軟派 (nanpa)

 

 Nanpa means player, a seducer, or someone that pick ups on women (oftenly) in the streets

 by Clém

いざかや (izakaya)

 

Izakayas are informal Japanese bars that serve alcoholic drinks and snacks. It's a casual place for after-work drinking and it seems very appreciated of Japanese. According to me it is very different from European bars but the atmosphere is similar as it's a place to relax and have fun !

by Clém

ごちそうさまでした: gouchisousamadeshita

 

ごちそうさまでした: Gouchisousamadeshita (formal) or only gouchisousama (informal) is the japanese phrase for thanking for the food once someone finishes eating. 

猫舌（ねこじた）: nekojita

 猫舌（ねこじた）: nekojita. Japanese word that relates to people who are sensitive to hot food and/or drinks. It comes from the junction of the words "neko" (cat) and "jita" (tongue).

Kogal/kogyaru

I recently learned about a fashion subculture which arose in the 1990s amongst Japanese schoolgirls, called kogyaru.

This was a trend which saw Japanese high school girls alter their school uniforms, such as wearing loose socks (which I have seen depicted in Japanese animation), as well as wearing checked scarfs, having a fake suntan, died hair and cute accessories. However this was more than just a fashion trend, but translated into their language, the way they conducted themselves, and for some even represented a form of rebellion, as these girls aimed to be scandalous, outrageous and go against traditional expectations of teenage girls. 

Here are some links about this subculture movement if you are interested:

https://blogs.uoregon.edu/postbubbleculture/2010/03/30/japanese-subculture-kogals-and-lolitas-rebellion-or-fashion/

https://the-comm.online/blog/the-history-of-gyaru/

https://haenfler.sites.grinnell.edu/subcultures-and-scenes/gyaru/

Shotengai (商店街): Shopping street

Shotengai (商店街) means 'shopping street' in Japanese and is typically used to refer to a traditional covered street lined with local shops. It is closed to traffic, and perhaps comparable to a shopping arcade. They can often stretch for miles!

Osaka's Tenjinbashi-suji  is Japan's longest shotengai, and is approximately 2.6km long!

生きがい（いきがい）: ikigai

 

生きがい（いきがい）: ikigai. This is a japanese word with no english translation that relates to "reason for living". "Iki" comes from life, and "gai" from value.

One's ikigai is what brings someone joy and makes you want to live every day.

カイロ: kairo (japanese heat pack)

 カイロ: kairo (japanese heat pack). These are portable heat packs that can be easily found in Japan. They automatically heat when get in touch in the oxygen, because the pressure and air triggers a chemical reaction once the package is open. While using it, one can either stick it to a piece of clothing or hold it, and, most of them can heat up until 40ºC, being very useful during winter or hikes.

お冷（おひや）: cold water

 お冷（おひや）: cold water. It is frequently used in the restaurant context when someone wants to order more cold drinking water.

侘び(わびさび) - WABISABI

 侘び(わびさび) - WABISABI: this japanese concept represents the beauty of things imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete.

Asking for a bag ー「レージ袋、ビニール袋、紙袋」

When asking for a bag at the コンビニ, or any other shop, there is a variety of vocabulary you can use.

• 袋 「ふくろ」= 'bag' in Japanese.
• レジ袋「レジぶくろ」＝　'register' bag, a bag from behind the register 
• ビニール袋「ビニールぶくろ」＝ plastic bag (literally 'vinyl' bag)
• 紙袋「かみぶくろ」＝paper bag
• 提げ袋「さげぶくろ」＝bag with a handle
  

Note that the voiceless ふ sound becomes the voiced ぶ sound when another word comes before it!

プリクラーJapanese photobooth

 プリクラ is the name for popular photobooth machines in Japan, and is short for プリントクラブ, or 'print club'.  In the booth, you can take cute stylised photos with your friends, and then edit on the image afterwards with effects like make-up, doodles, and stickers. You can find such photobooths in most arcades!

Goldfish scooping (金魚すくい) during the summer festivals!

Kingyo sukui (金魚すくい) is a traditional Japanese game in which participants use paper scoopers to scoop goldfish in Japanese summer festivals. Snatching goldfish, dipping for goldfish, and other similar terms are also used to describe it. The terms "kingyo" and "sukui" both refer to goldfish. Goldfish can occasionally be substituted with bouncy balls. There will almost always be at least one stall where you may attempt scooping goldfish with a tiny paper net called a poi among the food and souvenir stalls. Since the Edo Period, summer festivals have continued to feature the custom.

For more information, you can visit:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldfish_scooping 

https://www.bokksu.com/blogs/news/kingyo-sukui-japanese-goldfish-scooping-at-home 

https://fromjapan.info/topics-about-5-games-to-try-at-japanese-festivals/ 

Kamen (仮面) in Japan

(source: shutterstock)

Kamen 仮面 (かめん) means mask in Japan. Native speakers use this noun to refer to a mask or something to hide someone’s face in Japanese. Additionally, people occasionally use this as a metaphor for something to conceal the truth or something similar.

The kanji expression of “kamen” consists of the following two characters:

仮 : a kanji character widely used to mean ‘temporary’, ‘false’, or such in Japanese.

面 : a kanji character often used to mean ‘face’ in Japanese.

From these two kanji characters, we can understand that “kamen” literally means a temporary face in Japanese.

For more information, you can visit:
https://japaneseparticlesmaster.xyz/kamen-in-japanese/

“Kami” in Japanese

(Painting of Izanami and Izanagi by Kobayashi Eitaku, 1880-90)

There are various homonyms in Japanese, and “Kami” is one of them. “Kami” means “hair” ; “paper” or “god” in Japanese.

Kami - 髪 (かみ)、means hair. While referring to ‘hair’ Japanese also use the term “kaminoke” (髪の毛) to avoid confusion. 

Kami - 紙、means paper. 

Kami – 神 (かみ)、means god. This term could also be used as an adjective that refers to ‘godlike’ in Japanese. 

For more information, you can visit:
https://japaneseparticlesmaster.xyz/kami-in-japanese/ 

処方箋【しょほうせん】： medical prescription

処方箋

読み方【よみかた】(reading): しょほうせん

意味【いみ】(meaning): medical prescription

see also: 処方せん【しょほうせん】 (same meaning)

Words and Kanji contained in 処方箋

処方【しょほう】： prescription; formulation; formula; recipe

処【ところ】・【ショ】： dispose, manage, deal with, sentence, condemn, act, behave, place

方【かた】・【ホウ】： direction, person, alternative

箋【ふだ】・【セン】： paper, label, letter, composition

 

Sources

• jisho.org (definitions)
• http://www.akita-amic.co.jp/medicine/012/image/madoguchi.jpg (image)

時刻表【じこくひょう】： public transport timetable

時刻表

読み方【よみかた】(reading): じこくひょう

意味【いみ】(meaning): public transport timetable; timetable, schedule

Words and Kanji contained in 時刻表

時刻【じこく】： time; (the) hour

時【とき】・【ジ】： time, hour

刻【コク】： engrave, cut fine, chop, hash, mince, time, carving

表【ヒョウ】： surface, table, chart, diagram

 

Sources

• jisho.org (definitions)
• https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DaoxtUzU0AA0NMF.jpg (image)

 

"Welcome" in Japanese (ft. Okinawan Dialect!)

Welcome!

In Japan, there are multiple ways of saying "welcome"!

ようこそ

ようこそ is a common way Japanese people say "welcome".

いらっしゃいませ

いらっしゃいませ can be a phrase people hear often as they enter stores, restaurants, etc!

めんそーれー   

めんそーれー is similar to ようこそ but in Okinawan dialect!

流れ星【ながれぼし】： shooting star

流れ星

読み方【よみかた】(reading): 流れ星

意味【いみ】(meaning): shooting star; falling star; meteor​

see also: 流星【りゅうせい】 (same meaning)

 

Kanji contained in 流れ星

流【なが.れ】・【リュウ】： current, a sink, flow, forfeit

 星【ほし】・【セイ】：star, spot, dot, mark

 

Sources

• jisho.org (definitions)
• https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Perseid_meteor_shower_202008_R0011963.jpg (image)

 

交換留学【こうかんりゅうがく】： student exchange

交換留学

読み方【よみかた】(reading): こうかんりゅうがく

意味【いみ】(meaning): student exchange

 

Words and Kanji contained in 交換留学

 交換【こうかん】： exchange

留学【りゅうがく】： study abroad

交【コウ】： mingle, mixing, association, coming & going

換【カン】： interchange, period, change, convert, replace, renew

留【リュウ】： detain, fasten, halt, stop

学【ガク】： study, learning, science 

 

Sources

• jisho.org (definitions)
• https://media.istockphoto.com/vectors/global-education-flat-line-icon-vector-id936777158?k=20&m=936777158&s=612x612&w=0&h=StV-xAaZX0PO7gbvH_GS2kIqTgZM37GxxX7wGHGwFMk= (image)

棚田【たなだ】： terraced rice fields

棚田

読み方【よみかた】(reading): たなだ

意味【いみ】(meaning): terraced rice fields

 

 

Kanji and words contained in 棚田

棚【たな】： shelf

田【た】： rice field

 

Sources

• jisho.org (definitions)
• https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Terrace_field_yunnan_china_denoised.jpg (image)

登山【とざん】： mountain climbing

登山

読み方【よみかた】(reading): とざん

意味【いみ】(meaning): mountain climbing

 

Kanji and words contained in 登山

登【のぼ・る】： climb

山【やま】・【サン】： mountain

Sources

• jisho.org (definitions)
• https://www.25xt.com/sucai/69971.html (image)

自動販売機 「じどうはんばいき」：Vending machine

 自動販売機 「じどうはんばいき」：Vending machine

Vending machines are a common sight in Japan, and many not only sell non-alcoholic beverages, but alcohol, food, and cigarettes. There are also some that can be found selling goods like ice cream, souvenirs, rice, instant noodles, and even 御御籤「おみくじ」(or fortune papers at shrines and temples). Wherever you are in Japan, you can always be sure you're not far away from a vending machine! There is even one at the summit of Mount Fuji!

富士山の自動販売機 「Mount Fuji's vending machine」

米の自動販売機 「Rice vending machine」

 

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