Archive for the 'Living in Japan' Category
June 7, 2012
A Marriage Celebration in Japan
Today, we bring you another blog post from Motoko, JapanesePod101.com lesson creator, host and Office Party Planner! Motoko will be sharing more bilingual posts on our blog, so check back often and leave a comment!
Hi everyone! Motoko here!
A few weeks ago, we celebrated the marriage of Marvin. He's part of our Technical Team and is from Germany. The wedding ceremony was held in May – and what’s more, his bride is Japanese!
In Japan, there are all kinds of wedding ceremonies. There’s the traditional Shintō shinzenshiki, which is held at a shrine, and the Buddhist butsuzenshiki, which is held at a temple; there’s also the kyōkaishiki, or church wedding, which has been gaining popularity in recent years. Another more unusual variant... Show more
December 9, 2010
The Best Japanese Phrases – Learn Your Japanese Teacher’s Favorite Phrases
This lesson Will teach you some of the most commonly used and most hopeful expressions in Japanese.
sō ieba (そういえば)
"speaking of which" or "now that you mention it, and you use it when you are reminded of something and want to talk about it.
toriaezu (とりあえず)
A handy phrase that means, "in the meantime" or "for now."
Use it to talk about some kind of action you take or decision you make "in the meantime" because for now, you feel like it's better than doing nothing.
ryōkai desu (了解です)
Ryōkai is a word that means "comprehension" or "consent." It is often used as an exclamation in the following ways: by itself (ryōkai!), with the copula desu (ryōkai desu!), and with the past tense verb shimashita (ryōkai... Show more
December 2, 2010
“Top Five Tips for Avoiding Common Mistakes in Japanese “
In this lesson, we'll offer tips to help you overcome some common errors that learners of Japanese make.
Don't Attach -san to Your Own Name!
One of the first things English speakers learn in Japanese is name suffixes used when addressing other people. The most common one is -san, which we attach to people's first or last names to show respect.
Because we use -san to show respect for others, you should never use it to refer to yourself.
Watch Your Politeness Level!
One of the unique aspects of Japanese is the varying politeness levels that change according to a number of factors: age and status of the speaker and listener, the speaker's relationship with the listener, and so on.
It is important to... Show more
November 25, 2010
Top 5 Phrases Your Teacher Will Never Teach You
The focus of this lesson is teaching you some very common Japanese expressions you might not learn from a Japanese teacher.
すごい
(Sugoi) - An adjective meaning "wow," "amazing," or "great." This word is commonly heard and is often used when one hears or sees something interesting or unusual.
バカ
(Baka) - A noun meaning "idiot" or "fool." When used as baka na (バカな), it becomes an adjective meaning "stupid." This word can either be insulting or playful depending on how it is used.
When used in a serious manner, it can come across as a strong insult, so it's better to exercise caution with this word.
うそ!
(Uso!) - literally means "lie," but when used as an exclamation, it corresponds to "No way!" or "Really!?" in... Show more
November 18, 2010
Top 5 Classroom Phrases in Japanese
In this lesson, we'll teach you the top five useful classroom phrases in Japanese, and then some!
"Please say it." / "Please repeat."
Itte kudasai (言っ てください) means "please say it." As a variation, you might also hear ripīto shite kudasai (リピートしてください), which means "please repeat (after me)," when teachers want you to repeat exactly what they have said.
"Please look."
Mite kudasai (見てください) means "please look," and when an object comes before the phrase, it means "please look at (object).
"Please read."
Yonde kudasai (読んでください) means "please read." You can expect to hear this phrase if a teacher wants you to practice reading some word, phrase, or passage.
"Please write it."
Kaite kudasai (書いてください)... Show more
November 11, 2010
Top Five Tools for Learning Japanese
This lesson offers a few tools to help you learn Japanese. Some of these great tools to aid in your Japanese studies include the following:
Rikaichan
a popup dictionary extension for the Firefox Internet browser that translates Japanese into English, German, French, or Russian. With this extension installed, you can easily look up the meaning of Japanese words that show up on webpages by simply hovering the cursor over the word. A box will instantly pop up with the reading and definition of the word.
https://www.polarcloud.com/rikaichan/
Rikaichan Kanji Dictionary
Hover the cursor over any kanji, whether it is part of a compound or by itself, and press the Shift or Enter key to toggle between the word, kanji, and name... Show more
October 28, 2010
Top 5 Important Dates in Japan
This blog focuses on the top five most important holidays in Japan.
Seijin no Hi
"Coming-of-Age Day." On this
day, people who turn twenty during the current school year, which runs between April until the following March, celebrate their coming of age. In Japan, when people turn twenty, society legally recognizes them as an adult, and they are able to drink alcohol and vote.
Golden Week
The period in late April and early May that contains many Japanese national holidays grouped closely together.
O-bon
a Buddhist event where people pray for the repose of their ancestors' souls and remember the deceased. If you are familiar with Mexico's Day of the Dead festival, O-bon is quite similar. O-bon takes place from the... Show more
October 21, 2010
Work Culture and Politics
This is a continuation of the previous blog post Top 5 aspects of Family Life
Work Culture and Economy
Japan's economy is ranked second in the world after that of the United States
some of its main industries include motor vehicles, electronics, industrial and transportation equipment, and chemicals.
Employees in their first years at a company often have to work long hours for little pay.
It is very common for employees to all go out drinking together after a long day at work; the Japanese see this as a way to strengthen relationships and build work camaraderie.
Another important part of the Japanese work economy is the custom of lifelong employment.
This system is becoming less common due to a decrease in the... Show more
June 3, 2010
Top 5 Aspects of Family Life
This blog is a continuation of the previous blog 4 Major Cities. This blog will discuss 5 points of a standard Japanese family, but remember there are always exceptions!!
Families in Japan are generally traditional, and the family is a focal point of life.
Immediate families are a bit smaller compared to those of other countries; it is not uncommon for Japanese parents to have only one or two children.
It is also very common for adult children to continue to live with their parents well into their twenties or thirties until they get married.
Japanese gender roles are still quite traditional, with women expected to stay home and take care of their children and men expected to support the family financially.
... Show more
May 18, 2010
Top 5 Japanese Dishes You Have to Try!
Sushi
Sushi is probably the most famous Japanese food. Make your way to Tsukiji Fish Market, one of the largest fish markets in the world, for some of the freshest sushi around
Soba and udon
Soba, buckwheat noodles, and udon, thick noodles made from wheat, are two of the most popular types of Japanese noodles.
Tofu
Let's face it; tofu doesn't have the best reputation in the West. Even if you aren't crazy about tofu or just can't shake its bland, flavorless image, you're sure to find a tofu recipe that will make you reconsider this Japanese delicacy
Shabushabu
Shabushabu is a dish that uses thin slices of meat dipped in boiling water or broth, which you then dip into a flavored sauce and eat.
Ramen
Ramen is a... Show more