言語・表現

自分じぶんの気持きもちを言葉ことばで表現ひょうげんするのは難むずかしい。

It's hard to express your feelings in words.

Usage 表現 = expression: 表現する, 表現力 (expressiveness), 表現の自由 (freedom of expression), 丁寧な表現 (a polite expression).

Remember it 表 (surface, to show) + 現 (to appear) → making something appear on the surface.

専門せんもん用語ようごが多おおくて、説明せつめいが分わかりにくい。

There are so many technical terms that the explanation is hard to follow.

Usage 用語 = a term, terminology: 専門用語 (jargon), 医学用語 (medical terms), 用語集 (glossary). 単語 (たんご) is simply a word.

Remember it 用 (use) + 語 (word) → words used in a field.

本ほんをたくさん読よむと語彙ごいが増ふえる。

Reading lots of books expands your vocabulary.

Usage 語彙 = vocabulary as a whole: 語彙が豊富 (a rich vocabulary), 語彙力 (vocabulary knowledge). A single word is 単語.

Remember it 語 (word) + 彙 (collection) → a collection of words.

日本語にほんごの発音はつおんは比較的ひかくてき簡単かんたんだと言いわれる。

Japanese pronunciation is said to be relatively easy.

Usage 発音 = pronunciation: 発音する, 発音がきれい (good pronunciation), 発音練習. アクセント is pitch accent.

Remember it 発 (to send out) + 音 (sound) → sending out sounds.

祖母そぼは強つよい方言ほうげんで話はなすので、時々ときどき分わからない。

My grandmother speaks with a strong dialect, so sometimes I can't understand her.

Usage 方言 = dialect: 関西弁 and 博多弁 are well-known 方言. 〜弁 (べん) is the everyday suffix for a regional dialect. 標準語 is standard Japanese.

Remember it 方 (region, direction) + 言 (speech) → the speech of a region.

仕事しごとでは標準語ひょうじゅんごを使つかうようにしている。

I try to use standard Japanese at work.

Usage 標準語 is standard Japanese, based on Tokyo speech. 共通語 (きょうつうご, common language) is the term linguists prefer. Its contrast is 方言.

Remember it 標準 (standard) + 語 (language) → the standard language.

目上めうえの人ひとには敬語けいごを使つかいましょう。

Use honorific language with your superiors.

Usage 敬語 is polite language, with three parts: 尊敬語 (respectful, raising others), 謙譲語 (humble, lowering yourself), 丁寧語 (polite です/ます).

Remember it 敬 (to respect) + 語 (language) → respectful language.

「です」や「ます」は丁寧語ていねいごの代表だいひょうだ。

'Desu' and 'masu' are typical examples of polite language.

Usage 丁寧語 is the basic polite style: です, ます, ございます, and the お / ご prefixes as in お茶. It is the easiest of the three types of 敬語.

Remember it 丁寧 (polite, careful) + 語 (language) → polite language.

「いただく」は「もらう」の謙譲語けんじょうごだ。

'Itadaku' is the humble form of 'morau' (to receive).

Usage 謙譲語 lowers yourself to show respect: いただく (receive), 伺う (うかがう, visit or ask), 申す (もうす, say), 参る (まいる, go or come).

Remember it 謙 (humble) + 譲 (to yield) + 語 (language) → language that yields humbly.

「コンビニ」は「コンビニエンスストア」の略語りゃくごだ。

'Konbini' is an abbreviation of 'convenience store'.

Usage 略語 = an abbreviation: 略語を使う. Japanese loves them: スマホ, パソコン, 就活 (就職活動). 略す (りゃくす) = to abbreviate.

Remember it 略 (to abbreviate, omit) + 語 (word) → a shortened word.

「イクメン」は最近さいきんできた造語ぞうごだ。

'Ikumen' (a man who's actively involved in childcare) is a recently coined word.

Usage 造語 = a coined word: 造語を作る, 新造語. Many are 和製英語 (Japanese-made English), like イクメン or サラリーマン.

Remember it 造 (to make) + 語 (word) → a made-up word.

漢字かんじを二ふたつ組くみ合あわせた熟語じゅくごを覚おぼえよう。

Let's learn compound words made by combining two kanji.

Usage 熟語 is a compound word, usually of two or more kanji, like 人生 or 経済. 四字熟語 (four-character idioms) like 一石二鳥 are a JLPT favorite.

Remember it 熟 (ripe, mature) + 語 (word) → words matured together into one.

「顔かおが広ひろい」は知しり合あいが多おおいという意味いみの慣用句かんようくだ。

'Kao ga hiroi' (having a wide face) is an idiom meaning you know lots of people.

Usage 慣用句 are fixed idioms, often with body parts: 顔が広い (well connected), 手を焼く (have a hard time with), 耳が痛い (it hurts to hear).

Remember it 慣用 (customary use) + 句 (phrase) → a phrase fixed by custom.

「猿さるも木きから落おちる」ということわざがある。

There's a proverb that says 'even monkeys fall from trees'.

Usage ことわざ are proverbs: 猿も木から落ちる (even experts make mistakes), 急がば回れ (more haste, less speed), 石の上にも三年 (perseverance pays off).

Remember it Kanji form 諺: 言 (words) + 彦 (a wise man) → the words of wise men.

「時間じかんはお金かねだ」は比喩ひゆ表現ひょうげんの一ひとつだ。

'Time is money' is an example of a metaphor.

Usage 比喩 = a figure of speech or metaphor: 比喩的に (figuratively), 比喩表現. Simile uses ような: 雪のような肌 (skin like snow).

Remember it 比 (to compare) + 喩 (to illustrate) → illustrating by comparison.

遅刻ちこくした私わたしに、部長ぶちょうは「早はやいね」と皮肉ひにくを言いった。

When I was late, my manager sarcastically said, 'You're early.'

Usage 皮肉 = sarcasm or irony: 皮肉を言う (be sarcastic), 皮肉な結果 (an ironic outcome), 皮肉にも (ironically). 嫌味 (いやみ) is a snide remark.

Remember it 皮 (skin) + 肉 (flesh) → only skin and flesh, not the bone: words that stay on the surface and sting.

冗談じょうだんのつもりだったが、相手あいてを怒おこらせてしまった。

I meant it as a joke, but I made the other person angry.

Usage 冗談 = a joke: 冗談を言う, 冗談でしょう (you're kidding), 冗談じゃない (no way, this is serious). ギャグ is a comedy gag.

Remember it 冗 (idle, superfluous) + 談 (talk) → idle talk.

彼かれはお酒さけを飲のむと本音ほんねを話はなす。

When he drinks, he says what he really thinks.

Usage 本音 is what you really think; 建前 is what you say in public. The pair 本音と建前 is key to understanding Japanese communication.

Remember it 本 (true) + 音 (sound) → your true sound.

建前たてまえでは賛成さんせいしていても、本音ほんねは反対はんたいの人ひとも多おおい。

Many people agree on the surface but are actually against it.

Usage 建前 is the official stance or public face: 建前を言う, 建前上 (officially). Its pair is 本音. Originally, 建前 was the ceremony of raising a house's frame.

Remember it 建 (to build) + 前 (front) → the front you build for show.

彼女かのじょは厳きびしい口調くちょうで部下ぶかを注意ちゅういした。

She warned her subordinate in a stern tone.

Usage 口調 is tone of voice or manner of speaking: 強い口調, 丁寧な口調, 口調が変わる. 語調 (ごちょう) is similar but more formal.

Remember it 口 (mouth) + 調 (tone, tune) → the tune your mouth plays.

面接めんせつでは言葉遣ことばづかいに気きをつけてください。

Please be careful with your language in the interview.

Usage 言葉遣い is how you choose your words: 言葉遣いが丁寧 (polite speech), 言葉遣いが悪い (rude speech). 〜遣い means way of using: 金遣い (spending habits).

Remember it 言葉 (words) + 遣う (to use) → how you use words.

分わからない単語たんごは文脈ぶんみゃくから意味いみを推測すいそくしよう。

Guess the meaning of unfamiliar words from the context.

Usage 文脈 = context: 文脈から判断する, 文脈によって (depending on context), 〜の文脈で (in the context of). A key strategy on the JLPT reading section.

Remember it 文 (text) + 脈 (vein, thread) → the thread running through a text.

この言葉ことばはひらがなで表記ひょうきするのが一般的いっぱんてきだ。

This word is usually written in hiragana.

Usage 表記 is how something is written: ローマ字表記, 表記揺れ (inconsistent spelling), 価格表記 (price display).

Remember it 表 (to show) + 記 (to write down) → how something is shown in writing.

会議かいぎで積極的せっきょくてきに発言はつげんするようにしている。

I try to speak up actively in meetings.

Usage 発言 is a remark or statement, especially in public: 発言する, 発言権 (the right to speak), 問題発言 (a controversial remark).

Remember it 発 (to send out) + 言 (words) → sending out words.

国際こくさい会議かいぎで通訳つうやくをする仕事しごとに就つきたいです。

I want a job interpreting at international conferences.

Usage Key distinction: 通訳 is spoken interpreting, 翻訳 (ほんやく) is written translation. English blurs them as 'translation'; Japanese does not.

Remember it 通 (to pass through) + 訳 (to render) → letting meaning pass between two languages.

この小説しょうせつは二十にじゅうか国語こくごに翻訳ほんやくされている。

This novel has been translated into twenty languages.

Usage 翻訳 is written translation: 翻訳する, 翻訳家 (translator), 翻訳ソフト. Spoken interpreting is 通訳.

Remember it 翻 (to flip over) + 訳 (to render) → flipping text over into another language.

この記事きじを三百字さんびゃくじで要約ようやくしてください。

Please summarize this article in 300 characters.

Usage 要約 = a summary: 要約する, 要約文. まとめ is the everyday word. Don't confuse with ようやく (finally), which is written in kana.

Remember it 要 (main point) + 約 (to condense) → condensing to the main points.

報告書ほうこくしょから重要じゅうような部分ぶぶんを抜粋ばっすいした。

I extracted the important parts from the report.

Usage 抜粋 = an excerpt: 抜粋する, 〜から抜粋, 抜粋版 (an abridged version). 引用 is quoting with attribution.

Remember it 抜 (to pull out) + 粋 (the essence) → pulling out the essence.

印刷いんさつする前まえに、原稿げんこうを丁寧ていねいに校正こうせいした。

I carefully proofread the manuscript before printing.

Usage 校正 = proofreading for typos and errors: 校正する, 校正刷り (galley proof). 添削 is correcting someone's writing to improve it.

Remember it 校 (to compare, check) + 正 (correct) → checking and correcting.

先生せんせいに作文さくぶんを添削てんさくしてもらった。

I had my teacher correct my essay.

Usage 添削 is correcting and improving someone's writing: 作文の添削, 添削指導. Many Japanese learners use 添削 services for essays.

Remember it 添 (to add) + 削 (to cut) → adding and cutting.

提出ていしゅつする前まえに誤字ごじがないか確認かくにんしよう。

Check for typos before you hand it in.

Usage 誤字 is a wrong character, a typo: 誤字脱字 (typos and missing characters, a common phrase). 変換ミス is picking the wrong kanji when typing.

Remember it 誤 (mistaken) + 字 (character) → a mistaken character.

書類しょるいに誤字ごじや脱字だつじがないかチェックしてください。

Please check the document for typos and missing characters.

Usage 脱字 is a missing character or word. It almost always appears in 誤字脱字 (typos and omissions).

Remember it 脱 (to drop out) + 字 (character) → a character that dropped out.

明日あしたのスピーチの原稿げんこうを書かいている。

I'm writing the script for tomorrow's speech.

Usage 原稿 is a manuscript, draft or script: 原稿を書く, 原稿用紙 (squared manuscript paper), 締め切りの原稿.

Remember it 原 (original) + 稿 (draft) → the original draft.

新聞しんぶんの見出みだしだけ読よんで、内容ないようを判断はんだんしてはいけない。

You shouldn't judge the content by reading only the newspaper headlines.

Usage 見出し is a headline or heading: 新聞の見出し, 見出し語 (a dictionary headword). 題名 (だいめい) is the title of a work.

Remember it 見る (to see) + 出す (to put out) → what's put out front for you to see.

字幕じまくなしで英語えいごの映画えいがを見みられるようになりたい。

I want to be able to watch English films without subtitles.

Usage 字幕 = subtitles: 字幕付き (with subtitles), 日本語字幕. The dubbed version is 吹き替え (ふきかえ).

Remember it 字 (characters) + 幕 (curtain, screen) → characters on the screen.

この小説しょうせつは人物じんぶつの心理しんり描写びょうしゃがすばらしい。

This novel's portrayal of the characters' psychology is superb.

Usage 描写 is depiction in writing, art or film: 心理描写 (psychological description), 風景描写, 描写する.

Remember it 描 (to draw) + 写 (to copy) → drawing a copy of something in words.

親おやを説得せっとくして海外かいがい留学りゅうがくの許可きょかをもらいました。

I persuaded my parents and got permission to study abroad.

Usage 説得する takes を for the person persuaded: 親を説得する. 説得力 (persuasiveness) is a common word: 説得力がある.

Remember it 説 (to explain) + 得 (to gain) → explaining until you gain agreement.

入場にゅうじょうの際さいはチケットを提示ていじしてください。

Please show your ticket when you enter.

Usage 提示 is showing or presenting, formal: チケットを提示する, 条件を提示する (present conditions), 身分証の提示 (showing ID).

Remember it 提 (to hold up) + 示 (to show) → holding up to show.

彼かれの意見いけんに反論はんろんする人ひとは誰だれもいなかった。

No one argued against his opinion.

Usage 反論 = a counterargument: 反論する, 反論の余地がない (indisputable). 反対 is simply being against; 反論 gives reasons.

Remember it 反 (against) + 論 (argument) → an argument against.

先輩せんぱいに資料しりょうの間違まちがいを指摘してきされた。

A senior colleague pointed out a mistake in my documents.

Usage 指摘 is pointing out a problem: 〜を指摘する, ミスを指摘される, ご指摘ありがとうございます (thank you for pointing that out).

Remember it 指 (to point) + 摘 (to pick out) → pointing and picking out.