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Feb 24, 2024 · Japanese have a culture of being vague when it comes to expressing their opinions. As illustrated by the following, in the Japanese language there are many expressions that avoid arriving at a conclusion: “Sono teian, yosasou desu ne.” (That sounds good). “Sono teian ii kamo.” (That suggestion may be good). “~ sou” or “~ kamo”
Oct 16, 2023 · Oct 16, 2023 — 9 min read. Japan is considered to be under the category of a high context culture, so a lot of the time, you don’t need to explain much because there’s an unspoken understanding between people. It’s easier to say no in Japan than in most Western countries — however, it’s much more difficult to ask for an explanation ...
- 朝飯前 (あさめしまえ, Asameshi Mae) – Before Breakfast
- ごまめの歯ぎしり (ごまめのはぎしり, Gomame No Hagi Shiri) – Little Fish Grinding Their Teeth
- 猿も木から落ちる (さるもきからおちる, Sarumo Kikara Ochiru) – Even Monkeys Fall Out of Trees
- 知らぬが仏 (しらぬがほとけ, Shiranuga Hotoke) – Not Knowing Is Buddha
- 花より団子 (はなよりだんご, Hana Yori Dango) – Dumplings Over Flowers
- 相変わらず (あいかわらず, Ai Kawarazu) – The Same as Ever, as Always
- 起死回生 (きしかいせい, Kishi Kai Sei) – Wake from Death and Turn to Life
- 月とすっぽん (つきとすっぽん, Tsuki to Suppon) – The Moon and A Soft-Shell Turtle
- 見ぬが花 (みぬがはな, Minuga Hana) – Not Seeing Is A Flower
- 砂を噛むよう (すなをかむよう, Su Na O Kamu Yō) – Like Chewing on Sand
If you can do something asameshi mae, it’s so simple or quick it could be done before sitting down to eat breakfast. Its closest English equivalent is “piece of cake!”
Little fish grinding their teeth is relatively non-threatening, so this saying refers to the idea that one’s actions are trivial or unlikely to produce a significant outcome.
This Japanese expression is often used to comfort a friend or family member after a slip-up, which is closest to “Everyone makes mistakes” in English.
Quite telling of Japanese culture, this reference to Buddha alludes to the idea that sometimes, it’s better to be kept in the dark. An English equivalent would be, “Ignorance is bliss.”
Similar to “substance over form,” this sensory Japanese idiom refers to the idea that one should value useful or practical things rather than just fun or pleasurable ones.
This Japanese expression has a relatively negative connotation and means things are the same as usual. Be careful not to use it when you’re speaking positively about something.
As the theme of resurrection suggests, this Japanese expression encourages the listener that it’s possible to rectify even the worst situations and, a bit more dramatically than its English counterpart, “turn lemons into lemonade.”
Japanese speakers will often use this expression to contrast choices or things in which one option is obviously superior.
Using more imagery than the simple, “Ignorance is bliss,” this saying means that sometimes, what we imagine or envision is much more beautiful than reality.
As its tactile imagery suggests, this Japanese expression may be employed when describing something tedious, boring, or dull.
Nov 29, 2022 · 〜っぽい is a slang-ish suffix that expresses similarity, as in "(feel) like…," or "-ish" in English. For example, if you feel like you have a cold, you can say: 風邪っぽい。 I feel like that I have a cold. And if you're feverish, and you want to report that to your boss, you can add the polite です and say: 熱っぽいです。
- mami@tofugu.com
- Researcher / Writer
All things aimai (vague, vagueness): they are the bane of many non-Japanese people. In a culture where unspoken rules, manners and words abound, any newcomer is likely to be nothing less than confused. These very aspects of Japanese and even some other Asian cultures tend to indirectly contribute to unfortunate stereotypes of Asian inscrutability.
Because of these kinds of , the idea that Japanese is a “vague language” has become extremely popular among Japanese and non-Japanese alike. For the Japanese, it is another reason to extol how “unique” their culture is, and for non-Japanese, it’s often just another way to feel superior “The Japanese can’t even communicate properly because their language is vague!”
People also ask
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Aug 25, 2016 · Understanding vague expression of Japanese. One of the main characteristics of Japanese~. Japanese can be such a vague language, where in our grammar, verb is always at the end. Compared to English, this can be something frustrating if you are new to speaking or reading Japanese.
