blog
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“chii”, “tachiba” and “ichi”：Don’t Get Confused About These
Japanese has three words that all relate to "position" or "status" — 地位（ちい）, 立場（たちば）, and 位置（いち） — and learners often struggle to tell them apart. All three can be translated as "position" in English, yet they each poi... -
“damasu” and “gomakasu”：Which Do You Feel Much Worse?
Both 騙す（だます） and 誤魔化す（ごまかす） involve being dishonest with someone, and both get translated as "to deceive" or "to trick" in English. But they describe different kinds of dishonesty — and using the wrong one can either und... -
たいてい and たいがい: A little Difference Between These
When you want to say "mostly," "usually," or "in general" in Japanese, two words come up: 大抵（たいてい） and 大概（たいがい）. Both are read with the kanji for "large" (大) and both describe something that is true most of the time. But... -
Who in Japanese: How to Use 誰 (dare) Like a Native Speaker
I know 誰 means 'who,' but I've also seen どなた used the same way. When do I use which? Great distinction to learn! 誰 (dare) is neutral/casual — you use it with friends and in everyday speech. どなた (donata) is the polite form — use i... -
Public Safety in Japanese: How to Use 治安 (chian) Naturally
I've been reading about Japan and keep seeing 治安 mentioned. What does it mean and how do I use it? 治安 (chian) means public safety or law and order — it's used to describe how safe or dangerous an area is. Japan is famous for its high... -
daradara (だらだら): Meaning, Uses, and Natural Examples
I heard my Japanese friend say だらだらしてる about themselves on a lazy Sunday. Is that a bad thing to say? Ha! だらだら is one of those wonderfully honest Japanese words. It describes doing things lazily, sluggishly, or dragging someth... -
ダメ (dame): All the Ways to Use This Essential Japanese Word
I hear ダメ all the time in Japanese — but it seems to mean different things in different situations. Is it always 'no'? ダメ is one of the most expressive words in Japanese! It can mean 'no,' 'don't,' 'broken,' 'hopeless,' or even 'I ca... -
結構です vs 大丈夫です: Which Is the Politer Way to Refuse in Japanese?
結構です and 大丈夫です both appear in refusal situations — but only 結構です is unambiguous. Learn when each expression works and why Japanese hosts keep offering when you say 大丈夫. -
担当 vs 担任: How to Use These Japanese Words Correctly
At my Japanese company I hear 担当 and 担任 all the time, but I'm never sure which one applies. Are they interchangeable? Not quite! 担当 (tantou) is for any assigned responsibility — used in workplaces, businesses, and general life. 担... -
短所 vs 長所: How to Talk About Weaknesses and Strengths in Japanese
In a Japanese job interview I have to talk about my 長所 and 短所, but I always mix them up — which is strengths and which is weaknesses? Great question to sort out before your interview! 長所 (chousho) = strengths / good points. 短所 (t...
