Japanese Proverbs – A Deep Dive into Japanese Culture!
07/19/2024
Culture
Vocabulary
Hello everyone! In this time, we will explore some intriguing Japanese proverbs. Every country has proverbs, and they play a vital role in conveying the culture and values behind the language. For foreigners, learning Japanese proverbs can be a key to deeply understanding the culture. Let’s dive into some interesting Japanese proverbs.
proverbs
"Ishi no ue ni mo san nen" （石の上にも３年）：Stay 3 ye…
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Let’s use “ので” (〜node) and make a sentence!
04/24/2023
Uncategorized
Vocabulary
We studied "~ので, ..." in a grammar class.
When do you use "～ので,..."(〜node)?
Yes, it is often used to give a reason.
It gives the impression of being more polite than "～から, ..."(〜kara).
I asked students to come up with the reason why " you can go home before a class finishes .“
Then, they try to think of the various reasons to use “〜ので” (node)
Here are examples of the …
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Oshi (For advanced Japanese learners)
03/24/2022
Vocabulary
※Japanese sentences in this blog are for advanced Japanese learners
Hello everyone. The spring season has arrived in Japan and the cherry blossoms have begun to bloom.
This is an important month in Japan as it marks the end of the year.
Today, I would like to introduce a word which is commonly used by young Japanese people, "○○推し(oshi).
“Oshi" is used for idols and celebritie…
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Hakata-ben
03/18/2022
Vocabulary
Hello, how are you?
Today's topic is regional dialects. Do you speak any dialect?
In Fukuoka, where NILS is located, we have a very distinct dialect called 博多弁(はかたべん) (Hakata-ben).
Let me introduce a few Hakata-ben words/phrases you might hear frequently.
(1) よか (Yoka)
It means good, nice, or fine.
[Example] 「髪(かみ)染(そ)めたと？ よか色(いろ)やね！｣ "Kami someta to? Yoka iroyane."
…
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Winter Kanji / Students’ Pottery Works
02/04/2022
News
Vocabulary
Hello, how are you doing these days?
In Japan, today is 立春(rissyun) day (4th February).
This day is called the start of a year and spring in the Japanese lunar calendar.
However, we still have winter cold weather even though the calendar says 'it's spring now'.
So today, let me show you some Kanjis that describe cold weather.
氷(Kori) ―― ice
Water turns into ice, right? So, 水 (water) …
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“しか勝たん“ (shika katan)
01/21/2022
Uncategorized
Vocabulary
Hello, everyone.
Today, I would like to explain a new phrase “しか勝たん“ (shika katan).
Ramen wa tonkotsu shika katan.
Kaze shika katan.
What do you think “shika katan” means? It basically means something is awesome, someone’s favorite, there is nothing better.
For example,
“Ramen wa tonkotsu shika katan” means there is nothing better than tonkotsu ramen, or tonkotsu ramen is the …
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大丈夫（Daijoubu）
12/07/2021
Vocabulary
You may have heard the word “Daijoubu” frequently while talking to Japanese people. Daijoubu has multiple meanings. Let me explain three of them today.
１．Use it when there is no problem.
For example, a person who had a fever yesterday comes to work today.
A: Are you OK today?
B: Yes, I am OK (Daijoubu) .
２．Use it when you feel certain about something…
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idioms
11/30/2021
Vocabulary
Let’s study idioms. Today’s topics include idioms that refer to body parts.
Head
That person’s head is soft, so he will understand the way young people think.
Her head is sharp but lacks drive to act on his plans.
My head hurts because of bad economy and stagnant sales number.
It comes to my head since she is always late.
<Explanation>
We refer to “head” when d…
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オノマトペ Onomatope
11/01/2021
Vocabulary
Let's study onomatopoeia of feelings today.
【HARAHARA】
【exciting】
Look at dangerous situations and worry about bad or hard things happening state.
<Example sentence>
・He is watching over his toddler son to see if he falls and is injured.
・The last scene of this movie was very jarring.
・I was watching the circus tightrope walking and it was very jarring.
・The match I saw yes…
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一期一会（Ichigo Ichie)
10/26/2021
Vocabulary
I would like to talk about Ichigo Ichie.
Have you ever heard of this?
It’s frequently used in Japan.
It means you meet or experience something once in your life,
and that we should be grateful for these meetings/events/happenings.
Ichigo means one’s lifetime, and Ichie means experiencing something just once.
This phrase was born out of tea ceremony but can apply to real-l…
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