Technology & Media

日本にほんの技術ぎじゅつは世界せかいでトップクラスです。

Japanese technology is world class.

Usage 技術 covers technology in the broad sense and also an individual's skill or technique. 技術者 (ぎじゅつしゃ) = an engineer or technician.

Remember it 技 (a skill) + 術 (a technique, an art). The same 術 as in 手術 and 美術.

子供こどもの頃ころから科学かがくに興味きょうみがあります。

I've been interested in science since I was a child.

Usage Homophone alert: 科学 (science) and 化学 (chemistry) are both かがく. To disambiguate aloud, Japanese say ばけがく for chemistry. 興味がある = to be interested in.

Remember it 科 (a branch, a department) + 学 (study). Study divided into branches.

エジソンは電球でんきゅうを発明はつめいしたことで有名ゆうめいです。

Edison is famous for inventing the light bulb.

Usage 発明 is creating something new; 発見 is finding something that already existed. English keeps invent and discover apart the same way, so match them carefully.

Remember it 発 (to send out) + 明 (bright, clear). Bringing something new into the light.

この地域ちいきで新種しんしゅの植物しょくぶつが発見はっけんされました。

A new species of plant was discovered in this region.

Usage 発見される is the passive — discoveries are usually reported this way in Japanese. 新種 (しんしゅ) = a new species, 植物 = plants.

Remember it 発 (to send out) + 見 (to see). Coming to see what was already there.

彼女かのじょは大学だいがくでがんの研究けんきゅうをしています。

She researches cancer at a university.

Usage 研究する = to research, 研究者 = a researcher, 研究室 (けんきゅうしつ) = a university lab or seminar group. The same 研 as in 研修.

Remember it 研 (to polish, to grind) + 究 (to investigate deeply). Grinding away at a question.

理科りかの授業じゅぎょうで化学かがく実験じっけんをしました。

We did a chemistry experiment in science class.

Usage Note this sentence has 化学 (chemistry), the homophone twin of 科学 (science). 理科 (りか) = science as a school subject.

Remember it 実 (actual, real) + 験 (to test). Testing something for real — the same 験 as 試験.

この実験じっけんのデータを分析ぶんせきする必要ひつようがあります。

We need to analyse the data from this experiment.

Usage 必要がある = it is necessary to. 分析する (ぶんせき) = to analyse. データ takes no plural marking — it covers one figure or a million.

Remember it From English 'data', three mora: で-え-た.

スマホの画面がめんが割われてしまい、修理しゅうりに出だしました。

My phone screen cracked, so I sent it in for repair.

Usage 画面 is the display as you see it; ディスプレイ or モニター is the hardware. 画面が固まる = the screen freezes.

Remember it 画 (picture) + 面 (surface). The surface the picture appears on.

分わからない言葉ことばはすぐにネットで検索けんさくします。

Whenever there's a word I don't know, I look it up online straight away.

Usage 検索する is searching a database or the web; 探す is looking for something with your own eyes. 検索エンジン = search engine.

Remember it 検 (to examine) + 索 (to seek out). Examining a store of information to find something.

会社かいしゃのウェブサイトで商品しょうひんの詳細しょうさいが分かりますわかります。

You can find product details on the company website.

Usage Usually shortened to サイト or ホームページ — and note that Japanese ホームページ means a whole website, not just its front page. 詳細 (しょうさい) = details.

Remember it From English 'web site'. The clipped サイト is what people actually say.

便利べんりなアプリをスマホにインストールして使ってつかっています。

I install useful apps on my smartphone and use them.

Usage アプリ is clipped from アプリケーション, and スマホ from スマートフォン. Japanese clips almost every long loanword to three or four mora.

Remember it From 'appli(cation)' — Japanese kept a different slice of the word than English 'app' did.

このソフトウェアは無料むりょうでダウンロードできます。

This software can be downloaded for free.

Usage Usually shortened to ソフト. Careful: ソフト alone can also mean soft-serve ice cream (ソフトクリーム) — context decides. 無料で = free of charge.

Remember it From English 'software', six mora, which is why ソフト wins in speech.

パソコンのハードウェアが壊れたこわれたので、修理しゅうりに出しだしました。

My computer's hardware broke, so I sent it for repair.

Usage Note パソコン — Japanese-made English from 'personal computer'. 修理に出す = to send something off for repair, 壊れる = to break, intransitive.

Remember it From English 'hardware', usually clipped to ハード, the counterpart of ソフト.

スマホのバッテリーが少なくすくなくなったので、充電じゅうでんします。

My phone battery is low, so I'll charge it.

Usage バッテリー is a rechargeable battery; 電池 (でんち) is the native word, used for the disposable kind. バッテリーが切れる = the battery dies.

Remember it From English 'battery', with a small tsu: ば-っ-て-り-い.

外出がいしゅつする前まえに、スマホを充電じゅうでんしておきます。

I charge my phone before going out.

Usage 充電する = to charge a device, and figuratively to recharge yourself: 充電期間 = a break to recover. ておく = doing something in advance.

Remember it 充 (to fill) + 電 (electricity). Filling it with electricity.

Wi-Fiに接続せつぞくできなくて、仕事しごとが進まなかったすすまなかった。

I couldn't connect to the Wi-Fi, so work didn't progress.

Usage 接続する takes に for what you connect to: Wi-Fiに接続する. 進む (すすむ) = to make progress, and 進まない is the natural way to say work stalled.

Remember it 接 (to join, to touch) + 続 (to continue). Joining and keeping joined.

このアプリを無料むりょうでダウンロードして使ってつかってみてください。

Please download this app for free and give it a try.

Usage てみる = to try doing something and see how it goes. Both ダウンロードする and its opposite アップロードする work as regular する verbs.

Remember it From English 'download', six mora — long, but it resisted clipping.

撮ったとった写真しゃしんをSNSにアップロードしました。

I uploaded the photos I took to social media.

Usage Casual speech often uses 上げる (あげる) instead: 写真を上げる = to post a photo. Note SNS again — Japanese-made English for social media.

Remember it From English 'upload', the mirror of ダウンロード.

個人情報こじんじょうほうを守るまもるためにセキュリティを強化きょうかする必要ひつようがあります。

Security needs to be strengthened to protect personal information.

Usage 個人情報 (こじんじょうほう) = personal data, a phrase you meet constantly on Japanese forms and websites. 強化する = to strengthen or reinforce.

Remember it From English 'security'. The native 安全 covers physical safety instead.

パスワードは定期的ていきてきに変更へんこうすることをお勧めすすめします。

We recommend changing your password regularly.

Usage お勧めします = we recommend, from 勧める. 定期的に = regularly, on a fixed cycle — the same 定期 as the commuter pass in the transport lesson.

Remember it From English 'password', five mora: ぱ-す-わ-あ-ど.

重要じゅうようなファイルはバックアップしておくことが大切たいせつです。

It's important to back up your important files.

Usage ファイル covers both a computer file and a physical ring binder, just as in English. バックアップする = to back up.

Remember it From English 'file', four mora: ふ-ぁ-い-る.

写真しゃしんはフォルダで整理せいりしておくと見つけみつけやすいです。

If you organise photos into folders, they're easier to find.

Usage Written both フォルダ and フォルダー — Japanese is inconsistent about the final long vowel in loanwords. 整理する = to sort, stem + やすい = easy to do.

Remember it From English 'folder'. The ォ small vowel lets Japanese write an 'fo' sound it otherwise lacks.

旅行りょこうには一眼いちがんカメラを持ってもっていくのが好きすきです。

I like taking a single-lens camera when I travel.

Usage 一眼レフ (いちがんレフ) = an SLR camera. 持っていく = to take something with you, as against 連れていく for people.

Remember it From English 'camera', three mora: か-め-ら.

会議かいぎのようすをビデオに撮ってとっておきました。

I recorded the meeting on video.

Usage ビデオ carries an older feel, closer to videotape; online video is 動画 (どうが). Note 撮る again for recording, not 取る.

Remember it From English 'video', three mora: び-で-お.

この動画どうがは音声おんせいなしで見るみることができます。

This video can be watched without sound.

Usage 音声 is audio as a technical track; 音 (おと) is any sound; 声 (こえ) is a voice. 動画 (どうが) = a video clip, literally 'moving picture'. なしで = without.

Remember it 音 (sound) + 声 (voice). Sound and voice together — the audio channel.

高解像度こうかいぞうどの画像がぞうをダウンロードすると時間じかんがかかります。

Downloading high-resolution images takes time.

Usage 画像 is a digital image; 写真 is a photograph; 絵 is a drawing. 解像度 (かいぞうど) = resolution, a word worth knowing for any device menu.

Remember it 画 (a picture) + 像 (an image, a likeness). The same 画 as 映画 and 漫画.

資料しりょうを印刷いんさつしてから会議かいぎに持ってもってきてください。

Please print the documents and bring them to the meeting.

Usage 印刷する = to print. 資料 (しりょう) = documents or materials — a word you will hear in every Japanese office. プリントする also works casually.

Remember it 印 (a seal, a stamp) + 刷 (to brush, to print). Printing began as stamping and brushing.

スキャナーで書類しょるいをデジタル化かすることができます。

You can digitise documents with a scanner.

Usage 化 (か) as a suffix turns a noun into a process: デジタル化 (digitisation), 高齢化 (ageing), 国際化 (internationalisation). Very productive at N3.

Remember it From English 'scanner'. The verb is スキャンする.

将来しょうらいはロボットが多くのおおくの仕事しごとをするようになるでしょう。

In the future, robots will probably do a lot of jobs.

Usage ようになる = to reach the point of doing something, marking a change over time. Japan is one of the world's largest users of industrial robots.

Remember it From English 'robot', which itself came from Czech — the word travelled a long way before reaching Japanese.

人工知能じんこうちのうの発展はってんにより、多くのおおくの産業さんぎょうが変化へんかしています。

With the development of artificial intelligence, many industries are changing.

Usage Usually said as エーアイ (AI) in conversation, with 人工知能 kept for writing. により = due to, formal. 人工 = artificial, as in 人工衛星.

Remember it 人工 (man-made) + 知能 (intelligence). Intelligence made by human hands.

宇宙うちゅう探査たんさに関するかんする研究けんきゅうが進んですすんでいます。

Research relating to space exploration is progressing.

Usage 宇宙 covers both outer space and the universe. 宇宙飛行士 (うちゅうひこうし) = astronaut, 宇宙人 = an alien. に関する = relating to, formal.

Remember it 宇 (eaves, space) + 宙 (the heavens, mid-air). Together, all of space and time.

衛星えいせいを利用りようした通信つうしんシステムが世界中せかいじゅうで使われてつかわれています。

Satellite-based communication systems are used all over the world.

Usage 人工衛星 (じんこうえいせい) = an artificial satellite; 衛星 alone also means a natural moon. 利用する = to make use of, より practical than 使う.

Remember it 衛 (to guard, to orbit) + 星 (a star). A body standing guard around another.

最新さいしんの通信つうしん技術ぎじゅつにより、遠くとおくの人ひとともすぐに話せますはなせます。

With the latest communication technology, you can talk to distant people instantly.

Usage 通信 is telecommunications — signals and networks; 連絡 is getting in touch with a person; 会話 is conversation itself. 通信費 = data or phone charges.

Remember it 通 (to pass through) + 信 (a message). Messages passing through.

そのニュースは全国ぜんこくで放送ほうそうされました。

That news was broadcast nationwide.

Usage 放送される = to be broadcast, usually passive. 放送局 (ほうそうきょく) = a broadcasting station, sharing the 局 of 郵便局 and 薬局. 生放送 = live broadcast.

Remember it 放 (to release) + 送 (to send). Releasing and sending out.

毎朝まいあさ新聞しんぶんを読んでよんでから出勤しゅっきんします。

Every morning I read the newspaper before going to work.

Usage False friend: 新聞 is a newspaper, not 'news' — the news itself is ニュース. In Chinese the same characters do mean news, which trips up many learners.

Remember it 新 (new) + 聞 (to hear). What has newly been heard — printed.

このファッション雑誌ざっしは若いわかい女性じょせいに人気にんきがあります。

This fashion magazine is popular with young women.

Usage 雑 means miscellaneous and marks a useful family: 雑誌, 雑談 (small talk), 雑草 (weeds), 複雑 (complicated).

Remember it 雑 (miscellaneous) + 誌 (a record, a journal). A journal of assorted things.

彼女かのじょは小説しょうせつを書いてかいて出版しゅっぱんしました。

She wrote a novel and published it.

Usage 出版社 (しゅっぱんしゃ) = a publisher, 出版する = to publish. 小説 (しょうせつ) = a novel, and 小説家 = a novelist.

Remember it 出 (to put out) + 版 (a printing block, an edition). Putting out an edition.

他人たにんの作品さくひんを無断むだんで使うつかうと著作権ちょさくけん侵害しんがいになります。

Using someone else's work without permission constitutes copyright infringement.

Usage 権 (けん) marks a right: 著作権, 人権 (human rights), 権利 (a right). 無断で = without permission, 侵害 (しんがい) = infringement.

Remember it 著作 (a written work) + 権 (a right). The right over what you authored.

この発明はつめいは特許とっきょを取得しゅとくしています。

This invention has obtained a patent.

Usage 特許を取る or 取得する = to obtain a patent. Note the small tsu: とっきょ. 取得する (しゅとく) = to acquire, formal — used for licences and qualifications too.

Remember it 特 (special) + 許 (permission). Special permission, granted to one holder.

革新かくしん的なアイデアあいであが業界ぎょうかいに新しいあたらしい風かぜを吹き込んだふきこんだ。

An innovative idea breathed fresh air into the industry.

Usage 革新的な = innovative. 新しい風を吹き込む — 'to blow in a new wind' — is a set idiom for bringing fresh energy somewhere. 業界 = an industry or trade.

Remember it 革 (leather, to reform) + 新 (new). The same 革 as in 革命 (revolution) — remaking something entirely.