Nihongo Riddles
Japanese is difficult, isn’t it? Hiragana, katakana, kanji, honorific expressions, polite language…
But hidden within all that are ‘magical words’ that reflect the Japanese spirit.
In this category, we will explore ‘Why are Japanese people like this?’ through the lens of the Japanese language.
Why are there so many ‘sound words’ in Japanese?
Japanese onomatopoeia that makes emotions and scenery ‘audible’ ‘Waku waku’ (excited), ‘dokidoki’ (thrilling), “moyamoya” (confused), ‘zaa zaa’...
Amazing! What does “reading the air” mean?-The true nature of the “power to read” hidden in Japanese-
Introduction Foreigners who are studying Japanese sometimes ask me, "What does 'reading the air' mean?" This word is difficult to explain in a...
Wondrous! Why do Japanese people use ‘sumimasen’ so much?
Does ‘sumimasen’ mean ‘I'm sorry’? Have you ever heard Japanese people say ‘sumimasen’ repeatedly? Even when they don't seem to be angry or need to...
Terrific! Why do Japanese people say ‘Itadakimasu’?
What is ‘Itadakimasu’? Have you ever seen Japanese people clasp their hands together before eating? In Japan, people always say ‘Itadakimasu’ before...