Japanese Culture Notes, Grammar Rules, and Customs 2

Conversion between Celsius and Fahrenheit

To convert a Celsius temperature to Fahrenheit, multiply it by 9, divided by 5, and add 32. If you have a calculator, multiple the Celsius temperature by 1.8 and add 32. Example: 27ºC x 9 = 243--->243 / 5 = 49--->49 + 32 = 81ºF

-en

¥1 ichi-en, ¥2 ni-en, ¥3 san-en , ¥4 yon-en , ¥5 go-en, ¥6 roku-en, ¥7 nana-en, ¥8 hachi-en, ¥9 kyuu-en, ¥10 juu-en

Entrance (iriguchi)

入口This kanji 入 means enter and is derived from a picture of a small river entering a large one. The mouth or opening 口 through which one enters is an entrance.

Woman (onna)

女 A seated woman with her arms outstretched and legs crossed

The particle -de

-De is used in various ways. One way is to use it with languages. When used this way, -de is usally translated into "in." Example: Nihongo-de denwa-to iimasu which means that In Japanese, it is called "denwa." Another way it used is to specify a location where something takes place. When used this way, -de is usally translated into "at" or "in." Example: Doko-de benkyoo-o shimasu-ka? Means where do you study? Means of transportation-de ikimasu ~ The particle -de is also used to specify means of transportation. When it follows a type of transportation (such as くるま、バス、でんしゃ、タクシー, etc.), it is usually translated in English as by. In questions nan-de means how or by what means. Example: Kuruma-de ikimasu. means that I'll go by car. QUESTION: Tookyoo-ni nan-de ikimasu -ka? (how are you getting to Tookyo?) ANSWER: (Tookyoo-ni) hikooki-de ikimasu (I'm going by airplane)

Colors

A color word, such as red or blue, can either be a noun or an adjective depending on its function in a sentence. Examples: Red is a great color. In this sentence, red is a noun. It is the subject of the sentence and the name of a thing. I like red cars. In this sentence, red is an adjective. It modifies or describes the noun in the sentence, which is cars. Some Japanese color words like midori (green) and murasaki (purple) are always nouns. Their English equivalents can be nouns or adjectives. If the nouns murasaki and midori are used to describe or modify other nouns, the particle -no must be used between the two nouns. Examples: Murasaki-ga suki desu means that I like purple but murasaki-no wanpiisu-ga suki desu means that I like purple dresses Some Japanese color words such as kiiroi and shiroi (yellow and white) end in ''i'' and can be changed into nouns by taking off the final ''i.'' Examples: Kiiroi booshi-ga hoshii desu means that I want a yellow hat. In this sentence, kiiroi is an adjective. Kiiro-ga suki desu means that I like yellow. Kiiroi was changed into a noun by taking off the final "i"

Taiko 太鼓 （たいこ）

A taiko is a very large cylindrical drum which is generally placed on its side on a wooden stand or suspended from a wooden frame. Taiko are double-headed but are normally only played on one side. The drumsticks that are used in playing a taiko are shorter and thicker than Western drumsticks. Tremendous physical endurance is needed to play the taiko. Taiko can often be seen and heard during festival times in Japan, most notably during the Bon Festival in August. The first kanji (tai) means fat, thick, or big. The second kanji means drum.

Compliments

Americans readily accept compliments but in Japan adults try to deny compliments even though they may pleased by the compliment. If someone were to comment on how good they were at a sport, they would claim that no, they were in fact quite horrible at that sport. Students who are learnign are often complimented on how well they are picking up the language even if they are not doing well. Whether you are good or not, and you get a compliment from someone, always claim to be bad at whatever you are getting praise for.

Animal sounds

Animals around the world actually sound the same, but their sounds are heard and represented differently in different languages. In Japanese katakana is often used to write animal sounds.

Fuji-san (富士山)

Approximately seventy percent of Japan is mountainous. The most famous and the tallest of all mountains in Japan is Fuji-san (Mt. Fuji). San is the on-yomi (reading derived from Chinese) of the kanji  (mountain). Fuji-san is a snow-capped volcano that rises dramatically from close to sea level at its base to 3,776 meters (12,388 feet). Visible from many places in Tokyo when the air is clear, Fuji-san has not erupted since 1707. The mountain has figured prominently over the centuries in Japanese literature and art. Still regarded by many Japanese as being sacred, Fuji-san is climbed every year by several hundred thousand people.

Elevator "girls" エレベーター ガール

At one time all Japanese depaato also employed young women to operate the elevators. The erebeetaa gaaru were always impeccably dressed in the store uniform which usually included an elegant hat and white gloves. They would announce the categories of items available on each floor in a distinctively high-pitched voice and bow as customers got on and off the elevator. Every movement seemed to be choreographed. While most depaato now expect customers to operate the elevators themselves, some of the most exclusive stores still employ female elevator operators. It is generally considered inappropriate for customers to make small talk with the erebeetaa gaaru (just as they would not with other people in service positions).

Yakyuu In Japan

Baseball was introduced to Japan in 1873 and is one of Japan's most popular sports. It's enjoyed by millions of players and spectators all around the country.In addition to the thousands of high school and university teams, there are two professional leagues each consisting of six teams. THe annual Japan series features the winners of the two leagues and may draw over 15 million spectators each time.

Biwa-ko (琵琶湖)

Biwa-ko is located to the east of the ancient capital city of Kyoto. By far the largest fresh water lake in Japan, Biwa-ko covers 268 square miles. Biwa-ko's name is derived from its shape which is similar to that of a biwa, a traditional Japanese stringed instrument. The final syllable -ko is the on-yomi for the kanji for lake. Biwa-ko has long been an important source of water for the surrounding agricultural areas and in recent years has become a critical source of drinking water for major cities such as Kyoto. Agricultural and industrial pollution of the lake are issues of grave importance to the surrounding area as more and more people become dependent on the lake as a water source

Forming the negative of i-adjectives

Both English and Japanese have thousands of words which are classified as adjectives. An adjective is a word which modifies a noun or a pronoun. To modify means to describe or to make more specific the meaning of a word. In both English and Japanese an adjective can be used before or after the word which it modifies (example: atarashii konpyuuta is a new computer). The adjective atarashii modifies the word konpyuutaa. It describes the computer. This is an i-adjectives. Unlike adjectives in English, Japanese i-adjectives have a negative form.To form the negative of an i-adjective, change the final i to kunai.

Kedo~demo

Both of these words can both be used in English to express the conjunction but, but they differ in how they are used. The word kedo apears in a single sentence where it serves to connect two sentences like a semi-colon: Tenisu-ga suki desu kedo anmari joozu ja nai desu means that i like tennis but I'm not very good at it. You can use kedo at the end of a sentence and let your voice trail off. The other person will probably understand what you mean. Ending a sentence with kedo instead of chotto or some other word can be more polite since it's less direct: Customer: Aoi nekutai-ga arimasuka? (do you have any blue neck ties?) Salesclerk: Arimasen kedo... (we don't have any but...). The ending sentence could be something like: ...we do have green ties, ...can I help you with something else, or ...another store may have them. If you use demo, use two seperate sentences and put demo at the beginning of the second sentence. This is kind of like when you have a run on sentence in English and need to seperate them into two completely different sentences that have a similar topic or subject: Sushi-ga suki desu. Demo tamago-wa anmari suki ja nai desu. This means that I like sushi. But I don't really like eggs that much.

Sorekara ~ -to

Both sorekara and -to mean too but they have diffferent uses. The word sorekara, which can also mean then, is used to connect sentences: Kyoo roku-ji-ni okimashita. Sorekara gohan-o tabemashita. This means that I got up at six. Then I ate breakfast. -to connects nouns: Tomu-to Kimu [Tom and Kim] Piano-to baiorin [Piano and Violin] The particle -to cannot be used to join verbs and adjectives. If you come across this issue at this point in your learning, it is just best to use two seperate sentences.

Adjective/noun + -mitai

By adding -mitai to the end of an adjective or a noun you can express the idea of it looks like or it seems. If you tell someone something which appears to be true (such as tomorrow's weather), but you are not absolutely sure, then you use -mitai. (examples:) Yuki-mitai desu means that it looks like it will snow Samui-mitai desu means that it looks like it will be cold Hare-mitai desu. means that it looks like it will be nice

Using the -te form + imashita to express past continuous actions

By using the -te form with the verb imashita (the past tense of imasu), you can express actions which were taking place at some time in the past. This verb tense is sometimes referred to in English as the past progressive or past continuous since it describes actions that were in progress in the past. The -te-imashita form is expressed in English as was/were . . . ing. Examples: Roku-ji-han-ni tabete-imashita. Means that I was eating at 6:30 Shinbun-o yonde-imashita. Means that I was reading the newspaper

Person-wa __-ga ichiban suki desuka

By using this expression, you not only express who you like, but you can express who you like best by adding ichiban (examples: aisukuriimu-ga ichiban suki desuka [I like ice cream best (context would be out of all desserts)], Suugaku-no seinsei-ga ichiban suki desu [I like the math teacher best (context would be out of all the other teachers)]. The question form that generates these questions begin with nani-ga (what) or dare-ga (who): Nani-ga ichiban suki desuka [what do you like the best/the most], dare-ga ichiban suki desuka [who(m) do you like the best/the most]. If the context hasn't been established specifically like in the first examples, you can ask like this: Kamoku-wa nani-ga ichiban suki desuka [what subject do you like the best/the most (context would be out of all the subjects), tabemono-wa nani-ga ichiban suki desuka [what food do you like the best/the most (the context would be out of all foods in general)]. QUESTION: nani-ga ichiban suki desuka ANSWER: nihongo-ga ichiban suki desu. ^notice that the answer always uses the particle attatched to the subject that was given by the person who asked the question.

__-ga daisuki desu

Daisuki means very pleasing and is often translated into likes very much or is very pleasing. Daisuki and suki are both Japanese adjectives and are used in the same way

Some kanji commonly seen in a Japanese community

For foreigners who are unfamiliar with large train stations, the first visit to some of Japan's larger train stations, such as Shinjuku, Shibuya, and Ikebukuro in Tokyo or Umeda Station in Osaka, can be an overwhelming and disorienting experience. Knowledge of a few basic kanji such as those for entrance 入口, exit 出口, north 北, east 東, south 南, and west 西 can help considerably. Two other survival kanji are those you often see on rest room doors: 男 men and 女 women

Foreign places

Foreign places are always written in Katakana

Spatial relationships

Four common spatial relationship words in Japanese that are useful to know are mae (front), ushiro (back/behind), migi (right), and hidari (left). These words, which are all nouns, can be used with particles to describe the location of things and people. The verb arimasu is used to talk about the existence of non-living things whereas the verb imasu is used for people and animals. Here are some examples of patterns and sentences describing the location of X in reference to Y: X-wa Y-no migi-ni arimasu/imasu means that X is located to the right of Y. We do not know if these to objects are animate or not. Isu-wa tsukue-no migi-ni arimasu means that the chair is located to the right of the desk. A sentence structure to help you remember forming the right sentence with the correct particles when someone asks where an object or person is: QUESTION: X-wa doko-ni arimasu/imasu-ka? ANSWER: (Object/Person)-no LOCATION WORD (migi, hidari, mae, ushiro) -ni arimasu/imasu A sentence structure to ask who or what is at a specific location: QUESTION: Y (Object/Person)-no LOCATION WORD (migi, hidari, mae, ushiro)-ni nani/dare-ga arimasu/imasu-ka? ANSWER: (Object/Person)-ga arimasu/imasu. Examples of these: Tsukue-no migi-ni nani-ga arimasu-ka? means what is (there) to the right of the desk? (Tsukue-no migi-ni) Isu-ga arimasu means that (To the right of the desk) There is a chair Sumisu-san-no ushiro-ni dare-ga imasu-ka? means Who is (there) behind Ms. Smith? (Sumisu-san-no ushiro-ni) Lee-san-ga imasu. means that (Behind Ms. Smith) There is Ms. Lee. Note: If the location comes at the beginning of the sentence, the particle for the subject is changed from -wa to -ga: Y-no migi-ni X-ga arimasu/imasu means that to the right of y, there is x As opposed to: X-wa Y-no migi-ni arimasu/imasu which means that X is located to the right of Y

I-adjectives

I adjectives are any adjective that ends with an 'i' in roomaji and hiragana. Adjectives are split into two groups: i-adjectives and na-adjectives. I-adjectives can come before the noun it modifies and with desu. Some examples are colors (aoi [blue], kuroi [black], akai [red]) or actions (hayai [fast,early]), etc. (example: muzukashii jugyoo-wa omoshiroi desu means that difficult classes are interesting)

Japanese boxed lunches お弁当/おべんとう

If you have lived on or visited the West Coast of the U.S. or Hawaii, you probably are familiar with the word (o)bentoo (boxed lunches). O-bentoo are very popular with people who want a quick take-out meal that has the appearance and taste of home-cooked food. In Japanese cities you can find many small shops which specialize in o-bentoo. Although many Japanese students eat the cafeteria lunch, others prefer to bring a meal from home. Most bentoo prepared at home are placed in a metal or plastic box called o-bentoo-bako. The inside of the box is often divided into sections with the main section filled with white steamed rice and the smaller sections containing small servings of meat, fish, pickled vegetables, fruit, etc. The preparation of bentoo that are pleasing to the eye as well as the palate is taken very seriously by Japanese mothers.

School cleaning学校のそうじ

In Japan, it is the students' responsibility to keep their school spotless. The task of cleaning individual classrooms, halls, and bathrooms begins in elementary school and continues right through high school. As a result of their efforts, the students tend to be respectful of school property. In addition to sweeping the floors and washing the chalkboards, students also get down on their hands and knees with damp cloths to clean the floors.

Japanese adults and expression of dislikes

Japanese adults usually do not express what they like and dislike directly with others using the expressions like __-ga kirai desu or __-ga suki ja nai desu. These expressions are usually only used around friends or family members.

Koto 琴 （こと）

Japanese traditional instrument that is 6 feet long and has 13 strings. It is about 1 foot wide. Like most Japanese instruments, it most likely originated in the Asian mainland. Earliest references to the koto is the early 16th century. The koto is placed flat on the floor (on tatami mats) before the musician who is seated in traditional seiza style with legs folded beneath the body. The koto is played with plectrums (picks) worn on the thumb, index, and middle fingers of the right hand. The koto has been traditionally regarded as a woman's musical instrument. Even today many young Japanese woman take koto lessons along with lessons in flower arrangement and tea ceremony before getting married.

X-no naka-ni

Naka can be used in the same patterns I already covered with mae, migi, ushiro, and hidari. Naka tells you what is inside, though. Examples: O-kane-wa saifu-no naka-ni arimasu-ka? means is the money in the wallet? Naka-ni nani-ga arimasu-ka? means What's inside (the box, bag, etc.)?

General counters

In addition to the specific counters such as -mai, -hon, -satsu, Japanese also has a set of general counters which are used when the item being counted does not call for a specific counter. Hitotsu, futatsu, mittsu, etc., are very useful words to learn since they are used to count many things which do not belong to a specific classification. These general counters can also be used by learners of Japanese to count things (not people) which do have specific counters. You may not always be correct, but Japanese will understand you. You will be able to express quantities of things in Japanese until you learn the specific counters. The question form which corresponds to the general counters is the word Ikutsu? (1 thing~hitotsu, 2 things~futatsu, 3 things~mittsu, 4 things~yottsu, 5 things~itsutsu, 6 things~muttsu, 7 things~nanatsu, 8 things~yattsu, 9 things~kokonotsu, 10 things~too) In the following example, notice how particles are not used with the counters when the item is not mentioned. If both the item and the counter are used, then the appropriate particle follows the name of the item: Tomato-ga arimasu. Means there is a tomato or There are tomatoes; Itsutsu arimasu means there are five; Chiizubaagaa-o mittsu kudasai means Please give me three cheeseburgers NOUN -ga COUNTER arimasu. NOUN -o COUNTER tabemasu/kudasai You can use the particle -to (and) to express the quantity of two or more things: Hanbaagaa-o futatsu-to koora-o hitotsu kudasai means Please give me two hamburgers and one cola

The origin and use of kanji

In the late fifth century A.D. the Japanese began to import and use kanji (Chinese characters) to write Japanese. Before that time the Japanese had no writing system. Since Japanese and Chinese were—and still are—very different languages that are not even related, the Japanese encountered some problems in trying to use the Chinese writing system to represent their own spoken language.For example, Chinese verbs do not have different endings to show person, number, and tense. Thus, a verb such as 買(mai) which means buy can express all of the following: I buy groceries in Petersville. She buys a new car every year. They bought a new house last week. My sister is buying more than she can afford. My younger brother has already bought a new VCR. I will buy a new one soon. Chinese speakers use pronouns (I, we, she, etc.) and words such as yesterday, tomorrow, every day, and already to clarify the meaning of verbs.Japanese verbs do not have different endings to show person and number, but they do have endings to indicate tense and other grammatical features. When the Japanese borrowed a Chinese character such as 買with the meaning buy to represent in writing their own native word for buy (kau/kaimasu in contemporary Japanese), they needed some way to represent the various endings. By the ninth century the Japanese had simplified some of the kanji to create the hiragana syllabary, the symbols of which could be used with borrowed Chinese characters. A kanji always represents the root meaning of a word. Examples: 買う。~Kau 買います。 ~Kaimasu 買いました。~Kaimashita 買いません。~Kaimasen 買いませんでした。~Kaimasen deshita あの人は本を買いました。~Ano hito-wa hon-o kaimashita Notice that in the case of both 人(hito) 本(hon) the entire word can be written with kanji. These nouns have no endings which require the use of hiragana. Modern Japanese is written with a combination of three systems: kanji, hiragana, and katakana. The symbols used in the katakana syllabary also trace their origin to Chinese characters.

Weather comments as greetings

It is customary when meeting a friend, classmate, colleague, or acquaintance to comment on the weather. A common exchange which serves as a mutual greeting would be: A-san: Kyoo-wa ii tenki desu-ne. (The weather is nice today) B-san: Ee, soo desu-ne. (Yes, it is, isn't it?) Japanese are always talking about how mushi-atsui (hot and humid) it is in the summer and how samui (cold) it is in the winter. Commenting on the weather is a way of starting a conversation with other and is always of some interest because the weather in the island nation of Japan changes so frequently.

Seasonal events

Japan has four distinct seasons with major annual events closely associated with each of them. Since Japan stretches from about the same latitude as the northern tip of the state of Maine to as far south as the southern tip of Florida, it has a wide range of weather and temperatures. While southern Japan begins to experience spring in February, the northern island of Hokkaido may still have snow in early April. For much of Japan, spring arrives in mid-March. A major spring event is the blossoming of cherry trees from late March to early April. Many Japanese observe this very special time of year by going on excursions with family, friends, classmates, and colleagues to nearby and distant park to view the cherry blossoms. This is usually referred to as はなみ (hanami), literally means flower-see from the words hana (flower) and mi (the root of the verb miru/mimasu). They spread mats or blankets on the ground and enjoy their picnic underneath the canopy of cherry blossoms until late in the evening. Another major spring event, which usually takes place late in the season, is たうえ (taue), literally means rice-planting from ta (rice) and ue (the root of the verb ueru/uemasu). Rice has always been considered the staff of life. Although nowadays most farmers use machines to plant rice, there are still many farmers who plant rice the old-fashioned way—by hand. Traveling by train between major cities in Japan, you can easily spot the newly planted rice fields flooded with water and exhibiting straight green rows of freshly sprouted rice plants. Even in such huge cities as Tokyo and Osaka, one can still find an occasional rice field surrounded by office and apartment buildings. The rainy season つゆ (tsuyu) marks the transition from spring to summer. Tsuyu usually lasts from the middle of June to the first week of July. This is a very important time for Japan since this is when the nation hopes to receive adequate rainfall to see it through the long, hot days of summer. Given the water requirements of a population of almost 130 million people, a dry rainy season can be a disaster for everyone. When tsuyu ends, a period of hot, humid days begins which usually continues into early September. The first major たいふう(taifuu), which are typhoons with heavy rains and strong winds, usually begin to strike the Japanese mainland in late August and sometimes continue sporadically through the month of September. They signal the beginning of the end of summer. About the third week of September the humidity begins to decrease, and the temperatures drop at night. Thus begins one of the best times to visit Japan—autumn. Autumn is a time of harvesting crops, of magnificent festivals celebrating and giving thanks for the bountiful harvest, and of other seasonal activities such as fall for foliage and moon viewing.つきみ (tsukimi = moon viewing) is another popular seasonal activity associated with fall. With the lower humidity, clear skies, and lower temperatures, the conditions are ideal for moon viewing, and activity that has been popular in Japan for at least 1,300 years. Groups of people gather beneath a full moon and read poetry, sing songs, and enjoy the company of others while enjoying the beauty of what in English is sometimes referred to as a harvest moon. The transition from fall into winter is usually gradual in most of Japan. There are a number of festivals associated with winter in Japan, the most famous of which is the Snow Festival in the city of Sapporo on the northern island of Hokkaido. The festival has gained international recognition for the intricately carved ice and snow sculptures of famous buildings are almost the same size as the actual ones after which they are modeled. Many parts of Japan experience considerable snowfall in the winter. Niigata Prefecture, which lies north of Tokyo on the Japan Sea side of the country, often records and annual snowfall of thirteen to sixteen feet. Like people in many other countries, the Japanese are avid skiers. Although Tokyo rarely has any measurable snowfall, the famous Japan Alps are only a couple of hours by train from downtown Tokyo.

Specialty shops

Japan has often been referred to as a nation of shopkeepers. The reason for this is very simple. No matter where one travels in Japan—large cities, towns, villages in rural areas—you will always encounter many small shops owned and operated by individuals and families. Although Japanese do shop at suupaa (supermarkets) and in large depaato (department stores), they still like to shop at small specialty shops. Besides the standard fruit and vegetable, bakery, and flower shops, there are specialty shops for virtually anything one can imagine. Because buying fresh food is very important for the Japanese, the majority of housewives still shop daily at the pan-ya, niku-ya, yao-ya, and other shops.

Japan—an island nation (日本)

Japan is an archipelago located off the east coast of the Asian mainland. It consists of four main islands and approximately four thousand smaller ones. Going from northeast to southwest are the islands of Hokkaidoo, Honshuu, Shikoku, and Kyuushuu. From the northern tip of Hokkaidoo to the southernmost point south of Okinawa is approximately 3,000 km (1,850 miles).

Celsius ~ Fahrenheit

Japan, like most nations of the international community, uses the metric system. Japanese measure temperature according to the Celsius scale which defines the freezing point of water as zero degrees and the boiling point as 100 degrees. Just as most Americans have very little understanding of what an air temperature of 35 degrees Celsius feels like, most Japanese have very little sense of temperatures measured in Fahrenheit. If you should ever plan to travel to Japan (or almost any other country), it would be very good to develop a sense of temperatures measured in Celsius.

Japanese money

Japanese use six denominations of coins and four denominations of bills. The coins are for 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, and 500 yen (in Japanese えん). The 5- and 50-yen coins have a hole in the center. The bills are for 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, and 10,000 yen. They are user-friendly in that the higher the denomination the larger the size of the bill. Thus, a 5,000-yen bill is larger than a 1,000-yen bill. They are also each a different color which makes it easier to distinguish them from one another. Japanese paper money has portraits of famous Japanese who played an important role in Japan's transition into the modern industrial age of the late 19th and early 20th century.

Japanese traditional sports

Judo, kendo, karate, and other traditional sports in Japan are usually referred to in English as martial arts. Since the English word martial pertains to war, natice speakers of english often have the mistaken impression that these traditional Japanese sports are used in lethal combat. It's important to remember the second word: arts. These sports are art forms where every move is carefully choreographed like an intricate dance form. They operate of tests of strength and are largely emphasized on borrowing the opponenent's strength to use it against them. This is why, with the exception of sumo, that the body size and muscle mass of a person does not indicate who will actually win a match

Juudoo

Juudoo is written with two kanji. The first means soft and the second means way or path. In judo one uses no weapons. To succeed you borrow the strength of your opponent and use it against them to win the match no matter the person's size or strength. Judo is largely defensive and therefore you are not allowed to use moves that could potentially hurt the opponent. The sport is usually performed in a large tatami (rice straw mat) room and people wear loose white uniforms that consist of a pair of pants and a jacket. The color of the belt indicates a person's rank.

Karaoke

Karaoke became popular in Japan during the 1970's. About 10 years later it became popular in the US. Kara means empty and oke means orchestra, so the literal translation means empty orchestra. Karoke was so popular at one point that there were karaoke cabs or buses where people could sing their favorite songs on their own while traveling. Everyone in Japanese society is expected to be able to sing because at any point in time you could be asked to entertain. Claiming that you are poor at singing won't get you out of entertaining, it will just want people to hear you sing even more.

Kendoo

Kendoo is believed to come from Japan. Ken means sword and doo means way or path; the same kanji and Judoo. Traditionally in Japan, swords were imbued with spiritual power. Samurai were never allowed to let their sword out of their sights. Today the swords in Kedoo have been replaced with bamboo poles.

__-ga kirai desu

Kirai means displeasing and usually translates into dislikes or hates. This is a really strong expression of dislike so it's best to use softer expressions like __-wa suki ja nai desu or __-wa anmari suki ja nai desu.

Koko, soko, or asoko?

Koko means here (close to the speaker) Soko means there (close to the listener) Asoko means over there (not close to the speaker or listener)

Aruite ikimasu

Literally meaning walking go, this verbal expression is composed of the -te form of the verb aruku/arukimasu (walk) and the verb ikimasu (go).In English aruite ikimasu is often translated as go on foot. The verb ikimasu can be changed to a negative or past form. Notice that the partcile -de is NOT used with aruite ikimasu. Examples: Shigoto-ni aruite ikimashita. Means I went to work on foot.

Kanji

Many kanji have been derived from pictures of the things they represent. For many students of Japanese, knowing the origin of a kanji can help with both the learning and remembering of it.

~masen-ka

Masen-ka can be used to invite someone to eat something or drink something such as in: Ocha nomimasen-ka (won't you drink some green tea?). You can use this same form to invite someone to do activities: Kyo tenisu-o shimasen-ka (wouldn't you like to play some tennis today?), Eiga-ni ikimasen-ka (would you like to go to the movies?)

Japanese world map

Most people grow up familiar with world maps that feature their own country in the middle. For example, many maps used in the Western hemisphere show Canada, the U.S., and Latin America in the center. World maps published and used in Japan, however, usually show Japan in the center. No matter which country you visit, you will soon discover that the citizens of that country regard their own country as the most important—and often the best—country in the world. Maps reflect this orientation.

#-doru

The Japanese counter for dollars is -doru. Use Ikura-desu-ka? when inquiring about a price. The counter -doru combines with the same number forms shown on the -en card

Summer greeting cards しょちゅうみまい

Shochuu-mimai (literally, middle of heat inquiry) are greeting cards which are sent at the peak of the summer heat around the end of July or beginning of August. The cards are similar in appearance to Japanese New Year's postcards (nengajoo) and usually have an attractive pen and ink drawing of bamboo trees, a stream, or other natural scenery which evokes a sense of coolness. Senders of the cards write an appropriate formalized expression to let others know that they are thinking of them and are concerned as to how they are managing in the hot, humid weather. Japanese send the cards to superiors, clients, relatives, and friends. As noted in earlier lessons in this course, seasonal changes and weather are major points of interest in Japanese daily life.

Japanese department stores にほんのデパート

Shopping at some of Japan's more famous department stores such as Mitsukoshi, Daimaru, and Matsuzakaya in cities like Tokyo, Osaka, and Sapporo is quite an experience. Depaato are often seven or more stories high. The basement or lower level is usually a combination of a supermarket and individual food counters where customers can purchase items from individual retailers. The top floor of most depaato has a wide range of restaurants from which hungry shoppers can choose. During the summer the roofs of many depaato serve as either beer gardens for adult customers or miniature amusement parks for children. The remaining floors of Japanese depaato have on display goods similar to those one would find in other department stores around the world such as clothing, toys, electronics, and housewares. There are also many items that are distinctively Japanese, such as kimono, traditional Japanese furniture, bedding, and calligraphy sets. The high quality of customer service in most Japanese stores is very obvious from the moment a customer walks into the store. Many stores have young women in uniform whose only job is to welcome customers as they come into the store. Most of the larger depaato have an information desk near the entrance of the store where young women answer customer's questions. Up until 1980's, most stores also had young women in uniform at the bottom of each escalator to caution people to be careful getting on and off the escalator. Most stores now rely on a recorded female voice to provide the same service

Na-adjectives

Similar to i-adjectives. They can come before the nouns they modify and be used with desu. However, when a na-adjective comes before a noun, you have to use the particle -na after the adjective (example: shizuka-na ongaku-ga suki desu means that I like quiet music) You don't use -na with the same adjectives when you use them with desu (example: ongaku-wa shizuka desu means that the music is quiet) The form the negative parts of na-adjectives with ja nai desu (example: ongaku-wa shizuka ja nai desu means that the music is not quiet.)

Grammatical mistakes with Japanese adjectives

Suki, daisuki, and kirai are all adjectives that are similar to hoshii and translate into verbs in English. If you think of these as is pleasing, is very pleasing, and in displeasing, you can avoid errors.

Sumoo

Sumo has been a nationally popular sport in Japan that has been a part of regular life for at least 1,000 years. The sport is believed to begin with religion, as early matches were held in Shinto shrines. Clothes worn by refferees are similar to those of a Shinto priest. Su means mutual and moo means slap or hit. So, sumoo or sumo means mutual slap or hit. Wrestlers usually average around a weight of 250 to 350 pounds and usually begin training at age 14. They eat a special diet that helps the, achieve the desired weight and size. They posses great strength and agility even though to the average Westerner they just look like a fat person. The point of sumoo is to get the opponent out of the circle or ring by pushing and forcing them out or pushing them so that a part of their body other than the soles of their feet are touching the ground. The bouts don't last long. The ritual performed by the refferee and the wrestlers often take longer than the match itself.

Using the -te form + imasu to express a state or condition

The -te form + imasu can also be used to express a state or condition which is the result of a previous action. Examples: Tenisu-bu-ni haitte-imasu means that I belong to the tennis club (joined and still belong). Sensei-ga kite-imasu means that the teacher is here (came here and still is here)

The -te form of verbs

The -te form is a commonly occurring Japanese verb form which ends in て(te) or で(de). It can be used in many different patterns in Japanese, including polite commands with kudasai. Example: Kono kanji-o kaite kudasai. Which means please write this kanji character. By using the -te form with the verb imasu, you can express actions which are taking place at the same time you are speaking. This verb tense is sometimes referred to in English as the present progressive or present continuous since it describes actions that are in progress. In English the -te-imasu form is expressed as am/is/are . . . ing. Example: Ima shigoto-o shite-imasu. This means that I am working now.

#-en

The en (in English yen) is the monetary unit of Japan. As a counter, -en is combined with numbers to express specific amounts. When you ask for the price of an item, you say, "Ikura desu-ka?" Example: Kono enpitsu-wa ikura desu-ka? means how much is this pencil? Kyuu-juu kyuu-en desu. means that it is 99 yen Prices in Japan are usually written in one of two ways. The kanji for -en (円) is written after the Arabic numerals or the symbol for yen (¥) is written before the numerals. Thus, a price of 300 yen could be represented as: 300 円 OR ¥300

O-miyage (souvenir gifts) おみやげ

The giving of gifts is a very complex and significant aspect of Japanese culture which is important to understand. A major category of gift-giving is the custom of buying and giving o-miyage (souvenir gifts). It is customary to buy o-miyage for family, classmates, business colleagues, and others whenever one goes on a trip. Even elementary school children buy gifts for their classmates if they go on a trip. There are two aspects to おみやげ giving that are important. First, you must select something that is representative of the area you have visited. Typical おみやげ from trips within Japan include gifts such as regional foods and sweets, bottled beverages, handicrafts, items from temples and shrines, and key chains. Second, you must buy the same item for everyone who is a member of the group for which you are buying おみやげ. As with many aspects of Japanese culture, the "rules" are very clearly set. Buying おみやげ is not really a matter of choice. Your classmates, family, colleagues, and others will expect to receive something from you upon your return. If you went on a trip to Disneyland, for example, you would buy something for every member of your class, not just your best friends. In resort areas frequented by Japanese there may be Japanese-owned specialty stores that sell suitcases to Japanese tourists because many Japanese find that they need more luggage space for all of the おみやげ they have purchased.

Karate

The origins of karate are unclear. Many believe that it originated in Okinawa (now a part of Japan but once an independent kingdom) but some believe it came from China or Korea. Kara means empty and te means hand so karate's meaning is empty hand. Like Judo, Karate doesn't allow weapons. The only difference between Karate and Judo is that in Judo you focus on stealing energy and reading the opponent's mind to defeat them while in Karate you rely on the use of hour hands, elbows, feet, etc to defeat the opponent. Both of their uniforms are similar.

Place-de item-o kaimasu

The particle -de can be used to indicate the place where an action occurs. Example: Hon-ya-de (Bookstore-at) omoshiroi zasshi-o (interesting magazine-(direct object particle, -o) kaimashita (bought). Alltogether, this means that I bought an interesting magazine at the bookstore.

Shakuhachi 尺八 （しゃくはち）

The shakuhachi is a five-hole bamboo flute whose name is derived from its length expressed in traditional Japanese units of measurement. The flute is one shaku (approximately one foot) and eight (hachi) sun (a sun is approximately one tenth of a shaku) in length. A skilled player of the shakuhachi can create an almost otherworldly sound that is distinctively different from what can be produced with a Western flute.

Shamisen 三味線 （しゃみせん）

The shamisen is a three-stringed instrument originally imported from China in the late sixteenth century. The shamisen is held much like a banjo and is played with a large paddle-like plectrum. It has been used since the early seventeenth century to accompany traditional theatrical forms such as bunraku (puppet theater) and kabuki along with a number of other musical forms. Although deceptively simple in appearance, the shamisen is a very powerful musical instrument which is capable of conveying a wide range of emotions. The three kanji used to write the word shamisen literally mean three-flavor-string.

Language-o hanashimasu

The verb hanashimasu means speak and can be used with the names of languages. The plain form of hanashimasu is hanasu. The direct object particle -o must be used following the name of the language. Examples: Eigo-o hanasu Eigo-o hanashimasu Both of these mean that I speak English depending on who I am talking to

Declining and invitation

The word chotto can be used to soften refusals. Chotto is also used when politely declining and invitation when you let your voice trail off: A: Yakyuu-o shimasenka (would you like to play some baseball?) B: Yakyuu desuka? Yakyuu-wa chotto (Baseball? Baseball's a little...) which implies that you don't really like baseball and the other person will understand from the tone of your voice

Ame desu

The words ame, yuki, kumori, and hare are all nouns. You can use them in sentence patterns you have already learned. Notice that the weather concepts may be expressed by verbs or adjectives in English. Examples: Ame desu. [It's raining.] Yuki desu. [It's snowing.] Kumori desu. [It's cloudy. It's cloudy weather.] Hare desu. [It's clear (weather). It's fair. It's sunny.] Kumori desu-ka? [Is it cloudy?] Ame ja nai desu. [It's not raining.] Yuki-ga suki desu. [I like snow.] Ame deshita. [It rained. It was raining.]

~mashoo

There are many polite verbs in Japanese I have already covered that end in -mashoo like: Ikimashoo (let's go!), or Nihongo-de kakimashoo! (let's write in Japanese!). The ending -mashoo has the meaning of "let's," and suggests a course of action. You can use this form when you want to accept an invitation: A: Kyoo tenisu-o shimasen-ka (Would you like to play tennis today?) B: Soo desu-ne.. Ja, shimashoo! (Hm.. okay, let's go!)

Object-o kudasai

To ask for a particular object, use the pattern OBJECT + -o + kudasai. A counter such as hitotsu comes between the OBJECT + -o and the verb kudasai. Examples: Sono nooto-o kudasai means Please give me that notebook. Kore-o kudasai means Please give me this (one) or I'll take this. Chiizubaagaa-o mittsu kudasai means Please give me three cheeseburgers. Hanbaagaa-o yottsu kudasai means Please give me four hamburgers

Nani-go-o hanashimasu-ka?

To ask what language is spoken by someone, use the question Nani-go-o hanashimasu-ka? The word Nani-go is replaced by the name of the language in the answer. Example: Nani-go-o hanashimasuka?~What language do you speak? Doitsugo-o hanashimasu~I speak German

Japanese police

There are many words for policeman in Japanese. One of the more common words is o-mawari- san (おまわりさん) which can be used to both refer to and address a policeman. The mawari part of the word comes from the verb mawaru/mawarimasu which means to turn or go around. The word literally refers to someone who makes the rounds-a policeman who has his beat or area for which he is responsible. Female police officers are called fukei-san (ふけいさん) which is short for fujin keikan (literally, woman police officer). Rather than patrolling the streets in police cruisers, the majority of policemen work out of small police stations which can usually be found at intersections of major streets. One of the most common tasks of an おまわりさん is responding to pedestrians' requests for directions. Smaller streets in Japan have no street names and houses are not numbered sequentially as they are in some countries. The おまわりさん are usually very familiar with their territory and with the people who live in the neighborhoodおまわりさん who are assigned to residential areas keep meticulous records of everyone who lives there. Once or twice a year they go around to every dwelling unit to interview the residents and to update their records.

Using the -te form + imasu to express continuous actions

These actions are taking place at the same time you are speaking. In English this use of the -te-imasu form is usually expressed as am/is/are . . . ing. Changing imasu to imashita enables you to express continuous actions in the past. Example: Terebi-o mite-imasu. Means that I am watching TV

-te mo ii desu-ka?

This a structure sentence for asking permission using the -te form of verbs. If you want to specify the action you are asking permission to do, use the -te form of the verb followed by -mo ii desu-ka? Example: Sono shashin-o mite-mo ii desu-ka? means can I look at that photo? When giving permission, you may use Hai, ii desu-yo or Hai, doozo

__-wa anmari suki ja nai desu

This expression means that the object in the blank is slighly displeasing and that you don't like it very much. This is often translated into doesn't really like ___

___-wa doko desuka?

This is a review on how to ask for the location of a building or other place. In the answer, the words koko, soko, and asoko may replace the question word doko. Examples: A: Hon-ya-wa doko desu-ka? (where is the bookstore) B: Asoko desu (it's over there. Asoko means that it is not close to either person) A: Gakkoo-wa doko desu-ka? (where is the school? Said while looking at a map) B: Koko desu (it's here. Koko means that the building is close to the speaker) A: Eigakan-wa doko desu-ka? (where's the movie theater? Said while looking at a large map) B: Soko desu (It's there. Soko means that the place is near the listener)

Irasshaimase

This is just a more formal way of saying irasshai (welcome). Store clerks and restaurant owners will often greet you with this and bow to welcome you.

Supootsu-wa nani-o shimasu-ka

This is similar to questions wher you state the category first (followed by the particle -wa) and then ask what the other person's preference is within that category: (Supootsu-wa nani-ga suki desuka which means which sport(s) do you like?; tabemono-wa nani-ga suki desuka which means which food(s) do you like?) But you can learn a similar pattern where the category or the context is established first: Supootsu-wa nani-o shimasuka which means what sport(s) do you play or as for sports, what do you play?)

#-sento

This is the counter for cents. You use a number followed by this to indicate a price in cents. The counters -doru and -sento are used to state prices over a dollar

Person-wa __-ga suki/kirai desu

This is used when you want to tell not only what item is pleasing or displeasing, but to whom the item is displeasing or pleasing. (ex: Kenji-kun-wa Naomi-san-ga kirai desu which means that Kenji hates Naomi. Watashi-wa orenjii juusu-ga kirai desu means that I dislike orange juice)

Mouth (kuchi/guchi)

This kanji is a squared off picture of a mouth or opening 口

Man (otoko)

This kanji is derived from two kanji: 男 a rice field (viewed from above) and 力 a fist pushing down (viewed from the side) representing power. Man provides power in the fields.

Exit (deguchi)

This kanji 出 means come out and is a simplified picture of a plant coming out of the ground. The opening 口 through which you come out is an exit

__-wa suki ja nai desu

This means that you find the object in the blank very displeasing and that you don't like it at all

__-ga maamaa suki desu

This means that you like the object in the blank only somewhat

Place-no dochira

This phrase allows you to find out more specifically where someone is from. For example, if you know the name of the country, you can then determine the name of the prefecture, state, or province. A person may sometimes respond with the name of a city. Examples: Q: Kanada-no dochira-kara desu-ka? (Where in Canada are you from?) A: Otawa-kara desu (I'm from Ottawa

__-ga suki desu

This usually translates into like or likes. The blank represents what you like

Nan-do?

To find out how many degrees something is, you can ask Nan-do desu-ka? As in the case of the other counters you have learned, the question and answer line up as shown below. The number of degrees replaces the question word nan QUESTION: Nan -do desu -ka? ANSWER: Go-juu -do desu.

Place-de-wa nani-go-o hanashimasu-ka?

To specify a place in your question, begin with the name of the country or other location followed by the particles -de and -wa. The particle -de indicates that action (i.e., speaking) takes place in that location, and the particle -wa indicates that the location is the topic of the sentence. Example: Q: Kanada-de-wa nani-go-o hanashimasu-ka?~What language do they speak in Canada? A: Eigo-to furansugo-o hanashimasu.~They speak English and French.

Chikatetsu 地下鉄 (ちかてつ）

Tokyo's subway system consists of nine different lines which passengers can easily identify by both name and color. For example, the Marunouchi Line which operates subway cars with red markings is shown in red on subway maps and on directional signs in the station. The subway station entrances are clearly marked and even have the word SUBWAY prominently displayed on the sign above them. The Tokyo subway system is almost entirely automated. Each passenger purchases a magnetized ticket from a vending machine, inserts it in a slot at the gate, retrieves it once processed, and then proceeds to the train tracks. After arriving at the destination station, each passenger again inserts the ticket into a slot at the exit gate. If the correct fare has been paid, the gates will open to allow the person to pass through. All train stations have a fare adjustment booth at the gate for people who have not prepaid the correct fare. Japanese subway stations and trains are clean, brightly lit, and safe. The trains are consistently punctual. Tokyo's subways and surface train lines, however, are extremely crowded during morning and evening rush hour. Rush hour is sometimes so unpleasant that Tokyoites often refer to it as kurasshu awaa (crush hour).

Dakuten in Katakana

Two small dots are used in hiragana to change the sound into a completely new one. These are called dakuten. They are also used when writing Katakana. Like when dakuten is used on ka in hiragana the new sound produced would be ga, the same goes for the katakana counterparts

Spatial relationship words

Ue: top, above, up Shita: under, below, down Mae: front Ushiro: back, behind Migi: right Hidari: left Example: Isu-no shita-ni arimasu which means it's under the chair

O-genki desuka

Unlike "how are you," which is a normal everyday English greeting, o-genki desuka is only used when you have not seen the person in a long time and are not aware of their health's well-being. If you greet someone with O-hisashiburi (it's been a long time), then you will also want to ask how their health is. For daily greetings, you will want to use ohayoo gozaimasu (good morning), konnichiwa (hello, good day), and kon-ban-wa (good evening) depending on the time of day. You can also comment on the weather as a greeting as well.

Getting around in Japan

Unlike North Americans most Japanese still prefer public transportation to the private car. Private ownership of cars in Japan did not become very common until the late 1960's. Buying and maintaining a car can be very expensive, and tolls on expressways are quite high. In urban areas an individual when buying a car may have to provide documentation that he has already arranged for a parking place for the car. Japan has an excellent rail and bus system which offers commuters, shoppers, students, and travelers a convenient and relatively inexpensive alternative to the car. Trains are clean, fast, conveniently scheduled, and almost always on time. Even small towns may have excellent rail service. High-speed trains can transport passengers from, for example, Tokyo to Hakata on the southern most island (a distance of 731 miles) in about 6 hours. Bus lines link urban, suburban, and rural areas and offer service to communities which are not on a rail line. Communities have developed around train station (eki). Included in housing development advertisement is information on the number of minutes it takes to walk to the nearest train station and to commute to the central part of the city. Department stores, theaters, banks, and major travel agencies are clustered around train stations. The えき is also where people agree to meet one another for social purposes. When agreeing to meet someone at the えき, it is important to specify which entrance; large stations may have a North, East, South, and West Exit. The names of many of the train stations on the Yamanote Train Line (which circles the City of Tokyo) or on the Kanjo Line (which circles Osaka) are as familiar to Japanese as are names like Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, and Sunset Strip for people in the U.S

Location-ni something-ga arimasu

Use the particle -ni after the location in this sentence structure. You usually use the particle -wa with arimasen. Examples: Kono machi-ni ii resutoran-ga arimasu means that there are good restaurants in this town Sono machi-ni kutsu-ya-wa arimasen. means that in this town, there aren't any shoe stores. Arimasen: Chiisai kooen-ga arimasu. means that there is a small park Ookii kooen-wa arimasen. means that there aren't and large parks

Place/category-de ichiban + adjective + noun desu.

Use this pattern if you want to say that a particular NOUN is the biggest, the longest, the most beautiful, or some other superlative of all of the items or people in a certain place or category. The particle -de follows the place or the category. Examples: Sekai-de ichiban ookii kuni desu. means that it's the biggest country in the world

Place-no + cardinal direction

Use this pattern to express relative locations using cardinal directions North: ___-no kita South: ___-no minami East: ___-no higashi West: ___-no nishi

Long vowels with Katakana

When elongating vowels using katakana, you write a long line like : -- after the vowel. Unlike Hiragana, where you use hiragana half the size to show which vowels are longer. When writing Katakana vertically, the line is also drawn vertically underneath the longer vowel

Verb + kudasai

When used with verbs to ask someone to do something, kudasai means please. These verbs must be in what is often called the -te form. Like Nihongo-de itte kudasai means please do Japanese or please write How do you form the -te form? For some verbs, you simply replace the -masu ending with -te. For others, special rules need to be learned and consciously applied until you have developed a sense of how to form the -te form. Here are the -te forms for some of the verbs you have learned. All of these can be used with kudasai to make polite requests: nomimasu = nonde (drink) mimasu = mite (see) yomimasu = yonde (read) okimasu = okite (wake up/wake up) kikimasu = kiite (listen) nemasu = nete (Go to bed) kaerimasu = kaette (go home) shimasu = shite (do) utaimasu = utatte (sing) kimasu = kite (come) kaimasu = katte (buy)

-ga or -wa

When you are asking and answering questions always remember the general rule: -ga in questions and affirmative statements -wa in negative statements Q: Sumoo-ga dekimasuka (can you sumo wrestle) A: Sumoo-wa zenzen dekimasen (I cannot sumo wrestle at all) Q: Tenisu-ga dekimasuka (can you play tennis) A: Tenisu-ga dekimasu (I can play tennis)

Postal symbol and mailboxes

Whenever you see the symbol 〒 written in red on a white background you know that you have found a yuubinkyoku (post office). The Japanese postal system was modeled after the British system and for that reason the earliest mailboxes were cylindrical. Even today one can occasionally find some of these ポスト. Today mailboxes are rectangular in shape. にほんのポストはあかいです。This postal symbol is also used in addresses (including those on envelopes and business cards) just before the zip code. Zip codes usually begin with three digits followed by a dash and a four-digit extension, such as 〒178-6234.

Place-no tenki-wa doo desu-ka

You can use this pattern to ask about the weather in a certain place. (example: Nihon-no tenki-wa doo desu-ka (How is the weather in Japan?))

More na-adjectives

dame [だめ] bad, worthless dame-na kuruma kantan [かんたん] easy, simple kantan-na shitsumon suki [すき] pleasing suki-na tabemono joozu [じょうず] skilled joozu-na hito heta [へた] unskilled heta-na kanji shizuka [しずか] quiet shizuka-na ongaku iya [いや] bad, terrible iya-na tenki kirei [きれい] pretty kirei-na burausu hen [へん] strange hen-na fuku Notice that although kirei ends in i (い), it is classified as a na-adjective. Unlike i-adjectives, which are native Japanese words, na-adjectives are usually of Chinese origin. In more recent times Japanese has borrowed adjectives from English also and treats them as na-adjectives.

Something-ga arimasu.

the verb arimasu is used to talk about the existence of inanimate (non-living) things. The verb arimasu can be translated in different ways in English: Ii resutoran-ga arimasu means that there is a good restaurant (in that town, etc.) Enpitsu-ga arimasuka? means do you have a pencil or is there a pencil? Hai, arimasu means yes, I have one or yes, there is Iie arimasen means that no, I do not (have one) or no there isn't