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急


The word kyu 急 in Japanese – pronounced just like “Q” – means “quick, immediate, rapid.” It means “rapid,” “immediately,” “urgent,” “steep,” depending on the context.

Sono heya ni hairu toki, kyu ni kushami ga deru.
Whenever I enter that room, I immediately start sneezing.

Kyu ni kuraku natta.
It quickly got dark.

Sono kawa wa kanari kyu na nagare desu.
That river’s got a pretty strong current.

Probably the most common combination of kyu is kyuko 急行, or “express” as in an express train. Tokkyu　特急 is a “special express.”

Kyukyu 救急 means “emergency aid” as in a kyukyusha 救急車, or “ambulance.”

Kinkyuji 緊急時 means emergency - or, literally, a "time of emergency."

Sore dewa, kyu desu ga, kore de shitsurei shimasu.
Well, I know it's abrupt, but I'll take my leave here.



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サバイバル初級日本語会話テキスト


Nihongo Fun & Easy – Survival Japanese Conversation for Beginners is a new Japanese language "textbook that is not 'textbook'" for English speakers, filling an until now largely ignored gap in the Japanese textbook market.

The linguistic leap from English to Japanese is a major one. The grammars of the two languages have nothing in common, and the writing systems are, if anything, even further apart. Unfortunately, most textbooks for English-speakers wishing to learn Japanese focus too much at the outset on these two most formidable hurdles: Japanese grammar and writing.

Four Japanese teachers from the Iidabashi Japanese Language School in Tokyo came to the rescue with Nihongo Fun & Easy. They developed it based on their extensive experience of teaching English speakers their native language.

I talked to two of the four textbook writers, Ms. Yukiko Ogata and Ms. Kana Sumitani (see photo at top).

The two authors made it clear throughout that the aim of Nihongo Fun and Easy is “to help beginner students, including those with no knowledge of the Japanese language, acquire natural-sounding, essential Japanese that can be used immediately in daily conversation.”
Their motivation for the project came directly from their observing that the kind of textbook they wanted was unavailable, and that the only way to get it was to do it themselves.

The focus is almost solely on Japanese as it is used, not as it is defined in “the textbooks.” Therefore, it is unique in that it frequently omits particles (the equivalents of “the,” “to,” “of,” “at,” etc.) that are difficult to use correctly for English-speaking learners of Japanese, but which, happily, are often omitted in everyday language by the Japanese themselves, or, even if used, can easily be done away with without compromising comprehension.

In other words, this textbook is the ultimate practical guide to getting across what you want to say, and to getting the drift of what you’re being told.

There are ample opportunities throughout Nihongo Fun and Easy for using what you have acquired and testing yourself. Everything, everything, everything is based on practical situations that the learner is sure to encounter in everyday life in Japan. Dialogs aplenty; abstraction, none. The end of each of the 12 chapters is enormously motivational with its simple device of inviting the student to check off a short list of “Now I can…” skills.

なきゃ　いけない・なんない

A very typical characteristic of the Japanese is their built-in and relentless tendency to abbreviate everything.This sometimes grates - for example when my beloved homeland, New Zealand, gets abbreviated to Nyuzhi - but I know no disrespect is intended: that last "rando" is just too mendokusai (troublesome).

Let's look at an example of this tendency in a basic grammar function.

If you are a student of Japanese, you will be familiar with the Japanese for "must" or "have to":
nakereba ikenai, or nakereba naranai, a double negative literally meaning "not to do (something) won't do."

For example, the verb "to go," or iku, becomes ikanakereba ikenai ("must go"). "to read," or yomu, becomes yomanakereba ikenai "must read." "to do," or (the irregular) suru, becomes shinakeraba ikenai or "must do"

This way of forming "must" or "have to" is textbook and proper, and you will often hear it in everyday life.

However, it, too, is too long for a lot of casual speech, too troublesome, too mendokusai.

So, here's how to abbreviate it.

Simply change the "kereba" to "kya": ikanakya, yomanakya, shinakya. You will often hear the ikenai or naranai after it, although even the naranai comes out more as nannai (because of that mendokusai "ra"). However, as often as not, even the ikenai or naranai will be left off too.

So, try to practice using a few of the following common verbs:

1. taberu (to eat)
2. suwaru (to sit)
3. hashiru (to run)
4. ai suru (to love)
5. fuku (to blow)
6. haru (to stick - e.g. postage stamps)
7. kiku (to listen)
8. shaberu (to talk, chat)
9. katazukeru (to tidy up, put in order)
10. sawaru (to touch)

Now check your answers below:















1. tabenakya
2. suwaranakya
3. hashiranakya
4. ai shinakya
5. fukanakya
6. haranakya
7. kikanakya
8. shaberanakya
9. katazukenakya
10. sawaranakya






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片




The Japanese word kata 片 means "a fragment," "a piece of" and can be found as a component of many common, useful phrases.

For example, katate 片手 means "one hand" or "one handed." "single-handed".

A very common word using 片　is katatsukeru 片付ける. tsukeru 付ける means "to affix, join, apply, fasten," so, together with the "fragment" meaning of 片, the compound katatsukeru, or, literally, "join fragments," means to "tidy up," "be on top of (one's work)," "put in order," etc. Think "keep it together."

Katappashi kara 片っ端から means literally "from one edge/side" and, with its unspoken continuation　of "to the other edge/side," has the dictionary meaning of "absolutely every little bit," "from A to Z."

側 or kawa means "side." Added to kata its k is softened to g, to make katagawa 片側 or "one side(d)." katagawa 片側 is used in the same way as its English counterpart in regard to one side of the street, for example, or a one-sided argument. Add the character 性 which has the same meaning as the English affix "-ness" to make 片側性　katagawasei, or unilateralism.

面 or men means "surface" or "side" as in the two sides of a record (as opposed to the two sides of a road, for example, which is 側　kawa). Added to 片 it refers to one side: 片面 katamen, e.g. 片面ディスク　katamendisuku, or single-sided disk.

Those are a few applications of 片. Hope you can put the pieces together, get on top of it, and find more than just one way of using it.

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間



A couple of weeks ago we looked at the phrase 手間 tema. Today we're going to look at the second of the kanji that form the word tema.


The character 間 is an essential one in everyday Japanese and with a wide variety of meanings.

Its Chinese-style reading (onyomi) is usually kan (but can, for certain meanings, be pronounced ken), and its Japanese-style reading (kunyomi) is aida or ma.

The fundamental meaning of 間 is "space between," "gap," "interval," "distance." However, it refers not only to space, but to time as well, meaning, also, "time between," "pause," "break."

Today we'll look at three very common uses of the character in Japanese.

1. 間も無く This is the ma pronunciation of 間, and the phrase here is pronounced ma mo naku meaning, literally, "without a gap/space." Its meaning in everyday Japanese, however, is "quite/very soon." You will always hear it at a Japanese railway station in the announcement Mamonaku densha ga mairimasu (word for word: "Soon train come", or, more idiomatically, "The train is about to arrive."

2. この間 This is the aida pronunciation of 間, and the phrase here is pronounced kono aida, meaning, literally, "this space."
Its meaning in everyday Japanese, however, is "last time," "the other day," or "recently." You will often hear, for example, Kono aida, domo or "Thanks for everything last time."

3. 間 The kan pronunciation is probably the most common usage of this character, but always in tandem with the period of time being referred to. "2 weeks" is ni shuu kan, ni being "2," shuu being "week" and kan being "space (of)." Likewise, "12 days" is juu ni nichi kan, "5 years," go nen kan, and so on. Read more about the intricacies of Japanese counting.

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手間



The word tema in Japanese is written with the characters for "hand" and then "space." It is akin to the English phrase "time and effort."

The most common use of the word is the phrase "tema ga kakaru," (手間がかかる）or "it takes time and effort" or "it's a lot of trouble" or "it's complex/complicated." The negative form "tema ga kakaranai" means "fuss-free."
Thus, "Kani o taberu no ni sugoi tema ga kakaru kara iranai."
("Crab is way too much trouble to eat, so I don't want any.")

Changing the "ga kakaru" to "o kakeru" means now you're talking about a person rather than a thing. For example:
"Tanaka-sensei wa monogoto o setsumei suru no ni itsumo tema o kakeru kara totemo ii sensei da to omou."
("Mr/Ms Tanaka always goes to a lot of trouble to explain things, so I think he/she is a really good teacher.")

So, "tema ga kakaru" refers to something is time-consuming and troublesome, "tema o kakeru" refers to someone who takes the time and trouble to do something.

"Sono kubetsu o tsukete tadashiku tsukaeru made, sukoshi tema ga kakaru kana."
("It will probably take you a little time and effort to work out the difference between them and use them properly.")

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A reader sent in this image of a men's clothing store in Cape Town - Just Japs.

Strange name for a chain of shops. There is also an "Australian importer of high performance Japanese motor vehicles, parts and accessories" of the same name.



Just Japs
Shop 6205
V&A Waterfront
Tel: 021 419 5373

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政治

As Yukio Hatoyama and his Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) swept to a landslide victory in Sundays's general election, we look at some election- (選挙, senkyo) related Japanese.

The Japanese word for politics is (seiji, 政治), a political party is (seito, 政党) and a politician is (seijika, 政治家). The new DPJ government (seifu, 政府) will wield political power (seiken, 政権) through the cabinet (naikaku, 内閣). Domestic politics is (naisei, 内政) and foreign policy is (gaisei, 外政).

The present administration (gyosei-fu, 行政府) is obviously a civilian government (minsei, 民政) as opposed to the military government (gunsei, 軍政) of the war years.



Japan is a democracy (minshu-shugi, 民政主義) with a parliamentary system of government (gikai-seido, 議会制度) centered on the Diet (kokkai, 国会). The word for ministry is (sho, 省) - thus Ministry of Justice (homu-sho, 法務省) and (gaimu-sho, 外務省) - Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The DPJ is the party in power (yoto, 与党) with the LDP (jiyuminshu-to, 自由民主党) now the opposition (yato, 野党). As in America, the Democratic Party (minshu-to, 民主党) is in power with the Republican Party (kyowa-to, 共和党) in opposition.


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一見客　 おおきに財団

In the Kyoto of old, a first time customer （一見客、ichigen san）was ignored at best, turned away if he was clueless and pushy enough to actually attempt to gain entry.

These elitist establishments tended to be limited to Gion or Pontocho - and were often high-end restaurants or the tea houses where geisha and maiko entertained.

These establishments were few in number. In addition to a large corporate, university, and mid-size business population, Kyoto has had and continues to have a strong working class presence. Most bars and restaurants never practiced an "ichigen san" style door policy.

For those that did, however, without an "introduction" （紹介、shokai）from someone known to the establishment, you and however many millions of yen you may have had were not welcome.

With the exception of the tea houses （お茶屋、ochaya）- where an introduction is still required - this is a thing of the past.

However, in shocking news, the leading online English-language venue devoted to Japanese culture, history, tourism, and more (hint: you're reading its blog right now) was just turned away in an attempt at scoring an interview with a geisha.

Kyoto's Ookini Zaidan - "ookini" is Kyoto dialect for thank you, and is famously used by geisha and shop owners - did not consider JapanVisitor.com and its many thousands of readers worthy of entrance.

Ookini Zaidan is city group whose goal is to promote and preserve "hanamachi" (i.e., the geisha) culture. One of its two founding organizations was the Kyoto City Tourist Association, and it receives funding from Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto City, Kyoto Chamber of Commerce, and Industry and other tourism-related organizations.

A terse phone call from the group inquired just who we were （何方でしょうか、donata desho ka?）and our purpose （目標は、mokuhyo wa?）.

Then, as if on cue, the gentleman sucked on his teeth and said, "Without an introduction, this is a bit difficult" （紹介がないとやはりちょっと難しい、shokai ga nai to yahari chotto muzukashii).

As all American (and other) trade negotiators have learned, "muzukashii" (lit. "difficult") does not really mean difficult, but rather "impossible."

So, to our friends in geisha officialdom, a hearty "Ookini!" Thanks (for nothing)!


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政治用語

The big news in Tokyo this week, indeed, across the whole of Japan, was the sound defeat of the Liberal Democratic Party in the local Tokyo assembly elections. The LDP was reduced to 38 seats out of 127, compared to the Democratic Party of Japan’s increase to 54 seats.

This has had an impact on the central government, in that the very unpopular Prime Minister, Taro Aso, has finally decided to quit trying to hold on to power, and will comply with the growing calls for a new election.



At base is the issue of authority, 権力. A Japanese person once said to me, 日本人はなんでも権力 (Nihonjin wa nandemo kenryoku), or “For the Japanese, authority is everything.”

Vying for authority, i.e., politics, is known as 政治 (seiji), the first character meaning “govern” and the second “rule” or, interestingly, “heal." A person who practices politics, or politician, is known as a 政治家 (seijika), the “ka” (pronounced “ie” when it appears alone) literally meaning “house.” (However, this use of “house” for “person” is well-established and seen in other terms such as 音楽家 (ongakka, musician).

Being a country based on 民主主義 (minshushugi, or democracy), authority is determined by 選挙 (senkyo, election). The first character means “to choose” and the second “to take action.” A vote is a 投票 (toh-hyo), the first character meaning “throw” and the second meaning “slip of paper.”

House of representatives, or parliament, is 国会 (kokkai) literally meaning “national meeting,” and the actual building the 国会議事堂 (kokkai giji doh) or literally “national meeting proceedings house.” A seat in parliament is known as a 議席 (giseki).

Political campaigning is huge, and very in your face, in Japan, taking place at the very visible AND AUDIBLE local level. 選挙運動はめちゃくちゃうるさい (Senkyo undo wa mecha kucha urusai), or “Political campaigning is off-the-wall noisy.”

But it’s all worth it in the end if you need something done. Behind the scenes, Japanese politics is all about 口利き (kuchi-kiki), literally “a mouth that really works.” 口利き政治 (kuchikiki seiji) means “the politics of influence peddling,” "of interceding on behalf of a bidder,” “of acting as an intermediary,” or “of providing one’s good offices.” 利くよ！ (kiku yo!) “It really works!”

浴衣姿の京美人

Ah, summer（夏だ、natsu da）！

Cold beer（冷たいビール、tsumetai biiru）, hand held paper fans（扇子、sensu）, and women in light cotton robes (浴衣、yukata).

In mid-July, at Kyoto's annual Yoiyama Festival （宵山）- held on three successive nights prior to Gion Festival （祇園祭り）, which is always on the 17th - women and men throw on their cotton （綿、men）robes and head downtown.

The streets are closed to cars from 6 pm until midnight. This in Japanese becomes "Pedestrian Paradise" （歩行天国、hoko tengoku）. Hundreds of thousands of people from Kyoto and surrounding areas pour into the city for a giant street party.

Everyone strolls with a beer in hand. There is much to see, from the great floats（鉾、hoko）that will be pulled around central Kyoto, to the many beautiful women and men and children in their colorful （華やか、hanayaka）robes.

Tonight is the final night of Yoiyama, and Friday will be the main event of the Gion Festival.

By all means go! （是非行ってごらん！Zehi itte goran!）Or, in Kyoto dialect（京都弁、Kyoto ben）: 是非行ってや　zehi itte ya!

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主義




shugi is an affix in Japanese that crops up all the time. Used at the end of various words, it corresponds to "ism."

The 主　(shu) literally means "main, principal, ruling" and the 義 (gi) is a meaning "cloud" that covers everything from "justice" to "humanity" to "integrity" to "chivalry" to "honor" to "morality" to "significance."
So, put them together, and you have something like "main/ruling object of worthiness/devotion/significance," or, in other words, "doctrine," "principle," "ticket." Conveniently, just as with the English "ism," you stick it on the end of the object of that "devotion."

For example:
資本主義　shihonshugi = capitalism
共産主義　kyosanshugi = communism
社会主義　shakaishugi = socialism
軍国主義　gunkokushugi = militarism
自由主義　jiyushugi = liberalism
保守主義　hoshushugi = conservatism
民族主義　minzokushugi = nationalism
愛国主義　aikokushugi = patriotism
平和主義　heiwashugi = pacifism
商業主義 shogyoshugi = commercialism
毛沢東主義 motakutoshugi = Maoism
帝国主義　teikokushugi = imperialism
個人主義　kojinshugi = individualism

There are times when it doesn't work quite as neatly; for example:
民主主義　minshushugi = democracy
but most of the time it does.

shugi can also be used alone, in the "doctrine, principle" sense. For example,

主義としてやるしかない。Shugi to shite, yaru shika nai. It has to be done [or, "I have to do it"] as a matter of principle.

主義に殉じる。Shugi ni junjiru. To die [sacrifice oneself] for a cause.

主義を支持する Shugi o shiji suru. To support [take up/stand for] a cause.

主義を曲げない Shugi o magenai. To fly one's colors/Nail one's colors to the mast.

So, even if you're not up to talking principles and politics in Japanese, at least, knowing "shugi," you will know roughly when to run - or at least keep your mouth shut!


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犯罪ポスター

The Japanese police（警察, keisatsu）are a national organization. In contrast to the US - where a policeman could be part of the Los Angeles Police Department or the Orange County Police Department or, still different, the California State Police - in Japan, you are all part of one massive national armed crime-fighting team.

One result of that is that when the nationwide police go into campaign mode in order to modify behavior, a net is cast over the entire country. Last year's cause was drunk driving（飲酒運転、inshu unten). Posters were plastered everywhere. Arrests went up. Television programs warned of hordes of drunks on the road.

The national media（マスコミ、mass komi）fall into line, and print up all of police media organization（警察記者クラブ）handouts nearly verbatim - so the message is even further amplified.

For me, though, it is the posters found in train stations（駅、eki）that are the most arresting, pun unintended.

This year's target has been "drugs," mainly marijuana. College kids are being arrested and hauled off to jail in great numbers while the police and their media lackeys warn of us doom and societal breakdown.

The top right poster is an example of this. While alcoholism - unless it occurs behind the wheel of a car - and cigarettes are not considered a problem, dope is a very big no no in Japan. It will ruin your life. Thanks to the cops, it now will.

Another poster has to do with gropers（痴漢、chikan) on subways and trains （電車、densha）(see left). In line with this, the Osaka subway system has a somewhat cheeky announcement about an unfunny problem:

痴漢はあかん（chikan wa akan)！

Using Kansai dialect for "no" or "bad" - akan - the announcement rhymes out the message that molesting is prohibited.

It is now not just prohibited but a crime.

Another poster has to do with simple bike theft (see below right). In a society in which crime is, by the standards of the West, very low, bikes and umbrellas seem to be fair game, public property.

Umbrellas （傘、kasa）and bikes （自転車、jitensha）disappear unless they are firmly locked.

If you don't believe us, check out the poster.

しない！させない！（shinai! sasenai!）
自転車ドロボー（jitensha dorobo）
窃盗罪／１０年以下の懲役または５０万円の罰金刑（settozai/10 nen ika no choeki mata ha 50 man en no bakkin kei）

"Don't do it! Don't allow it!
Bike Thieves
It's larceny (theft)/Up to 10 years in prison or a fine of up to 500,000 yen"

The bottom of the poster informs us that there are 12,000 cases of bike theft per year in Kyoto - and to be sure to double lock your bike.


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梅雨

Japanese are fond of pointing out to foreigners that "we have four seasons （四季、shiki）in Japan."

The eye-rolling banality of this comment notwithstanding, it is also not quite true.

In addition to the usual quartet of spring （春、haru）, summer（夏、natsu）, fall （秋、aki）, and winter（冬、fuyu）, Japan also has a six-week rainy season（梅雨、tsuyu）.

And it just started in Honshu（本州、honshu), the largest of the islands in the Japanese archipelago.

In addition to the rain （雨、ame）that is necessary for the newly planted rice fields（田んぼ、tanbo）, the "season" also brings with it other distinctive features.

First, on the pleasant side, are flowers. The hydrangea （紫陽花、ajisai）- which come in white（白い、shiroi）, blue（青い、aoi）, pink（ピンク、pink）, and a purple（紫、murasaki）- is the flower most associated with the season.

Also, though it is not apparent to non-botanists, it is the time of year when the fruit of the plum trees blossom. The name 梅雨 (tsuyu) combines the characters for "plum" and "rain," implying as much.

Aside however from the occasional blue-sky day, the period is sticky （むしむし、mushi mushi）and miserable.

The rains bring out the bugs（虫、mushi）and snakes（蛇、hebi）. In a dense park in our Kyoto neighborhood, it is a veritable zoo（動物園、dobutsuen）. The season brings dreaded poisonous centipedes（ムカデ、mukade）, non-poisonous rat-eating snakes （青代将、aoi dasho）that are beloved by farmers and can reach up to five feet in length, mountain leeches（蛭、hiru）the color of surgical gloves that are 1-2 feet long and thin as string, lots of spiders （蜘蛛、kumo）, and of course gazillions of other buzzing biting bugs.

Thank goodness for mosquito coils（蚊取り線香、katori senko）!

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竹

Bamboo is strong and flexible, beautiful and delicious.

In Hong Kong （香港）and mainland China　（中国、chugoku), it is used to build scaffolding outside skyscrapers. According to engineers, it is stronger than steel - and never rusts.

In Japan, bamboo is used as a decorative element in both architecture and garden design. It is also used for more practical purposes, such as fencing and the arched projections （犬矢来、inu yarai）seen in front of traditional Kyoto homes that prevent stray dogs and cats from urinating on the house - and keep burglars from climbing inside.

Another highly practical use was for laundry poles. Though now made mostly of some plastic/rubber hybrid, the bamboo in the name lives on: saodake （竿竹）.

Bamboo is also a culinary delicacy. Soft and delectable, bamboo shoots - takenoko （竹の子）- are an integral part of an elegant Japanese meal.

In Japan, it is also said that a bamboo grove is the safest place to be during an earthquake （地震、jishin）.

In Kyoto （京都）, the most famous of all bamboo groves is to be found in Arashiyama（嵐山）. The famed bamboo forests are just off the main drag north of Tenryuji Temple（天竜寺）. The paths pictured here lead up to the Okochi Sanso Villa （大河内山荘）and many other temples and sites.

The forests are dark and cool even on the hottest day of summer. The wind rustles the majestic poles of dark green making a clack clacking noise far above us.

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新型インフルエンザ

Japan is now at war（戦争中、senso chu）.

The enemy is swine flu（新型インフルエンザ、shingata infuruenza）, and no measure or action taken is too great or out of proportion.

Just prior to departure for a short trip to the US in early May, the President of the university（大学、daigaku）where I work sent an email to all faculty and staff. It was clearly motivated by an administrative directive （行政指導、 gyosei shido）from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare （厚生労働省、Kousei Roudo Sho）in Tokyo.

The jist of the mail was: all business trips to North America are until further notice banned （禁止、kinshi）, and all personal trips should be done "with restraint"（自粛、jishuku）- which better translates as "do NOT go."

Over the past weekend there was an outbreak（発生、hassei）of the flu in the port city of Kobe. Students who have never been abroad were infected （感染、kansen）by other students who also had no experience of traveling overseas. Schools and universities in Kobe and parts of Osaka are now closed for the week.

On our arrival back in Japan last week, the pilot informed us mid-flight that we should stay seated after landing at Kansai International Airport while Japanese authorities carried out a quarantine inspection（検疫検査、ken eki kensa）to determine the temperature of every passenger on the plane.

This took roughly 90 minutes. A team of perhaps 10 entered the plane dressed in light blue hospital scrubs, surgical gloves, and plastic face masks.

They moved around the plane and took the temperature of each passenger by pointing a heat sensor at one's forehead, collecting a health form each passenger filled out, and then noting all of the data.

After we were all cleared and allowed to leave the plane, our first human contact in Japan was with yet another "official."

A tall man standing just outside the door of the plane in yellow hospital scrubs, surgical gloves, and a plastic face mask yelled at each departing passenger: "Hands!"

As you put out your hands, he then shot of a dab of disinfectant（消毒液、shodoku eki）onto each of our palms.

Then, behind him, a woman in a mask handed each of us a mask（マスク）, which we were to wear （着用、chakuyo).

The final hurdle was walking through the quarantine station and then on to immigration.

Welcome to Japan.

The media in Japan has worked itself into a frenzy over this, bordering both on hysteria and, at times, xenophobia. Both the print media and television news are running non-stop coverage of the crisis.

There are now lines at pharmacies （薬屋さん、kusuriya san）for masks, and shortages have been reported.

Japan is now in full panic mode （パニック状態、panikku jotai）.

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色



One of the most colorful words in the Japanese language is, unsurprisingly, the word 'color,' or iro.

Whereas in English the non-literal meanings of the word have a lot to do with identity: showing one's colors, trooping the color, in Japanese it has more to do with love and sex.

色気　iroke, literally "color spirit," has, besides the (not often used) meaning of "shades of color" the meaning of "sexual interest, erotic feeling." iroke no aru means to have sex appeal, and its opposite is iroke no nai. E.g. iroke no aru otoko, a sexy guy; iroke no nai hito, someone without sex appeal.

色っぽい　One adjective for the word iro is iroppoi, literally "colorish," but it has nothing to do with frequencies of light. It means "sexy, erotic, sensual, glamorous, attractive, brassy, amorous, voluptuous."

色男　An iro-otoko, literally, "color man," is a "hot guy, lady-killer, lover, adonis."

色きち女　Iro-kichi-onna, literally "color crazy woman" is, as you can probably guess, a nympho.

好色　Koh-shoku is the Chinese reading of the characters for "to like" (koh) and "color" (shoku). Koh-shoku means "lust, sensuality, lewdness" and is a rather old-fashioned term for what is now called, in a borrowing from English, poruno.

Finally, double iro up: iroiro, and you have a completely different meaning: "various, this and that, a mixture." "Iroiro arigato," or "Thank you for everything." "Iroiro komarimashita yo," or "Oh, I had all sorts of problems."

Used together with a noun you add the particle "na" to make iroirona, or the more common, and easily pronounced, ironna. "Ironna hito," or "all sorts of people."

Iro wa imi ga iroiro aru! (Color has all sorts of meanings!)

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と

Today let's look at the Japanese word "to."

"to" (pronounced like the "to" in "tock") is a particle that "reports" on how something does something, or what someone says. In English we often use the words "go" or "say," as in "Dogs go woof, cats go miaow," or "'He said 'Yes!'." In Japanese, Inu ga wanwan to hoeru, neko ga nyao to naku (literally "Dogs bark 'woof,' cats cry 'miaow',") or Kare, hai to iutta.

You can see from these examples that "to" comes after the expression that is being reported. Then, following the "to" comes the verb - in the above cases "bark" (hoeru), "cry" (naku), and "said" (iutta). In other words the "[REPORTED THING] + to" is an adverbial phrase that modifies the following verb, i.e. describes exactly how the thing done is being done.

Incidentally, the reported thing doesn't have to be a sound or words. Remember Simon and Garfunkel's Sounds of Silence? Well, Japanese actually has a
sound for silence: shin (usually elongated to shi-i-i-n), as in Kurasu ga shin to natta. "natta" means "became," although the natural word we would use in English would be "went": "The class went silent," or, better still, "The class fell silent." "Ojiisan wa yukkuri to aruku." "Grandad walks slowly."
"Taro wa gaburi to shokuji o tabeta" "Taro guzzled his food/Taro ate greedily."

This leads to the often heard question: Nan to iu ka? (polite form "Nan to iimasu ka?") "iu" (polite form: iimasu) means "to say," "nan" means "what," so, "What is [it] called?/What is [its/his/her/their] name?" - a very useful question when you're trying to learn a language, or at least pick up vocabulary.


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映画館　デート

Last time, we left Kenji and Naoko picking a movie - a slightly "off the wall" (kawatta) movie, and planning for some more off-the-wall action afterward.

The curtain has fallen, the movie is over. Listen as LH Kenji and LH Naoko review their date so far.

Kenji: 映画は十分変わっていたの。　Eiga wa juubun kawatte ita no?
Was the movie off the wall enough for you.

Naoko: まあまあ。Maa maa.
More or less.

Kenji: 寝たんじゃないの。かわいい鼾をちょっと聞こえた気がする。Netan ja nai no? Kawaii ibiki o chotto kikoeta ki ga suru.
You slept, right? I think I heard a cute little snore.

Naoko: うそ！　ちょっとうとうとしたかも、しかし鼾なんて！Uso! Chotto utouto shita kamo. Shikashi ibiki nan te!
Oh ! I might have drifted off a little. But "snoring," my ass.

Kenji: じゃあ、うしろのおばあちゃんだろう。Ja, ushiro no obaachan daro.
Oh well, must have been the old lady behind me.

Naoko: 逆にケンジがずっともじもじしたたのよ。なんで落ち着かないの？Gyaku ni Kenji ga zutto mojimoji shiteta no yo. Nande ochitsukanai no?
On the other hand, you were wriggling around the whole time. Why can't you relax?

Kenji: 別に。Betsu ni.
Don't know about that.

Naoko: 足を擦り付けたりして。。。Ashi o suritsuketari shite...
Rubbing your leg [against mine].

Kenji: 気に障ったの？Ki ni sawatta no?
Did it get on your nerves?

Naoko: 別に。Betsu ni.
I wouldn't say that.

Will Naoko's and Kenji's evening get any hotter? Stay tuned!

Glossary
maa maa: more or less; not great, but not the worst; tolerable
betsu ni: not really, "I wouldn't say that," "I don't know about that."
ibiki: snore
utouto suru: to drift off, nod off, drowse
zutto: the whole time, continuously
mojimoji suru: to wriggle, fidget
suritsukeru: to rub against, nuzzle
ki ni sawaru: annoy, get on ones nerves, rub the wrong way

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