Language | WELL SAID Feb 13, 2017
Adding 'ao,' the blue that can also be green, to your Japanese linguistic palette
by Akemi Tanahashi and Hitomi Tashiro
Introducing the noun 青 (あお), meaning blue, and its related expressions.
Language | COMMUNICATION CUES Feb 13, 2017
Kisenosato has been officially promoted to the position of 72nd grand champion in sumo history.
Language | BILINGUAL Feb 6, 2017
Some fiendishly complex archaic kanji just won't die
by Mark Schreiber
Even in the 21st century, a whole bunch of difficult, nonstandard and archaic kanji don't appear to be in any danger of being phased out.
Language | COMMUNICATION CUES Feb 6, 2017
Just eight superrich men own as much wealth as the 3.6 billion people who make up the poorest half of the world's population, according to an analysis by Oxfam.
Language | BILINGUAL Jan 30, 2017
A woman's lowly place in Japan, mirrored in its language
by Sophie Knight
Given that so many demeaning and negative words related to women endure, is it any surprise that sexism is still rife in Japan?
Language | WELL SAID Jan 30, 2017
Showing things are tough or a breeze using 'nikui,' katai' and 'yasui'
by Akemi Tanahashi and Hitomi Tashiro
Introducing two kinds of compound adjective, Xやすい (easy to X) and Xにくい (difficult to X). ...
Language | COMMUNICATION CUES Jan 30, 2017
Japanese aged between 65 and 74 should no longer be classified as elderly because they are physically and mentally much younger than their predecessors were decades ago, according to a proposal.
Language | WELL SAID Jan 23, 2017
Better to be read than end up misled about the uses of 'mashi'
by Akemi Tanahashi and Hitomi Tashiro
Introduce the na-adjective ましな — meaning better — and its related expressions. ...
Language | COMMUNICATION CUES Jan 23, 2017
Aoyama Gakuin University won the Tokyo-Hakone collegiate ekiden road relay for the third straight year on Jan. 3 after completing the two-day race with a lead of more than seven minutes.
Language | BILINGUAL Jan 23, 2017
New Year's festivities in Japan ain't what they used to be
by Kaori Shoji
For one thing, it's too warm. Back in mid-century Tokyo, お正月 (o-Shōgatsu, New Year's Day) used to be so cold, according to my grandmother, that peoples' laundry froze on the 物干し竿 (monohoshizao, bamboo drying pole). ちなみに (chinami ni, by the way), 2016 was the hottest ...
Language | BILINGUAL Jan 16, 2017
Shiritori: a simple game that's great for practicing your Japanese vocab
by Peter Backhaus
It’s a game that can be played anytime, anywhere. All you need is two players, some rudimentary kana knowledge — and a lot of words.