I am Mie, teach Japanese at a Japanese language school in Tokyo. My Blog is mainly about Japanese grammars and what's happening in Japan, cultures, news .... a bit of everything! Hope you enjoy it!
My name is Mie, I teach Japanese in Tokyo. This blog is for someone who is interested in the Japanese Language, culture and everyday life. Hope it helps you :-)
Today is the last day of this year. 2010 starts from tomorrow. To promote “Visit Japan 2010”, the authority is putting on a “Live Japan!” campaign till the end of January. You may have a chance to win airplane tickets to Japan with sending a greeting card from the site. Why don’t you try it? Best wishes for another wonderful year! Daily Yomiuri
～として ： as ～ １月末(がつまつ)まで ： by the end of January 日本への航空券(こうくうけん) ： airplane tickets to Japan 是非(ぜひ) ： by all means 応募(おうぼ)する ： to apply ～てみてください ： please try 当(あ)たる ： to hit, to win ～ように ： is used when one wish something
Susan Boyle, Scottish diva, arrived at Narita yesterday. It is her first visit to Japan. She will sing as a guest singer in a NHK TV program called “Kohaku Utagassen” which is aired on the New Year’s Eve every year. I am not found of it personally but I am very much looking forward to her singing. There is only one day left in this year, 2009. How was the year for you?
歌姫(うたひめ)： ディーヴァ(diva) 成田(なりた)： Narita International Airport 到着(とうちゃく)した： arrived at 初来日(はつらいにち)： first visit to Japan テレビ番組(ばんぐみ)： TV program おおみそか： new year’s eve 放映(ほうえい)される： will be airing NHK： Nippon Hoso Kyokai = The Japanese public broadcasting corporation 紅白(こうはく)歌合戦(うたがっせん)： an annual music show on New Year’s Eve produced by NHK ゲスト出演(しゅつえん)： guest staring 歌声(うたごえ)： voice, singing 披露(ひろう)する： thrown down, exhibit 個人的(こじんてき)に： personally あまり好(す)きではない： あまり＋V/Adj negative = not really 楽(たの)しみにしている： I have been looking forward to
I went to see and visit my friend in Australia for a week. We went to many places, walked on the beach, spent Christmas at their houses… I enjoy it so much. Australia is really a big country! If you drive in Japan with an Australian sense of driving, you would fall into the ocean! (laugh) They drive for 1000km as it is normal. I thought gasoline is relatively high for motorized society.
(around A$110/1 litter) When I got into crowded trains yesterday and felt “I am back to Japan”. I am Japanese, aren't I?
１週間(しゅうかん)： one week 友達(ともだち)の所(ところ)： my friend’s place 遊(あそ)びに行(い)ってきた： have come and seen him/her あちこち： here and there 散歩(さんぽ)する： stroll, walk around, クリスマスを過(す)ごす： spent Christmas ～たり～たり： express some things what you do/did as example, implies others actions 運転(うんてん)感覚(かんかく)： sense of drive やっぱり： as I thought, as I expected AたらB： if you do A then B happens ～てしまう： express one’s regret or dissatisfaction 普通(ふつう)に： not to think it is difficult or special 車社会(くるましゃかい)： motorized society Aの割(わり)にB： it is relatively B considering A 混(こ)んだ 電車(でんしゃ)： crowded train
Colonel Sanders doll at Kentucky Fried Chicken becomes Santa Claus around Christmas season in Japan. KFC came from the US but I heard that there is no Colonel Sanders dolls there. American students are very surprised when they see it. KFC fried chicken is very popular for Christmas dinner in Japan instead of turkey. KFC is from the US and turkey is from Europe. They are both well blended in Japan. Strange country…
Do you like sweets? Then, how about this cell phone for you? NTT Docomo released a new design cell phone (SH04B) which is a collaboration model with an accessory brand “Q-pot.” on December 9th. Hmmm….. I want to get one too.
Some days ago, my student and I found out “説得(せっとく)する” does not mean "convince/persuade” which is a translation in a Japanese-English dictionary.
For example, if someone said he would not go to a party and ｢彼を説得する｣ is “try hard to tell him to go to the party giving him reasons or consequences” but it does not say to make him change his thoughts to go, i.e. we still do not know if he would go or not.
In my lesson, my advanced level student was not sure making an example sentence using ｢説得する｣ and I didn’t understand why because in the textbook its English meaning was given. But we talked about the both 「説得する」 and “convince” then finally we came across there is a big difference between them as above. It sure is confusing and difficult.
There is one more interesting topic related to the word “convince”. In English they say “He is convincing”. “Convincing” is an adjective which expresses about him how he is like, similar to “he is tall” or “he is kind”, for example.
On the contrary there is no adjective in Japanese expresses “convincing”. 「説得力のあるNoun」is used instead. 「彼は説得力のある人だ」is used for “He is convincing” in Japanese which literal meaning is “He has a power to convince.”
JLPT has finished, finally you can drink good beer. I heard from our students that popular beers among non-Japanese are Yebisu and Asahi Super Dry. Super Dry contains 5% alcohol which is higher than other old beer, tastes refreshing. Its share keeps growing since it started to sell in 1987 and exceeded 50%. Its taste fit for adults becomes popular as well in the UK, the sales volumes increased 30 times compare to the first year that was begun to sell. Also pubs that sell Super Dry became 500, which is 50 times to 2004. MSN News
おいしく： おいしい(adjective) → おいしく(adverb) 外国人(がいこくじん)に人気(にんき)がある日本(にほん)のビール： popular Japanese people among non-Japanese ( noun modification) 今(いま)まで日本にあったビールと比(くら)べて： to compare to the beer that has been before アルコールが5％と高(たか)く： 高い(adjective) → 高く(adjective connective) さっぱり： refreshing flavors that do not linger unpleasantly 販売(はんばい)が始(はじ)まってから： since it started to go on sale 伸(の)び続(つづ)ける： continuing to grow 50％を超(こ)えた： exceeded 50% ～を扱(あつか)う： deal in ～ 大人(おとな)の味(あじ)： tastes for adults 人気(にんき)になる： becomes popular 現地(げんち)： the place (in the UK in this context) 発売(はつばい)： release 当時(とうじ)： at that point, at that time 販売量(はんばいりょう)： volume of sales
It’s now 10am here in Tokyo. JLPT has started. I got a little nervous too. I wonder how they are doing? I had a 4 kyu level student first time for this JLPT. I have been teaching 2 kyu or 1 kyu level, I thought 4 kyu was easy. But actually it was very difficult. There are many basic particles problems and most of the vocabularies are difficult as well which are not to be able to master within a couple of month test preparation course. There are many students who are at advanced level make 4 kyu level particle mistakes. Language study is little by little, step by step.
ドキドキ： be nervous 今回(こんかい)： this time 初(はじ)めて： first time 実(じつ)は： as a matter of face, actually 基本的(きほんてき)な： basically 助詞(じょし)： pariticles 問題(もんだい)： problems, questions 語彙(ごい)： vocabulary 覚(おぼ)えられないような問題： problems that cannot memorize 少(すこ)しずつ： little by little ステップバイステップ： step by step
It’s been a long time since the last entry. I have been busy before JLPT (I had some extra lessons) and also the end/first week of a month, I didn’t have time to write this Blog. Gomennasai. There are only two days before JLPT! Take extra care of yourself and try your best! Gambatte kudasai!
Tokyo Tower is one of the most famous tourist spots in Tokyo. And actually it distribute TV and radio waves. There are problems that Tokyo Tower is not high enough for terrestrial digital broadcasting in 2011. Therefore, there is a new tower called “Tokyo Sky Tree” will be build in 2012 in Sumida ward.
Tokyo Tower is 333m, Tokyo Sky Tree is going to be 634m which is the highest tower in the world and it has an observatory on the 450m high.
有名(ゆうめい)な： famous 観光(かんこう)スポット： tourist spot 実(じつ)は： as a matter of fact, actually, 電波(でんぱ)： air, radio wave 地上(ちじょう)デジタル： terrestrial digital broadcasting 足(た)りない： not enough 問題(もんだい)がある： there are problems 墨田区(すみだく)： Sumida-ku (Sumida ward) 展望台(てんぼうだい)： observatory
Today, Nov. 22nd, a month before of Christmas, Santa Claus arrived at the Narita Airport, flew from his home country Finland. He showed up at the stairs of the airplane as he was waving his arm in familiar red and white costume with long beard. He said that I came here to bring presents for Japanese children. The airport was packed in the a little bit early Christmas atmosphere.
一足(ひとあし)早(はや)く： a little bit early 母国(ぼこく)： home country 飛行機(ひこうき)に乗(の)って： in a plane 成田空港(なりたくうこう)： Narita Airport 到着(とうちゃく)した： arrived 手(て)を振(ふ)る： wave ～ながら： while おなじみの： familiar 衣装(いしょう)： costume あごひげ： beard 姿(すがた)： appearance, クリスマスムードに包(つつ)まれた： packed in the Christmas atmosphere
President Obama had a private luncheon with The Emperor and The Empress at the Palace yesterday. The photo is when the President arrived at the Palace and greeted to them. He was bowing and shaking hands at the same time and looked a little bit awkward. He mixed up western culture(handshake) with eastern Asia culture (bow). Handshake has been generalized in Japan too for greetings with someone from western countries. But still Japanese do not handshake and bow at the same time.
* What I wrote was about just only handshake and bowing, there was nothing about President Obama or The Emperor.
昨日(きのう)： yesterday オバマ大統領(だいとうりょう)： President Obama 天皇(てんのう)・皇后(こうごう)両陛下(りょうへいか)： The Emperor and The Empress 皇居(こうきょ)： The Palace 昼食(ちゅうしょく)： luncheon 写真(しゃしん)： photo 着(つ)いた： arrived あいさつ： greeting 握手(あくしゅ)： handshake おじぎ： bow 少(すこ)し変(へん)： a little bit awkward 欧米(おうべい)： western countries 文化(ぶんか)： culture 欧米系(おうべいけい)： western style 一般化(いっぱんか)する： generalized ～てきた： something has been changed 一緒(いっしょ)に： together
President Obama arrived in Japan yesterday. It is the first time for him to visit Japan. After the speech about policies related to Asia in the morning, he have a luncheon party with the Emperor and the Empress and then will go to Singapore. President Obama said about his travel story when he was little, “I was really into Match (Green tea) ice cream more than fabulous Buddha statues when my mother took me to Kamakura.”
大統領(だいとうりょう)： the President of the United States 初(はつ)来日(らいにち)： first visit to Japan アジア政策(せいさく)： policies related to Asia 演説(えんぜつ)： speech 天皇(てんのう) 皇后(こうごう) 両陛下(りょうへいか)： The Emperor and The Empress 昼食会(ちゅうしょくかい)： luncheon party 少年(しょうねん)時代(じだい)： boyhood 母親(ははおや)： mother 連(つ)れられて： passive, be taken by 鎌倉(かまくら)： Kamakura 訪(おとず)れる： to visit 仏像(ぶつぞう)： Buddha statue 抹茶(まっちゃ)アイスクリーム： Green tea ice-cream 気(き)を取(と)られる： take all one’s concentration
Tokyo International Airport is actually located in not Tokyo, it is in Chiba prefecture. It takes about an hour to get to Tokyo station also night flights are prohibited and other reasons, most of the people suffer inconvenience. One who lives in greater Tokyo, they think it takes two hours to get to Narita. Haneda airport was an international airport before Narita was built and now Haneda is an domestic airport. Now Seiji Maehara, the minister of the minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism announced his intention to transform Haneda Airpot into an international hub airport. What will this going to be?
Narita Airport is located about 80km away from mid Tokyo.
東京国際空港(とうきょうこくさいくうこう)： Narita Tokyo International Airport 実(じつ)は： actually 千葉県(ちばけん) Chiba prefecture 成田(なりた)エクスプレス： Narita Express (NEX) １時間(じかん)かかる： it takes an hour ほとんどの人(ひと)： most of the people 不便(ふべん)を感(かん)じて： feels it is inconvenient 東京近郊(きんこう)： suburb of Tokyo 東京近郊に住んでいる人： (noun modification) people who lives in the suburb of Tokyo だいたい： about 自宅(じたく)から成田まで： from home to Narita ～と考(かんが)えている： be thinking that ～ ～前(まえ)： before ～ 東京にある羽田空港(はねだくうこう)： Haneda airport that is in Tokyo 国際空港(こくさいくうこう)： an international airport 国内線(こくないせん)： domestic flights 前原(まえはら)国交相(こっこうそう)： short form of 国土交通省大臣 Maehara, the minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism 国際ハブ空港： an International hub airport ～化(か)： -ize 方針(ほうしん)： policy 今後(こんご)： in the future
快勝(かいしょう)： easy win the game ～杯(はい)： cup 代表(だいひょう)： representatives 国立競技場(こくりつきょうぎじょ) ： the National Stadium 見(み)に行(い)く： masu-form stem + 行く = to go to see ～し： to connect reasons 初(はじ)めて見(み)る試合(しあい)： (noun modification) the game that I watch the first time 集(あつ)まる： intransitive, to gather cf. 集める transitive, to collect 海外旅行(かいがいりょこう)： oversea trips ～気分(きぶん)： I have a feeling of ～
New Zealand easy victory = Rugby Bledisloe Cup Rugby Bledisloe Cup, a routine match New Zealand vs Australia was held on October 31st, at the National Stadium in Tokyo. New Zealand won beat Australia, scored 32-19.
Actually I went to see the game by myself too. I do not know much about its rules and it was my first game to see, but I really enjoyed it. There are many Aussies and Kiwis there, I felt like I had an oversea trip.
On October 31st, "Miss International Queen 2009" which is a "New Half" beauty pageants held in Pattaya, in south-east of Thailand.
"Ai Haruna" who is a Japanese so called talent won the first prize. She(?) spent about 10 million yen on her plastic surgery for her whole body. And still she needs about half million yen for her maintenance each year.
長(なが)い間(あいだ)： for a long time さぼる： goof off 南東(なんとう)部(ぶ)： south-east ニューハーフ： "New half" (beautiful men and transsexuals dressed in women's clothes) 美人(びじん)： beautiful women 美人コンテスト： beauty pageants 行(おこ)われる： be held タレント： talent, entertainer, 優勝(ゆうしょう)する： win first prize 約(やく)： about, around 1000万円(まんえん)かける： spend 10 million yen for 全身(ぜんしん)： whole body 整形(せいけい)手術(しゅじゅつ)： plastic surgery 毎年(まいとし)： every year メンテナンス： maintenance 費用(ひよう)： expense
A: Well, we got an amazing scene. On 17th Sat, in the middle of Yokohama F Marinos vs Nagoya game,
Nagoya manager, Stojkovic, was sent off his super goal. B: It was not relayed. A: No… B: I didn’t watch it either. A: Please take a look at … B: Is this the one? A: Now the ball that the GK kicked… volley! B: WOW! A: And it went into the goal! B: Oh my goodness! A: Then he put his hands up! B: First time! A: Clap! This one is direct! Cool!
I wrote about “Washlet” before, this time I will write about “Otohime”.
“Otohime” is installed in Japanese women’s toilets which create water flushing sound to hide embarrassing sounds that you may make while your business. Portable “Otohime” released in this year August and it has been flying off the shelves. When woman use a toilet, they flush average 2.5 times (20.5 little). “Otohime” could save 15-25% water compare to the year before. J-Cast News
以前(いぜん)： before
音姫(おとひめ)： lit. meaning is “Sound Princess”
which is a device creates a water flash sound 女性用(じょせいよう)： for women ～と呼ばれる： something that is called ～ 気(き)になる音(おと)： sounds that one concerned (when one use toilet) 音を消(け)す： mute 装置(そうち)： device ついている： attached, installed 携帯(けいたい)サイズ： portable size 発売(はつばい)された： released 飛(と)ぶように売(う)れている： flying off the racks 使用(しよう)： use 水(みず)を流(なが)す： to flush water 回数(かいすう)： the number of times 平均(へいきん)： average 前年(ぜんねん)： a year before 比(くら)べる： to compare 節水(せっすい)する： to save water
President Obama is an English teacher here in Japan. What does it mean? His speech CDs are sold over 200,000 copies here because his English is easy to listen and inspiring. There is a beauty parlor plays his CD instead of classical piano music and the customers love it. I wonder if Doraemon would be the most popular Japanese teacher in overseas?
オバマ大統領(だいとうりょう)： President Obama どういうこと？： What does it mean? 聞(き)きとりやすく： adjective connective, easy to listen (and understand) 元気(げんき)づけられる： inspiring, feel cheered up 20万部(まんぶ)以上(いじょう) ： 200,000 copies over ある美容院(びよういん)： a beauty parlor ～のかわりに： instead of ～ 人気(にんき)がある： popular, loves it ～らしい： seems like 海外(かいがい)： oversea 一番(いちばん)： number one, the most かな？： I wonder 一番人気のある先生： noun modification, the teacher who is popular the most
It seems like this site is very good to memorize Kanji and also build your vocabulary in a logical way. When you have time, take a look at this site here : http://ichi2.net/anki/
UNIQLO - Japanese casual clothing bland - opened its first shop in a fashion capital Paris. There were about 800 people queued on the opening day, October 1st. Seems like it is not only Japanese who love to stand in line for something new!
The features are about 1300yen (9.9 Euro) jeans and about 5200yen (39.9Euro) cashmere sweater.
UNIQLO is one of the most popular brands its products are inexpensive but high quality. It is also popular for non-Japanese people who live in Japan, so it would be good for you too to check when you come to Japan.
ファッションの中心地(ちゅうしんち)： a center of fashion, a heart of fashion カジュアルブランド： casual bland ユニクロ： UNIQLO (FAST Retailing)
開店(かいてん)： open a store 並(なら)んだ： queue 何(なに)か新(あたら)しいもの： something new 目玉(めだま)： main feature, eye, key element, (lit. meaning : eye ball) ジーンズ： jeans カシミヤのセーター： cashmere sweater 安(やす)くて： adjective connective, inexpensive and 品質(ひんしつ)がいい： high quality 人気(にんき)の： popular 日本で生活(せいかつ)している外国人(がいこくじん)： non-Japanese who live in Japan 見(み)てみる： to see if it is good, to check
Typhoon #18, which had been said the biggest one for the past decade, hit Japan.On 8th morning in Tokyo, Yamanote Lines and other trains stopped that affected lots of people. Itoyokado (one of the major supermarkets) is going to sell the fallen apples about half price, 198yen for 4-6 apples.
過去10年間で最大と言われた台風18号が日本を襲った。東京では8日朝、山手線などが運休し多くの利用客に影響が出た。イトーヨーカ堂では、落下したリンゴを１袋４～６個入りで198円といつもの半額で販売する予定。 - words & phrases –過去(かこ)10年間(ねんかん)： for the past decade最大(さいだい)： the biggest ～と言(い)われた： it is said that ～台風(たいふう)18号(ごう)： typhoon #18～を襲(おそ)う： hit, atacck 山手線(やまのてせん)： Yamanote Line運休(うんきゅう)する： not to run利用客(りようきゃく)： customers影響(えいきょう)が出(で)た： affectedイトーヨーカ堂(どう)： one of the major supermarkets 落下(らっか)したリンゴ： fallen apples１袋(ふくろ)： 1 bag４～６個(こ)入(い)り： 4-6 apples in a bagいつもの半額(はんがく)： half price of usual販売(はんばい)する： sell
JR Ueno station, on Yamanote Line, trains are stopped
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