Words are fascinating creatures. Some have clear cut roles to play, while others can carry more than one meaning. Words also evolve over time, and tracking this evolution can be so engrossing that there is an entire field of study devoted to the subject called etymology. This is not to mention how some words don’t […] More
English is filled with expressions and phrases that only make sense depending on the context. For instance, when someone says “whatever,” they could mean one of several things. They could be indifferent to the question asked, they might be dismissive towards the person asking the question, or they might be feeling plain hostility and irateness. […] More
The Internet has changed many things about life, so it’s perhaps no surprise that it’s changed the way we use English as well. The origins of Internet slang are varied, ranging from technological meanings that have morphed into verbal shortcuts to references to badly spelled memes to even further and stranger things. In this article, […] More
“Thank you for your interest”: How and When To Use This Phrase There are several different meanings of the word “interest” in English. “Interest” can be a financial term, referring to the money that you earn on an account. An “interest” can also refer to a hobby, something that you like to do or learn […] More
One of the things that makes the English language so fascinating is that there are words drawn from any number of other languages, current and historical alike. One of the things that makes the English language so frustrating is… well, the same thing. Another double-edged sword is that language changes over time. Don’t let people […] More
Homophones, or words that have the same sound but different meanings, exist in many languages. In English, for instance, the words “where” and “wear” are homophones. Both sound identical when spoken aloud, but the two words have vastly different meanings. Japanese is no exception when it comes to this kind of word. The use of […] More
Alright, let’s dig into a word that’s a bit old and a bit new. A word with a distinct meaning that we can use with some real gusto. That word is keshikaran and today we’re going to delve into it’s modern meaning, its past, and everything in between. To start off, let’s lay a foundation […] More
One of the things that makes language learning so complicated is that there are multiple levels of formality. Technically called “registers,” these different ways to use a given language fascinate linguists but can frustrate learners. It should be no surprise that English is no exception to this complexity. In addition to the style of speech […] More
When to put a comma after “Oh” in a sentence Oh, hi! Didn’t see you there. Were you looking for an article about comma use after the word “oh”? If so, I have just the thing. Do you need a comma after “Oh”? When you’re using “Oh” like an interjection (a part of speech […] More
The internet is a fascinating place. Aside from connecting us all together and placing the entire world’s knowledge at our fingertips, the internet has spawned countless subcultures, each with its own unique characteristics. For instance, on a website like Twitch, the gaming platform, each streamer creates a subculture along with their fanbase, and these different […] More
What does it mean to say “let that sink in”? English has some odd phrases that are used on a daily basis. Most people never think about these, and use them all the time. If you’re not familiar with the phrase in question, this can be very confusing. In this article, we’ll explain what “let […] More
In this article we’ll be discussing the Japanese word kisama in great detail. We’ll cover what it means (of course), and also how to write it, use it, and where it comes from. It’s a somewhat strange word in the Japanese language, with a long and varying history, so it’s well worth the time to […] More
Part of what makes writing so interesting is that it’s possible to do things which are stylistic choices rather than grammatical ones. However, if you opt to add flavor to your writing this way, it’s important to know the grammatical rules involved as well. One case in point is the phrase “but rather,” which is […] More
English and Japanese don’t always match up, and it can be hard to find the best way to translate a common English phrase. One example is “take care.” How do you say “take care” in Japanese? The most common ways to say “take care” are お大事に (odaijini) and お元気で (ogenkide). Both these phrases […] More
There are many parts of the English language that native speakers understand implicitly, without needing them explained. The order in which you put adjectives before a noun might be one example, or when to use fewer or less in a sentence. Depending on when and where you went to school, you might have been lucky […] More
Japan has a reputation for extreme politeness, but people there still get angry. In this post, we’ll give you the right words to defuse the situation. How to say “calm down” in Japanese In Japanese, you can use the compound verb 落ち着く (おちつく) to tell someone to calm down. If someone is really panicking, […] More
Massage is a form of pain relief that has been around for thousands of years. Put simply, in a massage the idea is to manipulate muscles and other body tissues on a patient to relieve pain and increase flexibility. Many are familiar with the practice, even if they haven’t given one before, but one thing […] More
In this article, we will explain the Japanese word Shura. We will look at the etymology (origin of the word), and how it is used today in popular culture. This journey will take us through this word’s connection to Buddhist myths, manga/anime and… forestry terms? An Introduction to the word Shura Shura […] More
Watching anime or other Japanese TV can be a great way to practice your listening skills. The only possible downside is that sometimes characters will speak in a very casual way or use slang you’re not familiar with. Although this seems like a bad thing, all you need is a little research before you can […] More
Watching TV shows and movies in a foreign language you’re learning is a great way to practice your listening comprehension skills. Unlike audio created specifically for learning, they feature people speaking at normal speeds and usually in a colloquial manner. On the other hand, you can sometimes run into odd expressions that aren’t used so […] More
It’s funny how slang becomes official over time, but I guess that’s part of the evolution of language. For instance, the expression “what’s up?” was practically unheard of in the early nineteenth century. After that, it came into existence some time in the middle of the 1800s. However, it wasn’t until the 1990’s that its […] More
This article looks at a simple interjection in Japanese, ara-ara. While simple, it definitely has some guidelines to be aware of and pitfalls to avoid, not to mention some easy confusions. Don’t worry, we’re going to tackle all of it. Let’s start simple… What’s the meaning of ara-ara in Japanese? Ara-ara is a type […] More
No buts about it: how to master the many “buts” of Japanese In English, there are many words native speakers reach for without thinking about the specific grammatical function they serve. Take the word “but.” Grammatically speaking it’s a conjunction used to show contrast between two different clauses. Native English speakers probably couldn’t tell you […] More
Of all the punctuation marks that we writers have to wield, the comma may be the hardest to master. Why, I hear you wonder, are commas so unwieldy? After all, aren’t there plenty of grammar books and style guides telling you how and when to use these little creatures? Yes, there are several style guides […] More
If you’re familiar at all with Japanese media, you’ve probably encountered the word kimochi quite a few times and in quite a few different contexts. In fact, you may have even heard it and not realized it, as it’s morphed into some slang forms as well. In this article we’ll cover the basic meaning, as […] More
There are some terms and expressions in English that have become so ingrained in our vernacular that we rarely give them a second thought. For instance, telling someone to “break a leg” sounds like a horrible curse, similar to telling someone to “go jump off a bridge”? Yet, most English speakers know that telling someone […] More
Anyone who’s learned a foreign language can tell you that it’s sometimes hard to find what a specific English word means in other languages. Japanese is a pretty different language from English, grammatically speaking. Translations are complicated and there isn’t always a one-to-one relationship between concepts like “or.” So how do you say “or” in […] More
For many writers, especially those still starting out, the rules governing grammar and punctuation may seem esoteric and strange. Also, if you’ve ever had the displeasure of coming across a stickler for the rules, you are always left with the impression that those who don’t follow grammar rules to the letter might as well not […] More
Commas can be confusing for many. The rules aren’t always clear, and a lot of the times putting a comma becomes a matter of judgment. It becomes a matter of whether a comma will enhance the meaning or improve the legibility of the text. However, even when there are clear cut rules, these can be […] More
To use or not to use a comma, that is the question. Sometimes, the grammatical rules dictate that you have to use a comma in a certain situation, and without a comma, your writing would be incomprehensible. However, there are other situations where you don’t need a comma, even when you think that one should […] More