Language | Vocabulary Boost Jun 25, 2021
Variants, the Olympics and other boosters for your vocabulary
by Haruka Murayama
Frequent Japanese words popping up in the media have more to do with vaccinations, but could an Olympic shift be ahead?
Language | BILINGUAL Jun 18, 2021
Take in the beauty of Hokusai's wave and then give your verdict on it in Japanese
by Tadasu Takahashi
Learn the basics of art criticism in Japanese while taking in Katsushika Hokusai's iconic print, "Under the Wave off Kanagawa."
Language | BILINGUAL Jun 12, 2021
What exactly does it mean when someone tells you to ‘act your age’?
by Daniel Morales
The phrase "ii toshi shite" can make someone chuckle or could cause offense. Make sure you use it carefully.
Language | BILINGUAL Jun 4, 2021
Dress like Naruto? Great cosplay. Speak like Naruto? Hmm, chotto …
by Eric Margolis
With anime's popularity booming, some may see it as a shortcut to learning Japanese. But you wouldn't necessarily learn English from Donald Duck, would you?
Language | BILINGUAL May 28, 2021
Immerse yourself in the creativity and language of Japanese TikTok accounts
by Daniel Morales
From creators who put together anime shorts to the daily trials of a para-swimmer, Japanese TikTok is a fascinating place to get lost in the language.
People | 20 QUESTIONS May 24, 2021
Marc Davies: ‘To write beautifully is to solve a fundamental problem of art’
by Claire Williamson
Nationally acclaimed calligrapher Marc Davies has been practicing shodō since 1996, achieving the rank of Master Instructor in 2019. Here, he shares his take on the art form.
Language | BILINGUAL May 21, 2021
The ‘wake’ structures that you can use to expand on your reasoning
by Tadasu Takahashi
The terms "wake da," "wake dewa nai," "wake ga nai" and "wake ni wa ikanai" help with giving reasons … like maybe reasons why you don't want to cancel a major international event?
Asia Pacific May 20, 2021
Japanese language opens doors for Thai students
by Achawin Chitranondh
Driven by a love of anime and manga, and enticed by employment opportunities, the number of people wanting to learn has risen.
Language | BILINGUAL May 14, 2021
When you find the right notes to learn Japanese, even karaoke can be your classroom
by Eric Margolis
From children's lullabies to visual-kei, writing out lyrics and singing along to Japanese pop can help you with everyday conversation.
National / Media | BIG IN JAPAN May 8, 2021
Them's fightin' words: How militaristic vocabulary works its way into Olympics coverage
by Mark Schreiber
Militaristic language has made its way into headlines about the Olympics, but that may say more about Japan's news media than the actual situation.
Language | BILINGUAL May 4, 2021
Focus on sentence endings to 'see the future' in Japanese
by Daniel Morales
Once you get an idea of what kinds of verbs come at the end of Japanese sentences, particularly in news reports, your brain can concentrate on deciphering the rest in more detail.
Language | BILINGUAL Apr 30, 2021
With all due respect, here's how you give a speech at a Japanese wedding
by Haruka Murayama
Japanese uses a lot of set phrases on formal occasions, you'll need to know them if you're going to give a speech at a wedding.