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Is there a term for Japanese characters as a whole?
There are kanji, katakana and hiragana, but is there a native word or phrase for the union of these sets?
Neith
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Can somebody explain the various words and combinations thereof used for thanking?
To my knowledge there are three words which can be used in thanking and they seem to be usable together in some combinations:
どうも (dōmo)
どうもありがとう (dōmo arigatō)
ありがとう (arigatō)
ありがとうございます (arigatō gozaimasu)
どうもありがとうございます (dōmo arigatō…
hippietrail
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How do I express sentences like: He is dying?
For instance, "He is eating" is "Kare wa tabete iru". However, "He is dying" is not "Kare wa shinde iru". Another example is "He is going to Japan" is not "Kare wa nihon ni itte iru". So if I can't use the "te iru" form to express an action…
dotnetN00b
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Why is a place that sells さけ a さかや?
Is it known why a さかや normally has a か, rather than a け like in さけ?
Are there many other -や constructions for stores that change the spelling of the word added to?
Golden Cuy
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What's the difference between ようこそ and いらっしゃいませ?
Both "ようこそ" (yōkoso) and "いらっしゃいませ" (irasshaimase) seem to mean "welcome" but what are the precise circumstances under which each should be used?
"いらっしゃいませ" (irasshaimase) is uttered in unison by all the staff whenever you walk into a restaurant…
hippietrail
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Does Vて+いる always mean an action already completed?
For the longest time, I thought that a verb ending in て+いる meant that one was currently doing an action, similar to how we use ~ing in English to mean a contuinuing state. So 食{た}べている means "eating".
However, I've run into confusion over sentences…
Questioner
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How does -ki form of i-adjectives work? (e.g. 愛しき)
In one of the Bleach anime ending songs, "Hanabi" has the following line:
繋ぎゆく この想い 愛しき 君
"itoshiki" seems to come from "itoshii", but how does this -ki form of i-adjective work? I found a few other adjectives that have -ki forms, e.g. 幼き{おさなき},…
Lukman
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Are all kanji compounds considered words?
A friend once commented to me that Japanese has a larger vocabulary than English. I said I didn't think it did, because it wasn't really accurate to call all kanji compounds "words". My friend said I was crazy.
Words like 新車【しんしゃ】(new car) and…
Questioner
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23
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When describing time span, are 間 {あいだ} and 内 {うち} interchangeable?
Both 間 {あいだ} and 内 {うち} can be used to describe time span relative to specific situations, similar to "while" in English. But are they interchangeable all the time? Are there any scenarios where one can use one of them but not the other? Are there…
Lukman
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23
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Difference between 簡単{かんたん} and 易しい{やさしい}
I only know that both mean "easy". But when would I use 簡単{かんたん} or 易しい{やさしい} respectively?
user2740
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What are slang terms for Japanese money?
This question about alternate terms for coins focused on the use of ワンコイン, but it got me thinking about slang terms for money in general.
In all the years I've been in Japan, I don't think I've regularly heard people use slang terms for money they…
Questioner
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23
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に vs で again: 前に vs 後で
Following the current trend of pitting the particles に and で against each other, here is another question that does the same but from another type of usage and perspective.
When we want to say "do X before Y", we use "Y 前に X":
食べる前に「いただきます」と言う。
On…
Lukman
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23
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Can't に always replace へ?
Me and the particle へ don't get along. It's not that we don't like each other, it's that we don't get each other. I'm in a pretty committed relationship with に.
I mean, I think I understand what へ aspires to do. へ is focused on the process of going…
Questioner
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Usage of plain i-adjectives or た form (悪かったｖ悪い、良かったｖいい etc）
Example:
美人じゃなくて悪かったですね！ (sarcastic)
compared to someone who is using a room and is told あんまり広い部屋じゃなくて悪いな
Or for example the difference between 無事でよかった and I can't think of the corresponding for just いい, but I'm sure you understand my question.
ollinator
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Why does そう in 「美味しいそう」 not mean "seem" the way I think it should?
Here's another habitual mistake I make. I'm looking at a sign for a restaurant with pictures of great food. So I remark to my friend:
美味{おい}しいそう、ね？
... intending to mean, "that looks good, don't you think?" (more literally: "[that] seems…
Questioner
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