Takashi's Japanese Dictionary (Takashionary)

Meaning of プロ驚き屋 (“Professional Surprised Man”) in Japanese Slang 2023

Yomi: ぷろおどろきや, Rōmaji: puro odoroki ya, Type: slang, Literal Meaning: a professional surprised man/woman, Meaning: an excitable person who enthusiastically shares state-of-the-art technologies and their applications

2023/04/10 18:04

Japanese Slang するする詐欺 (suru suru sagi, “do do fraud”)

Definition In Japanese, するする詐欺 (suru-suru sagi) — or やるやる詐欺 (yaru-yaru sagi) — literally means "do-do fraud". Figuratively, it means that someone repeatedly says they will do something and do nothing. In other words, it describes the behaviour of people who are all talk and no action. The duplication of the verb in this expression emphasises

2023/04/01 03:35

Meaning and Example of “High School Debut” in Japanese

Meaning and background of "high school debut" (高校デビュー, koukou debyu) in Japanese, and some typical behaviour of people who make a "debut" at high school.

2023/03/06 19:52

10 Japanese 前置き (Maeoki) to Sound Modest and Reserved

In Japanese, people often put 前置き (maeoki), "introductory/opening expressions" before stating their thoughts to sound modest and polite or to hedge the risk of criticism (i.e. to cover one's ass). This post introduces various kinds of Japanese maeoki expressions you can use to sound like Japanese! つまらないものですが Yomi tsumaranai mono desu ga Meaning This is

2023/02/07 03:37

Meaning of ドーハの奇跡 “Miracle in Doha” in Japanese

Definition ドーハの奇跡 ("The Miracle in/of Doha") refers to Japan's seismic underdog victories in FIFA World Cup 2022 over the two European powerhouses Spain (on 1 Dec 2022) and Germany (on 23 Nov 2022). In both matches, Japan was losing 0-1 in the first half with a very low ball possession rate (e.g. 14% against Spain),

2022/12/02 10:07

Essential Japanese Words About Drinking

This post introduces important Japanese words and cultures about drinking!

2022/11/22 00:55

20 Japanese Twitter Slang Words

This post introduces Japanese slang words used on Twitter, e.g. 裏垢 (uraaka), ファボる (faboru); some are used on other social media like Instagram as well.

2022/11/19 16:40

Cool Japanese Puns (Dajare, ダジャレ) You Should Know

A list of cool "dajare", Japanese puns that you can use to make Japanese friends laugh (... or cringe). The list is selected in the eyes of a native speaker.

2022/11/14 02:38

Cool Japanese Puns (Dajare, ダジャレ) You Should Know

A list of cool "dajare", Japanese puns that you can use to make Japanese friends laugh (... or cringe). The list is selected in the eyes of a native speaker.

2022/11/14 02:38

Differences Between 切る (kiru) and 尽くす (tsukusu) as Suffix

Both 切る and 尽くす are used as suffix and combined with verbs (e.g. やり切る/やり尽くす) to add the sense of "completely". However, there are some differences.

2022/10/21 00:37

What “Hentai” Actually Means in Japanese

Real meanings of "hentai" in Japanese and relevant slang expressions explained with example sentences.

2022/10/16 15:51

List of Similar Japanese Kanji With Very Different Meanings

A list of similar-looking Japanese kanjis, such as 犬 (inu, "dog") and 大 ("big"), 人 (hito, "person") and 入 ("enter"), and 本 (hon, "book") and 木 ("tree")

2022/08/07 19:25

List of Japanese Words to Describe Personality

This post provides a comprehensive list of Japanese words that describe various personalities. Which one describes you the most?

2022/06/25 16:39

Four Meanings of 坊主 (Bouzu) in Japanese

This post explains four meanings of 坊主 (Bouzu) in Japanese with example sentences for each sense, as well as a relevant idiom and expression.

2022/06/13 16:24

Four Meanings of 坊主 (Bouzu) in Japanese

This post explains four meanings of 坊主 (Bouzu) in Japanese with example sentences for each sense, as well as a relevant idiom and expression.

2022/06/13 16:24

Meaning of やけくそ (Yakekuso) in Japanese

In Japanese, やけくそ (yakekuso) means "a state of mind where one loses one’s rational thoughts and takes a YOLO, I-don’t-care-anymore attitude”.

2022/04/30 23:32

Humble Japanese Phrases Making You Sound Like Japanese

A list of humble, polite and difficult-to-translate Japanese expressions that make you sound like Japanese. Try using them to impress Japanese people!

2022/04/04 13:45

Puzzling Japanese Kanji Words With 2 Reading/Meanings

A list of confusing Japanese kanji words that have two different readings and meanings, like 辛い reading "karai" or "tsurai" and meaning "spicy" or "tough", resp.

2022/03/18 22:05

Funny Japanese Slang From Video Games

This post introduces funny Japanese (internet) slang words that come from video gaming terms, such as 無理ゲー (murigē), ガチャ (gacha) and ガチ勢 (gachizei).

2022/03/14 14:32

とにかく (Tonikaku) Means “Anyway” — And More

とにかく (tonikaku) in Japanese is often translated as "anyway", but it also means "so/very", "before anything else" e.g. とにかく可愛い (tonikaku kawaii) means "so cute"

2022/02/11 16:02

Meaning of だけに (dake ni) and Its Usage to Make a Pun in Japanese

I explain the meaning of だけに and how to use it to make a pun in Japanese. I also explain the differences between だけに (dake ni) and だけあって (dake atte).

2022/02/04 18:36

Japanese Word of The Day in January 2022

Unique Japanese Word of the Day (incl. phrases/idioms/slang) posted every day in January 2022. You'll surely learn some interesting and useful new words here.

2022/02/01 18:05

Confusing English Loan Words Used in Japanese with Different Meanings

This post explains English loan words used in Japanese that have different meanings from the original ones and are confusing for native English speakers.

2022/01/16 01:20

Meaning of “It will snow/rain a lot tomorrow” in Japanese (+ Other Languages)

In Japanese, "It will snow/rain a lot tomorrow" can mean "It is so unlike you to do such a nice thing". A similar figure of speech is in Italian/Vietnamese/French

2022/01/13 22:35

15 Unique Japanese Portmanteau Words with Example Sentences

This post provides a list of unique Japanese portmanteau words, i.e. かばん語 (kabango) with their meanings and example sentences! Japanese slang included

2022/01/09 11:51

Japanese Words and Culture for Christmas and New Year

Important Japanese words and phrases (including slang) to understand the Japanese culture and tradition around Christmas and New Year's Day.

2021/12/25 17:31

使ってみたいイタリア語由来の英単語30

イタリア語由来の英単語を解説と共に30個紹介します。virtuoso や fiasco のような上級英単語から、 pasta (パスタ) や casino (カジノ) のような日本語でも馴染みのある単語まで

2021/12/23 01:27

Learn Japanese From Scratch – Beginner Lesson 1 “Noun be Noun”

Japanese Lessons for absolute begginers: Learn "Noun be Noun" sentences (e.g. "He is a student", "She is my mother.") in Japanese from scratch

2021/12/21 13:44

Japanese Word of the Day (November 2021)

A list of the Japanese Words of the Day (including idioms and slang words) posted on Takashi's Japanese Dictionary in November 2021

2021/11/30 11:24

Japanese Word of the Day (October 2021)

List of the Japanese Words of the Day (including idioms and slang words) posted on Takashi's Japanese Dictionary in October 2021

2021/11/01 10:15

Seven Quirky Ways of Saying/Writing よろしく (Yoroshiku) in Japanese

Learn how to say or write the essential Japanese word よろしく (yoroshiku) in 7 other ways and their meanings, origins and nuances.

2021/10/27 23:13

Japanese Words and Onomatopoeias about Laugh (Warai)

This post selects common and unique words and onomatopoeias that describe laughter/smile (笑い, warai), and explains their meanings and usages in detail!

2021/10/07 11:05

Five Meanings of ペラペラ (pera pera) in Japanese

ペラペラ is an onomatopoeic Japanese word that basically means "be fluent in a (foreign) language", but also has other meanings such as "paper-thin" and "shallow".

2021/08/24 21:29

Four Meanings of ペラペラ (pera pera) in Japanese

ペラペラ is an onomatopoeic Japanese word that basically means "be fluent in a (foreign) language", but also has other meanings such as "paper-thin" and "shallow".

2021/08/24 21:29

(笑), (棒), (白目): List of Japanese Words in Parentheses

This post provides a list of bracketed Japanese expressions such as (笑) and (泣), which you can use to deliver your emotion like emojis!Read More

2021/08/08 12:50

Meaning of 某 (bou) in Japanese and its Usage

Meaning and Usage of 某 (bou): it is a very unique Japanese term that is used in writing to refer to a thing or person anonymously, sometimes in a sarcastic way. 

2021/06/20 22:40

コスパ (kosupa) Means More than Just “Cost Performance”

Meaning and Usage of コスパ (kosupa): it is short for コストパフォーマンス ("cost performance"), but it contains much wider senses in Japanese.

2021/06/19 19:47

Japanese Slang and Idioms about 鬼 (oni): Meaning and Usage

Meaning of 鬼 (oni) in Japanese and 鬼-related slang/Idioms, including 鬼のように (oni no youni), 鬼の目にも涙 (oni no menimo namida), 鬼かわいい (oni kawaii).

2021/06/18 22:59

へったくれもない (hettakure mo nai): Meaning and Usage

Meaning and Usage of へったくれ も ない (hettakure mo nai): "X も へったくれ も ない" (X is an arbitrary noun) is an idiomatic Japanese expression that means “there is no X or anything (at all)”.

2021/06/17 21:36

Four Meanings of ノリ (Nori) in Japanese and Their Examples

This post explains four meanings of ノリ (nori) (e.g. ノリでやった) and 悪ノリ (waru nori) in Japanese with plenty example sentences!

2021/06/16 22:29

Meaning of 腹八分目 (hara hachi bun me) and 分 (bun) in Japanese

Meaning and Usage of 腹八分目 (hara hachi bun me) and 分 (bun) in Japanese. 腹八分目 literally means “belly/stomach 80%” and indicates the act of eating food until you feel 八分 (80%) full, not 十分 (full/100%).

2021/06/15 21:51

騙されたと思って (damasareta to omotte): Meaning

Meanign and Usage of 騙されたと思って (damasareta to omotte): it is a casual Japanese expression that literally means "(Please) pretend that you've got duped (by me)" and figuratively "Just do it, trust me!" or "Take my word!".

2021/06/14 22:04

職業病 (shokugyou byou): Meaning and Examples

Definition and Examples of 職業病 (shokugyou byou): it literally means "occupational disease", where 職業 (shokugyou) means "a job/occupation" and 病 (byou) means "disease". However, in a casual context, it also refers to your habits that you cannot cannot help doing because you always do them a lot at work.

2021/06/13 16:56

Idiom 棚に上げる (tana ni ageru): Meaning

The Japanese idiom "(自分のことを) 棚に上げる (tana ni ageru)" literally means "put (oneself) up on a shelf" and figuratively means "to behave hypocritically", just like "the pot calling the kettle black".

2021/06/12 21:20

回し者 (mawashi mono): Meaning and Usage

Meaning and Usage of 回し者 (mawashi mono): it originally means "a spy", but nowadays it's more often used to indicate a person who advertises something (often in a stealthy way).

2021/06/11 20:29

なんでやねん (nandeyanen): Meaning, Usage and Examples

Meaning of なんでやねん (nandeyanen) and detailed examples of how to use nandeyanen in a Japanese conversation: An essential phrases in Osaka

2021/06/10 23:20

元を取る (moto wo toru): Meaning and Usage

Definition and Usage of 元を取る (moto wo toru): it means "get your money's worth", i.e. "get what is worth the money you have paid".

2021/06/09 20:05

Japanese Conversation Exercise to Master Abbreviated Words

This post gives you an example of casual speech in Japanese, with a special focus put on Japanese abbreviated words, such as ググる (guguru)

2021/06/09 10:56