Japanese is a difficult language for many foreigners to learn. Besides tones,  katakana and hiragana, there are numerous expressions and slang to learn.  Japan based comedian “Ken Tanaka” (David Ury) and his assistant Remi February have a funny video on how to speak fluent Japanese without saying a single word and how to speak fluent Japanese by speaking English! Enjoy.

speak fluent Japanese without saying a single word

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

speak fluent Japanese by speaking English!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Learning Japanese?  Know how to say parts of the body?  Here are some basic vocabulary words.

1. Head あたま atama 2. Eye 目 me  3. Forehead ひたい hitai 4. Nose 鼻 hana 5. Chin あご ago 6. Eyebrow まゆげ mayuge 7. Ears 耳 mimi 8. Mouth 口 kuchi 9. Cheeks ほっぺ hoppe 10. Tongue  舌 shita 11. Hair 髪の毛 kami no ke – 12.  Shoulder かた kata 13. Arm うで ude 14. Elbow ひじ hiji 15. Hand 手 te -16. Thumb 親指 oyayubi 17. Chest 胸 mune 18. Stomach おなか onaka 19. Foot あし ashi  20. Eyelash  まつげ 21.  Toe つまさき 22. Underarm わきの下 23. Back 背中 24. Neck 首 25. Finger  指

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

source: thejapanesepage.com

Another body parts chart from Nihongroup.

In most countries traffic lights have the standard red, yellow and green colors.  In Japan, green traffic lights are considered “blue” and described as ao shingō (青信号). In modern Japanese although there is a word for “green” (”midori 緑”), which is a relatively new term that has only been used since the Heian Period. Even after “midori” came into use, green was still thought of as a shade of “ao” instead of an independent color and only became distinguished after World War II. In today’s Japan the word “ao” is still used to describe certain items (such as vegetables, traffic lights) that are actually green. The word “ao” can also mean “youth”.

Some other color perception differences in Japan are  – while most gaijin think the sun is yellow, Japanese children will always draw the the sun in red (like the Japanese flag) and while gaijin think of the moon as white, in Japan the moon is considered yellow.

Japanese school girls have been creating urban slang continually and sometimes that slang crosses into the general population and  becomes a social phenomenon.   One slang term is “KY” which does not refer to  K-Y Jelly.   KY’s “K” stands for “Kuuki” which means “air” and “Y” stands for “Yomenai” which means “cannot read”.  In direct translation it would become “one cannot read the air.” In fact, it is used to describe “a person who cannot sense the atmosphere” or “a person who cannot read between the lines.” It would be used in a sentence such as “He is such a KY. He always brings up trouble when all of us are having a great time”

Other school girl slang that has crossed into the mainstream include

“超ＳＷ”
“超＝Super, S＝Seikaku(personality), W＝Warui(bad)” that make it “One has a really bad personality.”
Sentence example: “My boss is 超ＳＷ.”

“MG5”
“M＝Maji(Really), G＝Gire (get mad), 5(5 seconds till)” that make it “5 seconds till one gets really mad.”
Sentence example: “That man was such an KY that I was MG5 and had a very hard time controlling myself.”

Japanese schoolgirl videos

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The website/blog will then now show furigana above all of the kanji in the text.  There are some  other alternatives such as usingthe Mozilla plug-in Rikaichan, and the slow-and-tedious method of copy/pasting unknown kanji into an online dictionary but we personally find Hiragana Megane quite useful.

Don’t be lonely on Valentines day…find a nice Japanese girlfriend here

One of most common Japanese expressions that has no direct translation in English, is itadakimasu ( which literally means ’I am receiving something’).

It’s said before eating a meal and can basically be equated with ‘saying grace’ or saying “bon appetite”.  It is used to show a person’s gratitude for the food they are about to eat and is said before a family or group meal commences.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Japanese onomatopoeia is fascinating.  After watching a bit of anime or reading manga in Japanese, it will quickly become apparent that the Japanese have words for sounds that cannot be heard.  It’s also very interesting to see how sounds change between languages, and what two languages are further apart than English and Japanese? For example, frogs say “gero gero” instead of “ribbit”, and dogs bark “wan wan”.

• a = (whoah)
• ba = (arrows shooting)
• ba = (whoosh)
• ba = (fling)
• ba = (fwoosh)
• ba = (shake)
• ba = (tearing off clothes)
• ba = (clench)
• ba = (pushing curtains)
• ba = (grabbing)
• ba = (whipping)
• bababa = (arrows flying)
• baki = (crush)
• baki = (bam)
• baku baku baku baku = (chomp chomp chomp chomp)
• bali bali bali = (crackle crackle crackle)
• ban = (striking rock)
• basa = (clothes dropping)
• basa = (whish)
• basa = (opening)
• basa basa = (flap flap)
• basha, bashan = (splash)
• bashi = (smack)
• bashi = (force field repelling)
• bashi = (crackling)
• bata = (footsteps)
• bataan = (slam)
• bi = (rip)
• biku = (jolt)
• biku = (shock)
• bikun = (sudden twitch)
• bo = (vwoosh)
• boki = (cracking)
• boko boko = (ground breaking)
• boso = (mumble)
• bosu = (boff)
• bota bota = (thud thud)
• bu = (ptooey)
• buho = (splurt)
• bun bun = (shake shake)
• byu = (vwoosh)
• byu = (flying blade)
• byoooooo = (wind blowing)
• byuuuu = (wind blowing)
• chichi = (chirping)
• chuiin = (spinning, cutting into clothes)
• da = (dashing)
• dan = (push)
• dan = (bam)
• do = (burst)
• do = (piercing)
• doooon = (da-boooom)
• dogimagi = (flustered)
• doka = (thud)
• doka = (strike)
• doka doka = (kick kick)
• doki doki doki doki = (ba-dump ba-dump ba-dump ba-dump)
• dokkun = (heavy heartbeat)
• dokun = (ba-dump)
• dokun = (heartbeat)
• don = (burst of flame)
• don don don don = (bam bam bam bam)
• dosa, dosha = (thud)
• dosa dosa = (falling objects)
• dosu = (punch)
• dota = (thud)
• fu = (pressure letting up)
• fu = (disappearing)
• fu = (relief)
• fu = (sudden movement)
• fu = (heh)
• fugo fugo = (hm hm)
• fulu fulu = (tremble tremble)
• fura = (falling)
• fuwa = (float)
• gaaaan = (goooong)
• gaba = (rising)
• ga ga = (grab grab)
• gaaa = (a mystic sound)
• gachan = (locking)
• gachi gachi = (shiver shiver)
• gaku gaku gaku = (tremble tremble tremble)
• gala = (crumble)
• gali = (biting lip)
• gali gali gali = (scratch scratch scratch)
• gan gan = (throbbing)
• gara = (rocks falling)
• gara = (door opening)
• gasa = (rustle)
• gasa = (someone shifting their weight)
• gasa gasa = (flipping pages)
• gashan = (crash)
• gashi = (grab)
• gatan = (chair clunking)
• geho = (cough)
• golon = (roll)
• goo = (blast)
• goooo = (roaring flames)
• goshi goshi = (rub rub)
• gi gi = (tightening)
• gi gi = (pulling)
• gii, giii = (creak)
• giku = (alarm)
• giri = (sliding)
• giri giri = (tightening)
• gishi = (bed movement)
• gu = (stopping midstep)
• gu = (clench)
• gugu = (squash)
• gugu = (grip)
• gugu = (groan)
• gugu = (choking)
• gu gu = (tugging)
• gui = (grab)
• gui = (yank)
• gui = (push)
• gula = (faint)
• gulu = (grrr)
• gululu = (grrrowl)
• guo = (blast)
• gura, gurari = (swaying)
• guri guri = (noogies)
• gusa = (stab)
• gushi gushi = (rub rub)
• gusu gusu = (whimper)
• gyaaaaa = (a loud scream)
• gyu = (grasp)
• gyu = (tremble)
• gyu = (clenching)
• gyu = (squeeze)
• gyu = (hugging)
• gyuuuu = (spinning, squeezing)
• ha = (gasp)
• ha = (surprise)
• ha = (realization)
• ha ha ha = (rapid breathing)
• hahahaha = (hahahaha)
• heta = (slump)
• hihiiin = (neigh of a horse)
• hiku hiku = (twitch twitch)
• hiso hiso = (whisper whisper)
• hyoi = (rising)
• hyoko = (stumble)
• hyooooo = (wind blowing)
• hyu = (flash)
• hyu = (flashing by)
• jala = (chink)
• jiiin = (overflowing emotion)
• jiro jiro = (staring)
• jitabata = (struggling)
• ju = (sizzle)
• jyu = (water sizzling and evaporating)
• ka = (light flashing)
• ka = (scorching heat)
• kaaa = (energy blast charging up)
• kaaaa = (glow)
• kachan = (clank)
• kachi kachi kachi = (ice forming)
• kachi kochi = (body tensing up)
• kala = (stumble)
• karan = (dropping chopsticks)
• karan = (klak)
• kapo kapo = (clop clop)
• kasha = (klink)
• kashan = (clank)
• kashan = (shutters closing)
• katan = (clack)
• katsuuun katsuuun = (clomp clomp)
• ke = (ha)
• ki = (glare)
• kii = (door creaking)
• kiiin = (“kreeee”)
• kiiin = (piercing noise)
• kira = (shining)
• kolo kolo = (roll roll)
• kopopopo = (glug glug glug)
• koro = (turning)
• koron = (clattering)
• koso = (whisper)
• kotsu kotsu = (clomp clomp)
• kotsun = (kick)
• kotsun = (konk)
• ku = (straining)
• kukaaa = (zzzz)
• kuru = (a sudden turn)
• kuwaaa = (burning)
• kyaaaaa = (a scream)
• kyu = (crunch)
• kyu = (tightening)
• kyu = (tying)
• mosha mosha = (munch munch)
• mu = (grr)
• mugyu = (squeeze)
• mushi = (ignoring someone)
• musuu = (mrggh)
• niha = (sneer)
• niko = (smile)
• nikkori = (smile)
• niya = (sneer)
• nya = (smirk)
• pa = (light changing)
• paa = (glow)
• paaaaan = (burst)
• pacchiri = (blink)
• pachi pachi = (crackle crackle)
• pachi pachi = (clap clap)
• paka = (shell opening)
• paki = (ice breaking)
• paki paki paki = (ice cracking)
• pan = (slap)
• pan = (whack)
• pan = (explosion)
• pan = (breaking)
• pasa = (light falling object)
• pasha = (splash)
• pata = (ka-tunk)
• pata pata = (pitter patter)
• patan = (door closing)
• piiiii = (a musical note)
• piki piki piki = (icing over)
• piki piki piki = (shake shake shake)
• piku = (jolt)
• piku = (ping)
• piku = (twitch)
• piku = (surprise)
• pishaaaa = (pshiiiiing)
• pishan = (gleeming)
• pishi = (crack)
• pishi pishi = (ice breaking off)
• pishi pishi pishi = (crumbling)
• pita = (stop)
• pita = (freezing)
• poko poko = (pouring)
• pora pora pora = (crying)
• pota = (drip)
• potsun = (whisper)
• pou = (glow)
• puchi puchi = (unbuttoning)
• sa = (quick movement)
• sawa sawa = (crowd sounds)
• sha = (moving curtains)
• shaka shaka shaka shaka = (shuffle shuffle shuffle shuffle)
• shan = (ching)
• shiiin = (silence)
• shu = (flash)
• shulu = (clench)
• shuru = (feather movement)
• shuru = (loosening)
• shururu = (whirling)
• shuuu = (attack energy disippating)
• shuuu = (sizzle)
• solooo = (tiptoe)
• sou = (sneak)
• su = (taking out arrows)
• su = (raising hand)
• su = (slipping off mask)
• su = (disappearing)
• su = (extending hand)
• su = (standing up quickly)
• su = (step)
• su = (swoosh)
• su = (motioning silently)
• su = (rushing air)
• su = (moving curtains)
• su = (sudden appearance)
• sulu = (slipping off clothes)
• supo = (slipping on)
• suta suta = (stomp stomp)
• suto = (person ducking under an attack)
• suto = (landing lightly)
• suu = (fluid, circular motion)
• suuu = (stroke)
• suuu = (zzz)
• ta ta ta ta = (pitter patter pitter patter)
• ton = (thump)
• ton ton = (footsteps)
• toro = (slow movement)
• tsu = (trickle)
• tsuu = (drip)
• waaa = (yaaagh)
• waaan = (waaah)
• wai wai wai = (crowd noise)
• yoro = (wobbling)
• yusa yusa = (shake shake)
• za = (crunch)
• za = (stopping suddenly)
• za = (shovel)
• za = (zoom)
• za = (footstep)
• zaaa = (whipping through)
• zaaaa = (swirling)
• zaku = (dig)
• zaku = (crunch)
• zaku = (hack)
• zaku zaku = (dig dig)
• zaku zaku = (footsteps)
• zan = (a hard hit)
• zawa = (leaves rustling)
• zawa zawa = (chatter chatter)
• zaza = (rustle)
• zazaaaaa = (scarfing down food)
• zee haa zee = (huff puff puff)
• zekun = (tensing up)
• zoku = (shudder)
• zulu = (slump)
• zulu = (slip)
• zuki, zukin = (ouch, pain)
• zukin = (zing)
• zuru = (going to one knee)
• zu = (removing)
• zuzaza = (slide)
• zuzazazaa = (sliding)

Learning Hiragana Videos

5 basic vowels

Learn 15 Hiragana

Learn another 13 Hiragana

Here are some common and popular Japanese boys and girls FIRST names beginning A-F
Names G-L here, M-Z here.

The gender of a person can normally be guessed by the ending of his/her first name. First names ending with -ro, -shi, -ya, or -o are typically male whilest names ending in -ko, -mi, -e and -yo are typically female.

AI female, means “love”

AIKO female, means “love child”

AIMI female, means “love beauty”

AKANE female, means “brilliant red”

AKEMI female, means “bright and beautiful”

AKI female and male, means either “autumn” or “bright”

AKIKO female and male, means either “autumn child” or “bright child”

AKIRA male and female, means “intelligence, brightness”

AMI female, means “second beauty” or “Asian beauty”

AOI female, means either “blue” or “hollyhock”

ARATA male, means “freshness”

ARISU female, is the Japanese form of ALICE

ASUKA female, means “tomorrow fragrance”

ATSUKO female, means “warm child”

AYA female, means “colourful” or “woven silk”

AYAKA female, means either “colourful flower” or “colourful fragrant” or “colourful summer”

AYAKO female, means “colourful child”

AYAME female, means “iris”

AYANO female, means either “of colour” or “of silk”

CHIKA female, means “wisdom”

CHIKAKO female, means “child of wisdo

CHINATSU female, means “a thousand summers”

CHIYO female, means “a thousand generations”

CHIYOKO female, means “child of a thousand generations”

CHO female, means “butterfly”

DAICHI male, means either “great first son” or “great land”

DAIKI male, means either “great tree” or “great shining” or “great valuable”

DAISUKE male, means “great help”

EMI female, means “blessed with beauty”

ETSUKO female, means “delightful child” ]]> http://www.japansugoi.com/wordpress/common-and-popular-japanese-names-a-f/feed/ 0 http://www.japansugoi.com/wordpress/common-and-popular-japanese-names-g-l/ http://www.japansugoi.com/wordpress/common-and-popular-japanese-names-g-l/#comments Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:31:45 +0000 admin http://www.japansugoi.com/wordpress/?p=81 Here are some common and popular Japanese boys and girls FIRST names beginning G-E.

Names A-F here, M-Z here.
The gender of a person can normally be guessed by the ending of his/her first name. First names ending with -ro, -shi, -ya, or -o are typically male whilest names ending in -ko, -mi, -e and -yo are typically female.

GA female means “silver”

GORO male, means “fifth son”

HACHIRO male, means “eighth son”

HANA female, “favourite” or “flower”

HANAKO female, means “flower child”

HARUKA female, means “far off”

HARUKO female, means “sprg child” or “sunny child”

HIDEAKI male, means “excellent and bright”

HIDEKI male, means “honour and pleasure”

HIDEYOSHI male, “good sun”

HIKARI female, means “light” or “shg”

HIKARU male and female, means “light” or “shg”

HIRAKU male and female, means “to open, to beg, to expand”

HIROKO female, means “generous child”

HIROSHI male, means “generous”

HITOMI female, males “doubly beautiful” or “eye”

HOSHI female, means “star”

HOSHIKO female, means “star child”

HOTAKA male, from the name of a mounta Japan

HOTARU female, means “firefly”

ICHIRO male, means “first son”

ISAMU male, means “bravery”

IZUMI female, means “founta, sprg”

JIRO male, means “second son”

JUNKO female, means “pure child”

JURO male, means “tenth son”

KAEDE female, means “maple”

KAORI female, means “fragrance”

KAORU male and female, means “fragrance”

KASUMI female, means “mist”

KATASHI male, means “firmness”

KATSU male, means “victory”

KATSUO male, means “victorious child”

KATSURO male, means “victorious son”

KAZUKI male, means either “pleasant peace” or “first of a new generation” or “shg one”

KAZUKO female, means “pleasant child”

KAZUO male, means “pleasant son”

KEIKO female, means “respectful child” or “celebration child”

KEN male, means “strong, healthy”

KEN’ICHI male, means “strong first son”

KENJI male, means “strong second son”

KENTA male, means “healthy and stout”

KICHIRO male, means “lucky son”

KIKU female, means “chrysanthemum”

KEIKO female, means “noble child” or “truth child”

KIYOKO female, means “clean child”

KIYOSHI male, means “purity”

KOHAKU male and female, means “amber”

KOTONE female, means “harp sound”

KUMIKO female, means “eternal beautiful child”

KURO male, means “nth son”

KYO male, means “large” or “approval” or “gger”