辻斬り Samurai who Kills Someone with a Sword on the Street

辻斬り Samurai who kills someone with a sword on the street

The word:	Closer look at the kanji:	B = Beginner | I = Intermediate | A = Advanced
辻斬り tsujigiri Samurai who kills someone with a sword on the street	辻 tsuji crossing, street corner 斬 kiru murder, kill	辻褄 tsuji tsuma - consistency, consistent - usually written in hiragana only [A] 斬新 zan shin - novel, novelty [A]

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SUGGESTED USAGE: あやしい男は、辻斬りの下手人と思われたが、刀の代わりに花を出した。花屋さんだった。 ayashii otoko wa, tsujigiri no geshunin to omowareta ga, katana no kawari ni hana o dashita. hanayasan datta. The suspicious man was thought to be a street assassin, but instead of a sword he drew out flowers. Turns out he was a florist.

ABOUT SUGGESTED USAGE:

怪しい ayashii - suspicious, suspect, strange This can also be used to express doubt of something a friend has said.
男 otoko - man, male
下手人 ge shu nin - criminal, murderer
と思われた to omowareta - was thought to be passive voice
刀 katana - (Japanese) sword More on KATANA: Go here
代わりに kawari ni - instead of, in place of
花屋さん hana ya san - florist The san is added for cuteness and to indicate he worked at a florist shop (花屋).
だった datta - was simple past

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かわず Frog

かわず (old word for かえる kaeru- Frog)

The word:	Closer look at the kanji:	B = Beginner | I = Intermediate | A = Advanced
かわず kawazu (old word for かえる kaeru- Frog)	The kanji for Frog is 蛙. Both the old kawazu and the modern kaeru pronunciation use this kanji The sound of frogs in Japanese is gero or gwa To hear and learn about the FROG SONG click here	かえる kaeru - the modern, non-samurai frog [B] 蛙飛び kaeru tobi - the game of leap frog [I] 雨蛙 ama gaeru - tree frog [lit. rain frog] [I]

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SUGGESTED USAGE: 古池やかわず飛び込む 水の音 furu ike ya / kawazu tobikomu / mizu no oto an old pond / a frog jumps! / the sound of water

ABOUT SUGGESTED USAGE:

Today's suggested usage is not from my imagination, but from Japan's most well-known poet, Basho furu ike - old pond
古池 furu ike - old pond
飛び込む tobi komu - to jump in, plunge
水の音 mizu no oto - sound of water

接吻 Kiss

接吻 kiss (old word)

The word:	Closer look at the kanji:	B = Beginner | I = Intermediate | A = Advanced
接吻 seppun kiss (old word)	接 setsu come into contact with, receive 吻 fun	直接 choku setsu - direct, immediate [I] 面接 men setsu - interview [B]

Be a romantic samurai! Nowadays Japanese say kisu (kiss) or chuu to mean kiss

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SUGGESTED USAGE: ゴジラは接吻しようとキティちゃんに近づいたが、逃げられた。 gojira wa seppun shiyou to kiti chan ni chikazuita ga, nigerareta. 'Godzilla thought to kiss Hello Kitty and approached her, but she ran away.

ABOUT SUGGESTED USAGE:

ゴジラ gojira - Godzilla [The Japanese gojira comes from gorira (gorilla) and kujira (whale)]
しよう shiyou - decided to do something (kiss her)
キティちゃん kiti chan - Hello Kitty
に近づいた ni chikazuita - come close to, approach maybe you recognize chikai (near, close)
が ga - but connects two parts
逃げられた nigerareta - uses the passive of nigeru (to run away, escape) so she got away

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果たし状 letter of challenge (to fight)

果たし状 letter of challenge (to fight)

The word:	Closer look at the kanji:	B = Beginner | I = Intermediate | A = Advanced
果たし状 hatashi jou letter of challenge (to fight)	果 ha (tashi) fruit, carry out, succeed 状 jou conditions, form	結果 kekka - result, consequences [B] 年賀状 nen ga jou - New Years card [I] 招待状 shou tai jou - invitation card [I]

A hard day's work and this is what I get to calm my nerves?!

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SUGGESTED USAGE: 何だ！近頃の果たし状は！！ピンクの紙とかレースの刺繍とか、けしからん！ nanda! chika goro no hatashijou wa!! pinku no kami toka re-su no shishuu toka keshikaran! What?! Challenge letters nowadays, I tell you!! Pink paper, lace embroidery... This is unpardonable!

ABOUT SUGGESTED USAGE:

何だ nan da - Whats this?! used when surprised - kore wa nan desu ka. is What is this?
近頃 chika goro - recently, as of late another useful recently is saikin
ピンク pinku - pink, the color
紙 kami - paper other kamis include: 髪 kami hair & 神 kami god / God
とか toka - such as... and ... used when listing 2 or more examples
レース re-su - lace because in Japanese R and L are transliterated to the same katakana characters, re-su can also mean race
刺繍 shi shuu - embroidery
けしからん keshikaran - impertinent, shameful, unpardonable, inexcusable, outrageous, disgraceful Yes keshikaran can imply all these meanings!

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毒見役 Taste Tester

毒見役 taster (of food or drink) for poison

The word:	Closer look at the kanji:	B = Beginner | I = Intermediate | A = Advanced
毒見役 doku mi yaku taster (of food or drink) for poison	毒 doku poison 見 mi to see 役 yaku an office, duty	気の毒 ki no doku - it's a pity, too bad [B] 食中毒 shoku chuu doku - food poisoning [I] 花見 hana mi - flower viewing [B] 悪役 aku yaku - the bad guy [I] 役に立つ yaku ni tatsu - useful [B]

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SUGGESTED USAGE: 毒見役をして下さい，ね。 Please be my taste tester, ok? doku mi yaku o shite kudasai, ne.

ABOUT SUGGESTED USAGE:

毒見 doku mi - This is the base form. Adding the yaku makes it someones job
して下さい shite kudasai - please do (something)
ね ne - a little added bonus to encourage the listener to obey. It is used to soften the request.

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江戸っ子 Born and Raised in Tokyo

江戸っ子 (Edos child - born and raised in Tokyo)

The word:	Closer look at the kanji:	B = Beginner | I = Intermediate | A = Advanced
江戸っ子 edokko (Edos child - born and raised in Tokyo)	江戸 e do Edo an old name for Tokyo - The Edo period was from 1603-1868 戸 to door 子 ko child	江戸時代 e do ji dai - Edo Period [I] 椅子 i su - chair [B] 子供 ko domo - children [B]