Kami
Original meaning: God
Meaning in Japanese slang: praise someone or something very highly but lightly and sarcasm at the same time.
So, today’s word is kami which means God originally (Also, kami means “hair” and “paper”. Only God kami has a falling intonation).
Kami doesn’t have any religious meaning nor the insulting any gods either here.
You want to use this expression with a mix of real feeling of amazed and light jocular mood.
How to use:
1. suppose you are watching the World Cup. After someone did great job on the game “ ima no kami pass dane!”(Oh that was an amazing pass!)
2. Think about a great combination of food. Loco moco and gravy souce? Sushi and exquisite spicy wasabi that refreshes your mouth? Personally, I like something salty and sweet at the same time so… chocolate dipped chips? (Before judge me, you try this. It's one of my yabai combination)
so anything above (only when those worked out) is “Kami no kumiawase” (The amazing combination!)
3. This is a little bit otaku one. The situation is that somebody had uploaded something you craved to see on video sharing websites such as Youtube. You say the word kami for the uploaders in order to show the feelings of grateful.
You can copy and use this ; “ 神 ” which is the actual kanji for kami to make sure you what you meant for the uploader. Like I said, kami has three meaning in a same sound.
This time I think I have to illustrate Japanese religious view a little bit. The other day I was asked why most of Japanese says “I don’t believe in religions.”
My whole Japanese experiences at special events (such as wakes and weddings) and meaningful discussion with people who are conversant in Japanese religion led me one conclusion; Japanese is a one big group of multiple religions. There are Buddhism-like family altars in most homes in Japan. We visit Shinto shrine on New Year’s day to wish them good luck on that year. I was impressed by the penetration rate of priests who just look like foreigner but speaking in Japanese at the every scene of wedding vows.
I think Japanese believe in religions and gods. But it’s too deep and is part of our life so that we don’t think of it often (i.e. We believe that everything contains the spirit of god. Water, words, forests, sun, ocean, laughter….everything).
Young generation use the slang kami. It’s not because they are insulting or negating their exsists but it’s actually showing Japanese people feeling a close connection to gods… This is just my point of view. It is of course certain that there are some atheists in Japan too.
Okay. I think I will choose the light slang for the next slang.
2010年4月26日月曜日
Kimoi
Meaning: ugly, weird, disgusting, unusual, gross, sick,,,,
who: Young generation, mostly until late 40s or higher.
Setting: With your friends in your generation, family. Do not use in formal situations.
This word is actually abbreviation of the word "Kimochi warui"(adj) means "I feel sick" or "This thing makes me feel sick".
"Kimochi" means feelings, "warui" means "bad" in Japanese. so you can say "Yabai Kimochi warui" means "I'm really sick."
"kimochi warui" is on any dictionary in Japan that means it's a formal word while "kimoi" is not and it's a slang.
Your boyfriend is "kimoi" when he's acting like a baby in front of you. (= ??? )
Mold you found on a leftover in your friend's fridge is "kimoi" (= ewww)
The girl you hate is also "kimoi", because she is mean and makes you sick!
This word doesn't apply on physical messiness though.
And again, everything would be replaced or used with "yabai" or even "choo".
"Mite! Yabai, ano hito choo kimoi"
"mite" means "Look!" "ano" can be replaced as "that" and "hito" means "person" or "guy"
so, the translation for the sentence above is "Look! yabai, that guy is so gross!"
right?
If you want to negative "kimoi", you drop "i" at the end and put "kunai"
so it's "kimokunai"(= no, it's not gross)
If you want past tense drop "i" at the end again and put "katta", so it's "kimokatta" (= that was gross)
I'll help you translate what you think is gross or sick with "kimoi" sentence in Japanese, so feel free to add comments!
thatnks! arigatou for reading!!
who: Young generation, mostly until late 40s or higher.
Setting: With your friends in your generation, family. Do not use in formal situations.
This word is actually abbreviation of the word "Kimochi warui"(adj) means "I feel sick" or "This thing makes me feel sick".
"Kimochi" means feelings, "warui" means "bad" in Japanese. so you can say "Yabai Kimochi warui" means "I'm really sick."
"kimochi warui" is on any dictionary in Japan that means it's a formal word while "kimoi" is not and it's a slang.
Your boyfriend is "kimoi" when he's acting like a baby in front of you. (= ??? )
Mold you found on a leftover in your friend's fridge is "kimoi" (= ewww)
The girl you hate is also "kimoi", because she is mean and makes you sick!
This word doesn't apply on physical messiness though.
And again, everything would be replaced or used with "yabai" or even "choo".
"Mite! Yabai, ano hito choo kimoi"
"mite" means "Look!" "ano" can be replaced as "that" and "hito" means "person" or "guy"
so, the translation for the sentence above is "Look! yabai, that guy is so gross!"
right?
If you want to negative "kimoi", you drop "i" at the end and put "kunai"
so it's "kimokunai"(= no, it's not gross)
If you want past tense drop "i" at the end again and put "katta", so it's "kimokatta" (= that was gross)
I'll help you translate what you think is gross or sick with "kimoi" sentence in Japanese, so feel free to add comments!
thatnks! arigatou for reading!!
Choo
Meaning: very, super, extremely
who: Young generation, mostly until late 40s or higher.
Setting: With your friends in your generation, family. Do not use in formal situations.
So, "choo" means very, and you use this word before adjective, and verb.
for example,
There is a cute girl near you, and passed by...you would say...
"choo kawaii..." means "very cute!"
A few days later, you found out the girl is kinda interested in you too, you are happy right? so then you would say...
"choo ureshii" means "I am very happy" or "glad", whenever you satisfied with the situation.
You finally managed to take her out, on a first date, OH NOOO!! you woke up late! you rushed to the place but you are late, like 5 minutes, how would you say?
"choo gomen, chikoku sita!" means "I'm very sorry I'm late."
You don't wanna say "choo gomen" for more than 30 minutes late, she would not take your apologize seriously.
If you were 30 minutes late, maybe you wanna say "choo chikoku sita" means "I was super late" to your friends wished your luck on your date when you were asked how your date was. You may put "Yabai" here in this situation! "Yabai, choo chikoku sita.." means "Ma---n! I was so late and am in trouble!"
"Choo" is a very common slang among young people and even adults, but you might be taken as less educated if you use it too much!!
Keep that in your mind it that there are lot of varieties of slang depends on a situations and you'll learn more as you read this blog!
Bai bai, yondekurete choo arigatou! :D
Bye for now, thank you very much for reading this blog!
who: Young generation, mostly until late 40s or higher.
Setting: With your friends in your generation, family. Do not use in formal situations.
So, "choo" means very, and you use this word before adjective, and verb.
for example,
There is a cute girl near you, and passed by...you would say...
"choo kawaii..." means "very cute!"
A few days later, you found out the girl is kinda interested in you too, you are happy right? so then you would say...
"choo ureshii" means "I am very happy" or "glad", whenever you satisfied with the situation.
You finally managed to take her out, on a first date, OH NOOO!! you woke up late! you rushed to the place but you are late, like 5 minutes, how would you say?
"choo gomen, chikoku sita!" means "I'm very sorry I'm late."
You don't wanna say "choo gomen" for more than 30 minutes late, she would not take your apologize seriously.
If you were 30 minutes late, maybe you wanna say "choo chikoku sita" means "I was super late" to your friends wished your luck on your date when you were asked how your date was. You may put "Yabai" here in this situation! "Yabai, choo chikoku sita.." means "Ma---n! I was so late and am in trouble!"
"Choo" is a very common slang among young people and even adults, but you might be taken as less educated if you use it too much!!
Keep that in your mind it that there are lot of varieties of slang depends on a situations and you'll learn more as you read this blog!
Bai bai, yondekurete choo arigatou! :D
Bye for now, thank you very much for reading this blog!
2010年4月23日金曜日
Yabai
Yabai
Meaning: hot, cute, oh crap, oh oh, delicious, feels good, and so on…
Who: Young generation, mostly until late 30s
Setting: With your friends in your generation, family. Do not use in formal situations. You will not be thought of highly if you use this word in formal situations. You don’t wanna be a stupid, right?
Okay, most of you who never heard of this word, “yabai” before might say “there’s nothing in common in the meanings!” Okay, yes. This is real flexible slang that you can use often times, meaning NOTHING and EVERYTHING. You can replace almost every word into “yabai” when the situation is over your expectation.
You can also use this as “very” ,“ excessive” and so on to make what comes after exaggerate. Events, actions or things that are excessive in almost any way can be described as “yabai”
so and excessively hot or cute girl is “yabai“ (ano ko yabai!! = that girl is hot! Or cute!)
a homework that is excessively close to the due date is “yabai“ (this is an situation example)
a dinner plate that is excessively delicious is “yabai”(yabai oshiii.= this so yummy!)
a wind after the work out makes you feel good is yabai (kaze ga choo yabai = wind’s feeling good!)
etc..
Again, this word should not be used in formal situations, as it is part of a Japanese slang called wakamono kotoba (young peson words). So if you use “yabai” to your boss, that situation would be there,”yabai” again.
After my research, I’ve found out this word actually has a long history since back in Edo era, started from 1603. According to Wikipedia,
There was a place called Yaba in old Tokyo, Edo in Edo era. “ya” means arrows and “ba” means place. So that place was basically for shooting play room with using arrows and target, for the public justification. However, the place actually aimed for, prostitution. So, name of this place “yaba” had hidden meaning, a dangerous place, and it ended up became adjective to express the dangerous situation, “yabai”. (translated by Me)
After 400 years of word evolution, people added the positive meaning in it and still using this word. Isn’t it yabai (awesome)?
2010年4月20日火曜日
Official Off Topic
Hello, everybody,how are you?
Today, before I start this, I want to ask you a question. "How many of you are aware of language?"
When I was in Japan, I was going to major in "World linguistic" actually. That major was just established in one of the colleges I was applying, and I got passed on the exam.
To enter Japanese college, you have to study, A LOT like crazy. That's why we have so many cramming school? what do you call it? Private tutoring school? that you go after the class in highschool. You pay the tuition there more than you pay for highshool. But once you enter the college, you won't study and learn only how to party.
usually.
We study English from middle and high shool just because to pass the exam to enter the college. 6 years. Such a wasting time. We study English focusing on grammar and reading becuase it's easy to grade. phew. Don't blame my English, that's the education we've exposed in Japan :) :) :( I know it's stupid, Japanese Education Ministry has to do something with this, seriously!
I am now officially getting off the subject. so, language awareness? Ok I have to cut off this for next time....but what I really wanna say is, since I was child, I was so aware of the language. I liked writing poems, although it's embarrasing. I liked to read the anciant books of Japan... I liked the way the word "kotoba " ,means language, words and phrasis in English, was made...
However, until I started tutoring at the Japanese classes on campus, I didn't know how much I do not know about my own langage, Japanese. To tell you the truth, I don't think I can teach you Japanese grammars because what your Japanse textbook says is not the way we've been taught.
So, as I study how to teach proper Japanese in the classes, here I am, I will tell you the Japanese slangs! Because a lot of arguments show that slang is not meant be taught in class, or textbook, you just gotta be aware of it.
I got too excited even before I give you one slang!! Sorry, I got too much to say about it...the first word will be postponed to the next post, Don't miss it because it's gonna be "Yabai"!!
Today, before I start this, I want to ask you a question. "How many of you are aware of language?"
When I was in Japan, I was going to major in "World linguistic" actually. That major was just established in one of the colleges I was applying, and I got passed on the exam.
To enter Japanese college, you have to study, A LOT like crazy. That's why we have so many cramming school? what do you call it? Private tutoring school? that you go after the class in highschool. You pay the tuition there more than you pay for highshool. But once you enter the college, you won't study and learn only how to party.
usually.
We study English from middle and high shool just because to pass the exam to enter the college. 6 years. Such a wasting time. We study English focusing on grammar and reading becuase it's easy to grade. phew. Don't blame my English, that's the education we've exposed in Japan :) :) :( I know it's stupid, Japanese Education Ministry has to do something with this, seriously!
I am now officially getting off the subject. so, language awareness? Ok I have to cut off this for next time....but what I really wanna say is, since I was child, I was so aware of the language. I liked writing poems, although it's embarrasing. I liked to read the anciant books of Japan... I liked the way the word "kotoba " ,means language, words and phrasis in English, was made...
However, until I started tutoring at the Japanese classes on campus, I didn't know how much I do not know about my own langage, Japanese. To tell you the truth, I don't think I can teach you Japanese grammars because what your Japanse textbook says is not the way we've been taught.
So, as I study how to teach proper Japanese in the classes, here I am, I will tell you the Japanese slangs! Because a lot of arguments show that slang is not meant be taught in class, or textbook, you just gotta be aware of it.
I got too excited even before I give you one slang!! Sorry, I got too much to say about it...the first word will be postponed to the next post, Don't miss it because it's gonna be "Yabai"!!
2010年4月19日月曜日
Nice to meet you all!
Hi everybody, I am Maholo, a student in college in Hawaii.
this blog is meant for EVERYBODY! those of you who want to learn study Japanese!!
But am I gonna teach you Japanese that you can find easily in the textbooks????
NO WAY!! I will teach you real Japanese me and my friends using in everyday life. Japanese Slang(maybe sometimes textbook Japanese, only when it's needed).
Before I write anything, I will tell you who, where I am.
Like I said, I am in Hawaii (might explain why I spell my name Maholo? besides the fact that Japanese cannot pronounce the word L and R properly...? ) I've been here for 2 years, studying whatever I like in college. This semester in particular, I am taking classes like linguistic, journalism, second language teaching and speech. what's in common? So, language, mysteries of words, importance of teaching or telling something what I've learnt and know....
You may find the words I'll give you that you already know, And you might think the way I explain is little deferent. Then feel free to make a comment, get involved! I wanna learn this lovable language Japanese from each of you too.
alright then, let's get started!
p.s
You may find my English is weird, yeah, gomennasai I am Nihonjin!
this blog is meant for EVERYBODY! those of you who want to learn study Japanese!!
But am I gonna teach you Japanese that you can find easily in the textbooks????
NO WAY!! I will teach you real Japanese me and my friends using in everyday life. Japanese Slang(maybe sometimes textbook Japanese, only when it's needed).
Before I write anything, I will tell you who, where I am.
Like I said, I am in Hawaii (might explain why I spell my name Maholo? besides the fact that Japanese cannot pronounce the word L and R properly...? ) I've been here for 2 years, studying whatever I like in college. This semester in particular, I am taking classes like linguistic, journalism, second language teaching and speech. what's in common? So, language, mysteries of words, importance of teaching or telling something what I've learnt and know....
You may find the words I'll give you that you already know, And you might think the way I explain is little deferent. Then feel free to make a comment, get involved! I wanna learn this lovable language Japanese from each of you too.
alright then, let's get started!
p.s
You may find my English is weird, yeah, gomennasai I am Nihonjin!
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