If you study just one thing this week, make it 'bakari'
The word "bakari" can be used in many situations in Japanese and can be seen in some of these cases as a replacement for the two different meanings of the English word "just."
Divining fortunes and reading blood types in the Year of the Rat
It's the Year of the Rat and writer Haruka Murayama dips into the language of the zodiac.
Despite the fact 'noni' is difficult for some, it's still a particle you should learn early
Whether it's used to connect sentences or simply to add emphasis, "noni" is important to convey the idea of "even though."
Of the issues non-Japanese had to deal with in the past year (and even the past decade), some were major news stories and some fell quietly into the cracks.
Cleaning house (and head) at the end of the year
In the tradition of year-end cleaning, writer Daniel Morales takes a look at his Japanese study notes and tidies up some loose ends.
Uh, if you want to speak Japanese like a local, you'll, er, need to master 'eeto' and 'anō'
Words expressing hesitation and thoughtfulness can differ depending on the formality of a situation.
A Kyodo article on Hagoita paddles comes filled with the kanji of this year's newsmakers.
'Tis the season for a lot of gift-giving
If you want to give gifts at Christmas, Hanukkah or New Year's Eve, then get the language of giving and receiving down pat
You've got nothing to lose if you start studying the meanings of 'motomoto'
The word "motomoto" conveys a sense of "originally," but it can also be used to express that you have nothing to lose in a given situation.
Brave Blossoms motto 'One Team' is 2019's Japanese buzzword of the year
A Kyodo article explains why "One Team" is the one winner of this year's buzzword award and looks at what other terms caused buzz in 2019.
What would a 'kanji of the decade' say about the state of Japan?
This year's kanji of the year is "令," but writer Paul Dargan posits a guess as to what the kanji of the decade might be while looking back on the annual tradition and what the top picks say about the state of the country.
The structure 'to itta' is a great example of the ways Japanese give examples
Not to be confused with "to iu," the structure that uses "to itta" can help when you're providing examples for things in a designated category.
