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18
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2 answers
ほぼ and ほとんど: What's the difference and how do you use them?
What is the difference between ほぼ and ほとんど?
They both mean almost, don't they? Can they both be used in both positive and negative?
Nathan
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18
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What is the literal meaning of どういたしまして?
どういたしまして 【どう致しまして · 如何致しまして】
you are welcome; don't mention it; not at all; my pleasure; —Usually written using kana alone.
「手伝ってくれてありがとう」「どういたしまして」 "Thank you for your help." "It's my pleasure."
「ありがとうご座います」「どう致しまして」 "Thank you." "You are…
yadokari
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18
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What is the correct usage of 承知しました, 了解です and かしこまりました, the more formal forms of 分かる?
At work, it is wrong to simply say 分かる to say that you understand something. In what situation should I opt to use one of the previously mentioned forms?
wallyqs
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18
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3 answers
What is the か in「か弱い」?
I'm wondering what the か in か弱い, か細い and similar words is. It seems to act as an intensifier. The Daijisen tells me simply that this か is a 接頭語, and translates it as いかにも; it doesn't seem to have its own entry or any further explanation.…
Billy
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18
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2 answers
18
votes
2 answers
Where does the word ダイヤ come from that means "train schedule"?
For the longest time I've been hearing the word ダイヤ and just always assumed it meant "Diamond", but found recently it all means "train schedule". My question is, what word/language did this word originally come from?
Mark Hosang
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18
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2 answers
Are bookshelves in alphabetical (kana) order in Japanese bookshops and libraries?
How are fiction books such as novels sorted on the shelves at Japanese bookshops? Kana order seems to play a small part but not the whole part.
(I'm not asking about nonfiction books since those are ordered by category and are much easier to find)
hippietrail
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18
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1 answer
Is Saturday considered a weekday or weekend, or something else?
I'm confused about this sign. It states working hours. The first part is easy: weekdays is 9:30 to 20:00. The second part is strange. Instead of saying 週末・祭日 (weekends and holidays), it says "Sundays and holidays". Which leave me with the question:…
Nexen
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17
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1 answer
What are the origins of the 「こそあど」 demonstratives?
I've noticed the following sets of words that seem to have a very obvious pattern, and, of course, their meanings are very closely related:
これ、 それ、 あれ、 どれ
この、 その、 あの、 どの
ここ、 そこ、 あそこ、 どこ
What are the origins of these sets of words? I'm asking them…
voithos
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17
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How to say "I miss ◯◯" when ◯◯ is a non-living thing?
I want to say, "I miss my old phone". How can I express it in Japanese? According to the dictionary '恋しい' is used. But I'ven't found examples where '恋しい' is used in the case of missing a non-living matter.
I'm not sure if I can use 恋しい or not for…
bittertea
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17
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2 answers
や in Kansai-ben when it is not だ
The following sentence occurs in The Legend of Zelda:
ナンカ コウテ クレヤ
(This would be なんか買うてくれや！ and was famously translated as "Buy somethin', will ya!".) From the 買うて, it's obvious he's speaking Kansai-ben, and I suspect that this usage of や is…
Kef Schecter
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17
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3 answers
Is 写真 an onomatopoeia?
Is 写真, the word for photograph, in any way a form of onomatopoeia? That is to say, is it at all based on the sound of taking a photo?
I'm aware of the meanings of 写 and 真, but when said aloud I always pictured "shashin" as perhaps an imitation of an…
Zach Schroeder
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17
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3 answers
います and あります usage
I just learned about: います and あります.
I know I should use います for people and moving things and あります for plants and inanimate things.
I have two doubts:
Which one should I use with "dead body". For example: "Is there a dead body inside the room?"
What…
Macarse
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17
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7 answers
What's with this "On reading"/"Kun reading" thing? Is it important to learn both as a beginner?
I was reading this article on Japanese numerals and I first encountered the whole On reading/Kun reading thing, with an additional column on "Preferred reading," which was almost always the On reading.
Do native Japanese speakers know both readings…
temporary_user_name
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17
votes
2 answers
Why is the て-form being used before ん？
In the following sentence:
誰｛だれ｝探｛さが｝してんの
What is the grammatical reason for 探｛さが｝す to be used in て-form before ん?
Quince Blossom
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