Everything at the bottom of the valley looks tiny たに

The water of the river that flows through this valley is tani (tawny), I wouldn't risk drinking it

Basically pronounced "o" in this context

Person を Event に 誘う→To invite a person to an event

Eg: ジョンさんはマリさんを映画に誘いました。→John invited Mary to the movies.

Pronounced as 'O', not as 'Wo'. The sound is actually extremely close to that of お.
But to write を on a Japanese keyboard based on the English layout you will need to type 'wo'.

A bit about the "indicates an area traversed" (sense 3) use of を: Here it marks the space you move through / along — usually with motion verbs like 歩く, 走る, 通る, 渡る, etc.

公園を歩く = walk through the park
森を走った = ran through the forest

"O" is for "Object".

Pronounced as O, (apparently), but think of it as a man on a surfboard!
"WOw!! I can surf!!!!"

A long time ago in a land far, far away (Nara period, which wasn't that long ago) (in Japan, which isn't particularly far because plane), this was once pronounced /wo/, similar to わ. Over many (actually just nine) centuries, this slowly merged with /o/ (お) to become the を we know today around the Edo period.

It's still を when used as a particle, though every case that was once /wo/ was replaced with お when Japan decided to standardize kana.

Your *voice* echoes (eこえs) in this room

Leonard Cohen (KOE) had a lovely voice.
(He is the man who wrote Hallelujah)

I can hear your KOE at the KOUEN

This might only work for Aussies (and some Brits by extension) but it makes me think of “Cooee,” a call Australian Aborigines would make to attract attention. So, you use your KOE to cooee.

There is a very well known anime/manga:
Koe no katachi (literally "shape of a voice")

The kanji just looks like a megaphone which makes your voice louder

The word "koe" (声) sounds like part of the name "Cohen", making it easy to associate.

Imagine Sacha Baron Cohen switching between voices in his characters, tying the sound of "koe" to its meaning "voice."

Combine 一人 + にする grammar (to make/change something) you get 一人にする, to make someone alone.

Can also mean alone or by oneself in the context of doing something or being or going somewhere.

He totally lonely
(Hitori)

When I'm alone, I say "Hi" to the 鳥 (tori, birds)

He Tory (hitori) and hence he's by himself (alone) since nobody likes Tories
(Tory is the conservative party in the UK who dragged the UK out of the EU)

Or ひと (means person) + り (which sounds like read), and a person reads on their own by himself/herself

Bocchi from Bocchi the Rock! is alone. Which is why her name is Hitori

Yuku in some literature, is an older version of I-ku, which is widely used today. However, in some literature, there are sutbtle differences, where Yu-ku have a broader meaning, hence some specifc word claues will have to use Yu-ku as their default meaning, just like ゆく年.

Generally as an Japanese learning, Yuku will be used as "To be bound for", i.e. in a train settings, where you will here public announcements saying: This train is bound for Niigata. この電車(Densha)は新潟(Niigata)ゆきです。

In addition to it's directional meaning, そなた can also mean "you" in certain contexts, although it is considered archaic nowadays and is rarely used in modern Japanese. You may encounter this word in classical texts, games or manga with characters who speak in an old-fashioned way.

This is one example from the Tofugu website of how it is used:

そなた、名を何と言う？
Excuse me, may I have your name, please?

こなた, そなた, and あなた were used to refer to directions or places, which worked like こちら, そちら, and あちら.

こなた: this person
そなた: you
どなた: who
あなた (archaic): everyone else you're talking to

Source: [www.tofugu.com]

あっち こっち and そっち are used when there are TWO things to choose between (THAT one or THIS one), whereas あれ それ and これ are used for ONE item or MORE THAN TWO.
(Japanese From Zero Course/Book 1 Lesson 2)

More formal form of こっち and used when referring to a direction that's closer to the speaker.

Godzilla is kochira (here)!

Wanna find KOCHI? Follow the sun god RA!

See also こちらこそ, a common expression that uses こちら

Both の and こと turn verbs into nouns, but they feel different:
————————

こと is more conceptual and abstract. It treats the action as a general idea and sounds more detached. It's often used for information, ideas, or facts.

の feels more direct and personal. It points to the actual action as it happens. It sounds more immediate, and it's commonly used for things you directly see, hear, feel, or control.
————————

→ 私は死ぬことが怖い = "I'm afraid of death"
Here, the action is treated as a general concept.

→ 私は死ぬのが怖い = "I'm afraid of dying"
This feels more immediate and personal, as if you're afraid of dying rather than death as an abstract idea.
————————

The difference becomes clearer with direct perception. When you directly witness something, you usually use の.

→ 私は子どもが泣いているのを見た = "I saw a child crying"
What you saw wasn't the concept of a child crying—you saw the action itself.

The same contrast appears with hearing, especially when comparing direct perception and reported information.

→ 火山が噴火したことを聞いた = What you heard was the news of the volcano erupting.
Here, you received information about the event.

→ 火山が噴火したのを聞いた = You were there when the volcano erupted. You directly heard it.
In this case, you experienced the sound itself.
————————

Finally, when talking about actions you can directly control, の is usually preferred.
→ 酒を飲むのをやめた = "I quit drinking"

Here, the action feels concrete and personally managed rather than abstract.
————————

Quick rule of thumb:

Directly experienced / immediate / personal → の
Abstract / conceptual / informational → こと

Source: part of this video: [www.youtube.com]

道 is a general word for roads, routes, paths, or ways (both natural and man-made). Can also be used abstractly to mean a "way" or "method" of achieving something, e.g. 優勝への道.

道路 is a constructed road or highway, specifically designated (by law) for vehicle traffic.

通り (とおり) usually refers to a street or road in a town or city, typically lined with buildings.

The まち (town) has みち (roads).

Mi cheat code was lost somewhere along the street

There is a guy named Mitch and he tells you which road to take. What a guy

In Sailor Moon, Haruka is a race car driver. You can frequently see her and her girlfriend MICHIru out on the MICHI (road).

Oh no, mi cheese! (みち) I dropped it on the road!

Michi leads to machi (town).

散歩 is strolling no thinking
散策 is having the nuance of been checking the trees, birds and thinking what is what

Oh my God! This is so sudden! ThanK YOU!

the cue took an abrupt turn around the building

i hate to queue on this unexpectedly steep road that abruptly ends when i suddenly need an urgent sharp knife in pressing times.

It was UNEXPECTED, but she actually called me cute (きゅう).

救急車の急 (kyuukyuusha's "kyuu")
救 = help/aid
急 = sudden/urgent/pressing
車 = car/vehicle
救急車 = ambulance (urgent aid vehicle)

Person を Event に 誘う→To invite a person to an event

Eg: ジョンさんはマリさんを映画に誘いました。→John invited Mary to the movies.

Event に 遅れる→To be late for an event
Eg: 授業に遅れてはいけません
→You cannot be late for class.

You に (need) to be here AT 12!

Just for information, へ / に are used to MARK location. They are locations where the action is GOING. Whereas で is used where the action is HAPPENING/TAKING PLACE.

彼に注目してください。 = "Look at him, please." or "Please pay attention to him with interest."

彼に注意してください。 = "Beware of him (warning sentence)"

Although both 注目 する and 注意 する have the meaning of "paying attention", 注目する has additional positive implications of "keeping interest in it" or "showing respect to it".
Alternatively, 注意する includes negative nuances "being careful about it" or "being cautious to protect oneself from it".

[hinative.com]

Extensively used in public spaces as "Warning: X" / "X ご注意ください"

CAUTION, the mochi are very CHEWY.

When your 'pour' ideas' into Cheweybacca - take 'Caution' Han Solo. Let this be a 'warning'

When people give us attention and care, it irrigates (注) our heart (意)

注 (focus/pour) + 意 (mind) →
Pour/focus your mind on something = attention / caution / being careful

try not to concentrate 注 on the ideea 意 the food is CHEWY - that means not giving it your ATTENTION.

To use CAUTION is to concentrate 注 with your mind 意 on what you are doing.

Very, very commonly used in Japanese signage. Things like, on automatic doors, or on signs near steep cliffs. Extremely commonly used.

In addition to it's directional meaning, そなた can also mean "you" in certain contexts, although it is considered archaic nowadays and is rarely used in modern Japanese. You may encounter this word in classical texts, games or manga with characters who speak in an old-fashioned way.

This is one example from the Tofugu website of how it is used:

そなた、名を何と言う？
Excuse me, may I have your name, please?

こなた, そなた, and あなた were used to refer to directions or places, which worked like こちら, そちら, and あちら.

こなた: this person
そなた: you
どなた: who
あなた (archaic): everyone else you're talking to

Source: [www.tofugu.com]

Formal version of あっち

Follows the same rules as あれ, それ, and これ.

あちら = that way (direction distant from both speaker and listener)

そちら = that way (direction closer to the listener)

こちら = this way (direction close to the speaker)

A cheetah just ran in that direction!
あちら

an archer (あっち) aimed their bow in that direction

Attila the Hun! He went that way!

教師
General word for “teacher” (profession). Neutral, used in writing or formal contexts.

先生
Polite title for a teacher (and doctors, etc.). Used when addressing or referring respectfully.

教員
Formal/official term for teaching staff (used in schools, documents). More bureaucratic.

教授
“Professor” at a university. Specific rank/title, higher than regular teachers.

教諭
Licensed teacher at elementary/junior high/high school. Official job title within schools.

先 = ahead
生 = (in) life

A teacher is someone who shares their experiences gained from typically being older than you.

Teachers came to life 生 before 先 students .

Teachers (先生) teach you everything you need to know before (先) you start life (生) away from your parents

せん せい
"Sen, say what three plus three is now or it's no lunch for you."

The second kanji almost looks like a smaller version of the first one. The first one is the teacher, the second, smaller one is the student trying to copy him. His form is a little different though, he still has things to learn from his sensei!

Before 先 moving through the birth of life 生, you should consult a せんせい

My astrology 占星 (せんせい) teacher 先生 (せんせい) is called Sen「せん」and always says「せい」weird things.

kanji: teacher's previous life

Our teacher's 先生 name is Sen「せん」.
He always arrives to class *before* 先 us and always *ahead* 先 of us.
He likes to say「せい」 that knowledge will be useful in life 生.

家 can be read two main ways:

いえ is closer to house. Kind of refers more to the building itself
うち is usually translated as home. Includes the deeper connections to family and personal history inside the building.

家(いえ) is more used for the house in the literal sense - physical walls and objects that make up your house.

Use お家 when talking to someone else about THEIR home. If that person is above your station (like your boss) you should use お宅.

For your own home use うち.

いえ generally means "my house, the building" while "うち" is "my home, where I live".

There are many types of HOUSE styles, I.E. (いえ) cottage or Victorian.

Yay(Ie), im home after a long day

Freind: "Wow! You're house is so pretty- the paint job is so well done!"

Me: "#Ie! Ie! (Which means no and sounds like "Iye") That's not true."

I love being at home, these four walls are my empire so when I get back in my house I say "YE!(いえ) Here I am!"

へ is more poetic than に (think “journey to X” rather than “go to X”)

Although it's hiragana he, as a particle is pronounced as e.
It indicates he direction were it is going to, not necessarily the destination, different from particle に, which indicates destination. For example:

北へ行く、山に行く。

In this example, particle へ indicates the direction, which is north, meanwhile, particle に indicates destination, which is the mountain.

It looks like an arrow pointing off into a direction. It's just missing one line.

Just for information, へ / に are used to MARK location. They are locations where the action is GOING. Whereas で is used where the action is HAPPENING/TAKING PLACE.

If I'm not mistaken, わ is softer than よ

WA you looking at? I'm being emotional.

~ たって is an alternative to ~ ても used in spoken language. It's more casual and might come off more strong, but is used in just the same way as the ても grammar point.

[japanese.stackexchange.com]
Note that with negatives it attaches to the conjunctive form, e.g. しなくたって

たって here isn't a word itself, it's って following a past verb. e.g. したって

can also be ったって

in conversation, knowing when to use その and あの when referring to a subject/situation is important

use その when the subject is not known to both speakers
use あの when the subject is known to both speakers

(both speakers refers to you and whoever you're talking to)

Ah! No! It’s THAT!

I know the perfect house for you but it's some distance off

“Ah, no… that one.”
Imagine you’re trying to recall or point something out:

You see a book across the room and go “Ah… no, that one over there.” → あの.

Watch out so you don't confuse it with the other はし (箸) which is read as HAshi (notice the pitch in HA), and means chopsticks! 🥢
There's also another はし (端) which is read the same as bridge (haSHI) and means edge.
Source: The Japanese Page in Youtube, and From Zero!'s Ask a Teacher!

HASHI (Hush) ! The troll that lives under the BRIDGE is gonna hear us!

はしる means "to run" so just picture running across a bridge (はし)

Yureru hashi is an old obstacle from Sasuke, the original version of Ninja Warrior. It was translated into English as Balance *Bridge*

Hah, she (はし) runs (はしる)
over the BRIDGE with her chopsticks (はし) in her hands!