見られた⇓\n \n```\n\nThat is to say, 「私の」 gets lifted to 「私が」, and 「他の人が」 gets lifted to 「他の人に」.\n\nAs mentioned in the other answer, when a の-marked thing gets lifted to が, it\nresults in that thing (私 in your case) being \"affected\", and in general that\nmeans \"negatively affected\".\n\nIf you were to lift 「手紙を」 to が, like you suggested, it would be perfectly\nfine, but that sentence would lack the implications of\n\n 1. the letter being someone's (i.e., it would just be \" **a** / **the** letter\" as opposed to \" **my** letter\" or whoever the context suggests as the owner);\n 2. that someone being negatively affected by the seeing event.",
"comment_count": 7,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-21T04:13:09.710",
"id": "20984",
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}
] | 20982 | 20984 | 20984 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "20987",
"answer_count": 2,
"body": "In English, \"to have enough\" has several different meanings. One of them is\n\"to be fed up\": If you have an argument and want to express that you're fed up\nand about to walk out of the room and you can say \"Enough!\" or \"I've had\nenough of this.\".\n\nCan you say\n\n（私は）十分にあった！\n\nto express anger and fed-up-ness? Or does it only apply in the literal sense\nwhen you want to say you had enough to eat, etc.?",
"comment_count": 0,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-21T04:30:23.777",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "20985",
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"owner_user_id": "388",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 0,
"tags": [
"words",
"usage",
"meaning"
],
"title": "Usage and meanings of 十分",
"view_count": 1578
} | [
{
"body": "Nah, doesn't work like that. The most common and elegant translation is simply\nもういい。You can incorporate 十分 with expressions but they don't quite work\ncolloquially as you posted. That's to say, it can be used to express \"fed\nupness\" but works more like, \"that's enough\", but そこまでだ is going to be more\ncommon in such a scenario (when you're telling someone they need to cut the\ncord, so to speak).",
"comment_count": 0,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-21T04:57:50.717",
"id": "20986",
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{
"body": "You can safely use the word 十分 to finish an argument, like this (in the\nascending order of politeness):\n\n> * （もう）十分だ！\n> * （もう）十分です！\n> * （もう）十分でしょう。\n>\n\n「私は十分にあった」 would mean something like \"There was a plenty of me\", which is\nweird.\n\n「私は十分だ」 would make sense, which sounds like \"As for me, enough. (For others,\nlet them keep arguing if they like)\".\n\n「もうたくさんだ！」 is another common set phrase for this situation.",
"comment_count": 2,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-21T05:08:11.380",
"id": "20987",
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}
] | 20985 | 20987 | 20987 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": null,
"answer_count": 1,
"body": "Both 怒り{いかり} and 怒り{おこり} are nouns and mean \"anger\". Even the kanji are the\nsame!\n\nHow can we distinguish these two?",
"comment_count": 3,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-21T09:46:50.670",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "20991",
"last_activity_date": "2022-01-27T00:06:25.617",
"last_edit_date": "2014-12-22T04:56:39.047",
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"post_type": "question",
"score": 3,
"tags": [
"word-choice",
"nuances",
"readings",
"definitions"
],
"title": "Difference between 怒り{いかり} and 怒り{おこり}",
"view_count": 608
} | [
{
"body": "### As a noun\n\nOnly `怒り【いかり】` stands as a noun _anger_ , _rage_ , _fury_ etc. (Accent in\nTokyo: いかり{LHH})\n\n### As a verb gerund (連用形)\n\nIt's basically a matter of distinction between `おこる` and `いかる`. Both mean \"to\nget angry, mad or furious\", but:\n\n * おこる is more colloquial and tends to describe anger towards real experiences \nex. おこりっぽい、怒りん{おこりん}坊{ぼう} etc.\n\n * いかる is more literary and tends to describe anger towards abstract notions \nex. いかり猛【たけ】る、いかり狂【くる】う etc.\n\n * Only おこる has the meaning \"to scold\"\n * Only いかる has the meaning \"(things) move wildly, ruggedly\"\n\nThoughtful books and articles usually add furigana when they could be\nambiguous. If you can't find furigana, try guessing from the criteria above.\nIf you still feel ambiguity, then either pronunciation might well work, so\ndon't mind.",
"comment_count": 0,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-21T17:06:10.427",
"id": "20992",
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"score": 13
}
] | 20991 | null | 20992 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "20995",
"answer_count": 4,
"body": "From what I understand, っ is used to \"double\" the \"t\" sound, so in だった it\nmakes sense because it's pronounced \"datta\", but why is it used in the second\npart of the phrase?\n\nFull sentence: \"今日一限から英語だったっけ\"",
"comment_count": 1,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-23T14:45:43.117",
"favorite_count": 0,
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"tags": [
"grammar",
"sentence-final-particles",
"gemination"
],
"title": "In だったっけ, why is the second \"っ\"(tsu) used when it can't be connected to \"け\"(ke)?",
"view_count": 1617
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{
"body": "Despite how it looks, っ doesn't only double the consonant \"t\" but is an all-\naround geminator used with most of Japanese consonants. See [the Wikipedia\narticle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sokuon).\n\nAnd for the last part 「っけ」, [this\npage](http://www.jgram.org/pages/viewOne.php?tagE=kke) will be helpful.\n\n* * *\n\nProTip™: Although Wikipedia says you can't use っ with some consonants, the\nyounger generation seems have acquired many untraditional geminations that\nvirtually you'd expect _any_ consonant after っ (especially in comics). The\nmost extreme usage is geminating any (two-syllable stem) adjective's second\nsyllable, when one gasps at the sight: つらい → つっら！, やばい → やっば！, こわい → こっわ！, はやい\n→ はっや！ (even あまい → あっま！ [[ɐ | ʔ͡m | mɐ]], preferred to △ あんま！ [[ɐ | ɐ̃m |\nmɐ]])",
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"body": "Similar to what broccoli forest shared, \"た-form + っけ\" is a grammar structure\nthat is used for confirmation. In English, it is similar to \"~, right?\".\n\nFor example, you met a few people at a party but even after the introductions,\nthere was a name that was hard to catch. In that case, you can use\n\"お名前は何とおっしゃいまし **たっけ** 。\" to prompt the person to tell you his/her name.",
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"body": "「っ」 or 「小さい『つ』」 is used to geminate (or lengthen) the following consonant,\nbasically meaning it is pronounced about twice as long as normal. It's\ntraditionally only used before plosives and fricatives, and the use of 「っ」 for\nthis function evolved from the 「つ」 ending on many on'yomi (Chinese readings)\nof kanji, since it frequently gets \"eaten up\" by the following sound:\n\n> 決 ketsu ＋ して shite ＝ けっして kesshite ｜ 解 kai ＋ 決 ketsu ＝ かいけつ kaiketsu\n>\n> 発 hatsu ＋ 表 hyou ＝ はっぴょう happyou | 爆 baku + 発 hatu ＝ ばくはつ bakuhatsu\n\nIt's historically only allowed before /h/ /t/ /k/ and /s/, but has slowly\nadopted new usages:\n\n> 「やっほ～」 \"Why, hello!\" {Here it represents a long [h] or short glottal\n> stricture}\n>\n> 「っぽいね」 \"Seems that way, doesn't it!\" {Here, a long initial /p/}\n>\n> 「からっ！」 \"Spicy!\" {Here, a glottal stop}\n>\n> 「あっま！」 \"Yum!\" {Here a long /m/}\n>\n> 「つっら！」 \"Ouch!\" {More glottal stricture}\n\nAlso, in songs it is often pronounced as a short lengthening of the previous\nvowel, since pitch doesn't carry well into most geminate consonants.",
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"body": "For a slightly less technical but infinitely more practical explanation, the\nsmall form of つ、in modern, living Japanese can be used to affect any\ncombination of phonemes. Any.\n\nThe best way to think of っ is that whenever you see it, you make a slight\npause, then a more percussive following phoneme. This can even apply to a っ\nfound between two vowel sounds, as strange as it may sound. And lastly, you\nmay see this:\n\nあっ!~ If you're unaware and curious how to read this its' as simple as making\nthe あ sound more percussive, almost as if you got punched in the stomach while\npronouncing the あ sound.",
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] | 20994 | 20995 | 20995 |
{
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"body": "I've been thinking about how Japanese people can read a text (out loud, say)\nwhen the readings of the kanji can be so variable depending on okurigana,\nsuffixes, or prefixes that change the meaning and/or expected part of speech,\nall of which can impact the reading of a kanji. This implies that you have to\n\"read ahead\" before you can be expected to pronounce the phrase correctly. In\nEnglish, you are mostly guaranteed to have all the information you need to\npronounce a word correctly after seeing all the letters of the word, with a\nfew exceptions like \"read\" [red/ri:d] depending on part of speech, but in\nJapanese this distinction is muddier because word boundaries depend on correct\nword recognition in the first place. What are the worst examples you can see\nof this phenomenon in Japanese?\n\nAlthough this view is in part informed by many examples which I cannot fully\nrecall, the ones I can think of at the moment are:\n\n * 一昨日【おととい】 / 昨日【きのう】 / 日【ひ】\n * 一本気【いっぽんぎ】 / 本気【ほんき】\n * 今日【こんにち】は、先生！ / 今日【きょう】は、先生が来てくれます。\n\nThere are of course also many words in Japanese whose readings are not\ndistinguishable despite any amount of context, because the readings are\ninterchangeable (family names often fall in this category), but I am\ninterested in readings which are distinguishable but require a lot of context\nbefore they can be placed correctly.\n\nBy the way, what do you usually do when a kanji has multiple readings with\ndifferent meanings but context can't distinguish them (because they are the\nsame part of speech or grammatical role)? I had this issue recently with\n開く【ひらく】 / 開く【あく】, and when I asked about it I was told that あく is more\ncommonly transitive than ひらく. It still seems like a mess, though, even for a\nnative.",
"comment_count": 10,
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"score": 9,
"tags": [
"kanji",
"readings",
"homophonic-kanji"
],
"title": "Most egregious examples of the reading of a kanji changing due to (textually) distant characters",
"view_count": 1642
} | [
{
"body": "This is not a very answerable question because of the range of writing styles\nencompassed in written Japanese. In everyday writing like what you see in your\nneighborhood bulletin or light novel, it might not get more complicated than\n今日【こんにち】は vs. 今日【きょう】は. But in fact if you are willing to look up a kanji in\nyour favorite EDICT software and look at all of its readings, you may get a\nhint that if you read more difficult texts -- especially pre-modern texts --\nyou will be constantly stuck in a no-man's-land between on'yomi and kun'yomi.\nI once was faced with the task of determining whether a Taisho period\nspiritualist's _name_ was read with on'yomi or kun'yomi, and librarians and\narchivists had no consensus on the issue. So I met with the world's leading\nexpert on the guy and asked him in person, and he said that the man never had\na preference in the first place.\n\nI don't think it possible to say what the most obnoxious ambiguity is because\nit depends on the difficulty level before it becomes \"nobody knows so just go\nahead and read it the way you like,\" and what you think is obnoxious anyway.",
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"body": "I'm not sure if this answers your question exactly, but here are the examples\nI find interesting.\n\n * 一【いち】 / 一人【ひとり】 / 一人称【いちにんしょう】\n * 大人【おとな】 / 大人数【おおにんずう】 / 大人数人【おとなすうにん】",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2015-05-25T10:32:56.140",
"id": "24521",
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"body": "My favorite example is\n[この先生きのこるには](http://dic.nicovideo.jp/a/%E3%81%93%E3%81%AE%E5%85%88%E7%94%9F%E3%81%8D%E3%81%AE%E3%81%93%E3%82%8B%E3%81%AB%E3%81%AF).\n\nIt was originally posted in a net forum, and was intended to be read as\nこのさき、いきのこるには (how to survive longer). But many native speakers have misread\nthis as このせんせい、きのこるには (how does this _sensei_ mushroom(?)), even though there\nis no such verb as きのこる.\n\nThis sounded so funny that it soon became a piece of net slang, and finally a\ncharacter [きのこる先生【せんせい】](http://netyougo.com/aa/4716.html) was created.\n\nFrom my personal experience, I still make mistakes, for example between\n人気【にんき】のない映画 and 人気【ひとけ】のない場所. When such things happen, I just read again\ncarefully. But such things do not happen that frequently; words like 今日【こんにち】は\nand 好【よ】く are usually written in hiragana these days, and pairs like 一本気 and\n本気 cause no problem once you've got used to these words.",
"comment_count": 3,
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"creation_date": "2015-05-25T11:08:31.117",
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},
{
"body": "* [大人気]{おとなげ}ない。\n\n * [大人気]{だいにんき}である。",
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"creation_date": "2016-03-22T15:19:37.583",
"id": "33055",
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] | 20997 | null | 24522 |
{
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"body": "Is either 霊験【れいげん】 or あらたか used outside of the phrase 霊験【れいげん】あらたか\n\"miraculous\"? (I believe れいけん is also a possible reading of 霊験?)\n\n[The goo辞書 entry for\nあらたか](http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/leaf/jn2/7208/m0u/%E3%81%82%E3%82%89%E3%81%9F%E3%81%8B/)\nhas 「霊験―な神」 as its example phrase, and [the entry for\n霊験](http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/leaf/jn2/234123/m0u/%E9%9C%8A%E9%A8%93/) has\n「―あらたか」. I'm also not seeing much else for either word alone on Google besides\ncompanies named あらたか and proper-noun looking things like books named 霊験記.\n\n(I know this isn't a terribly interesting question; it's just that I have\n霊験あらたか on a flashcard for some reason and I'm wondering whether I should learn\nit as two separate words or as one indecomposable phrase.)",
"comment_count": 2,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-24T00:58:03.617",
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"post_type": "question",
"score": 1,
"tags": [
"words",
"set-phrases",
"collocations"
],
"title": "Is either 霊験 or あらたか used outside the phrase 霊験あらたか?",
"view_count": 206
} | [
{
"body": "Daring to answer this without looking at anything...\n\nBasically I recognize this 霊験あらたか as a set phrase. I can hardly expect あらたか\nused, except directly after 霊験. I feel I hear れいけん more often than れいげん, but I\nbelieve both readings are okay.\n\n霊験 is uncommon, and I'm not very sure about how to use 霊験 combined with other\nwords. If I saw something like \"霊験を感じる\", \"富士山の霊験\", or \"霊験溢れる森\", I would feel\nthat's not so unnatural. but I can't say this is \"correct\" or not unless I\ngoogle.",
"comment_count": 0,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-24T16:27:40.773",
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"body": "「霊験のある」and「効験あらたか」came up to my mind.\n\nHowever, I think these expressions are not so common.",
"comment_count": 0,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-24T18:42:08.027",
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] | 20998 | null | 21015 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "21002",
"answer_count": 2,
"body": "Is\n\n> クリスマスの休みだよ！\n\nan appropriate expression? For instance, as a Facebook post or what have you?\nThe main part I'm wondering about is よ. My understanding is that よ usually\nimplies that you're doing something to the audience that falls somewhere\nhalfway in between _informing_ them of something and _instructing_ them of it.\nHere it's really being used mainly for emphasis, but I'm not sure if this is\nloosely correct. And if it's not correct, should だ be omitted as well?\n\nMy understanding also is that なあ is fairly feminine.",
"comment_count": 0,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-24T04:40:42.523",
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"post_type": "question",
"score": 1,
"tags": [
"meaning",
"sentence-final-particles"
],
"title": "Is \"クリスマスの休みだよ！\" an appropriate expression?",
"view_count": 225
} | [
{
"body": "It depends on what you want to say. \nFirst, の is not necessary:\n\n> クリスマス休み\n\nor\n\n> クリスマス休暇\n\nよ is genderless and mostly used for slightly assertive expressions, like さ and\nね. \nOn the contrary, なあ is a masculine expression. Its feminine version is わ. But\nthey will not be a proper replacement for よ.\n\nIf you want to say \"It's Christmas holiday!\" (the \"yay!\" feeling), you can\nuse:\n\n> クリスマス休みだ～！",
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"body": "As BurakUeda said, the 「の」 is unnecessary. Likewise, as Broccoli Forest\nmentioned, 「冬休み」 is the word you normally hear in Japan. So I'll talk about\nthe meaning of 「よ」.\n\nAccording to Bonjinsha's _Basic Japanese-English Dictionary_ , 「よ」 can\n\n 1. _emphasize the force of one's intent, emotion, judgment, etc._\n\n> 「それなりに美味しいよ」 \"It's delicious for what it's worth. (so don't judge it)\"\n>\n> 「今、冬休みだよ」 \"It's winter break. (so I'm not going)\"\n>\n> 「これはあの子に買おうと思ってるよ」 \"I think I'm going to buy this for her. (so tell me\n> that's a good idea)\"\n\n 2. _appeal to the listener as an order, request, urging, etc._\n\n> 「あした必ず来てくださいよ！」 \"Be sure to come tomorrow!\"\n>\n> 「二次会に行こうよ！」 \"Let's go for round 2!\"\n>\n> 「それはダメですよ」 \"You mustn't do that.\"\n\nThe same meaning is echoed in Kodansha's _All About Particles_ :\n\n 1. _Urges a course of action._\n 2. _Indicates a request. (Somewhat stronger than 「ね」)_\n 3. _Indicates a statement of certainty._\n\nThe basic meaning of 「よ」 being, therefore, to suggest that the listener should\nagree with you. So you'd only really say 「冬休みだよ！」 if someone had previously\nsaid something that merits informing them that it actually is Winter Break.\nUsually you'll leave the 「よ」 out in this case.\n\nAnd, when you mentioned 「よ」 being primarily feminine language, it's only\nfeminine when used without 「だ」: 「あたし、試験よ」 \"(No,) I'm taking a test.\" When used\nwith 「だ」 it's pretty masculine.",
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] | 20999 | 21002 | 21002 |
{
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"body": "From what I can find out, たっけ is just an expression that shows that you're\ntrying to remember something, but what does the だった part mean? I have a few\nguesses, but they don't seem to match what I can understand from it.\n\n> 今日一限から英語だったっけ",
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"post_type": "question",
"score": 2,
"tags": [
"grammar"
],
"title": "What does the \"だった\" in \"だったっけ\" mean?",
"view_count": 5544
} | [
{
"body": "In this case, they both have almost the same meaning.\n\n> 「今日一郎から英語だったっけ」 ~ _\" **Was** English from first period today?\"_\n>\n> 「今日一郎から英語だっけ」 ~ _\" **Is** English from first period today?\"_\n\nIt's also important to note that the present tense doesn't really get used\nwith 「っけ」 for anything other than 「だ」. It's weird to say,\n\n> 「どう思うっけ」 ~ _\" What do I think I thought I am thinking again....\"_ { << This\n> sounds crazy. }\n\nBut,\n\n> 「どう思ったっけ」 ~ _\" What did X think of that again...?\"_\n\nis totally normal.",
"comment_count": 6,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-24T10:05:45.620",
"id": "21005",
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"body": "It directly translates to \"it was so\". Used to state a fact.\n\n> Ex: 昨日は休みだった。(It was a holiday yesterday)\n\nIt directly translates to \"was/is it?\" When you say だったっけ it becomes a\nquestion.\n\n> Ex: 今日休みだったっけ？ (Is it a holiday today?)",
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"creation_date": "2014-12-25T05:00:36.553",
"id": "21020",
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"body": "The particle **-kke** is an interrogatory particle that marks a recollection,\nor the failure thereof, in the case a question word appears. The particle's\nusage is often introspective: the speaker asks him/herself whether something\nis recollected properly. \nRecollections are usually about the past, but it is possible to ask oneself\nwhether a certain event in the future, or a state that ranges from the past\ninto the present, is properly recalled. In that case, many languages use past\ntense to mark the non-past event. \nThe particle _-kke_ often appears with **-da** , or its past form **-dat-ta**\n, as in the OP's example _eigo-dat-ta-kke_. In the form _-dat-ta-kke_ , past\ntense **-dat-ta** emphasizes the function of introspective speech marked by\n**-kke**. Translations into English can then use the past tense, and possibly\nthe adverb **again** :\n\n> 何だったっけ \n> nan-dat-ta-kke \n> 'What was (that) again?'\n\nThe OP's example must be understood in one specific way. The example is\nrepeated below:\n\n> 今日（の）１限（目）から英語だったっけ？ \n> 'Was it English from the first period today?'\n\nSince the example contains 今日 **きょう** , rather than 今朝 **けさ** , we can infer\nthat the speaker asks **before** class. S/He is trying to recollect whether\nEnglish is the first subject of the day. In that case, the speaker tries to\nrecollect (remembered) data of a future event. Even though the event is about\nthe future, the past tense **-dat-ta** serves to emphasizes the introspective\nfunction of **-kke**. The English translation shows that using the past tense\nin these situations is not unique to Japanese.",
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"creation_date": "2014-12-25T06:35:50.750",
"id": "21025",
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] | 21000 | 21025 | 21025 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "21021",
"answer_count": 2,
"body": "Context: The group is going to be attacked and one of the people is worried\nwhether they will lose the fight or not and then the leader says what's below.\n\n「祈りを持って戦うのだ。正しき者が負けるわけがない。女神を信じてここまで来たのだろう」 and then he responds with 「は、はい……」\n\nMy problem is understanding the last part of what he said \"女神を信じてここまで来たのだろう\".\nI'm not quite sure how to interpret it. Does the 女神を信じてここまで来た part mean that\nit is through their belief in the goddesses that they/he have come so far(and\nso the goddesses will help them win) or does it mean that because they/he\nbelieve in the goddesses they have come this far?\n\nOne of the problems I'm having is that in Japanese things are often left out\ne.g. in this case 同士 to refer to the believer (there's probably a more\nsuitable one than that) or 我々 for the group. How does one determine whether he\nis speaking about the group or just the believer?",
"comment_count": 0,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-24T10:07:33.923",
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"post_type": "question",
"score": 3,
"tags": [
"meaning",
"て-form"
],
"title": "Understanding 「女神を信じてここまで来たのだろう」",
"view_count": 250
} | [
{
"body": "You have pretty much answered your question. It could mean both the things you\nhave stated depending on the tone of the leader's voice. Given the fact that\none of the comrade responds 「は、はい……」, I take that the leader is saying \"we\nhave believed in the goddess and come this far haven't we?\".",
"comment_count": 0,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-25T05:08:07.907",
"id": "21021",
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{
"body": "> through their belief in the goddesses that they/he have come so far(and so\n> the goddesses will help them win)\n\nI think this is your answer. If you read the whole thing, he orders the\ncomrads to **fight with prayers** (I am not quite sure how to translate this.\n\"You will fight with your prayers equipped\"). So you will win because the\ngoddess will help you. Also says \"There is no way that the righteous\nones(=believers of the goddess) will lose\"",
"comment_count": 0,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-25T06:24:41.623",
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] | 21006 | 21021 | 21021 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "21010",
"answer_count": 1,
"body": "Ok, so I was studying some Japanese phrases when this showed up: 新しい 机 を 買って\nもらいました。\n\nThe translation provided in the source material is: \"They bought me a new\ndesk\"\n\nWhat I don't understand, however, is the verb placement. From what I can\nperceive, the te-form in the 買う is used to connect it with the verb もらう. How\ndo I know which is the subject for each verb? I mean, how do I distinguish\nthat 買って's subject is \"they\" and that もらう's subject is \"me\"?\n\nHow do I know if this phrase means \"They bought me a new desk\" instead of \"I\nbought and received a new desk\"?",
"comment_count": 0,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-24T11:26:25.587",
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"tags": [
"translation",
"meaning",
"verbs",
"word-order"
],
"title": "新しい 机 を 買って もらいました。\"They bought me a new desk\" or \"I bought and received a new desk\"?",
"view_count": 348
} | [
{
"body": "Whenever you use もらう, it always means to receive from someone else. It is\nunusual to use もらう for anything you receive from yourself:\n\n> 私は自分からこのケーキをもらった。 \"I got this cake from me.\" <-- this sounds crazy\n\nMoreover, it's odd to use もらう for getting or receiving things from stuff that\nisn't willingly or consciously giving it to you:\n\n> ジョンさんは、棚から千円もらった。 \"John received one thousand yen from the shelf.\" <--\n> crazy, shelves can't give people stuff\n\nBasically, もらう is the reciprocal form of くれる or あげる, so that the participants\nand viewpoint are switched. View もらう as though it's a rewording of あげる or くれる:\n\n> 彼が 武田さんに 新しいコートを 買ってあげました \"He bought Mr. Takeda a new coat.\"\n>\n> 武田さんが 彼に 新しいコートを 買ってもらいました \"He bought Mr. Takeda a new coat.\"",
"comment_count": 7,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-24T12:32:22.113",
"id": "21010",
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"score": 4
}
] | 21009 | 21010 | 21010 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "21014",
"answer_count": 1,
"body": "\n\nFrom what i can tell, she is saying something along the lines of 'Even if you\nhave the whole cake, it's only 70 grams' but i'm unsure on the usage of 身につく\nhere. Unless my interpretation of the context is wrong of course.\n\n[EDICT (from Nihongodict)](http://www.nihongodict.com/w/98250/minitsuku/) \n1. to master (e.g. a skill) \n2. to become accustomed to (e.g. a lifestyle) \n3. to acquire (e.g. a habit) \n\n[KOTOBANK](https://kotobank.jp/word/%E8%BA%AB%E3%81%AB%E4%BB%98%E3%81%8F-636921) \n１ 自分の所有となる。自分のものとして持つ。「悪銭―・かず」 \n２ 知識・習慣・技術などが、自分自身のものとなる。「早寝早起きが―・く」",
"comment_count": 0,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-24T15:01:46.933",
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"score": 1,
"tags": [
"word-choice"
],
"title": "「身につく」 Usage of this word in this sentence",
"view_count": 215
} | [
{
"body": "In 99% of the cases, 身に付く is used as an idiomatic phrase which is described in\nEDIT. But that's not the case here in this manga.\n\nThis 身につく seems to mean something along the lines of \"(70 g of sugar) becomes\npart of your body (and add to your weight)\". \"Gaining 70 g (0.15 lbs) of\nweight, at most, is not really a matter\" is what she implies here. This is not\nsomething you have to memorize, but it can be easily inferred by context.",
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] | 21013 | 21014 | 21014 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "21029",
"answer_count": 2,
"body": "I feel like I always see 「しまう」 at the end of sentences (not the verb \"to put\naway\"). I saw some examples here [on\nWeblio.](http://ejje.weblio.jp/sentence/content/%E3%81%A9%E3%81%86%E3%81%97%E3%81%A6%E3%82%82%EF%BD%9E%E3%81%97%E3%81%A6%E3%81%97%E3%81%BE%E3%81%86)\n\n> どうしても写真は実物より劣ってしまう。 Pictures really don't do it justice.\n>\n> 私はどうしても彼を目で追ってしまう。 No matter what happens I keep following him with my eyes.\n>\n> 「私の場合、どうしても溝口健二と比べてしまう。」 I can't help but compare him to Kenji MIZOGUCHI.'\n\nI thought it's basically like 'can't help but', but then the first example\nseems different.\n\nAnyone have more examples of this? What exactly does it mean?",
"comment_count": 0,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-25T08:12:42.257",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "21026",
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"owner_user_id": "4660",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 10,
"tags": [
"grammar",
"subsidiary-verbs"
],
"title": "「しまう」 as an auxiliary verb",
"view_count": 1065
} | [
{
"body": "This use of しまう is like adding \"regrettably\", or \"unfortunately\". It means\nthat the action given in the て form is not a good thing.\n\nThe fact that pictures don't do somebody justice is not a good thing. So they\nend the sentence with しまう.\n\nああいう話{はな}し方{かた}は、人の年齢{ねんれい}をさらけだしてしまう。\n\n\"That style of speaking reveals a person's true age, unfortunately\".\n\nThis means that there are bad overtones to the person's age becoming known.\nFor example, the style of speaking reveals that he/she is too old or too young\nin the speaker's opinion.",
"comment_count": 3,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-25T08:35:07.527",
"id": "21027",
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{
"body": "I think the most basic meaning in English is \"wind up\" or \"end up\".\n\nThat seems to work for all of your sentences:\n\n> どうしても写真は実物より劣ってしまう。\n\nSomehow the photo always winds up being inferior to the real thing.\n\n> 私はどうしても彼を目で追ってしまう。\n\nI always somehow wind up following him with my eyes.\n\n> 「私の場合、どうしても溝口健二と比べてしまう。」\n\nIn my case, I always somehow end up comparing him with Kenji MIZOGUCHI.\n\n* * *\n\nI think there's sometimes a sense of disappointment as suggested in the other\nanswer, but I don't think that's ubiquitous (If I'm wrong, I look forward to\nlearning).",
"comment_count": 2,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-25T12:20:24.537",
"id": "21029",
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] | 21026 | 21029 | 21029 |
{
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"body": "While making a list of Christmas vocabulary, I've noticed there are several\nwords for \"decoration\". 飾り, デコレーション, 飾り付け, and 装飾 are the ones I've seen.\n\nJudging by google images (with \"クリスマス\" added), they're something like this -\n\n飾り - any kind of decoration \n飾り付け - arrangements or stuff on walls/hanging from ceilings, like banners and\ngarlands \nデコレーション - Not sure about this one...it seems like it's mostly for a bunch of\ndecorations together, rather than individual ones. Also, the decorations on\ncakes \n装飾 - Decorations in public places\n\nSo, what's the difference between these? And are there any other common words\nthat mean \"decoration\"?",
"comment_count": 0,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-25T09:28:27.583",
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"id": "21028",
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"post_type": "question",
"score": 4,
"tags": [
"word-choice"
],
"title": "Differences between the words for \"decoration\"?",
"view_count": 3142
} | [
{
"body": "飾り=decoration\n\nデコレーション=decoration\n\n飾り付け=decoration or decorating, **the act of decorating**\n\n装飾=decoration\n\nThey means the same thing, except 飾り付け may emphasize the act of decorating in\nsome contexts.",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2017-08-19T10:29:01.180",
"id": "52486",
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"body": "> 飾｛かざ｝り, デコレーション, 飾｛かざ｝り付｛つ｝け, and 装飾｛そうしょく｝\n\nBefore distinguishing these words, I looked up \"decoration\" in several\nEnglish-English dictionaries, and I found that there are roughly three\nmeanings as follows:\n\n(1) The act, process, technique, or art of decorating \n(2) Something used to decorate, especially when put up **temporarily** to\ncelebrate or call attention to a special occasion \n(3) An emblem of honor, such as a medal or badge\n\nAt first I can say that only \"飾り付け\" is different from the others; it has the\nmeaning corresponing to (1) in the definition of a dictionary; that is also\nsaid in Seesawscene's answer.\n\nAs for \"デコレーション\", \"飾り\" and \"装飾\", they have nothing to do with the meaning of\n(3).\n\nI also judged them by google images ( **without** \"クリスマス\" added), and found\nthey're something like this.\n\nClassification A:\n\n * bright, colorful, showy ---- デコレーション\n * imposing, monolithic, massive, dignified, stately ---- 装飾\n * N/A ---- 飾り\n\nClassification B:\n\n * temporary ---- デコレーション、飾り\n * permanent ---- 装飾\n\nJudging from this classification, \"装飾\" may not correspond to (2) according to\nthe definition of the dictionary. As an expression to support this, we say\n\"装飾を施｛ほどこ｝す lit. _to operate/apply 装飾_ \", while we say \"飾りを付ける lit. _to attach\n飾り_ \"\n\nClassification C:\n\n * Western style or modern ---- デコレーション\n * Japanese style or traditional ---- 飾り\n * N/A ---- 装飾\n\nAlthough the application to each classification is my personal judgment, I\nthink it is not so deviated from the general judgment. \nAs a fact that supports these decisions, I'll show below where these words\ncame from.\n\n * A loan word from English ---- デコレーション\n * A loan word from Chinese ---- 装飾\n * A Japan's own word ---- 飾り",
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] | 21028 | null | 52486 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "21032",
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"body": "I don't really have a great understanding of Japanese internet culture, but as\na Korean, I'm guessing it would be quite similar to ours in terms of\n\"formality,\" as both Korean and Japanese have \"formal\" version of the\nlanguage.\n\nex) する -> します / 하다 -> 합니다.\n\nSuppose I want to ask for something, and I want it to go somewhere along the\nline of\n\n\"I know this might bother you, so it's okay if you decline.\"\n\n\"難しい頼みであることをわかっています. 困難であれば拒絶しても大丈夫です.\"\n\nand I would continue on with whatever I need him to do.\n\n(Now that I write this, I don't even know if this is even grammatically\ncorrect. lol.)\n\nBut the general question is: is it okay for me to presume that he will be\nbothered, and also give him an option to decline beforehand?",
"comment_count": 2,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-25T15:12:16.157",
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"last_edit_date": "2014-12-25T19:45:46.497",
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"post_type": "question",
"score": 5,
"tags": [
"grammar",
"word-choice",
"politeness",
"formality"
],
"title": "How to ask for something, formally, but on the internet",
"view_count": 968
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{
"body": "(Even though I will be correcting many parts because that is how I make my\nliving, I could guarantee you that every native speaker will understand your\nsentences as are. So, what is the point of making only this part of your whole\nletter sound like it was written by a native speaker?)\n\n> 「[難]{むずか}しい[頼]{たの}みであること **を** わかっています.\n> [困難]{こんなん}であれば[拒絶]{きょぜつ}しても[大丈夫]{だいじょうぶ}です.」\n\nYour grammar is actually fairly good. It would be much more natural if you\nused 「は」 instead of 「を」 in the first sentence, though.\n\nIt is actually some of your word choices, rather than your grammar, that are\nmaking your writing sound less than natural.\n\n難しい: A little too conversational but not terribly \"wrong\", either.\n\n頼み: Too informal. Not the best word for a formal request.\n\n拒絶: Way too serious, negative, pessimistic, etc. Should be avoided.\n\nしても: Too casual. Lacks respect. Use an honorific form instead. (Hiragana words\nare often more important than many learners seem to realize. )\n\n大丈夫: Too conversational. You are not chatting with a friend about SNSD.\n\nSuggested sentences (without getting rediculously polite and formal):\n\n> 「[勝手]{かって}な（or\n> [大変]{たいへん}わがままな）お[願]{ねが}いであることは[重々承知]{じゅうじゅうしょうち}しております。ご[無理]{むり}であれば\n> [遠慮]{えんりょ}なく[仰]{おっしゃ}っていただくようお[願]{ねが}いいたします。」\n>\n> 「勝手な（or 大変わがままな）お願いであることは重々承知しております。ご無理であれば\n> 遠慮なくお[断]{ことわ}りいただいて[結構]{けっこう}です。」\n\nA lighter and non-business-like version:\n\n> 「勝手なお願いであることは分かっています。ご無理であれば遠慮なくおっしゃってください。」",
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}
] | 21031 | 21032 | 21032 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "21035",
"answer_count": 3,
"body": "The question in the title is just one of the various ones that I don't quite\nget. They all use the phrase\n\n> such and such+ 顔になった + sentence ending particles\n\nLiterally it sounds weird to me but the general idea I get from the phrase is\nthat it can used to comment on someone's growth e.g. 男の顔になったな could be what\nsomething a father says to his son when he's seen that he has grown up.\nAnyway, anyone care to explain this?\n\nThanks.",
"comment_count": 0,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-26T14:47:38.883",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "21033",
"last_activity_date": "2015-01-01T10:07:26.473",
"last_edit_date": "2014-12-26T15:07:48.630",
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"owner_user_id": "7263",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 4,
"tags": [
"meaning"
],
"title": "What is the meaning of the phrase ”男の顔になったな”",
"view_count": 531
} | [
{
"body": "## 男の顔になったな\n\nIt's like saying\n\n> 成長{せいちょう}したな〜\n\n * _Boy, you've come a long way._\n * _Boy, how you've grown!_\n\nSo, you are right, it's a comment on someone's growth.\n\nIt's relevant from the point of view of an adult looking at a young boy's\ngrowth over a period of time. I guess a father could say that to his son, but\nI imagine something more along the lines of a company president / boss saying\nthat to a junior employee that has flourished / made noteworthy progress in\nthe company.\n\nRather awkward longer version:\n\n> 少年{しょうねん}の顔{かお}から成熟{せいじゅく}した大人{おとな}の男{おとこ}の顔{かお}になった。\n\n * You went from a young boy's face to a mature adult's face!\n\n### Other Patterns\n\n> 仕事{しごと}の顔{かお}になった。\n\nTo become serious when one is going to start working.\n\n> 少女{しょうじょ}の顔{かお}になった。\n\nLike a girl who has finished work and meets her boyfriend and then switches to\n_\"cute\"_ mode.",
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"body": "「[男]{おとこ}の[顔]{かお}になったな。」 could mean **two very different things**.\n\n**1. \"You/Someone now look(s) like a full-fledged adult.\"**\n\nThis is the meaning for which the phrase would be used more often than the\nother I shall explain below. It is a well-intended compliment and the speaker\nhas been waiting for this to happen -- most likely for years.\n\nEven though the word 「顔」 is used, it does not mean that only the person's face\nhas changed. It includes how he acts, speaks, etc. It is talking about his\nwhole person that has grown to reach the level where he could be called an\nadult.\n\nOne thing that I feel is important to mention as a Japanese-speaker is that\nunlike what you said in your question, this phrase is not really something a\nfather would say to his son. It would be more like what an uncle would say to\nhis nephew, a male family friend to the son of that family, etc. There might\nbe exceptions where a father might say it to his son, but it would be rare in\nJapanese culture if not in yours.\n\n**2. \"You/Someone now look(s) like a hungry wolf.\"**\n\nThis implies that even though someone was looking like a nice\nhusband/father/whatever-his-profession-is only 30 minutes ago, but now that he\nis out on the street at night only after one thing. \"Two faces of a man\" is\nwhat one is talking about.",
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"body": "Literally, it means \"The face now looked more of a face of a boy.\"\n\nIt can be interpreted as 1) Getting either wiser or more mature than before.\n2) A young man entering adulthood.\n\nAs for how it is used, normally it is being used by parents telling their sons\ngrowing up and at other instances, a lover speaking to their lover. But\nfrankly speaking, it is usually used to indicate growth of someone.",
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"creation_date": "2015-01-01T10:07:26.473",
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] | 21033 | 21035 | 21034 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "21037",
"answer_count": 1,
"body": "This sentence is from a book about Japanese grammar written for native\nJapanese speakers:\n\nところでこれに類したことは、寺村先生ならずとも、多くの日本語教師が経験することではないでしょうか。\n\n * The これ refers to a past incident where a Japanese teacher's explanation of the particle が to foreigners ended up being confusing and incomplete.\n * Teramura-sensei is a Japanese teacher who the book refers to as a pioneer in Japanese language teaching.\n\n\"Incidentally, incidents like this are probably encountered by many Japanese\nteachers, and not just Teramura-sensei.\" seems like a reasonable translation,\nbut I don't know what's going on with that ならずとも。 If it means \"ならないとも\" then I\nwould expect to see a に or と just before (に・となる) but that doesn't seem to be\nthe case.\n\nCan anyone clarify what that ならずとも is signifying? Thanks in advance.",
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"creation_date": "2014-12-26T20:17:15.693",
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"score": 3,
"tags": [
"grammar"
],
"title": "Meaning of ならずとも",
"view_count": 834
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{
"body": "This is a negated form of the literary copula なる (fused from に＋ある). It's not\nthe verb なる \"become\", so inserting に or と wouldn't be appropriate. Here, it\nattaches directly to the noun phrase 寺村先生.\n\nThe literary form 〜ずとも generally means roughly 〜なくても, so the literal meaning\nof 〜ならずとも is close to the colloquial 〜じゃなくても \"even if it isn't\". This phrase\nis used to mean something like だけでなく, \"others besides ...\" or \"in addition to\n...\".\n\nThis is covered in Martin's 1975 _Reference Grammar of Japanese_ , p.368 and\np.1010.",
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{
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"body": "Sometimes, when learning kanji, I get tripped up because I can't remember\nwhich kana are the furigana of the kanji, and which are the okurigana.\n\nTake たべる(食) for example. I might think that たべ are the furigana for 食, and る\nis the okurigana, which is obviously not true. I can tell easily enough when\nthe word is a verb, and it ends in る or す or some such, but it's not always\neasy to remember whether sounds in the middle are part of the kanji or not.\n\nIs there a system behind all of this? Or do you simply have to know the kanji\nreadings and memorise the okurigana?",
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"tags": [
"furigana",
"okurigana"
],
"title": "Are there any patterns for okurigana?",
"view_count": 920
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{
"body": "You can think of Furigana and Okurigana as the root and stem of the word\nrespectively.\n\nDo you know what transitive/intransitive verbs are? Unlike English, nearly all\nverb meanings have a pair of these. In case you don't (or some future reader\ndoesn't), transitive verbs can (sometimes _must_ ) take a direct object (using\nを). They are actions you do _to_ something. Intransitive are the opposite;\nactions that you yourself do. Some examples in English first:\n\n**Transitive**\n\n * I ate an apple.\n * I ate.\n * I cut my finger.\n * I cut it.\n\n**Notes**\n\n 1. `to eat` is transitive, but it doesn't always need an object.\n 2. `to cut` is also transitive, but it must have an object. We can't say `I cut`. In cases like this we naturally feel compelled to add an `it`.\n\n**Intransitive**\n\n * I fell.\n * I died.\n\nNotice it makes no sense to say \"I died him\", etc. `to die` _cannot_ take an\nobject.\n\n**Both**\n\nThis is a nice feature of English. We reuse many verbs as both transitive and\nintransitive.\n\n * I woke up.\n * I woke him up.\n * I ran.\n * I ran the marathon.\n\nJapanese makes extra work for us by having distinct _pairs_ of these words.\nExample (transitive on left):\n\n * 起こす・起きる\n * 切る・切れる\n * 落とす・落ちる\n\nNotice the furigana remain the same regardless of which form the verb takes.\nWhen studying it's best to learn these in pairs, and eventually you'll know\nenough that you'll be able to make decisions on-the-fly about how they need to\nbe written. No memorization necessary.\n\nSay you forget how to split おとす and you'll say to yourself: well, its pair is\nおちる, and since お is what stays the same it must be the furigana. 「落とす！」\n\nHope this helps.",
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"body": "# General\n\nAs had been pointed out, as a general rule, that part of the word - in terms\nof _kana_ syllables - that changes or inflects is written with _okurigana_.\n\nSee also\n「[送り仮名の付け方](http://www.bunka.go.jp/kokugo_nihongo/joho/kijun/naikaku/okurikana/index.html)『国語を書き表すための送り仮名の付け方のよりどころ」』・単独の語１・活用のある語・[通則１](http://www.bunka.go.jp/kokugo_nihongo/joho/kijun/naikaku/okurikana/honbun01.html)」,\nwhich states as a general principle that the inflectional ending is added in\n_kana_.\n\n> 活用のある語（通則2を適用する語を除く。）は,活用語尾を送る。\n\n# History\n\nWhen _kanji_ had been introduced to Japan, and when people began to write\nJapanese with _kanji_ as well, there was the problem that when writing\neverything in _kanji_ , you had to indicate somehow which inflection of a word\nwas intended. Chinese didn't have these inflections and thus the writing\nsystem had to be adapted.\n\nWhat the Japanese people came up with was (a) [the 弖爾乎波【てにをは】 system(s) which\nconsisted of adding small dots and strokes](http://www.nagomi-\nproject.com/prepare_tenioha2.html) to indicate a certain inflection (e.g. ~たり\nor ~て) or particle (e.g. に or を); and (b) - [like with Egyptian\nhieroglyphs](http://www.daregister.me/Resources/Hieroglyphic.htm) - a more\nflexible dual system, some _kanji_ used for their meaning (semantically) and\nsome for their sound (phonetically).\n\nFor example, you could write 恐美多利 for 恐【かしこ】みたり, the last three _kanji_ used\nphonetically. The latter became\n[_man'yougana_](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/tags/manyogana/info), then\n[_hentaigana_](http://www.tofugu.com/2012/01/25/how-japanese-went-from-\nillegible-to-legible-in-100-years/) and evolved into the well-known kana\neventually.\n\n# Verbs\n\nToday, [there are 五段 (\"u\", e.g. 泣く) and 一段 (\"ru\", e.g. 語る) verbs, but\nhistorically, there had been slightly different\ngroups.](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/18585/) If you take a\nverb like _taberu_ , [its conjugation had\nbeen:](https://archive.org/stream/historicalgramma00sansuoft#page/90/mode/2up)\n\n> 終止形【しゅうしけい】 [たぶ](http://www.sengokudaimyo.com/bungo/verbs.html)\n>\n> 連体形【れんたいけい】 たぶ\n>\n> 連用形【れんようけい】 たべ\n>\n> 未然形【みぜんけい】 たべ\n>\n> 已然形【いぜんけい】 たぶれ\n>\n> 命令形【めいれいけい】 たべよ\n\nThat's called the 下二段【しもにだん】 conjugation; 二段 because the vowel changes between\ne and u (cf. the _ablaut_ in German `singen-sang-gesungen-Song`, and English\n`sing-sang-sung-song` or `tooth-teeth`), 下 because these vowel come last (=at\nthe bottom in vertical writing) in the Japanese order `a-i-u-e-o`.\n\n二段 verb became 一段, getting rid of the vowel change, and the 終止形【しゅうしけい】 fell\nout of use, leaving you with only a final る that changes during inflection.\nBut as a remnant of Classical Japanese, the correct spelling with _okurigana_\nis 食べる instead of ✘食る, which would be analogous to 見【み】る. The same principle\nholds for many other verbs.\n\nThe same story holds true for 起きる・起こる, 掛かる・掛ける and many other pairs. They are\nusually derived from some earlier form of one (shorter) verb, e.g. 掛【か】く.\n\nOne reason why new verbs such as 掛かる and 掛ける were formed from an existing verb\n掛く was to create transitive/intransitive pairs, or potential/causative verbs\nsuch as 見【み】る・見える or 覚【さ】める・覚ます, which gives the explanation for this pattern\ndetailed in the answer by @fosskers.\n\nFurthermore, _okurigana_ help to distinguish between the two words, 起る could\ntheoretically be either おきる or おこる.\n\nFor 五段 verbs, historically 四段 (=four vowels; a, i, u, e) verbs, only the last\nsyllable changes, thus 食【は】む, 蝕【むしば】む, 読【よ】む 坐【ましま】す, 嗤【わら】う, 貪【むさぼ】る etc. The\ninflection of 読む is, for reference:\n\n> 終止形 よむ\n>\n> 連体形 よむ\n>\n> 連用形 よみ\n>\n> 未然形 よま\n>\n> 已然形 よめ\n>\n> 命令形 よめ\n\nTo illustrate this, consider the two verbs 統【す】べる and 滑【すべ】る. 統べる derives from\nthe 二段 verb 統ぶ (inflection: すぶ・すぶる・すべ・すべ・すぶれ・すべよ), thus its non-inflecting\nstem is す and it is written 統べる. On the other hand, 滑る is a perfectly normal\n四段 (now 五段) verb on る (inflection: すべる・すべる・すべり・すべら・すべれ・すべれ), whose non-\ninflecting stem just happens to be すべ, thus it is spelled 滑る. In classical\nJapanese, these two verbs were referred to in their dictionary forms すぶ and\nすべる and were as different as 行く and 言う, which just happen to exhibit the same\npast form いった.\n\nVerbs derived from other words retain their inflectional endings. 怪【あや】しむ・怪しがる\nand the adjective 怪【あや】し, 悲【かな】しむ and 悲し, 苦【くる】しむ and 苦し.\n\n# (i-)Adjectives\n\nThe story continues with adjectives. As for i-adjectives, the conjugation is\nas follows for 赤【あか】い:\n\n> 終止形 [あかし](http://www.sengokudaimyo.com/bungo/adjectives.html)\n>\n> 連体形 あかき ／ あかい\n>\n> 連用形 あかく ／ あこう\n\n[あこう is a dialectical variation (and used before\nございます](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/2600/), as in\n有【あり】難【がと】うごさいます, from 難【かた】い) and arose from あかく→あかう→あこう via a sound shift.\nThus, only the last syllable is inflected and the proper spelling is 赤い, 赤う,\n赤く.\n\nThere is a variation of this conjugation for adjectives [whose last syllable\nbefore the inflecting one is\nし](http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Japanese_equivalents_of_adjectives&oldid=605874080#shii-\nadjectives), e.g. 美【うつく】しい:\n\n> 終止形 うつくし\n>\n> 連体形 うつくしき ／ うつくしい\n>\n> 連用形 うつくしく ／ うつくしゅう\n\nThe final inflectional し is not added for the 終止形 (dictionary-form), thus the\nproper spelling is 美し or otherwise it would not get any _okurigana_ to\nindicate it is an adjective, thus it is written 美しい and 美しく.\n\nThe same applies to the compound conjugation of adjectives. 赤くない, because that\nis 赤く + the word 無い. 赤かった, because that is 赤し+あり+つ+あり→あかかりたり→あかかった.\n\nSome adjectives that are formed from an inflected form of another word retain\nthat inflection, e.g. 羨【うらや】ましい, derived from the verb 羨【うらや】む, plus し + the\nadjectival inflectional ending い; or 頼【たの】もしい, from 頼む.\n\n# Compounds & misc.\n\nNext are compound words whose elements are buried under etymology and may have\nbecome obscure. The suffix is rarely written with kanji and left in _kana_ ,\nwhich may look like _okurigana_.\n\nThe proper spelling is 速【すみ】やか, 艶【あで】やか, 健【すこ】やか, 雅【みやび】やか, 明【あき】らか, 滑【なめ】らか,\n朗【ほが】らか, 安【やす】らか etc. because they are compounds containing the suffices -やか\nand -らか, e.g. 艶【あで】+やか and 安【やす】+らか.\n\n静【しず】か, 愚【おろ】か, 確【たし】か, 豊【ゆた】か, 僅【わず】か consist of a combination with some\nsuffix -か. The above -やか might be a combination of や+か.\n\n[See this question concerning the three suffixes -ら, -や,\n-か.](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/5717/)\n\n嬉しげ, 在【あ】りげ, 大人【おとな】げ, 可愛【かわい】げ etc. contains the suffix -気【げ】, now often\nwritten in _kana_ only.\n\n古【ふる】めく, 唐【から】めく, 春【はる】めく ひしめく, ざわめく etc. contain the auxiliary verb めく\n(\"appear/look like\").\n\n欲【ほし】しがる, 強【つよ】がる, 度【た】がる etc. contain the auxiliary verb がる \"show signs of\".\n\n昂【たか】ぶる (高【たか】+ぶる), 偉【えら】ぶる, 揺さぶる etc. contain the auxiliary verb ぶる (振【ぶ】る)\n\"pose as, pretend to\".\n\n綺麗【きれい】の, 綺麗【きれい】な because they are compounds containing the particle の and\nthe verb (as a copula) なり shortened to な.\n\n全【ま(っ)た】く, 全【すべ】て, 決【けっ】して, 妄りに because they are derived from the adjective\n全【また】し, the verb すべる, the Sino-Japanese (on-reading + する) verb 決【けっ】する, and\nthe verb 乱【みだ】る, respectively.\n\n曰【いわ】く (from 言う), 見【み】らく, 散【ち】らく etc. because they are all [formed with some\nold element\nく.](https://archive.org/stream/historicalgramma00sansuoft#page/146/mode/2up)\n\n# No _okurigana_\n\nSome nouns derived from verbs can be written without _okurigana_ , e.g.\n[話【はなし】](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/19771/), 取調室【とりしらべしつ】,\n折紙【おりがみ】, 振仮名【ふりがな】, 受付嬢【うけつけじょう】, 立入【たちいり】禁止【きんし】. Sometimes, the _okurigana_\nother than for the last verb are omitted in verbal compounds, e.g. 問合【といあわ】せ,\n振舞【ふるま】う, 受付【うけつ】ける.\n\n# Exceptions / Special cases\n\nSome words are written with additional _okurigana_ : 後【うし】ろ, 蔑【ないがし】ろ (from\n無【な】きが代【しろ】). Sometimes you can find variant _okurigana_ spellings such as\n既【す】でに, 故【ゆ】えに and 此【こ】れは (instead of 既に, 故に, and 是は).\n\nAdditionally, [おこなう used to be written as 行う\n(行ふ)](http://d.hatena.ne.jp/kazsa/touch/20110809/1312897404), but the spelling\n行なう has gained in popularity.\n\n[Thinking about おこなう](http://www.dtp-transit.jp/misc/writing/post_1854.html),\nI would suggest that the main motivation behind these _okurigana_ usages is to\nhelp the reader and to avoid ambiguity. 行って could be either おこなって or いって (or\nゆって), but 行なって must be おこなって. Likewise, 後 could possibly be のち, ご or うしろ with\nonly the context left to decide which, but 後ろ must be うしろ, no argument about\nthe context required.\n\n既 or 蔑 might be hard to read for some people, but giving part of its reading\nas 既で or 蔑ろ helps you to guess the word from context, even if you didn't know\nthe _kanji_ at all.\n\n# Conclusion\n\nThere are explanations for these pattern regarding _okurigana_ usage, and they\nrequire some basic understanding of the earlier stages of the language.\nHowever, that doesn't change the fact that there are patterns, and even\nwithout understanding them in full detail, you will soon start to notice them\nand be able to tell how to spell a word. For example, you don't need to know\nabout the history of the suffix -やか to notice that many words ending on -やか\nare spelled with やか as the _okurigana_.",
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] | 21042 | 21051 | 21051 |
{
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"body": "> どうせ何【なん】かの玉【たま】を落【お】とすのは分【わ】かり切【き】ってる\n\nThis sentence uses 玉を落とす in a way that makes me think that 玉 is a noun being\nmodified by を落とす to mean something like 'a ball intended to be dropped', in\nother words, a ball you'd play with in sports and the like.\n\nAlso, I'm not really sure about 何か being followed by の, is this a\nregular/fixed usage of 何か with any special properties?\n\nIf you need context for all this, let me explain a bit:\n\nThe person that says the sentence in question is skeptical about receiving the\nNew Year's Gift お年玉【おとしだま】 from another person, and notices that other person\nis holding a ball, which turns out to contain money. Maybe it is a witty word\ngame intended to show that the ball **玉** actually contained the New Year's\nGift お年 **玉**.",
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"creation_date": "2014-12-28T06:20:02.057",
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"tags": [
"grammar",
"verbs"
],
"title": "interpretation of 玉を落とす in this sentence",
"view_count": 123
} | [
{
"body": "The literal translation is:\n\n> It is obvious to me that you will be dropping some sort of balls\n> anyway(after all).\n\nThe person saying this is playing a pun on the word \"玉\" as you said. The\nperson is aware that he/she will either be receiving the \"money (お年玉)\" or the\n\"ball（玉）\".",
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"body": "Probably you should describe the context more.\n\nMy guess is that it is in a comedy play or something.\n\nJerry: Hey, I will give you お年玉.\n\nTom: Oh really? Thanks. But you always trick me. I am sure you give me '落とし玉'\nbut not 'お年玉.' I am not sure what it means, but it is obvious to me that you\nwill be dropping some sort of balls and call it '落とし玉.' I won't be tricked\nanymore.\n\nJerry has a ball, which turns out to contain money.\n\n何か: Something 何かの: Some sort of",
"comment_count": 2,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-28T11:58:21.187",
"id": "21054",
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}
] | 21045 | null | 21046 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "21048",
"answer_count": 2,
"body": "> いい年こいて\n\nI understand that toshi means age in this context, but what is a good example\nof using this in a sentence (informal). What is いい年 in this context?",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-28T08:12:47.027",
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"post_type": "question",
"score": 2,
"tags": [
"slang"
],
"title": "What is the meaning of the phrase いい年こいて?",
"view_count": 559
} | [
{
"body": "Here are some facts about いい年:\n\n * Another way of saying いい年 is いい大人 (a good adult).\n * いい年こいて is the informal version of いい年して.\n\nThat being said いい年 literally translates to \"a good age\" which a another way\nof saying adult or even responsible adult.\n\nいい年こいて can be used in a sentence as follows (Fill the blank with what the\nperson shouldn't be doing):\n\nWhats a good/responsible adult doing ________!?\n\n> Ex: いい年こいて薬やってんじゃんえよ！(what's a responsible adult doing drugs for?)",
"comment_count": 2,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-28T08:30:52.067",
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{
"body": "Firstly, 「いい」, in this context, does not mean \"good\" at all. It is being used\nironically here to express the person's immatureness. That person must be\ndoing something that people his/her age would not generally be expected to do.\n\nThis usage of 「いい」 is fairly common. If you need a reference, see the 用法 here:\n\n<https://kotobank.jp/word/%E5%A5%BD%E3%81%84-429975#E3.83.87.E3.82.B8.E3.82.BF.E3.83.AB.E5.A4.A7.E8.BE.9E.E6.B3.89>\n\nSecondly, the verb 「こく」 is the despising, colloquial form of 「する」, 「言う」, etc.\nIn this case, it means 「する」.\n\nHope you can now see the natural collocation of the ironical 「いい」 and the\ndespising 「こく」.",
"comment_count": 0,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-29T13:13:38.297",
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}
] | 21047 | 21048 | 21068 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "21050",
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"body": "I've heard this being used around on Japanese tv shows a lot. Usually in high\nschool settings.\n\nWhere does this word originate from, and how do I use this in a sentence?",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-28T08:50:12.987",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "21049",
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"post_type": "question",
"score": 2,
"tags": [
"slang"
],
"title": "what does the slang ぱしり mean?",
"view_count": 459
} | [
{
"body": "ぱしり is short for 使いっ走り（つかいっぱしり). You see this in high school settings because\nthat's where ぱしり usually happens.\n\nぱしり is when a senior or someone stronger than you abuses their position or\npower to make you do things. Typically it is when they make you go buy things.\n\n> おいジョンコンビニでジューズ買ってこいよ。 (Yo John, go get me a drink from the convenient store)\n\nHere, John is a \"ぱしり\".",
"comment_count": 0,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-28T08:57:20.750",
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] | 21049 | 21050 | 21050 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "21057",
"answer_count": 1,
"body": "So I say, apropos of nothing, 「電車｛でんしゃ｝を降｛お｝ります。」 With no other context, and\nno topic established, who do you assume is the person that gets off the train?\nIs it me? Is it whomever I'm speaking to? Would it be hasty or incorrect to\ntranslate this sentence as \"I get off the train.\"? Or is it impossible to even\nmake a default assumption, because you have to know the situation before\nunderstanding the sentence?\n\nI ask because, I inevitably practise grammar and vocabulary a lot with\nsentences like these, without context or topic, and I'm curious how you would\ninterpret them on their own.\n\nPlease use furigana for any kanji you introduce.",
"comment_count": 7,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-28T13:39:43.497",
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"owner_user_id": "4242",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 3,
"tags": [
"subjects"
],
"title": "Is there a \"default\" topic when speaking in Japanese?",
"view_count": 296
} | [
{
"body": "In this specific \"(電車を)降ります\" case, I know the phrase like this is actually\nfrequently used in a crowded train, and it means \" _I_ get off!\". If the\nsubject is \" _I_ \", explicitly adding a subject (\"私は降ります!\") in such a case is\nvery unnatural in Japanese. If the subject is not \"me\" but someone else, I\nknow that people would usually say \"降りる人がいます!\" (lit. \"There is a person\ngetting off!\").\n\nSo, even if I have to translate this without any context, what I was doing is\nto imagine the most common background context and infer the natural subject.\nIn this case, although it is easy to think of some exceptional examples, I\nthink assuming the implicit subject \"I\" is usually safe. Likewise, I hear\n\"買います\" or \"行きます\" very often in daily conversations, and the implicit subject\nis almost always \"I\".\n\nBut that does not mean that \"I\" is always the default subject, grammatically,\nin Japanese language. For example, if I have to translate \"2つに割れます\" or\n\"青色に光ります\" without any context at all, I feel \"I\" is probably not the natural\nsubject here.",
"comment_count": 0,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-28T15:29:26.387",
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] | 21055 | 21057 | 21057 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "21059",
"answer_count": 1,
"body": "As far as I understand, it generally says that the _Area server did not\nrespond in a certain amount of time_.\n\nCan anyone give me some insight as to how accurate my understanding of this\nmessage from the game is?\n\n",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-28T16:43:48.957",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "21058",
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"last_edit_date": "2014-12-28T17:25:59.133",
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"owner_user_id": "8028",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 2,
"tags": [
"translation",
"meaning"
],
"title": "Clarification of a sentence from a video game, 「~為」",
"view_count": 250
} | [
{
"body": "> 一定時間{いっていじかん}操作{そうさ}が行{おこな}われていない為{ため} \n> エリアサーバーへの接続{せつぞく}を切断{せつだん}しました。\n\nThe connection to the area server was terminated due to inactivity **or**\n_because no activity was recorded in the predetermined time._\n\n * 一定時間{いっていじかん} **timeout** or _predetermined time_. \n\n * 操作{そうさ} activity or operation.\n\n * 接続{せつぞく} **connection** as in connection to the server.\n\n * 切断{せつだん} **disconnection** in this context.\n\n * 為{ため} **due to** or _because of_.",
"comment_count": 0,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-28T16:50:23.847",
"id": "21059",
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"score": 4
}
] | 21058 | 21059 | 21059 |
{
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"answer_count": 2,
"body": "> 早｛はや｝くしないと、ヤツらとの最終｛さいしゅう｝聖戦｛せいせん｝の幕｛まく｝が切｛き｝って落｛お｝とされてしまうのだから……！\n\nMy doubt is specifically about the part ヤツらとの.\n\nSeveral times I've come across the particle の being used right after another\nparticle, but I haven't had any luck finding material covering this case.\n\nThe most likely to be accurate answers I've been given is that the の particle\nturns into a noun whatever comes before it - I'm familiar with that usage of の\n- but with other particles just before の I have a hard time trying to make\nsense of everything.",
"comment_count": 0,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-28T18:43:45.980",
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"id": "21060",
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"last_edit_date": "2014-12-28T19:56:25.217",
"last_editor_user_id": "3275",
"owner_user_id": "8025",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 1,
"tags": [
"particles",
"particle-の"
],
"title": "interpretation of particle と followed by の",
"view_count": 1753
} | [
{
"body": "It is showing possession, as it usually does. Hopefully this can clear it up.\n\n```\n\n ヤツらの最終聖戦 <- Their last holy war [with anyone]\n ヤツらとの最終聖戦 <- [Our/Someone's] last holy war with them \n \n```\n\nYou will see the combination often.\n\n```\n\n 彼とのデート... A date with him\n 敵との戦い ... A fight with the enemy\n \n```\n\nI'm having a hard time finding any resources to explain it any further,\nunfortunately. Hopefully that helped.",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-28T19:15:56.697",
"id": "21061",
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{
"body": "の can be used as a nominalizer - eg. 読むのが怖い `reading [it] is scary` - but here\nit is simply the noun-joining particle as in 花子の髪 `Hanako's hair`.\n\n> ヤツらとの最終聖戦の幕\n\nThe pattern here is `AとのBのC`. The first の works pretty much the same way as\nthe second, it establishes a relation between the two noun (A and B), and (B\nand C), except that the first relation between A and B is specified further by\nthe addition of the particle と.\n\nPerhaps the best way to explain this is to consider what happens when we omit\nと. ヤツらの最終聖戦 simply means `their final holy war`, and for all we know, they\nmight be waging war amongst themselves with no other parties involved.\n\nと can be interpreted as \"with\". ヤツらと戦う, for example means `fight with\n(=against) them`, 君と出逢う means `to meet [\"with\"] you`.\n\nWithout の, ヤツらと最終聖戦(をする) sounds a bit strange and would mean `do the final\nholy war against them`. More importantly, it can be interpreted only as a\nverbal action modified by ヤツらと, but not as a compound noun that can be\ncompounded further. Ie., ✘ヤツらと最終聖戦の幕 is wrong [as a noun].\n\nAnd that is why we need both と and の. ヤツらとの最終聖戦の幕 is a compound noun ready to\nbe used in a larger sentence.\n\n* * *\n\n# Notes\n\n(a)\n\nNote that の does not always express an attributive (genitive) relation, but a\nmore open one, eg. 課長の田中 does not mean `section-manager's Tanaka`.\n\n(b)\n\nの is used like this with some other particles and expressions. For example, in\n愛についての感じ the relation between 愛 and 感じ is specified further - `a feeling\nregarding love`. On the other hand, in 愛の感じ the relation is left open.\n\nMore examples:\n\n * ホストファミリーの **形態によってのそれぞれの違い** （メリット、デメリット）って何ですか？\n\n * 幸福への近道\n\n * **ご利用に関してのアンケート** のお願い\n\n * 議会に対しての意見",
"comment_count": 2,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-28T19:51:13.723",
"id": "21062",
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}
] | 21060 | null | 21061 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "21065",
"answer_count": 1,
"body": "context (a guy talking to himself while someone else is listening):\n\n> 銀行が住宅ローンの営業に熱心な理由ってわかります？ \n> 憧れの持ち家を手に入れた大切なお客さんの喜ぶ笑顔が見たいから…？ \n> そんなわけねーです！ \n> どんだけお人好しなんですかって話ですよね。儲かるからに決まってます\n\nThis usage seems to have similarities to ってこと. My intuition would be that it\nbasically sums up what he's saying as the question that って is quoting with the\nimplication that anyone who believes the second line is a お人好し.",
"comment_count": 1,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 4.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-28T22:04:28.417",
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"id": "21064",
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"last_edit_date": "2022-01-21T06:18:17.990",
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"owner_user_id": "7263",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 5,
"tags": [
"meaning",
"particle-って"
],
"title": "Meaning of どんだけお人好しなんですかって話ですよね",
"view_count": 775
} | [
{
"body": "It looks like you have got the gist of the phrase.\n\n> 「どんだけ～～って話{はなし}ですよね / だよね / だよな, etc.。」\n\nhas been a very common informal/colloquial phrase expressing one's surprise at\nsomething one has seen, heard, etc.\n\nThe dictionary form of 「どんだけ」 is, of course, 「どれだけ (\"how\", \"how much\", etc.)」,\nwhich is used in exclamations.\n\n**The 「って」 is quotative**. Important thing is to **not** translate the 「話」\npart literally into \"story\" in your head. 「話」 here means more like 「こと」 and it\nonly emphasizes what you want to say.\n\n> 「どんだけお[人好]{ひとよ}しなんですかって話ですよね。」 =\n>\n> 「『どんだけお人好しなんですか？』って話ですよね。」 =\n>\n> \"How credulous could one get?\", I'd say, wouldn't you?\n\nWho is being talked about? It is those who believe that banks are eager to\nissue housing loans because they truly love to see the happy smiles on their\ncustomers' faces for finally acquiring their dream homes.",
"comment_count": 1,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-29T00:33:20.060",
"id": "21065",
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"score": 7
}
] | 21064 | 21065 | 21065 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "21071",
"answer_count": 1,
"body": "So, I recently learned that there's this song called\n[「通りゃんせ」](http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%80%9A%E3%82%8A%E3%82%83%E3%82%93%E3%81%9B),\nwhich I guess would be familiar to all of you who have lived in Japan.\n\nThe grammatical form \"通りゃんせ\" (and later in the song, \"[下]{くだ}しゃんせ\") is\ncompletely unfamiliar to me. The Japanese Wikipedia article for the song gives\n通りなさい as a translation, which is good to know, but I would like to know more\nabout this form. I figure that it is either archaic or at least non-標準語,\njudging from the use of じゃ as a copula and 通しゃせぬ as the negation of, uh, I\nguess 通す or some related verb.",
"comment_count": 3,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-29T08:48:36.377",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "21067",
"last_activity_date": "2015-11-29T09:59:47.710",
"last_edit_date": "2014-12-29T09:16:20.793",
"last_editor_user_id": null,
"owner_user_id": "3437",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 7,
"tags": [
"grammar",
"verbs",
"dialects",
"archaic-language"
],
"title": "Can I get a grammatical breakdown of \"通りゃんせ\"?",
"view_count": 522
} | [
{
"body": "\"通りゃんせ\" is a colloquial contraction of \"通りやんせ\", which is masu-stem(連用形) of\n\"通る\"=\"通り\" with imperative form(命令形) of \"やんす\"=\"やんせ\". Also, 下しゃんせ is \"下す\" with\n\"やんす\".\n\nSee [やんす](https://kotobank.jp/word/%E3%82%84%E3%82%93%E3%81%99-650011)",
"comment_count": 0,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-29T19:59:53.707",
"id": "21071",
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}
] | 21067 | 21071 | 21071 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": null,
"answer_count": 1,
"body": "I know something similar to this has been asked before: [Saying something is\nlike/not like something\nelse](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/14242/saying-something-is-\nlike-not-like-something-else)\n\nI'm just wondering if there's a phrase to express 'like-ness' using senses,\nfor example, \"this apple tastes like a banana\" or \"my socks smells like\nsweat\".\n\nWould you express it as...\n\n> * このりんごの味はバナナの味のようです。 This apple's taste is like a banana's taste.\n>\n> * 靴下の匂いは汗の匂いみたいです。 [My] socks' smell is like the smell of sweat.\n>\n>\n\nI can't help but think this way of expressing it is kind of long-winded...\n\nThank you very much! :)",
"comment_count": 4,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-29T18:02:46.497",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "21070",
"last_activity_date": "2014-12-29T23:27:52.010",
"last_edit_date": "2017-04-13T12:43:48.447",
"last_editor_user_id": "-1",
"owner_user_id": "7802",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 5,
"tags": [
"expressions"
],
"title": "How would you say something is like something else?",
"view_count": 1923
} | [
{
"body": "> このりんごの[味]{あじ}はバナナの味のようです。 This apple's taste is like a banana's taste.\n>\n> [靴下]{くつした}の[匂]{にお}いは[汗]{あせ}の匂いみたいです。 [My] socks' smell is like the smell of\n> sweat.\n\nYour sentences are indeed long-winded mainly for using 「味」 and 「匂い」 twice,\nrespectively. The sentences are too short and the content too simple to use\nany word twice with the exception of particles.\n\nThe most natural way to shorten those sentences without changing the meaning\none bit would be:\n\n> 「このりんごはバナナのような味がします。」\n>\n> 「靴下は汗みたいな臭いがします。」\n\nThe first sentence is now 100% natural and it is just how native speakers\nwould say it.\n\nIn the second, I used 「みたい」 only because you used it in yours, but the more\nnatural way to phrase it would be:\n\n> 「（この/その）靴下は[汗臭]{あせくさ}いです。」\n\nThat is we have the common word 汗臭い for \"to smell like sweat\", so I simply\nused it.",
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}
] | 21070 | null | 21074 |
{
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"body": "Can you do this with any verb? e.g.\"食べもしないわ\"\n\nAlso what's the meaning of \"わ\" at the of verbs like \"壊すわ\"?",
"comment_count": 1,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-30T01:35:39.990",
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"post_type": "question",
"score": 5,
"tags": [
"verbs",
"renyōkei",
"particle-も"
],
"title": "What's the grammatical breakdown of \"知りもしないわ\"?",
"view_count": 589
} | [
{
"body": "* 食べる eat\n * 食べない not eat\n * 食べ **は** しない not **eat** (but do **drink** )\n * 食べ **も** しない not **even** eat\n * 食べ **すら** しない not **even so much as** eat\n\nand so on\n\nわ as a sentence-ender is used differently in different dialects. With no\ncontext here （壊すわ） it's hard to say exactly, but in general, in the standard\ndialect, it's used for feminine emphasis.\n\n[edit] per the comment from blutorange, the grammatical pattern is 連用形, which\nacts as a sort of noun, + 助詞 + する. Which also means it need not be negative:\n人なのだと **わかりはする** けど、もうちょっと近づかないと誰だとははっきりわからない",
"comment_count": 8,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-30T04:34:41.433",
"id": "21080",
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"score": 8
}
] | 21075 | null | 21080 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": null,
"answer_count": 1,
"body": "It's not hard to understand the meaning of this sentence but I just want to\nknow which function the \"と\" serves in this case.",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-30T01:50:53.640",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "21076",
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"post_type": "question",
"score": 0,
"tags": [
"grammar"
],
"title": "What's the function of \"と\" in \"海に行きたいといつしか話した\"?",
"view_count": 95
} | [
{
"body": "> 「海に行きたい」と、(いつしか)話した\n\nThe と is a quotative particle.",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-30T02:17:05.853",
"id": "21077",
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] | 21076 | null | 21077 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "21079",
"answer_count": 1,
"body": "These two forms, ～ないで and the ～な particle seem to have similar meanings. Can\nsomeone please explain the difference between the two?",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 4.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-30T03:24:16.410",
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"post_type": "question",
"score": 4,
"tags": [
"grammar",
"particles"
],
"title": "What is the difference between 忘れないで and 忘れるなよ?",
"view_count": 598
} | [
{
"body": "The former （未然形+ないで） is a light negative command, the latter （終止形+な） is a\nstrong negative command (prohibition). （終止形+なよ） is often (not always) a\nfriendly / playful command.\n\n～して ⇔ ～しないで\n\n～しろ ⇔ ～するな\n\n宿題をするの忘れないでね (like a mother to her child, \"don't forget to do your homework\")\n\n宿題をするの忘れるなよ (depending on tone, a friendly, \"you'd better not forget to do\nyour homework\")\n\n宿題をするの忘れるな (depending on tone, \"do **not** forget to do your homework!\")",
"comment_count": 0,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-30T04:27:06.170",
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}
] | 21078 | 21079 | 21079 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "21084",
"answer_count": 2,
"body": "There is too many words for 'tool' that I am having hard time figuring out\nwhen to use which, or if some of them are just synonyms, meaning essentially\nthe same thing. So far I know at least the following words (with dictionary\ndefinitions, and example sentences with rough translations from Tanaka\nCorpus):\n\n> 1. 器具{きぐ} = utensil; apparatus; implement; device; gadget\n> * e.g. 「その学校は最新の体育器具を備えている。」 = \"That school is equipped with the latest\n> gymnastics apparatus.\"\n> 2. 道具{どうぐ} = tool; implement; instrument; utensil; apparatus; device\n> * e.g. 「それを開ける道具が必要です。」 = \"We need a tool to open it with.\"\n> 3. 器械{きかい} = instrument; appliance; apparatus\n> * e.g. 「血圧計は大切な検査器械です。」 = \"The sphygmomanometer is an important\n> diagnostic instrument.\"\n> 4. 装置{そうち} = equipment; installation; apparatus; device\n> * e.g. 「これは電気を作る装置だ。」 = \"This device produces electricity.\"\n> 5. 用具{ようぐ} = tools; implements\n> * e.g. 「ペンや鉛筆は筆記用具である。」 = \"Pens and Pencils are the tools of writing.\"\n>\n\nJudging by the amount of example sentences I found for each of these words, 用具\nand 装置 are not very common words(?).\n\nThere is this Japanese dictionary that discusses the differences between some\nof the words (<http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/leaf/thsrs/6332/m0u/>), and if I\nunderstood correctly the meanings are:\n\n> * 道具 means widely used tools, and generally means tools with simple\n> structure that can be used with hands (手で扱う簡単な構造のもの). **An instrument.**\n> * 機械 or 器械 are used when referring to tools / devices with more\n> complicated structure.\n> * 用具 and 道具 can often be used interchangeably, but 用具 is mostly being used\n> to refer to sports and studying (学習) tools. **An instrument.**\n> * 器具 refers to type of 器械 with simple structure and small scale. E.g. gas,\n> electric and medical equipment, and うつわもののこと?. **An appliance.**\n>\n\nFirstly, if 器具 is defined as above, why is it used in the example sentence\n「その学校は最新の体育器具を備えている」? Wouldn't 用具 be more appropriate in this context? Are 機械\nand 器械 synonyms, i.e. can they be used interchangeably? Also, how does 装置 fit\nin all of this?\n\nI hope someone can explain this, as I find it confusing.\n\nEDIT: And now I found another word that seems to have quite similar definition\ncompared to the others:\n\n> 6. 設備{せつび} = equipment; device; facilities; installation.\n> * e.g. 「この学校は暖房設備がない。」 = \"This school has no heating.\"\n>",
"comment_count": 6,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-30T10:14:32.750",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "21083",
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"last_edit_date": "2016-05-06T05:51:10.903",
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"post_type": "question",
"score": 15,
"tags": [
"word-choice",
"nuances",
"synonyms"
],
"title": "What is the difference between all the words for tools / devices?",
"view_count": 1801
} | [
{
"body": "All what you've mentioned above are common words. Despite being synonyms, each\nof those words has different shades of meaning even when refers to the same\nobject. I could roughly group them into several clusters as follows:\n\n### 道具 / 器具\n\nThey lay stress on **direct human manipulation** , typically fulfill their\npurposes by (wholly or partially) being handled freely and physically. You're\ncorrect that 道具 is the most widely used word for almost any kind of tools,\nthough I hesitate to use the word for something not handy at all, like\nsupercomputers or jet engines.\n\nSince 器 carries a connotation of \"vessel\", 器具 gets along better with\nimplements that serve their purpose while staying put. (Of course, they might\nwell be portable when not in use.)\n\nA notable feature of 道具 is that it's the only one among all these words that\nhas figurative meaning.\n\n> 他人を道具として使う _utilize others as tools_\n\n### 用具\n\nIt doesn't have complicated nuance (just \"tool\"), but has somewhat odd\ngrammatical status. If you translate it literally, it should be \"tool-for\",\nand could be paraphrased in Japanese as `～用の道具`. If you see a 用具入れ, it must be\na box or cabinet stores \"tools for X\" (X = writing, drawing, cleaning, or\nother specific purposes) but not a multi-purpose toolbox as a 道具入れ is.\n\n### 機械 / 器械\n\nThese words are for **mechanical instruments** , but the two are _usually not\ninterchangeable_. 機械 must have \"clockwork\" components that work in irrelevant\nway to the physical force people have input. If it lacks them, however\nprecisive it be, it will be called as 器械. Thus, many machines today you press\nbuttons to start up are 機械, and 器械 is relatively less used in regular life.\n\nThe sphygmomanometer in your example is a genuine 器械, but if it started to\nspeak and automatically give a health checkup, I'd rather call it 機械.\n\nNote that, however, 器械 can stand for _gymnastics apparatus_. It's a fixed\nterminology.\n\n### 装置 / 設備\n\nThey mainly tell that it is a **stationary equipment works by its own**. The\ndevices people usually don't casually decompose or detach, say, air-\nconditioners or GPS systems, are typical examples of 装置. 設備 means some big\ninstallations built in to the building.\n\nThe entire building serves as a facility is not 設備 but 施設{しせつ}. And \"device\"\nin _wearable devices_ often doesn't fit the sense of 装置. We usually call those\ntechie \"devices\" simply as デバイス.",
"comment_count": 4,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-30T13:14:08.367",
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},
{
"body": "To simplify the issue, I think it’s better to understand the meanings of tool\n/ machine -related Japanese words from their usage rather than detailing their\ndefinitions:\n\n道具 is the most popular Japanese word for general tools and instruments, i.e.\n大工道具 - carpenter’s tools, 左官道具 - plastering tools.\n\n用具 / 用品 is equivalent to 道具 with a bit more modern and specific tonality, i.e.\n運動用具 – sporting goods, 筆記用具 - writing tools, 台所用具 - kitchen utensils.\n\n器具 is equivalent to 用具 with a more mechanical tone, e.g. 運動器具 - sporting\nequipment, 電気/ガス器具 – electric / gas appliance, 照明器具 – lighting equipment, 医療器具\n– medical equipment.\n\n機械 means machine, e.g. 工作機械 - machine tool, 掘削機械 – drilling machine.\n\n装置 means device, apparatus, e.g. 安全装置 – safety device, 発火装置 - ignition device,\n電動装置 - electric power device /apparatus.\n\n設備 is a compound of 機械, 器具, and 装置 that make up a facility to serve for a\nspecific purpose.",
"comment_count": 0,
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"creation_date": "2016-05-06T02:09:53.237",
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"score": 1
}
] | 21083 | 21084 | 21084 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "21087",
"answer_count": 3,
"body": "In my text books they were both translated as \"friendly, kind\", so I'm\nwondering if they can be used interchangeably or if they are different\nsomehow. I tried to ask some people but although they agreed they are not\nexactly the same, they had a hard time explaining the difference.\n\nMaybe someone around here has a good explanation or at least some example\nsentences and situations.\n\nIf I have to I will add some example sentences where I wonder which one to\nuse, but I am hoping to get a general answer, so I don't want to focus people\ntoo much on one example.",
"comment_count": 0,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-30T13:59:56.990",
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"id": "21085",
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"owner_user_id": "4119",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 8,
"tags": [
"word-choice",
"wago-and-kango"
],
"title": "What's the difference between 親切 and 優しい?",
"view_count": 6178
} | [
{
"body": "親切 is related to 親しい -- close / cordial / friendly\n\n優しい is \"kind\" in the sense of nice, polite, thoughtful, trying to please\nothers\n\nUse google to or other resources to find some concrete examples and I think it\nwill be pretty clear.",
"comment_count": 0,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-30T14:05:02.503",
"id": "21086",
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},
{
"body": "Just like the most, if not all, other pairs of originally Japanese words and\ntheir Sino loanword counterparts, the former ([優]{やさ}しい in this case) is more\nintuitive in meaning and/or nuance than the latter ([親切]{しんせつ}). Japanese-\nspeakers learn the word 「優しい」 a few years before they get to learn 「親切」.\n\n**The biggest difference between the two words, IMHO, is that while 「優しい」\nexpresses an innate human quality,「親切」 is mostly used to refer to an acquired\ncharacteristic.**\n\nIf I tried to give you the English counterparts for the two words, it would\nprobably confuse you just like a bilingual dictionary (or a textbook in your\ncase) would confuse you, but I shall try.\n\nIf you are an innately **\"gentle\"** person, you are then at least a 優しい\nperson. You have it; It was not really taught.\n\nDoes that automatically make you a 親切な person? No, it does not. To be called a\n親切な person, you need to \"learn\" to show it in your deeds. This is why I called\n親切 an \"acquired\" quality. **\"Considerate in a friendly way\"** , perhaps?\n\nExample:\n\nYou asked someone for directions on the street and he drew a map to show you\nhow to get where you needed to. You call that 親切 because he took the time to\nhelp you on a hot and humid summer day.\n\nWhether or not he is 優しい inside, you will not know until you have spent more\ntime with him. In fact, whether he is 優しい or not does not matter because he is\na stranger and the chances are that you will never meet him again even if you\nmay remember him for a long time as an extremely 親切な人.\n\nThere is even a possibility that he might be the most 優しくない人 in the world in\nhis private life. But what do you care? He helped you immensely out on the\nstreet on that day!",
"comment_count": 1,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-30T14:47:28.573",
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},
{
"body": "I think in Italian is simpler because we see 優しい more like an adjective\ninstead 親切 is more like a noun, the quality of kindly. In fact the suffix な is\nused to convert Japanese noun to adjective, if you see in that way I hope the\ndifference is more clear.",
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}
] | 21085 | 21087 | 21087 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "21089",
"answer_count": 1,
"body": "Translating the song \"One more time, one more chance\" by Masayoshi Yamazaki\nfrom the movie \"5cm per Second\" gave me two lines that seem unclear:\n\n> くいちがう時はいつも 僕が先に折れたね \n> わがままな性格が なおさら愛しくさせた\n\nIn the first line both combinations make somewhat sense: \nくいちがう -> cross ways or differ \n折れた -> turn or give in\n\nIn the second line it is not clear (for me) who is the exact subject. Is it\n\"me\" or \"you\"? On the one hand speaking of his love as わがまま seems unlikely,\nbut on the other hand the second half is unlikely if he speaks for himself.\n\nSimplified version of story: Boy loves girl, becoming adults both lose sight\nof each other. Boy doesn't get over it and losing sight of what's imported and\ngets depressed.\n\nInterestingly, looking up existing translations different variants came up:\n\na)\n\n> Whenever we disagreed, I would always give in first \n> Your selfish nature made me love you even more\n\n(source: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJmvvZk4C1A>)\n\nb)\n\n> When our path cross each other, I am always the first to turn \n> Making me indulge more in my selfish way\n\n(source: <http://www.animelyrics.com/anime/bfivecm/bfivecmonemoretime.htm>)\n\nCan anyone clear this misunderstanding?",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-30T15:20:47.823",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "21088",
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"tags": [
"translation",
"meaning",
"song-lyrics",
"anime"
],
"title": "Song translation with two possibilities - \"One more time, one more chance\" by Masayoshi Yamazaki",
"view_count": 1532
} | [
{
"body": "It is always intriguing looking at how Japanese-learners read Japanese.\n\n**For either the first line or second line, there is only one possible\ninterpretation, not two.**\n\n> くいちがう[時]{とき}はいつも [僕]{ぼく}が[先]{さき}に[折]{お}れたね\n\nくいちがう here means \"to differ in opinions\" and 折れる means \"to give in to the\nother person\".\n\n折れる cannot mean \"to turn\" in the phrase 「先に折れる」 even if it wanted to.\n\n> わがままな[性格]{せいかく}が なおさら[愛]{いとお}しくさせた\n\nThe speaker is calling the other person わがまま, not himself. More difficulties,\nmore love.\n\nSo, between the two versions of translation that you have found, the first one\nwins by a landslide. There is no comparison. Frankly, the guy who did the\nsecond does not know much Japanese, trust me. He has got every part wrong! But\nthat is often the quality of fan translation.",
"comment_count": 3,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-30T16:16:49.400",
"id": "21089",
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}
] | 21088 | 21089 | 21089 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "21097",
"answer_count": 2,
"body": "How can you express something like \"Tomorrow I will have finished my work\" or\n\"Because I have to do hard word tomorrow, I will be very tired in the\nevening\"?\n\n明日、仕事を絶対終えたようとする。 ？ \n明日、にくい仕事があるから、夜にとても疲れしまっているようになる（なりそうだ？）。 ？",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-31T01:47:42.357",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "21094",
"last_activity_date": "2020-04-29T16:01:36.823",
"last_edit_date": null,
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"owner_user_id": "3488",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 1,
"tags": [
"grammar",
"future",
"past"
],
"title": "Future II Simple in Japanese",
"view_count": 312
} | [
{
"body": "Your first example is just the future perfect, the meaning of your English\nsentence though is a bit ambiguous.\n\n * 明日になるともう休みに入っている（だろう・はず・と思う）\n * 明日になるともう仕事は終わっている（だろう・はず・と思う）\n * 明日になるともうやることは全部終わっている（だろう・はず・と思う）\n\nYour second example is just the simple future \"Because A, will B\".\n\n * 大変な仕事が待っているから、明日、退勤して帰ったらもうくたくただろうなぁ",
"comment_count": 1,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-31T02:26:21.833",
"id": "21097",
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},
{
"body": "It all depends on the situations in which you want to say those but here are\nsome natural-sounding sentences.\n\nFor Sentence 1:\n\n> 「明日には仕事を終えるつもりです（or 終えるつもりでいます）。」 Plain active voice.\n\nIf you absolutely must use 「絶対」, place it right in front of the 仕事 or 終える.\n\nYou could also say:\n\n> 「明日には（or までには）仕事を終わらせるつもりです。」 I used a causative 終わらせる here.\n\nFor Sentence 2:\n\n> 「明日は大変な仕事があるので、晩にはとても疲れていると思います。」\n>\n> 「明日はきつい仕事があるので、夜までにはかなり疲れていると思う。」\n\nYou cannot say 「にくい仕事」. You need a verb in front of にくい like「やりにくい仕事」.",
"comment_count": 4,
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"creation_date": "2014-12-31T02:34:27.323",
"id": "21098",
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"score": 2
}
] | 21094 | 21097 | 21098 |
{
"accepted_answer_id": "21096",
"answer_count": 1,
"body": "First post on JLSE. Sorry if this doesn't belong here...\n\nSometimes on the train platforms in Tokyo or on Japanese television, I hear a\nphrase that sounds like \"kekk-sema-wa.\" I'm still early in my Japanese studies\nand am having a hard time breaking it down to figure out what it means. Can\nsomeone help?",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-31T01:50:10.210",
"favorite_count": 0,
"id": "21095",
"last_activity_date": "2014-12-31T02:05:15.840",
"last_edit_date": null,
"last_editor_user_id": null,
"owner_user_id": "8042",
"post_type": "question",
"score": 2,
"tags": [
"meaning",
"listening"
],
"title": "\"Kekkosema wa\"?",
"view_count": 93
} | [
{
"body": "Maybe you're hearing (お)[客様]{きゃくさま}は [(o)kyaku-sama wa]. 客 means \"customer\"\nand お and 様 you might already know as being honorifics.",
"comment_count": 0,
"content_license": "CC BY-SA 3.0",
"creation_date": "2014-12-31T02:05:15.840",
"id": "21096",
"last_activity_date": "2014-12-31T02:05:15.840",
"last_edit_date": null,
"last_editor_user_id": null,
"owner_user_id": "1628",
"parent_id": "21095",
"post_type": "answer",
"score": 3
}
] | 21095 | 21096 | 21096 |
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