人間関係 II

一度いちどの嘘うそで信用しんようを失うしなった。

One lie cost him people's trust.

Usage 信用 = trust earned by a track record: 信用を失う, 信用できる. In finance it means credit: 信用金庫. 信頼 is deeper, more personal.

Remember it 信 (to believe) + 用 (to use) → trust you can actually put to use.

誠意せいいをもって対応たいおうします。

We will deal with this in good faith.

Usage 誠意 = sincerity shown in action, not merely felt: 誠意ある対応, 誠意が感じられない. It sits at the centre of Japanese apologies.

Remember it 誠 (sincerity) + 意 (intent) → sincerity you can see in what someone actually does.

先輩せんぱいに敬意けいいを表あらわす。

I show respect to my senior.

Usage 敬意 = respect, in formal phrasing: 敬意を表する, 敬意を払う. The verb 敬う and the word 敬語 share the 敬.

Remember it 敬 (to revere) + 意 (feeling) → the feeling behind every honorific in the language.

礼儀れいぎ正ただしい若者わかものだ。

He's a well-mannered young man.

Usage 礼儀 = courtesy with proper form: 礼儀正しい, 礼儀を欠く, 礼儀作法. マナー is closer to public behaviour.

Remember it 礼 (courtesy) + 儀 (form) → courtesy that has a proper shape to it.

そんな言いい方かたは無礼ぶれいだ。

Talking like that is rude.

Usage 無礼 = rude, a strong, formal word: 無礼な態度, ご無礼しました. In everyday speech 失礼 is far commoner.

Remember it 無 (without) + 礼 (courtesy) → courtesy simply missing.

店長てんちょうの気配きくばりが客きゃくに喜よろこばれている。

Customers appreciate the manager's attentiveness.

Usage 気配り = noticing what others need before being asked. 気配りができる人 is one of the highest compliments in Japanese working life.

Remember it 気 (attention) + 配る (to hand out) → spreading your attention around the room.

温あたたかいお心遣こころづかいをありがとうございます。

Thank you for your kind thoughtfulness.

Usage 心遣い = consideration shown in a gesture, often a gift: お心遣いに感謝します. Formal and warm.

Remember it 心 (heart) + 遣う (to spend) → spending your heart on someone else.

彼かれとは面識めんしきがない。

I've never met him.

Usage 面識 = having met someone before: 面識がある, 面識がない. Common in formal explanations and news reports.

Remember it 面 (face) + 識 (to know) → knowing the face.

知人ちじんの紹介しょうかいでこの仕事しごとを得えた。

I got this job through an acquaintance.

Usage 知人 = someone you know but are not close to; 友人 is a friend. Japanese keeps the two apart carefully.

Remember it 知 (to know) + 人 (person) → a person you know, and no more than that.

同おなじ目標もくひょうを持もつ仲間なかまが増ふえた。

More people with the same goal have joined us.

Usage 仲間 = a companion or fellow member: 仲間に入る, 仲間外れ (being left out). Warmer than 同僚 (colleague).

Remember it 仲 (relations) + 間 (the space between) → those standing inside the same circle as you.

彼かれらは改革かいかくを目指めざす同志どうしだ。

They are comrades in the cause of reform.

Usage 同志 = people who share a cause or belief. Careful: 同士, with the same reading, means 'fellow' as in 男同士.

Remember it 同 (same) + 志 (ambition) → one ambition burning in different people.

部外者ぶがいしゃは立たち入いり禁止きんしです。

No entry for people outside the organisation.

Usage 部外者 = someone from outside the group: 部外者立入禁止 is a sign you'll see everywhere. Its opposite is 関係者.

Remember it 部 (a section) + 外 (outside) + 者 (person) → the person standing outside the section.

第三者だいさんしゃに判断はんだんしてもらおう。

Let's have a third party decide.

Usage 第三者 = an uninvolved third party: 第三者機関 (an independent body), 第三者の目 (an outside view).

Remember it 第三 (the third) + 者 (person) → the third one, standing outside the two who disagree.

体育会たいいくかい系けいの部活ぶかつは上下関係じょうげかんけいが厳きびしい。

Sports clubs have a strict senior-junior hierarchy.

Usage 上下関係 = the senior-junior hierarchy that shapes Japanese schools and companies. Its everyday face is 先輩・後輩.

Remember it 上下 (above and below) + 関係 (relationship) → who stands above whom.

党内とうないの派閥はばつ争あらそいが激はげしい。

Factional infighting within the party is fierce.

Usage 派閥 = a faction inside a party or company: 派閥に属する, 派閥争い. The word always carries a faint disapproval.

Remember it 派 (a branch) + 閥 (a clique) → a branch that has hardened into a clique.

二人ふたりは親密しんみつな関係かんけいにある。

The two of them are on intimate terms.

Usage 親密 = close and intimate, of relationships: 親密な関係, 親密度. More formal than 親しい.

Remember it 親 (close) + 密 (dense) → so close that no gap is left.

地域ちいきの人ひとたちとの交流こうりゅうを大切たいせつにしている。

We value our contact with local people.

Usage 交流 = exchange between people or groups: 国際交流, 交流会, 世代間交流. In electricity it means alternating current.

Remember it 交 (to cross) + 流 (flow) → two flows crossing and mixing.

二人ふたりは三年間さんねんかん交際こうさいしている。

The two of them have been going out for three years.

Usage 交際 = association, and specifically dating: 交際する, 交際費 (business entertainment expenses). The everyday verb is 付き合う.

Remember it 交 (to cross) + 際 (the meeting edge) → the point where two lives meet.

会社かいしゃの付つき合あいで飲のみに行いった。

I went out drinking as a work obligation.

Usage 付き合い = socialising, often out of duty: 付き合いが悪い (said of anyone who declines invitations), ご近所付き合い.

Remember it From 付き合う (to keep company) — in Japan, 付き合い is as much duty as pleasure.

この仕事しごととの出会であいが人生じんせいを変かえた。

Coming across this work changed my life.

Usage 出会い = a meaningful encounter, with a person or with anything else: 運命の出会い, 出会いを大切にする.

Remember it 出る (to go out) + 会う (to meet) → you have to go out for the meeting to happen.

十年じゅうねんぶりに友人ゆうじんと再会さいかいした。

I met my friend again after ten years.

Usage 再会 = meeting again after a long gap: 再会を果たす, 感動の再会. Note 再開 (to resume) uses a different second kanji.

Remember it 再 (again) + 会 (to meet) → the second meeting, long awaited.

これも何なにかの縁えんでしょう。

This must be some kind of fate bringing us together.

Usage 縁 = the invisible tie to a person or place: 縁がある, 縁を切る (to cut ties), ご縁があれば.

Remember it A deeply Japanese idea: neither chance nor choice, but the thread that happened to connect you.

先生せんせいには大おおきな恩おんがある。

I owe my teacher a great deal.

Usage 恩 = a debt of gratitude you carry: 恩を返す (to repay it), 恩を忘れる, 恩知らず (ungrateful).

Remember it 心 (heart) at the bottom → a debt recorded in the heart, not in a ledger.

彼かれは命いのちの恩人おんじんだ。

He's the man who saved my life.

Usage 恩人 = someone you owe a great deal to: 命の恩人. A serious, heartfelt word, not used lightly.

Remember it 恩 (a debt of gratitude) + 人 (person) → the person that debt is owed to.

恩義おんぎを感かんじているので断ことわれない。

I feel obliged to them, so I can't say no.

Usage 恩義 = gratitude that carries obligation: 恩義を感じる, 恩義に報いる. Heavier than plain 恩.

Remember it 恩 (gratitude) + 義 (duty) → gratitude that has hardened into duty.

見返みかえりを求もとめずに助たすけてくれた。

They helped me without wanting anything in return.

Usage 見返り = something given in return: 見返りを求める, 見返りなしで. Often used of favours with strings attached.

Remember it From 見返す (to look back) → what comes back to you in exchange.

彼女かのじょの好意こういに甘あまえることにした。

I decided to accept her kind offer.

Usage 好意 = goodwill or affection: 好意を持つ (to like someone), ご好意に甘える. In formal letters, others' kindness is written 厚意.

Remember it 好 (to like) + 意 (feeling) → warm feeling pointed at someone.

彼かれの目めには敵意てきいがあった。

There was hostility in his eyes.

Usage 敵意 = hostility: 敵意を持つ, 敵意をむき出しにする. The exact opposite of 好意.

Remember it 敵 (enemy) + 意 (feeling) → the feeling that turns someone into an enemy.

相手あいての意見いけんを尊重そんちょうする。

I respect the other person's opinion.

Usage 尊重 = treating something as worth respecting — opinions, rights, wishes: 人権を尊重する, 意思を尊重する.

Remember it 尊 (noble) + 重 (weighty) → treating it as heavy and noble, not to be brushed aside.

嘘うそをつく人ひとを軽蔑けいべつする。

I despise people who lie.

Usage 軽蔑 = contempt: 軽蔑の目で見る, 軽蔑される. Stronger than the English 'look down on'.

Remember it 軽 (light) + 蔑 (to scorn) → treating a person as weightless — the opposite of 尊重's 重.

その発言はつげんは侮辱ぶじょくだ。

That remark is an insult.

Usage 侮辱 = an insult to someone's dignity: 侮辱する, 侮辱罪 — insult is an actual offence under Japanese law.

Remember it 侮 (to make light of) + 辱 (to shame) → making light of someone in order to shame them.

冷淡れいたんな態度たいどに傷きずついた。

Their cold manner hurt me.

Usage 冷淡 = cold and indifferent towards others: 冷淡な態度, 冷淡に扱う. The everyday word is 冷たい.

Remember it 冷 (cold) + 淡 (thin, faint) → cold and thin, with no warmth left in it.

その言葉ことばが何なによりの慰なぐさめになった。

Those words were the greatest comfort of all.

Usage 慰め = consolation: 慰めの言葉, 慰めにもならない. The verb 慰める means to comfort someone.

Remember it 心 (heart) underneath → a hand laid on the heart to settle it.

皆みなさんの励はげましが力ちからになった。

Everyone's encouragement gave me strength.

Usage 励まし = encouragement: 励ましの言葉, 励まし合う. 励ます is to cheer someone on; 励む is to apply yourself.

Remember it 力 (strength) on the right → putting strength back into someone.

家族かぞくが心こころの支ささえだ。

My family are my emotional support.

Usage 支え = a support or mainstay, physical or emotional: 心の支え, 支えになる. The verb is 支える.

Remember it 支 draws a hand holding something up — the same 支 as in 支持 (support).

一ひとつ頼たのみがあるんだけど。

There's a favour I want to ask you.

Usage 頼み = a request or favour: 頼みがある, 頼みを聞く (to grant a request), 頼みの綱 (your last hope).

Remember it From 頼む (to ask) → the ask itself, turned into a noun.

断ことわりもなく写真しゃしんを使つかわれた。

They used the photo without asking me.

Usage 断り has two senses: a refusal (お断りします) and prior notice or permission (断りなく = without asking).

Remember it One word for both ends of the conversation: saying no, and asking first.

お詫わびのしるしに品物しなものを送おくった。

I sent a gift as a token of apology.

Usage 詫び = an apology, nearly always as お詫び: お詫び申し上げます, お詫びの品. The verb is 詫びる.

Remember it 言 (words) on the left → an apology is words offered up — and in Japan, often a gift with them.

社長しゃちょうが記者きしゃ会見かいけんで謝罪しゃざいした。

The president apologised at a press conference.

Usage 謝罪 = a formal, public apology: 謝罪会見, 謝罪文. お詫び is softer, ごめん personal.

Remember it 謝 (to apologise) + 罪 (fault) → owning the fault out loud.

今更いまさら弁解べんかいしても仕方しかたがない。

There's no point making excuses now.

Usage 弁解 = explaining yourself to escape blame, and it sounds defensive: 弁解の余地がない (no possible excuse). 言い訳 is the everyday word.

Remember it 弁 (to argue) + 解 (to explain) → arguing your way out instead of owning it.