名詞 VI

愛想あいそのいい店員てんいんだった。

The shop assistant was an affable one.

Usage 愛想がいい, 愛想を尽かす — being amiable, and giving up on someone in disgust. Read あいそ, also あいそう. お愛想 is restaurant slang for the bill.

Remember it 愛 (affection) + 想 (manner) → the affable manner turned toward the customer.

相手方あいてがたの主張しゅちょうにも一理いちりある。

There is something in the other party's argument too.

Usage 相手方の〜 — belonging to the opposing party. Legal and negotiating vocabulary, more neutral than 敵. Read あいてがた.

Remember it 相手 (the other party) + 方 (side) → the side across the table from you.

睡眠すいみん不足ぶそくと疲労ひろうの悪循環あくじゅんかんだ。

It is a vicious circle of lost sleep and fatigue.

Usage 悪循環に陥る, 悪循環を断ち切る — falling into or breaking a vicious circle. Its opposite is 好循環. Read あくじゅんかん.

Remember it 悪 (bad) + 循環 (circulation) → each part feeding the next round the loop.

最後さいごの場面ばめんが圧巻あっかんだった。

The final scene was the highlight.

Usage 〜が圧巻だ — the part that overwhelms all the rest. From the practice of putting the best examination paper on top of the pile. Read あっかん.

Remember it 圧 (press down) + 巻 (scroll) → the scroll laid on top of all the others.

有力ゆうりょくな後うしろ盾だてを得えた。

He gained a powerful backer.

Usage 後ろ盾がある, 後ろ盾を得る — having, or acquiring, a patron. Literally a shield held at your back. Read うしろだて.

Remember it 後ろ (behind) + 盾 (shield) → the shield someone holds behind you.

内輪うちわだけで式しきを挙あげた。

We held the ceremony among family only.

Usage 内輪で, 内輪の話 — among one's own circle, an internal matter. Read うちわ — the same sound as 団扇, a fan, so read by context.

Remember it 内 (inner) + 輪 (circle) → inside the circle, and no further.

母ははの面影おもかげが残のこっている。

Traces of my mother remain in her.

Usage 面影が残る, 面影を偲ぶ — vestiges remaining, recalling a face from the past. Literary in flavour. Read おもかげ.

Remember it 面 (face) + 影 (shadow) → the shadow a face leaves behind it.

期待きたいが重荷おもにになっている。

The expectations have become a burden.

Usage 重荷になる, 重荷を下ろす — becoming a burden, setting one down. Used both literally and figuratively. Read おもに.

Remember it 重 (heavy) + 荷 (load) → the load that is heavy to carry.

腕前うでまえは折おり紙がみ付つきだ。

His skill is of proven quality.

Usage 折り紙付き — certified, guaranteed. From the folded certificate that accompanied an antique. Always positive, unlike 札付き, notorious. Read おりがみつき.

Remember it 折り紙 (the folded certificate) + 付き (attached) → it comes with its certificate.

技術ぎじゅつ革新かくしんの恩恵おんけいを受うけている。

We benefit from technological innovation.

Usage 〜の恩恵を受ける — receiving the benefit of. The benefactor is usually nature or the age rather than a person. Read おんけい.

Remember it 恩 (kindness received) + 恵 (blessing) → the good that comes to you from outside.

研究けんきゅうの流ながれを概観がいかんする。

Surveying the course of the research.

Usage 〜を概観する — surveying in outline. Academic written style. The same 概 as 概して and 概念. Read がいかん.

Remember it 概 (in outline) + 観 (view) → viewing the outline rather than the detail.

隔世かくせいの感かんがある。

It feels like another age altogether.

Usage 隔世の感がある — the sense that the world has changed into a different era — is all but the only use. Read かくせい.

Remember it 隔 (separated) + 世 (age) → as though an age stood between then and now.

陰口かげぐちを叩たたかれていたらしい。

It seems people had been talking about him behind his back.

Usage 陰口を叩く, 陰口を言う — speaking ill behind someone's back. It always takes 叩く or 言う. Read かげぐち.

Remember it 陰 (shadow) + 口 (mouth) → the mouth that speaks out of the shadow.

要点ようてんを箇条かじょう書がきにまとめた。

I summarised the main points as a bulleted list.

Usage 箇条書き — writing in itemised points — is the commonest use. It also counts clauses: 第一箇条. Read かじょう.

Remember it 箇 (item) + 条 (article) → set out item by item.

気兼きがねなく使つかってください。

Please use it without standing on ceremony.

Usage 気兼ねなく — freely, without feeling constrained; the negative is the usual form. 気兼ねする is to feel awkward about imposing. Read きがね.

Remember it 気 (feeling) + 兼ね (holding back) → holding your feelings back for someone else's sake.

この駅えきを起点きてんとして路線ろせんが延のびる。

The line runs out from this station as its starting point.

Usage 〜を起点として — taking as the point of departure. Its counterpart is 終点. Distinct from 原点, the origin one returns to. Read きてん.

Remember it 起 (rise, begin) + 点 (point) → the point it begins from.

義理ぎりで出席しゅっせきしただけだ。

I only attended out of obligation.

Usage 義理で, 義理を欠く — out of social duty, failing in one's obligations. 義理チョコ is chocolate given out of duty. A deeply Japanese notion. Read ぎり.

Remember it 義 (duty) + 理 (principle) → what you owe because of where you stand.

人材じんざいの確保かくほが急務きゅうむだ。

Securing personnel is an urgent task.

Usage 〜が急務だ — the thing that must be done at once. Formal, common in reports and editorials. Read きゅうむ.

Remember it 急 (urgent) + 務 (duty) → the duty that cannot wait.

本人ほんにんの居所いどころが分わからない。

The person's whereabouts are unknown.

Usage 居所が分からない, 居所をつかむ — not knowing or finding someone's whereabouts. Read いどころ; read きょしょ it is more legal.

Remember it 居 (dwell) + 所 (place) → the place they are dwelling.

業種ぎょうしゅによって事情じじょうが異ことなる。

Circumstances differ according to the industry.

Usage 業種によって — depending on the industry. Distinct from 職種 (しょくしゅ), a type of job: 業種 is the company's field, 職種 the individual's role. Read ぎょうしゅ.

Remember it 業 (trade) + 種 (kind) → what kind of trade it is.

虚勢きょせいを張はっているだけだ。

He is only putting on a brave front.

Usage 虚勢を張る — bluffing to cover weakness — is a set phrase. 虚 is hollow and 勢 is force. Read きょせい.

Remember it 虚 (hollow) + 勢 (show of force) → the show of force with nothing inside it.

品質ひんしつを均一きんいつに保たもつ。

Keeping the quality uniform.

Usage 均一に保つ, 百円均一 — keeping uniform, everything a hundred yen. Distinct from 均等, equal shares: 均一 is sameness of character. Read きんいつ.

Remember it 均 (even) + 一 (one) → all of it the same as one another.

口車くちぐるまに乗のせられてしまった。

I let myself be taken in by smooth talk.

Usage 口車に乗せる / 乗る — talking someone round, or being talked round. It always takes 乗る. Negative. Read くちぐるま.

Remember it 口 (mouth) + 車 (wheels) → the vehicle made of words that carries you off.

判定はんていは彼かれに軍配ぐんばいが上あがった。

The decision went in his favour.

Usage 軍配が上がる — the verdict going to someone — is a set phrase. From the sumo referee's fan, raised toward the winner. Read ぐんばい.

Remember it 軍 (military) + 配 (the baton, the fan) → the fan raised toward the one who won.

経費けいひを大幅おおはばに削減さくげんした。

We cut expenses substantially.

Usage 経費を削減する, 経費で落とす — cutting costs, putting something on expenses. Read けいひ.

Remember it 経 (manage) + 費 (expense) → what running the thing costs.

月並つきなみな表現ひょうげんで申もうし訳わけないが。

Forgive the commonplace expression, but...

Usage 月並みな — ordinary, worn out with use. From the monthly poetry gatherings, which grew predictable. Close to 陳腐. Read つきなみ.

Remember it 月 (month) + 並み (the usual run) → the usual thing that comes round every month.

長年ながねんの懸案けんあんがようやく解決かいけつした。

A long-standing pending issue has at last been resolved.

Usage 懸案事項, 長年の懸案 — a matter left hanging. 懸 is to suspend. Read けんあん.

Remember it 懸 (hang) + 案 (matter) → the matter left hanging, undealt with.

原点げんてんに立たち返かえって考かんがえ直なおす。

Going back to first principles and rethinking it.

Usage 原点に立ち返る — returning to the starting point — is the commonest phrase. Distinct from 起点, which is a point of departure in space. Read げんてん.

Remember it 原 (origin) + 点 (point) → the point it all originally came from.

二ふたつの語ごは語感ごかんが違ちがう。

The two words have a different feel to them.

Usage 語感が違う, 語感が鋭い — differing in nuance, having a fine ear for words. This is exactly what N1 tests. Read ごかん.

Remember it 語 (word) + 感 (feel) → the feel a word carries beyond its meaning.

絶好ぜっこうの好機こうきを逃のがした。

I let a perfect opportunity slip.

Usage 好機を逃す, 好機到来 — missing a chance, the moment having come. More formal than チャンス. Read こうき — do not confuse 好奇, curiosity.

Remember it 好 (favourable) + 機 (the moment) → the moment when conditions are right.

茶道さどうの極意ごくいを学まなんだ。

I learned the innermost secrets of the tea ceremony.

Usage 極意を極める, 極意を授かる — attaining or being taught the deepest secret. It belongs to the traditional martial and fine arts. Read ごくい.

Remember it 極 (ultimate) + 意 (meaning) → the meaning at the very bottom of the art.

この仕事しごとは腰掛こしかけのつもりだった。

I meant this job only as a stopgap.

Usage A stool; and the N1 sense 腰掛けのつもり, taking a job only until something better. The second is faintly disparaging. Read こしかけ.

Remember it 腰 (hips) + 掛け (resting) → somewhere to rest your hips for a moment, not to settle.

御多分ごたぶんに漏もれず値上ねあげした。

Like everyone else, they raised their prices.

Usage 御多分に漏れず — no exception to the general rule — is a set phrase and effectively the only use. Read ごたぶん.

Remember it 御多分 (the general run of cases) + 漏れず (not omitted) → not left out of what happened to everyone.

言葉尻ことばじりをとらえて責せめるのはよくない。

It is not good to seize on slips of the tongue to attack someone.

Usage 言葉尻をとらえる — picking on the tail of a remark to find fault — is a set phrase. Critical. Read ことばじり.

Remember it 言葉 (words) + 尻 (the tail) → grabbing the tail end of what was said.

小手先こてさきの対策たいさくでは解決かいけつしない。

Superficial measures will not solve it.

Usage 小手先の〜 — a shallow trick that does not reach the root. Always critical. Read こてさき.

Remember it 小手 (the lower arm) + 先 (tip) → work done with the wrist alone, not the whole body.

数字すうじに細工さいくをした疑うたがいがある。

There is a suspicion the figures were doctored.

Usage Fine handiwork, 細工物; and the N1 sense 細工をする, fiddling or rigging something. The second is negative. Read さいく.

Remember it 細 (fine) + 工 (work) → fine work of the hands, honest or otherwise.

両者りょうしゃに大おおきな差異さいはない。

There is no great difference between the two.

Usage 差異がある, 差異を認める — there being a difference. Academic written style, more formal than 違い. Read さい.

Remember it 差 (gap) + 異 (difference) → the gap between two unlike things.

「初心しょしん忘わするべからず」を座右ざゆうの銘めいとしている。

I take 'never forget your first resolve' as my motto.

Usage 座右の銘 — a personal motto — is effectively the only use. Literally what is kept to the right of where you sit. Read ざゆう.

Remember it 座 (seat) + 右 (right) → kept at your right hand where you can always see it.

課題かだいが山積さんせきしている。

Problems are piling up.

Usage 〜が山積する, 山積みだ — accumulating in heaps. Subjects: 課題, 問題, 仕事. Read さんせき; the form 山積み is read やまづみ.

Remember it 山 (mountain) + 積 (pile) → piled up into a mountain.

あくまで私見しけんを述のべたまでだ。

I was merely giving a personal view.

Usage 私見を述べる, 私見では — offering a personal opinion, in my humble view. A modest framing for a statement. Read しけん — do not confuse 試験, an examination.

Remember it 私 (private) + 見 (view) → my own view, offered as no more than that.

新あたらしい環境かんきょうから刺激しげきを受うけた。

The new environment was stimulating.

Usage 刺激を受ける, 刺激が強い — receiving stimulus, being strongly stimulating. Used of the senses and of the mind. Read しげき.

Remember it 刺 (prick) + 激 (rouse) → something that pricks you into a response.

この案件あんけんが真価しんかの試金石しきんせきとなる。

This case will be the test of his true worth.

Usage 〜の試金石となる — becoming the touchstone for something. Literally the stone used to assay gold. Read しきんせき.

Remember it 試 (test) + 金 (gold) + 石 (stone) → the stone you rub gold on to see if it is real.

彼かれはチームの精神せいしん的てき支柱しちゅうだ。

He is the spiritual mainstay of the team.

Usage 精神的支柱 — the moral mainstay — is the commonest phrase. Literally a supporting post. Read しちゅう.

Remember it 支 (support) + 柱 (pillar) → the pillar holding the weight up.

生活せいかつ習慣しゅうかん病びょうなどの疾病しっぺいが増ふえた。

Diseases such as lifestyle-related illnesses have increased.

Usage 疾病 — disease, in medical and insurance vocabulary. Read しっぺい, not しつびょう — the reading is a frequent exam item.

Remember it 疾 (ailment) + 病 (illness) → two words for sickness set together for the formal register.

使命しめい感かんを持もって取とり組くんでいる。

He goes about it with a sense of mission.

Usage 使命感, 使命を果たす — a sense of mission, fulfilling it. Weightier than 任務, with an ideal behind it. Read しめい.

Remember it 使 (send) + 命 (command) → what you were sent and commanded to do.

一ひとつの時代じだいの終焉しゅうえんを告つげた。

It marked the end of an era.

Usage 〜の終焉 — the end, the demise. Formal written style, solemn in tone. It also means one's last hours. Read しゅうえん.

Remember it 終 (end) + 焉 → the formal word for the end of a thing or a life.

学界がっかいの重鎮じゅうちんとして知しられる。

He is known as a leading figure in academia.

Usage 〜の重鎮 — a senior figure who anchors a field. 鎮 is to hold down, the same character as 鎮める. Read じゅうちん.

Remember it 重 (weight) + 鎮 (hold down) → the weight that keeps the whole thing steady.

宿願しゅくがんがついに叶かなった。

A long-cherished wish was at last granted.

Usage 宿願が叶う, 宿願を果たす — a long-held wish fulfilled. 宿 means harboured over a long time. Close to 悲願. Read しゅくがん.

Remember it 宿 (lodged long) + 願 (wish) → the wish that has lodged in you for years.

後半こうはんは守勢しゅせいに回まわった。

In the second half they were forced onto the defensive.

Usage 守勢に回る, 守勢に立たされる — going onto or being forced onto the defensive. Its counterpart is 攻勢. Read しゅせい.

Remember it 守 (defend) + 勢 (posture) → standing in the defending posture.

順序じゅんじょよく並ならべてください。

Please arrange them in order.

Usage 順序よく, 順序が逆だ — in proper order, the wrong way round. 順序立てて話す is to explain in a logical sequence. Read じゅんじょ.

Remember it 順 (in turn) + 序 (sequence) → each in its turn, in sequence.