Everyday Life Words
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口を滑らせる slip of the tongue (mouth) |
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The word: |
Closer look at the kanji: |
B = Beginner | I = Intermediate | A = Advanced |
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口を滑らせる |
入り口 iri guchi - entrance [B] 人口 jin kou - population [I] 滑り台 suberi dai - playground slide [I] |
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SUGGESTED USAGE: つい、口を滑らせて「あなたの顔はいのししみたい。」と言っちゃった。 |
ABOUT SUGGESTED USAGE:
つい tsui - unintentionally, by mistake
口を滑らせて kuchi o suberasete - The -te form of todays word You can think of this as an and -[My mouth slipped and your face looks like a wild boar. came out.]
あなたの anata no - your just anata alone means you - adding the no makes it possessive
顔 kao - face
いのしし inoshishi - wild boar
~みたい ~mitai - seems like, looks like put after a noun - nihon mitai (looks like Japan) - kuma mitai (looks like a bear)
と言っちゃった to icchatta - I unfortunately said...
~ちゃった ~chatta means something is completed, but usually shows a bit of
remorse over what has occurred. It is used in casual speech and its
more formal counterpart is しまった shimatta acts and means the same.
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断っておくけど let me hasten to mention... |
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The word: |
Closer look at the kanji: |
B = Beginner | I = Intermediate | A = Advanced |
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断っておくけど |
断って kotowatte give notice, warn someone [-te form of kotowaru]
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横断 ou dan - crossing (a road...) [I] 優柔不断 yuu juu fu dan - indecisiveness, wishy washy [A] 断食 dan jiki - fasting [I] |
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SUGGESTED USAGE: 断っておくけど、酔っ払いではありまヘン、ワシはスーパーマンだ! |
ABOUT SUGGESTED USAGE:
酔っ払い yopparai - drunk
では de wa - used to mean as for being in the state of
ありまヘン arimahen - not
ワシ washi - I used by older men
スーパーマン su-pa-man - Superman
だ da - am casual form of desu
| You can also say 'ga' instead of 'kedo': 断っておくが 断って is from 断る which means to give notice or warn. The おく implies doing the action immediately. Therefore 断っておくけど can be translated as "I should add..." or "Let me just say" KOTOWARU is perhaps most often used to decline as in this example: 結婚を申し込んだが断られた。 kekkon o moushi konda ga kotowarareta. I proposed (marriage) but was turned down. |
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いつのまにか before you know it |
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The word: |
Closer look at the kanji: |
B = Beginner | I = Intermediate | A = Advanced |
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いつのまにか |
何時 nan ji - What time is it? (same kanji as itsu) [B] 一時間 ichi ji kan - one hour [B] |
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SUGGESTED USAGE: ゆすけくんは英語の勉強しようと思ったが、いつのまにか眠ってしまった。 |
ABOUT SUGGESTED USAGE:
ゆすけくん yusuke kun - Yusuke a common boy's name; kun name title used with boys
英語 eigo - the English language
勉強 ben kyou - study
しようと思った shou to omotta - thought to do..., intended to do...
眠ってしまった nemutte shimatta - (unfortunately) fell asleep
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おまけに To make matters worse... |
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SUGGESTED USAGE: しわだ。おまけに、初白髪を発見して しまいました。 |
ABOUT SUGGESTED USAGE:
しわ shiwa - wrinkle
だ da - simple past (of desu)
初 hatsu - the first...
白髪 shiraga - gray / white hair
発見 hakken - discover, discovery
しまいました shimaimashita - past tense of shimau (meaning 'to finish') shimau also is used to show regret at what has occurred (and finished).
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ほっぺが落ちる very oishii (its so delicious, my cheek will fall) |
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The word: |
Closer look at the kanji: |
B = Beginner | I = Intermediate | A = Advanced |
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ほっぺが落ちる |
見落とし mi otoshi - overlook [I] 猿も木から落ちる saru mo ki kara ochiru - even monkeys fall from trees (proverb) [I] ほっぺ hoppe - cheek [B] |
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SUGGESTED USAGE: 日本に住んでいる外人クレイは、久し振りに蛸じゃないメキシコ料理のタコスを食べてほっぺが落ちそうだった。 |
ABOUT SUGGESTED USAGE:
日本 ni hon - Japan
に住んでいる ni sundeiru - Is living in...
外人 gai jin - foreigner (more polite is 外国人 gai koku jin)
クレイ kurei - Clay (my name)
久し振り hisashi buri - its been a long time
蛸 tako - octopus (the play with words here is that the sound tako can mean octopus or Taco)
じゃない ja nai - not
メキシコ料理 mekishiko ryou ri - Mexican food
タコス takosu - taco
食べて tabete - eat and...
そうだった sou datta - it seemed as though...
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万年床 unmade bedding |
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The word: |
Closer look at the kanji: |
B = Beginner | I = Intermediate | A = Advanced |
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万年床 |
百万 hyaku man - 1,000,000 - a million [B] 万歳 ban zai - hurrah! banzai! hooray! [usually said 3 times in a row] [B] 来年 rai nen - next year [B] 半年 han toshi - half a year [I] 病床 byou shou - sick bed [A] 床屋 toko ya - barber shop [A] |
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SUGGESTED USAGE: 10年間敷きっぱなしの万年床は、僕の自慢だ。 |
ABOUT SUGGESTED USAGE:
10年間 juu nen kan - 10 year long the KAN makes it 10 years long instead of just the tenth year.
敷きっぱなし shikippanashi - left spread out SHIKU means spread out, laid out; PANASHI comes from HANASU and means left loose
の no - the possessive This connects SHIKIPPANASHI with MANNENDOKO
僕の boku no - my I with the possessive particle
自慢 ji man - pride
だ da - the simple form of DESU
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世界一 Worlds best |
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The word: |
Closer look at the kanji: |
B = Beginner | I = Intermediate | A = Advanced |
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世界一 |
この世 kono yo - this world [I] 世界一周 se kai isshuu - trip around the world [A] 二十一世紀 ni juu issei ki - 21st Century [B] 一月 ichi gatsu - January [B] 一目惚れ hito me bore - love at first sight [I] |
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A little known secret: Superman without his glasses is blind. |
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SUGGESTED USAGE: 教養好きなスーパーマンは、間違って世界一のクリプトナイト博物館に入っちゃった。 |
ABOUT SUGGESTED USAGE:
教養 kyou you - culture, education, refinement
好きな zuki na - to like It is really suki but when certain sounds are combined the first sounds changes to a harder sound s ->z; the -na is used to stick suki with a noun (Superman)
スーパーマン su-pa-man - Superman
間違って machigatte - mistakenly
クリプトナイト kuriputonaito - Kryptonite
博物館 hakubutsukan - museum
入っちゃった haicchatta - entered the -chatta indicates somewhat regret over having done the action
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内気 shy, bashfulness, timid |
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The word: |
Closer look at the kanji: |
B = Beginner | I = Intermediate | A = Advanced |
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内気 |
内緒 nai sho - secret [I] 案内 an nai - guidance, information [B] 気をつけて ki o tsukete - take care, be careful [B] 電気 den ki - electricity [B] 元気 gen ki - healthy, feeling well, strong [B] |
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SUGGESTED USAGE: カラオケで歌ったウィルバートはいつもの内気なウィルバートではなかった。彼は、ピンクレディーのファンだったのだ。 |
ABOUT SUGGESTED USAGE:
カラオケ karaoke - karaoke KARA comes from the Japanese word meaning (empty) or (without) and OKE comes from the English word (Orchestra)
歌った utatta - sang This is placed before Wilbert, so it modifies Wilbert
ウィルバート wiruba-to - Wilbert Foreigners names are always written in katakana
いつもの itsumo no - the usual..., as always いつも itsumo means (always) but here it is used before a person to mean his (usual behavior).
彼 kare - he
ピンクレディー pinku redi- - Pink Lady
This was a disco singing/dancing duo from the 70s. Their most famous
song was UFO (pronounced like the English words YOU - FOE)
ファン fan - fan This is from the English meaning someone who likes a sport, star or...
だったのだ datta no da - was - past simple of DESU I translate this (Turns out he was) because the last NO DA convey a sense of explanation.
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冷静 calm, cool |
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The word: |
Closer look at the kanji: |
B = Beginner | I = Intermediate | A = Advanced |
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冷静 |
冷たい tsumetai - cold (to the touch), chilly [B] 冷酷 rei koku - cruel, cold-hearted [A] 冷蔵庫 rei zou ko - refrigerator [I] 静か shizuka - quiet [B] 静電気 sei den ki - static electricity [A] |
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SUGGESTED USAGE: 刑事ウィルバートは冷静に犯人を指差した。 |
ABOUT SUGGESTED USAGE:
刑事 kei ji - police detective
ウィルバート wiruba-to - Wilbert foreigner names are always written in katakana
冷静に rei sei ni - calmly adding a ni makes it an adverb: CALM -> CALMLY
犯人 han nin - suspect, criminal, offender, bad guy
指差した yubi sashita - pointed out, point at
あなた anata - you more pronouns
い、いえ・・・ i, ie... - n... no
usually it would be いいえ iie - another way of saying no is いや iya, which
when said fast sounds like the English Yeah! which is the direct
opposite of the intended meaning!
実は jitsu wa - actually, in truth, as a matter of fact
私 watashi - me, I more pronouns
ごめん gomen - sorry, pardon me
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夢遊病 Sleepwalking |
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The word: |
Closer look at the kanji: |
B = Beginner | I = Intermediate | A = Advanced |
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夢遊病 |
夢中 mu chuu - in a daze, in the clouds [I] 遊園地 yuu en chi - amusement park [I] 病気 byou ki - sick, sickness [B] |
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SUGGESTED USAGE: 僕は夢遊病のためにベッドにシートベルトを付けました。 |
ABOUT SUGGESTED USAGE:
僕 boku - I used by males
ために tame ni - for that reason, because of, to that goal
ベッド beddo - katakana for bed
シートベルト shittoberuto - katakana for seat belt
付けました tsukemashita - set, attached, put
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女の直感 womans intuition |
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SUGGESTED USAGE: 女の直感で、キティちゃんはゴジラのナンパを巧みにかわした。 |
ABOUT SUGGESTED USAGE:
で de - by; using (womans intuition)
キティちゃん kiti chan - Hello Kitty
ゴジラ gojira - Godzilla
の no - possessive (Godzillas hitting on ...) Godzillas hitting on ...)
ナンパ nanpa - make a pass, hit on
(usually from a man to a woman, however in the case of Hello Kitty
wanting to hit on Godzilla usually GYAKU NAMPA would be used (reverse
pass).
巧みに takumi ni - cleverly just kakumi means skill, clever but with the ni it becomes an adverb modifying kawashita.
かわした kawashita - to dodge, to avoid (thwart)
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安心感 Sense of Security |
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SUGGESTED USAGE: 強盗にあってる最中に、ハワードが現れたので、皆に安心感が広がった。 |
ABOUT SUGGESTED USAGE:
強盗 gou tou - robbery
あってる atteru - occured atteru - means to meet but is used to say that a bad experience has occured
最中に sai chuu ni - in the very midst of, during
ハワード hawa-do - Howard
現れた arawareta - appeared
ので node - therefore
皆 mina - everyone
広がった hirogatta - spread widely
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寝癖 morning hair that is, hair that sticks up due to sleeping |
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SUGGESTED USAGE: しまった。また寝癖! |
ABOUT SUGGESTED USAGE:
しまった shimatta - darn!
また mata - again
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寝言 Talking in one's Sleep |
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The word: |
Closer look at the kanji: |
B = Beginner | I = Intermediate | A = Advanced |
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寝言 |
昼寝 hiru ne - nap, siesta [B] 寝坊 ne bou - oversleep, sleep in late [I] 独り言 hitori goto - monologue, speaking to oneself [A] 方言 hou gen - dialect (of a language) [I] 言語 gen go - language [B] |
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SUGGESTED USAGE: 恥ずかしいんだけど、寝言では僕は猫語がぺらぺらなんだって。 |
ABOUT SUGGESTED USAGE:
恥ずかしいん hazukashiin - ashamed, shy the
ん at the end gives it a more casual feel. It is a shortened form of ~NO
DESU used often after -i adjectives. takain desu (it is expensive).
だけど dakedo - however (conjuction)
では dewa - as for...
僕 boku - I, me This is a casual male form
猫語 neko go - cat language of course, this isn't really a word, but you can make language names by adding 語
ぺらぺら pera pera - fluent One reason Japanese is so much fun is it has so many of these fun onomatopoeia words
なんだって nandatte - (emphatic)
Keeping with the casual theme, our hero uses this to wrap up his
speech. In formal speech, this would be NA NO DA - TTE (The trailing
TTE is like a quotation mark and the first NA is the NA from the NA
adjective PERAPERANA)
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思いがけない unexpected |
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The word: |
Closer look at the kanji: |
B = Beginner | I = Intermediate | A = Advanced |
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思いがけない |
手掛かり te gakari - clue, trail [A] 腰掛け koshi kake - seat, bench [A] 片思い kata omoi - unrequited love [B] |
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SUGGESTED USAGE: 思いがけないことに、ドラキュラはにんにくサンドウィッチを注文しました。 |
ABOUT SUGGESTED USAGE:
こと koto - thing, matter
ドラキュラ dorakyura - Dracula
にんにく nin niku - garlic (vampires do not like garlic)
サンドウィッチ sandowicchi - sandwich
注文 chuu mon - order (at a shop...)
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接着剤 super glue |
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SUGGESTED USAGE: 彼の悪巧みで私のいつもの歯磨きは接着剤と取り替えられていました。 |
ABOUT SUGGESTED USAGE:
彼 kare - he the の no makes it his
悪巧み waru dakumi - sinister trick; evil plan The で de after makes it mean using his trick...
私の watashi no - my again without the の no it just means I
いつも itsumo - always with the の no before a noun means usual
歯磨き ha migaki - tooth paste
取り替えられていました tori kaerarete imashita - was replaced [lit. taken and changed]
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根負け BEAT & WORN OUT |
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The word: |
Closer look at the kanji: |
B = Beginner | I = Intermediate | A = Advanced |
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根負け |
大根 dai kon - Japanese radish [B] 屋根 ya ne - roof, housetop [B] 勝負 shou bu - match, game, contest [I] 負んぶ on bu - carrying someone on one's back (piggy back ridding | usually written in hiragana) [onbu shite. - give me a piggy-back-ride!] [I] |
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SUGGESTED USAGE: ゴジラは熊のプーさんの熱心さに根負けした。 |
ABOUT SUGGESTED USAGE:
ゴジラ gojira - Godzilla The Japanese gojira comes from gorira (gorilla) and kujira (whale)
熊のプーさん kuma no pu-san - Winnie the Pooh in Japanese!
の no - possessive particle
熱心さ nesshin sa - level of earnestness nesshin means eager, hard willed... & sa shows level or degree of...)
に ni - particle showing the nesshinsa caused the defeat
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油を売る lit: sell oil (slang: goof off when you should be working) |
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The word: |
Closer look at the kanji: |
B = Beginner | I = Intermediate | A = Advanced |
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油を売る |
油 abura oil
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石油 seki yu - oil (black stuff) [I] 油田 yu den - oil field [A] サラダ油 sarada yu - salad (cooking) oil [I] 売り場 uri ba - market place [B] 売り切れ uri kire - sold out [B] |
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SUGGESTED USAGE: ジョー、本当に油をうっても、誰も信じてくれませんよ。 |
ABOUT SUGGESTED USAGE:
ジョー jo- - Joe The cliche bartender
本当に hontou ni - really, truly This is one of those 'if you were lost in Japan with only 100 words' words
誰も dare mo - nobody the MO is often added to show nothing: nanimo = nothing; itsumo = always (never a when);
信じる shinjiru - trust, believe, have faith
信じてくれません shinjite kuremasen - wont believe KUREMASEN actually means wont receive; wont receive belief
よ yo - emphatic its what you add to emphasis your distress!
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目立つ stand out; be conspicuous [lit. eye stand up] |
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The word: |
Closer look at the kanji: |
B = Beginner | I = Intermediate | A = Advanced |
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目立つ |
一目ぼれ hito me bore - love at first sight [I] 注目 chuu moku - attention, notice [I] 独立 doku ritsu - independence [I] |
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SUGGESTED USAGE: すぐ捕まった泥棒は、雪だるまの格好をしていて、真夏には目立ったのです。 |
ABOUT SUGGESTED USAGE:
すぐ sugu - quickly, soon
捕まった tsukamatta - caught
泥棒 dorobou - robber, burglar, thief
雪だるま yuki daruma - snowman
格好 kakou - appearance, manner, form kakkouii - cool or stylish
真夏 ma natsu - midsummer
の no - possessive snowmanS appearance
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親ばか a Parent who is a fool for child |
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SUGGESTED USAGE: 私はペットに最新流行の服を着せるので、「親ばか」と呼ばれます。でも、決してそうではありません。この子が世界一きれいだからです。 |
ABOUT SUGGESTED USAGE:
私 watashi - I
ペット petto - pet
最新 sai shin - the latest
流行 ryuu kou - fashion, popular thing
服 fuku - clothing
着せる kiseru - to cloth This is the speaker putting cloths on the pet; to cause to be clothed
ので node - therefore because of dressing the cat with the latest fashion...
と呼ばれます to yobaremasu - am called
でも demo - but, however to contrast what comes next
決してそうではありません keshite sou dewa arimasen - not at all; God forbid; absolutely not
この子 kono ko - this one 子 means child, but it also is used for cute pets as in this case
世界一きれい sekai ichi kirei - worlds prettiest
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迷う perplexed, puzzled, lost the way |
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The word: |
Closer look at the kanji: |
B = Beginner | I = Intermediate | A = Advanced |
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迷う |
迷子 mai go - lost child, be lost [B] 迷惑 mei waku - (causing) trouble, problems [I] 迷惑駐車 迷惑駐車 - be annoying by parking on the road (to buy a drink from a vending machine...) [A] |
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SUGGESTED USAGE: 食べようかどうか迷っている間に、大豆が納豆になっちゃった。 |
ABOUT SUGGESTED USAGE:
食べようかどうか tabeyou ka dou ka - to eat or not to eat [~
かどうか to do something or not || 起きようかどうか okiyou ka dou ka - whether to
get (wake) up or not || 愛を告白しようかどうか ai o kokuhaku shiyou ka dou ka -
whether to confess your love or not
迷っている mayotteiru - puzzling te iru form of 迷う mayou
間に aida ni - while, during that time
大豆 dai zu - soy beans
納豆 nattou - natto fermented soybeans which are said to be quite healthy but stinks like yesterdays socks - NATTOU PAGE
になっちゃった ni nacchatta - unfortunately became ~
from に なる ni naru to become + ~ちゃった ~chatta which means something is
completed, but usually shows a bit of remorse over what has occured. It
is casual speech and its more formal counterpart is しまった shimatta which
acts and means the same
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食い逃げ eat & leave without paying, to bilk |
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The word: |
Closer look at the kanji: |
B = Beginner | I = Intermediate | A = Advanced |
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食い逃げ |
食べ物 tabe mono - food [B] 断食 dan jiki - fast (dont eat) [I] 夜逃げ yo nige - escape in the night [I] 逃走 tou sou - escape, flight [A] |
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SUGGESTED USAGE: くまのプーさんは蜂蜜を食い逃げして、蜂から指名手配された。 |
ABOUT SUGGESTED USAGE:
くまのプーさん kuma no pu-san - Winnie the Pooh He can also be called [pu-san]
蜂蜜 hachi mitsu - honey
~して ~shite - ~ing and then...
蜂 hachi - bees
から kara - from, originating from
指名手配 shi mei te hai - wanted by the police, searching for a suspect
された sareta - makes it passive [Pooh was put on the wanted list]
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駆け落ち elope, elopement |
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The word: |
Closer look at the kanji: |
B = Beginner | I = Intermediate | A = Advanced |
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駆け落ち |