KAI (かい) has pirates on their SOCKs (ぞく)!

From Russian “агитпункт” (agitation point)

"Tattoo cow": Imagine a cow with a big tattoo getting into a fight with another animal over who has the better artwork.

The phrase "tattoo cow" sounds like "tatakau," helping you remember that たたかう means "to fight."

Waging war (tatakau) is expensive (takai)

If you watch anime: The scene in Attack On Titan in wich Eren repeats "tatakau" in front of the mirror and how it's a word of importance in the series in general.

War is a little atatakai

TATA I am going to wage a war with you so I can KA-U (買う) all the things I wanted with the loot from the war.

What was the RIson YUU did that?

Ryu, the dragon, had a reason to kidnap the princess.

-What is the 'reason' for you coming so early?
-I did all my renshuu reviews (りゆう) beforehand so i came early

自(じ) self - 由(ゆう) reason
理(り) reason - 由(ゆう) reason
自由 self reason - freedom
理由 reason reason - reason

riyuu (did you) get the reason?

"And the RIson is YUU" cit. Hoobastank

What is your reason to use renshuu?
To do my りゆうs.

Careful using this, I've heard its very rude!

Adding to the person above me:

If you use the formal version, I heard it is okay.
しぬ --> しにます
て form is okay too, it depends on the context. Of course you wouldn't say "Is it okay to die?" You could say "Dying is not allowed." (しんではいけません).
It gets tricky with the word しね. Do not use that one, it has the terrible meaning

When referring to someone who has passed away (died), it is more respectful to use 亡くなる (なくなる).

Adding to both people above me discussing how to use 死ぬ:

I watched an episode of "Learn Japanese from the News"* where they said that 死ぬ can be seen as a bit insensitive to use, and that most people use the word 亡くなる instead (but not with animals, for some reason). Like how in english people usually use "passed away" instead of "died".

*"Dog Parade Marks 100 Years Since Birth of Hachiko" (NHS)

死ぬほど○○ is quite common in casual Japanese and is often used figuratively as strong emphasis.

死ぬほどのどがかわいている。"I'm extremely thirsty".
死ぬほど好き。"I love you to death (extremely)".

Note: 死ぬほど is pretty much always figurative, so don't be alarmed when you encounter it.

PS: Another nice to know expression is 死ぬ気で — "all out, desperately".

しShe ぬknew her end was soon.

(you are already dead), well, said by someone who doesn't know japanese. "omae wa mou, SHINUdeiru". 死ぬ is also when "your entire (enTAHI, enタヒ) body is now below (一) the ground"

You remembered it wrong because you misread the ぬ as a め. But it's a verb. So it's unconjugated form has to end with an う-sound. So it can't be しめ but must be しぬ!

She was 123 years old so she knew (Shi-nu) she was gonna die soon

In the SHINING (しね) tons of people died

Fun fact: This verb is the only one in the entire Japanese language having a ぬ conjugation

Adverbial form of いい／#良い this is due to changes from the original pronounciation よい

Conjugation of いい、e.g. よくない meaning "not good" instead of being いいない

It comes from the い-adjetive 「#いい」, however, most (if not all) of the conjugations for this adjetive come from its kanji reading 「#良い」(よい). So, as other い-adjetives, we drop the 「い」and replace it with 「く」.

Yo cool (YOKU) "nicely" done!

*Yo could* do it nicely

If you (よ) think an activity is cool (く) you will do it often and get good at it

I OFTEN/FREQUENTLY separate the egg YOKu from the white PROPERLY to use the latter to marinate the chicken NICELY

I often (よく) get it done well (よく)

Yoko Ono’s nicer and more skilled sister, Yoku

the chef skillfully/frequently stirs the YOLK

Luffy is proving more often (yoku) that he deserves to be a Yonko.

100%：always（ いつも／ 常に）
90%：usually（ たいてい／ 普通に）
80%：frequently（ 頻繁 に）
70%：often（ よく／ しばしば）
50%：sometimes（ ときどき）
30%：occasionally（ たまに）
20%：seldom（ あまり~ない）
15%：rarely（ めったに~ない）
10%：hardly ever（ ほとんど~ない）
0%：never（ 全く~ない／ 全然~ない)

[x.com]

Literally means "nothing". 無 means not, none, etc and 事 means things, incident, etc.
So when you're asking if someone is alright as in "無事ですか?", you're literally saying "nothing?" as in "nothing happened?" but it figuratively means "Are you alright?", "Are you safe?", "Are you in good health?", etc. Japanese is sometime incredibly simple in it way to express things. Hope it helps.

This safe, peaceful neighborhood is bougie.

I feel safe and at peace when no 無 thing 事 is happening.

After the long journey, they arrived unharmed and safe. The captain said, "It was a boogie (buji) ride, smooth and without incident."

Boujie(buji) places are SAFER sometimes.

This particle has a lot of uses, but here are some of them:

Tells where an action takes place. Example:

図書館で勉強する。
I study at the library

Tells what something is made of. Example

家は木で作った。
The house is made of wood.

Tells what is an action made with, like reading emails on your computer. Example:

フォークでピザを食べない。
I do not eat pizza with a fork.

Tells about ways of transportation, like going to somewhere by car. Example:

飛行機で旅行する。
I travel by plane.

This particle has a lot of usages, but these are the most common ones. If you know others, feel free to tell us.

Another usage of で (correct me if I’m wrong though) is to say that you will do or did something for a specific duration of time.

For example: 3時間で晩御飯を料理ました (I cooked dinner in three hours)

Quoting sources of information (でVSを):

ラジオを聞く VS ラジオで聞く
I listen to the radio vs I hear from the radio
新聞を読む VS 新聞で読む
I read the newspaper vs I read from the newspaper

Eg: ラジオで聞いたんですが、明日天気がいいそうです。
→I heard from the radio that the weather would be good tomorrow.

(One use I don't think has been mentioned)

You can use で to indicate the condition or manner in which you want something to be served. Usually when you're presented with options.

Let's say you're in the middle of ordering coffee, and you get asked about the portion size:

サイズはいかがなさいますか？ ("What size would you like?")
じゃあラージで。("Large please")

Note: You can't use で with the main item, only for options or how you want it served.

E.g. 味噌ラーメン一つ、麺は硬めで、味は濃いめで、油は少なめでお願いします。("A bowl of miso ramen, firm noodles, thick soup, and less oil, please")

Source for more information: [www.youtube.com]

Another usage of で: the language in which an action is conducted. E.g. フランス語で葉書を書いた。I wrote a postcard in French.

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.

心 (heart, mind) + 配 (distribute)

心配 is the onyomi reading of 心配り which has multiple meanings but one of them just mean "distributing your mind on many task", ie: "overexerting yourself". And from that meaning, you get worry, anxiety, etc. A bit like in English, it's possible to say "having too many things on your mind". Japanese use a similar image here but, instead of having to many things "on" your mind, it's the image of distributing, allocating pieces of mind "to" multiple tasks.

You can use that same image, with a more positive meaning, for the first meaning of 心配り (care, attention, etc). "Distributing your mind", ie: "exerting yourself" in the sense of care, attention, thoughtfulness, etc.
Both had the same meanings and they just diverged later as you can see with the 2nd definition of 心配 which is now "dated" (it's the same for 心配り, it's just not displayed on renshuu and even on some Japanese dictionary)

心配 is everyday, personal, emotional worry. 懸念 is a more formal expression of concern based on judgment or assessment.

＂心配です＂ (lit: it's a worry) can be used to say "it's worrying", or "it's worrying me".

Ex: 私は天気が心配です。
>The weather worries me.

Shinpai senpai = Worry senpai

I would be worried if someone served me shin pie o_o;;

My mind 心 is distributed 配 thinly because of my *worry*.

Too many kanpai (drinks/cheers) should cause shinpai (concern)

I'm concerned (しんぱい) that I make a mistake / fail(ure) (しっぱい)

Tamaki-senpai from Ouran Host Club is always feeling shinpai for Haruhi.

Whenever I am in a group of chimpanzees (SHINPAI) I am ANXIOUS and WORRY about them not hurting me.

We worry (しんぱい) about judgement (しんぱん)

Sharing what you have on your heart

Shin:die, pai:pain
If you will continue to be worry, you will shin because of your pain

❤️+ 🎁 = 心 +配

picture: someone so worried they're trying to hand out their heart to feel better

say: Shirley is a simple person when she gets worried she goes to find her senpai

If you've played Judgment (Judge Eyes) before, you'd know SHINPEI Okubo was a big source of anxiety (shinpai) in Yagami's life

The right Kanji looks like a bottle of poison and a snake ☠️ 🐍. Two things to worry or be anxious about. The snake might bite your shin and there may be poison in your pie.

You find yourself drunk with a bottle of sake next to yourself (酉 + 己 = 配), because your heart (心) is full of *worries*.

Various verbs for putting things on one's body (unrelated senses not mentioned):
- 着る: To wear upper body or full body clothing, usually through arm sleeves. It is used more generally when used with clothing in general e.g. 服を着る, when used in compounds such as 着こなす, 着込む, etc., in certain collocations, and other cases.
- 履く: To wear on the feet, such as shoes and socks.
- 穿く: To wear lower body clothing, such as pants and skirts. Usually kana.
- 掛ける: To hook/hang something on one's body, such as glasses, bags, pendants. Usually kana.
- 被る: To wear on/cover the head/face, such as hats and masks.
- 嵌める: To put on something that envelops, such as rings and gloves. Usually kana.
- 羽織る: To wear items not through sleeves, but e.g. by putting on one's shoulders and fastening buttons, such as coats and gowns. See 羽織.
- 着ける: To wear something, encompasses 着る, はく, etc. and includes accessories (glasses, necklaces, rings, etc.). Often in kana or as 付ける.
- 身に着ける: Essentially the same as 着ける. Often with つける in kana or with 付ける.
- 着する: Essentially the same as 着ける, though more formal.
- 着用(する): Essentially the same as 着ける, though more formal.
- する: To wear accessories (glasses, necklaces, rings, etc.), to be showing an expression, to have a certain quality, etc.
- 纏う: To wrap or wear something around the whole of or part of one's body. Usually kana.

Other verbs:
- 佩く: To affix to one's hip, such as a sword. Usually kana.
- 帯びる: To wear, to carry, usually of a sword on one's hip or an insignia.
- 提げる: To hang from the shoulder or waist or hold hanging from the hand. Also as 下げる.
- 突っかける: To slip on, to quickly wear shoes, slippers, etc.
- 召す: Honorific (尊敬語) form for 着る, e.g. 和服をお召しになる.

Sources:
- 使い方の分かる 類語例解辞典
- 大辞林
- 明鏡国語辞典
- Tofugu

"to cause to become", transitive counterpart to なる

行う is basically similar to する but 行う sounds more formal and stiff.
The more formal the situation is, the more likely 行う is chosen.
It can also be used in sentences where it usually sounds grandiose.
It can also appear in casual conversations.
There is also a verb 執り行う which sounds even stiffer and is only used with big ceremonies such as wedding ceremonies.

To wear small items (necktie, watch etc.)

する is one of the two irregular verb conjugations. To conjugate into this present form you would use します.

I have things suru(to do).

Monkey (さる) see, monkey do (する)

Mr. Sulu has a lot To Do on board the Enterprise.

Suru sounds like sudo, a Linux codeword that means "Super User DO."

To conjugate する, I like to think that it’s a godan and an ichidan verb at the same time. So to conjugate the stem the ichidan would do する -> す and the godan would do す -> し. Then I know that the stem of する is し.

Conversational contraction. しているんだ。ー＞　してんだ。

re: sense 3

Confusingly, ん after the negative stem of a verb can be both a contraction of the negative ない / ぬ ending, or of the archaic volitional む ending -- which have completely opposite meanings.

Fortunately the volitional ん verb ending (which is a different dictionary entry, flagged as an archaism) is rather uncommon in modern speech and mostly restricted to specific grammar patterns or intentionally formal/stylistic use of archaic language, so you don't often have to guess whether what looks like a negative is actually a positive.

For the first meaning, ん is most likely not a contraction of いる after the て form but rather a contraction of る.
In the case of ～ている, the contraction is done in two step:
～ている -> ～てる -> ～てん

And that last る -> ん contraction can also be use with verb ending in る like:
する->すん
来る->来ん
It's particularly common when combined with the particle な (the "not" one) for comical effects in casual conversation between friends. As in:
すんな (DON'T do that!)
来んな (DON'T come here!)
One of my favorite example is:
"話しかけてくんな"
Which is quite rude but gives a "Don't you dare come to talk to me!" vibes between friends. That the kind of feeling it can creates (so be careful with that).
Other than that, the ら->ん contraction is also possible as in:
分からない -> 分かんない
Which is relatively common too in casual speech between friends.

I tried to search for some formal explanation but couldn’t find anything that could give me a final answer. Apparently, it could be either some kind of dialect or a general kind of contraction where the entire ラ行 (the ら, れ, る, り, ろ sounds) and な行 (the な, に, ぬ, の, ねsounds) can be replaced with ん. At that point, I gave up because both feel correct and I couldn’t access to more information (nor can I still read research level article… for now). I pretty sure some of those ん contraction are really common mainly because of the kansai dialect combined with manzai comedy for example. But at the same time, I also feel like native used that contraction a bit randomly trough Japanese history. Hence why you have that damn ん which can mean either る、ら、に、の、ぬ、etc. I got traumatized by that ん when I first started to talk with some japanese friends and also when watching youtube. Hope that explanation will help you at least a bit for that (Also now, it’s fun and ん contraction + kansai ben + manzai → best way to make Japaneses laugh)

PS : Just remembered another one but I’m not redoing the entire explanation for that, so I will just leave that here :
やるのか？→ やんのか？ (“wanna fight ?” with a fake yankee vibe kinda, very common between friends)
So, that る → ん contraction can theoretically be applied to any verb with a る ending but in practice, it’s not used everywhere. Like, it’s not common in standard written Japanese, it’s not really “grammatical” either but it’s still extremely common in casual spoken Japanese (especially in those expression). So yeah, don’t know if that explanation is useful or confusing anymore but at least, you will be aware of them if you encounter those expression in the wild x)

In casual speech, だ is often dropped, but だ is not dropped in だよ and だね. (Genki II)

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

In addition to the regular emphasis usage, It can be used in poetry and songs as "Oh" as in "Oh God" "Farewell, Oh friend". Ex.
時よ, 何を用意しているの? "Oh Time, what do you have in store"
神よ
友よ

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.

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.

SOON, A sand dune

A dust storm is like a tSUNAmi of sand

すな for me sounds like dune which created of sand. In our language we pronounce it as 'duna'.

𝗦𝗮𝗻𝗱
San
Suan
𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗮

The sooner （すな）we get out of this sand the better.

the SUNA/t(s)una I fished up has dirt and sand all over it

I dropped my SUNA (tuna) nigiri and got sand all over it

A little bit (少、すこし) of shredded stone (石) and sand is done.

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.

Good 良い for sure こそ

YOO! Of COSO you’re WELCOME to come in!

YO~! welcome to KOSOvo

watashi (what did she) say about *me*?!

To quote Cure Dolly: 'anything contained in the は particle only 'flags' what the sentence is talking about, and is never part of the grammatical structure as a whole.'

[youtu.be]

Can be used like “Xは?: As for X?” Usually used when asking for opinion of someone or when a customer is asked what they would like. Very contextual can be used in many senses like “Where?” “What?” Or even complex sentences.

Other particles like も can be used similarly, but this particle directly uses the information from the conversation to ask about another thing/situation. Similar to “What about” in “Mom is at home.” “What about Dad?”.

Pronounced as "wa" (not "ha") when used as the topic-marking particle.

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]

Honorific used for very formal occasions. Often used for business matters. Never used for the speaker's status or actions and always used when talking about the states and actions of clients and customers.

でございます might be used by high-end business partners during a formal meeting, or a shop clerk in a fancy store, こちらでございます "this is the product".

でござる is archaic and rarely used in conversation, never in a serious sense - if heard in real life, the speaker is likely putting it on for effect, as one might say "As thou asketh". It is, however, used a lot in period drama BECAUSE it is old fashioned, and sets the tone as "thou" and "thee" often do in western dramas.