紫色

紫色
むらさきいろ
murasaki iro
The color purple

向こうから来る

向こうから来る
むこうからくる
To come from the opposite direction

警告メッセージ

けいこく メッセージ
Keigoku Messeeji
Warning Message

Following are some words you will see on the warning page of some websites.

暴力的、差別的、卑猥な内容
ぼうりょく てき, さべつてき, ひわいな ないよう
Bouryoku teki, sabetsu teki, hiwaina naiyou
Violent, discriminating, obscene content

管理者の判断で削除させていただく場合があります。
Kanrisha no handande sakujo sasete itadaku ba ai ga arimasu.
There will be situations that force deletion (of content) based on the judgement of the webmaster.

Geez, maybe too many kanji in one posting...

渋い

しぶい
Shibui

Saw this adjective/expression 渋いですねえ being used to describe the Eric Clapton Album.



I looked it up and among all the possible meanings, it's probably saying the album cover is "cool and masculine" and maybe even "sophisticated"...

負け犬

まけいぬ
makeinu
The underdog, loser

This is a term now commonly used to describe the 30-something, unmarried, childless working women which is made popular by the Japanese writer - Junko Sakai（酒井順子）, whose book Makeinu no Toboe (負け犬の遠吠え) ("The distant howling of the loser dogs") was one of the best-sellers last year.

This is what Sakai said in an interview:
"I know I'm a losing dog, but I'm quite satisfied with my life."

I wonder if there is an English translated version of the book on the web somewhere?

Oh, here is the TV series.

割引切符

わりびききっぷ
Wari biki kippu (not wari hiki kippu)
Discounted fare ticket

I did not listen the pronounciation right for the longest time...

waribiki... not warihiki...

天重

天重
Tenjuu
Box lunch with tempura.

海老天重
Ebi Tenjuu
You get'll shrimp tempura.

Never knew the kanji for tenjuu...

雰囲気

ふん いき
fun iki

Have seen this enough times now... It means "the atomsphere" or "mood".

初夏の雰囲気
Shoka no funiki.
The atmosphere of early summer.

古城の悲しい雰囲気。
Kojou no kanashi funiki.
The sad atmosphere of the old castle.

職場の雰囲気を良くする。
Shokuba no funiki o yoku suru.
Atmosphere of the workplace is better/improved.

お部屋の雰囲気はかわります。(変わります)
Oheya no funiki wa kawarimasu.
The atmosphere of the room changes.

異様な雰囲気
iyou na funiki
Weird / bizzare / strange atmosphere

風流です

ふうりゅうです
Fuuryuu desu.

I saw this being said about a coffee shop and found it very interesting.

In Chinese, this is only used to describe a person who can not commit to a relationship or even to the extend of being promiscuous.

Using the same word to describe a shop is interesting so I looked it up.

It meant "elegant" in Japanese.

ウォシュレット

ウォシュレット = washlet
or
warm-water cleaning toilet seat (温水洗浄便座: onsui senjō benza)

This kind of tiolet, made popular by TOTO (東陶機器株式会社), is now installed in more than half of Japanese households. It has 7 functions (heated seat, multiple cleaning functions, different water spraying speed and flow, music...etc. I don't know them all). But once you've used one, all the others not like it just seem so uncivilized!

で,......で,.....

While in Japan, I can't help hearing people talking to each other in the train or in the restaurant or in the coffee shop. I will always hear "......で (pause) .......で(pause)...." and I would wonder what sentence structure is this...?? How come it is so common...?

After doing some searching & reading, I think here is the answer .

焼プリン

Yaki Purin is basically flan.

That's something I always have to buy and stock in the hotel fridge when I am travelling. I have to eat it while watching TV at night in the hotel. But surprisingly, this time, I have to take all the 焼プリン home... I did not really watch any TV at the hotel!

分厚い生地

分厚い生地
ぶあついきじ
buatsui kiji
Thick cloth/material

I saw these Kanji talking about a coat (コート) but just couldn't understand what it is saying...

庶民的

しょみんてき

(For) the common people (down-to-earth, real, not pretentious)

This was the expression used when a friend was explaining to me what people and things are like in Osaka. I chatted with my Japanese co-worker later on the same topic since he is from Kobe and he completely agrees with the expression used for lifestyle in Osaka. That's why he does not relocate from from Kobe to Tokyo where he is currently working. He would rather keep his family in Kobe while he stays in Shibuya during weekdays and travel home on weekends and he has been living with this arrangement since 2002! :-( I guess 庶民的 lifestyle is really something to be treasured especially if you have a teenage daughter. He might look like what you would called a" misfit" or an "oddball" walking around in Tokyo but he is SO MUCH COOLER than everyone else who dressed smart at the restaurant when we had our celebration dinner. He is so down-to-earth and a truly sincere and friendly person!!

真直

ますぐ or まっすぐ
Straight ahead ...

One of the most frequent words I heard when I was asking direction in Japan...

翡翠

ひすい は何ですか? >:-)


Answer: Jade です。

暦（こよみ、れき）

暦（こよみ、れき） = Calendar

時間割 (じかんわり) = Timetable, schedule

'05年3月の時間割
日曜日	月曜日	火曜日	水曜日	木曜日	金曜日	土曜日
		1 仕事	2 仕事	3 仕事	4 仕事	5 休み
6 休み	7 仕事	8 仕事	9 仕事	10 仕事	11 仕事	12 休み
13 休み	14 仕事	15 仕事	16 休み	17 仕事	18 仕事	19 仕事
20 日本ヘいきます	21 自由時間	22 自由時間	23 仕事	24 仕事	25 自由時間	26 自由時間
27 家ヘ帰る	28 仕事	29 仕事	30 仕事	31 仕事

憂鬱

Yuu utsu


Feeling down and sad

What CD was I listening to at the oral surgeon's office when I had my wisdom tooth pulled out?

The answer is Ryuichi Kawamura's 深愛～only one～. (Yah, I was told to bring my CD player and headphones to avoid listening to the high-pitched drilling noise...) It was a perfect pick!! It completely helped me gone through the ordeal. I think he is a very talented artist even though lot of guys can't stand him, his look or his singing. And his lyrics could be a little too much sometimes but I think he must be a charmer to be able to sing those words with such emotional intensity. :-) I think him going solo is a really good thing. I never knew who those other guys were in Luna Sea..

So how is the Kanji to be learned today related to the above paragraph? Not related at all... I just happened to be listening to the CD again and just decided to pick the difficult one, song no. 13 - 憂鬱 (ゆううつ) :-P

*I only need to learn the pronouciation since the words are the same in meaning and writing as Chinese.

あなたは憂鬱に感じることはありますか。
Anata wa yuu utsu ni kanjiru koto wa arimasuka?
Are there times when you feel down and sad?

*It is probably difficult to see all the strokes of the kanji. So here:

憂鬱

整理

sei ri


Arrange, sort things

部屋の物を整理してください。
Heya no mono o seiri shite kudasai.
Please tidy up the stuff in your room.

質問内容を整理してください。
Shitsumon naiyou o seiri shite kudasai.
Please rearrange the content of your questions.

無理矢理

mu ri ya ri

forcibly, something compulsory

今日は無理矢理仕事を終わらせて
Kyoo wa muriyari shigoto o owarasete
Being able to finsih the compulsory work today ...

一時間弱の

ichi ji kan jaku no

One hour or less

車で一時間弱の所にあった。
Kuruma de ichi jikan jakuno tokoro ni atta.
It was possible to get there by car in one hour or less.

総理

sou ri



So this is the new (acting) Hong Kong's Political Leader, with Tung Chee-Hwa resigned after 8 years in the position. I guess we can call him 総理 evn though his formal title is really 特首 (とくしゅ) (Special Head (Leader) of Hong Kong). He will be in position for 2 years until the next election.

今日の日本の総理大臣は小泉純一郎氏です。
Kyoo no Nihon no sou ri dai jin wa Koizumi Junichirou uji desu.
The Prime Minister of Japan today is Mr. Koizumi Junichirou.



*This is so not my favorite posting ...

大蒜

蒜 = にんにく = Ninniku = garlic

These look delicious!!!!!!

May be I should go here when I am in Japan! :-)

回転寿司

回転寿司 = Kaitenzushi

I will definitely get these:
Toro
Maguro
Hamachi
Uni (if it's very, very fresh!)
Nato Maki
Ama Ebi
Anagi
Sake
+ an order of miso shiru
+ 1 small sake
+ 1 order of edamame
and maybe 1 order of agedashi tofu

Yah, I can eat a lot when it comes to sushi! :-)

エスカレーター

エスカレーター = escalator

No kanji for this?

How about 自動階梯?

厨房

厨 = kuriya = kitchen
厨房= ちゅう ぼう= kitchen

*Newly added based on Tae's feedback*
台所 = dai dokoro = kitchen

I like this picture (of a stranger in some kitchen), not sure why...?

可愛い小物

可愛い小物 = kawaii komono

What is that character at the top right corner? 可愛いだな!

任意

任意 = nin i = free will, as one pleases or discretion

漫遊 = manyuu = walk around leisurely

任意漫遊 = nin i man yuu = *time well spent!

年下の男

年下の男 = toshi shita no otoko = younger man
年下の恋人 = toshi shita no koibito = younger lover

*Picture from Majo no Juoken 魔女の条件

年上の女性 = toshi ue no josei

*I stumbled upon this website and did not get what 年下の男 meant.
I thought it meant a guy who was held back a year in school! :-P

極意

極意 = gokui = main point, essential point

人生を楽しむ極意を学びたい。
Jinsei o tanoshimu gokui o manabitai.
We/I would like to learn the essential point to enjoying life.

大阪市

大阪市 = Osaka shi = Osaka City

If all the stars line up right, I will be going there in 2 weeks!!

Fingers crossed ...

練習

練習 = Renshuu

東 = higashi
南 = minami
西 = nishi
北 = kita

右 = migi
左 = hidari

前 = mae
後= ushiro

真直 = massugu
右折 = usetsu
左折 = sasetsu

上 = ue
下 = shita
隣に = tonari ni

日,月,火,水,木,金,土
Nichi, getsu, ka, sui, moku, kin, tou
Sun, mon, tue, wed, thu, fri, sat *for some reason, it's really tough for me to start counting from Sunday ...

荷物は 重いですか = Ni motsu wa omoi desu ka? = Is the luggage heavy?

雨が 降っていますからタクシーを呼びます。
Ame ga futte imasu kara, takushi- o yobimasu.
Because it's raining we call a taxi.

日本語で「合格」は何と言いますか。
Nihongo de goukaku wa nan to iimasu ka?
How to say "pass" in Japanese?

小さい頃、どんなスポーツが好きでしたか。
Chiisaikoro, donna supo-tsu ga sukideshita ka?
What kind of sports did you like when you were small?

昨日は寒かったですね。
Kinoo wa samukatta desu ne.
Yesterday was cold.
(Soo desu ne. Totemo samukatta desu.)

とてもよかったです。
Totemo yokatta desu.
It was very good.

レシートはお持ちですか。
Reshi-to wa omochi desuka?
Do you have the receipt?

注文できますか。
Chuumon dekimasuka?
Can I place an order?

SMAＰのコンサートを聞きに行きたいんですが。どこで見られますか。
Sumappu no konsa-to wo kiki ni ikitain desuga. Doko de miraremasuka?
I would like to go to SMAP's concert. Where can I go see it?

東京ドームで見られます。
To-kyo- do-mu de miraremasu.
You can see it at Tokyo Dome.

プロ野球のチケットはいくらですか。
Puro yakyu- no chiketto wa ikura desuka?
How much is the ticket for pro-baseball (game)?

チケットは売り切れました。
Chiketto wa urikiremashita.
The tickets are all sold out.

サッカーの試　合はいつ始まりますか。
Sakka- no shiai wa itsu hajimarimasuka?
When does the soccer game start?

短期観光ならビザがいりません。
Tanki kanko- nara biza ga irimasen.
You don't need a visa for only a short period sightseeing (purpose).

長 期滞在ならビザがいります。
Cho-ki taizai nara biza ga irimasu.
For long period stay, you need a visa.

私の 勘定をください。
Watashi no kanjyo-o kudasai.
May I have my check/bill please.

はい, かしこまりました。
Hai, kashikomarimashita.
Yes, certainly.

はい、ただ今お持ちします。
Hai, tadaima omochishimasu.
Yes, I will bring it to you now.

クレジットカードは使えますか。
Kurejitto ka-do wa tsukaemasuka?
Can I use credit card?

すみませんが、現金でお願いします。
Sumimasen ga, genkin de onegaishimasu.

申し訳ございませんが、 日本円の現金払いでお願いします。
Mo-shiwake gozaimasenga, nihonen no genkinbaraide onegaishimasu.
Very sorry, we only accept Japanese yen.

デザートは何(なに)になさいますか。
Deza-to wa nani ni nasaimasuka?
What would you like (to do) for dessert?
Sorry, but please pay in cash.

風船

風船
Fuusen
Balloon

紙風船
Kamifuuzen
Paper Ballon

風船(ふうせん)祭
Fuusen matsuri
Ballon festival

展覧会

展覧会
Tenrankai
Exhibition

疲労

疲労
Hirou
Fatigue, tired

疲労の主な原因は
Hirou no omona genin wa
The main reason for fatigue ...

... not enough sleep...?

洗濯機

洗濯機
Sentakki or Sentakuki
Washer

(衣類)乾燥機
(Irui) kansouki
Dryer
(or doraiya-)

They are not:
冷蔵庫
Reizouko
Refrigerator
(or furi-za-=Freezer, reitouki=冷凍器/機)

新鮮

新鮮
Shinsen
Fresh

魚の新鮮さの指標である
Sakana no shinsensa no shibyou aru.
There is index on the freshness of the fish.

その新鮮度は失われていきます。
Sono shisendowa shiwarete imasu.
That degree of freshness is disappearing.

消防士

消防士 = Shouboushi = Firefighter

消防士訓練
Shouboushi kanren
Firefighter training

観覧車

観覧車
Kanransha
Ferris wheel

観覧車営業時間を深夜まで延長します。
Kanransha eigyoujikan o shinya made enchou shimasu.
The operating hours of the Ferris wheel is extended until late at night.

蜘蛛

蜘蛛 = くも = Spider

Yikes, don't know why I even post this. I hate spiders!!! Let's quickly move on to the next one ...

Kumo also means "clouds" 雲 ... hmmm...

喫煙 vs. 禁煙

喫煙 = Kitsu En = Smoking

禁煙 = Kin En = No Smoking

喫煙習慣 が始まってしまう
Kitsu en shuukan ga hajimatte shimau
To end the smoking habit at the beginning (?)

禁煙失敗
Kin En Shibbai
Fail to quit smoking

*Photo taken in Berkeley, CA.