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1500 questions
20
votes
2 answers
What's the difference between 悪 and 惡 ?
I'd like to know what the difference between 悪 and 惡 is. And also what usage you should do between both.
I heard that they both mean "bad"
Rolf
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8 answers
Is there an objective source of the origins of kanji?
Is there an authoritative source that explains where the different kanji come from and what the radicals mean? I think it's hard to tell from most of the textbooks/other sources whether a shown kanji's origin is correct or if it's made up. Does it…
Sam
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20
votes
3 answers
What does よろしくおねがいします mean when departing?
When on business in Japan last year, a Japanese colleague said よろしくおねがいします to me as the group were leaving after dinner.
I'm aware of its usage in initial greetings, as is usually taught in textbooks, but what is its English meaning in this context?
MatthewD
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6 answers
What's the difference between "gohan" and "meshi"?
In answer to my question on the difference between "gyūdon" and "gyūmeshi" I learned that "meshi" just means cooked rice. But I thought "gohan" meant cooked rice, so please, what is the difference?
I do already know that "go-" is an honorific prefix…
hippietrail
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20
votes
4 answers
What is the Japanese word or phrase for "to post on the internet"?
How do you say "to post something on the Internet"? Are there different words for different kinds of posts, for example:
a blog entry
a comment
a piece of information, like a translation or a recipe
a video or photo
etc.
Amanda S
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20
votes
2 answers
What is the Japanese equivalent of "mhm"?
In English conversations, when I listen to someone speak, I have a habit of intermittently uttering "mhm" just to let the other person know I'm listening to what he/she is saying. Is there a Japanese equivalent of this? I'm thinking of "はい", but I…
PeaBrane
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votes
2 answers
Why is a baby called 赤ちゃん？
Why is a baby called 赤ちゃん? The term means red. Is the term "red" specific? Can the term refer to baby animals as well?
Jack Bosma
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20
votes
1 answer
How is the 〒 postal code symbol pronounced?
I know the symbol is placed in front of the postal code. How is it pronounced?
Jack Bosma
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20
votes
1 answer
Can you say "half hour" or must you say "30 minutes"?
I know that to say an hour and a half you can say 一時間半, but is it possible to express simply half an hour even though the counter comes before 半? Or would you just have to say 三十分?
If both ways are possible, is one widely more common or are they…
atlantiza
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20
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3 answers
What to say after someone dies
What is the proper response when someone tells you, for example, that their mother has died? Relatedly, what should you do to express your sympathy? Do you send a card? flowers? bake a casserole?
Amanda S
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2 answers
When does a suru-noun require し in front of a purposive-に?
According to Chocolate's comment to a question, some suru-nouns can be followed by the purposive に directly, but others require (the stem of) する in between.
面会しに行く
面会に行く
料理しに行く
× 料理に行く
Other examples that Chocolate gives…
dainichi
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20
votes
4 answers
How to "shoo away" a sales clerk?
When I go window shopping, the sales clerk would usually come near me asking what I like. How should I politely shoo them away? Can I simply say
いいえ、けっこうです
or something like
自分で見る
I know I can just ignore them and they get the body language…
Nap
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20
votes
3 answers
I think that she thinks that I think she is dumb
Just trying have some fun with Japanese grammar, but the sentence in the title has me stumped. I just don't understand Japanese particles enough to even know where to begin. Here is my best attempt at something resembling this sentence, but its…
Joel
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20
votes
6 answers
How can I differentiate agreement with the person and agreement with the idea?
A zillion years ago, before I came to Japan, I took a short introductory course on Japanese. In it, they showed a video of a business meeting where an American businessman is speaking to a Japanese businessman.
The Japanese businessman kept saying…
Questioner
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20
votes
1 answer
Difference Between べんきょう する and べんきょうを する
What is the difference between べんきょう する and べんきょうを する?
Mudassir
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