Category: Japanese language

  • Dust off your tidying vocabulary with a refreshing spring clean

    Dust off your tidying vocabulary with a refreshing spring clean

    “Spring cleaning”, or a big clean in the spring, is not actually all that common in Japan. The main time for 大掃除 (ōsōji, a big clean) is around New Year. But if you want a hand from someone, knowing how to explain the tasks is essential! Clean up your Japanese with my language article on…

  • Warming words for this chilly season

    Warming words for this chilly season

    Japanese winters can get pretty damn cold, depending on where you are. But there are tons of ways to warm up, like snuggling under a kotatsu (underheated table). To go with those warming ways are a ton of warming words, too. Take a look at how to express that warmth in Japanese in my Japan…

  • The linguistic influence of tea in Japan is more than ceremonial

    The linguistic influence of tea in Japan is more than ceremonial

    Tea obviously has a huge role in Japanese history and culture, but to what extent does that flow over into the language? Learn some tea-related words with me in this language piece for the Japan Times (behind paywall): https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2023/10/13/language/japanese-vocabulary-tea-ceremony/

  • The Language of Japan’s Moon Festival

    The Language of Japan’s Moon Festival

    You’ve likely already heard of Japan’s 花見 (hanami, cherry blossom viewing) season, but perhaps you haven’t heard of its more reserved, autumnal cousin, 月見 (tsukimi, moon viewing). Explore the language behind the early autumn festival with me in my Japan Times piece here (behind paywall): https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2023/09/29/language/language-moon-viewing-autumn-harvest/

  • Let’s get clinical: Navigating a trip to a Japanese hospital

    Let’s get clinical: Navigating a trip to a Japanese hospital

    Having lived in Japan for over five years now, I’ve had more than my fair share of visits to different clinics and hospitals. At first it can seem scary, not knowing all the hospital jargon or even a simpler word like “symptom”, but hopefully my article exploring these words and phrases will help you if…

  • Eco-friendly eating with a healthy helping of Japanese

    Eco-friendly eating with a healthy helping of Japanese

    From plastic free to zero waste, there are a lot of buzzwords around eco-friendly eating habits. Thankfully, a lot of them are just English loanwords in Japanese, but in this article I explore some other ways to kickstart the conversation too: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2023/08/10/language/japanese-vocabulary-for-sustainable-eating-restaurants/

  • Fashion, fast and slow: Discussing shopping ethics in Japanese

    Fashion, fast and slow: Discussing shopping ethics in Japanese

    If you’re trying to be more environmentally friendly, or simply want clothes that last longer than a season, you might be looking at your “slow fashion” options. In this article I explore some ways to start the conversation in Japanese: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2023/07/21/language/fashion-fast-slow-discussing-shopping-ethics-japanese/

  • Frugal phrases: Finding money-saving tips in Japanese

    Frugal phrases: Finding money-saving tips in Japanese

    I think learning to be smart with your money in another country almost feels like starting from scratch. For example, the ingredients I might have fallen on as cheap go-tos in the UK can end up being the most expensive items in Japan! So it can be useful to talk about it in Japanese and…

  • Talk about your favorite shows in Japanese — but no spoilers, please!

    Talk about your favorite shows in Japanese — but no spoilers, please!

    Even though I’ve been studying and speaking Japanese for several years now, I feel like there is always something to learn! In this article for the Japan Times bilingual section, I share some fun phrases for discussing your favourite Netflix shows and how to avoid those dreaded spoilers. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2023/04/06/language/talk-favorite-shows-japanese-no-spoilers-please/

  • Get off the beaten path with some basic Japanese to see the sakura

    Get off the beaten path with some basic Japanese to see the sakura

    This year the sakura (cherry blossoms) came early! So I made a language article about how to travel to see some hidden spots. Get out of your “toire wa doko desu ka?” comfort zone and learn how to branch out a bit! Article on the Japan Times here:https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2023/03/22/language/get-off-beaten-path-basic-japanese-see-sakura/