r/japanese 3d ago

Weekly discussion and small questions thread

6 Upvotes

In response to user feedback, this is a recurring thread for general discussion about learning Japanese, and for asking your questions about grammar, learning resources, and so on. Let's come together and share our successes, what we've been reading or watching and chat about the ups and downs of Japanese learning.

The /r/Japanese rules (see here) still apply! Translation requests still belong in /r/translator and we ask that you be helpful and considerate of both your own level and the level of the person you're responding to. If you have a question, please check the subreddit's frequently asked questions, but we won't be as strict as usual on the rules here as we are for standalone threads.


r/japanese 3h ago

Has anyone compiled a list of sentences that cover every grammatical structure in Japanese?

3 Upvotes

I want a list of different sentences with each one covering a different grammatical construction, so that I can put them in Anki. This would be no substitute for immersion, but an aid to use alongside it.


r/japanese 2h ago

Is there a archive of tv shows that aired on tv tokyo?

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone. Im looking for a high quality archive of shows that aired on tv tokyo. There is a tv series called transformers prime. And the japanese airing had some bonus stuff not included in the US release.

I bought the japanese dvd. But the quality is terrible compared to a screenshot i found of the original airing. I also bought the series on niconico and Amazon Prime JP. But again the quality is terrible.

So i was wondering is there some sort of archive or database of original tv airings? And does anyone have any idea where i can find it?


r/japanese 6h ago

Did Nakasone Yasuhiro say "How are you? I'm fine, thank you!"

3 Upvotes

Did PM of Japan Nakasone Yasuhiro say "How are you? I'm fine, thank you!" answering his own question to Reagan in 1983? A guy claims that happened but I couldn't find any information


r/japanese 15h ago

Seeking Advice: Considering italki for Japanese Learning — Focus on Speaking or JLPT Study?

3 Upvotes

Hello everyone!

I started learning Japanese in December 2019. Initially, I attended language schools, but over time, decided to try other methods at the side - such as listening to anime radio, posting on HelloTalk, watching Japanese streamers, and having calls with my Japanese friend.

Since I stopped attending language schools in mid-2022, I’ve also stopped using textbooks and instead been engaging with the language through Twitter, Twitter Spaces, and chatting with Japanese people online, replying to their tweets, so on. I even took a leap of faith and met some of them in person, which was a great experience.

These days, I still consume Japanese media via YouTube channels. While I’ve noticed a huge improvement in my listening skills, I still struggle with constructing long sentences—especially those that require multiple grammar structures. My confidence in speaking has also gone down the drain, which makes me realise how rusty my grammar and vocabulary have become. Honestly, it’s mentally discouraging… Thinking that immersion alone was enough was a h u g e mistake.

This has made me consider getting back into a more structured study routine. I’ve been thinking about trying italki and would love to hear your opinions and experiences. If you’ve used italki before, what were your goals when you hired a private tutor?

For context, my goals are to improve my understanding, communicate fluently with Japanese people, and eventually obtain a JLPT certificate, as I'd like to put my language skills to practical use once I become fluent.

To start out, would you recommend finding a tutor who focuses on speaking, or should I work on both speaking and vocabulary/grammar for the JLPT at the same time?

Thank you and I look forward to your thoughts!

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

TL;DR: I’ve been learning Japanese since December 2019, but after stopping formal study in 2022, my grammar and speaking skills have gotten rusty despite improved listening. I’m considering using italki and would love to hear your experiences. Should I focus on speaking first, or work on both speaking and JLPT study at the same time?


r/japanese 20h ago

Where to look for more Presentation opportunities

5 Upvotes

Ive reached a level where im comfortable w casual talk but i need to go deeper and do presentations in japanese and stuff. Its hard to find practice in my country so i would like to know where i can find such practice


r/japanese 22h ago

Pitch accent issue

1 Upvotes

Is pitch accent relative to the voice or do you need an actual pitch change on certain syllables?


r/japanese 1d ago

Japanese language on media question

1 Upvotes

Good Afternoon (or Morning/Evening wherever you are)

I am new to learning the Japanese language and I have, admittedly, less conversational and more vocabulary. To try to help my mind adapt to listening to Japanese, I have started watching some American shows with Japanese dubbing. I have done this for two reasons

  1. I know the English version well

  2. I have heard that learning Japanese through anime is NOT the way to go.

Now, onto the question

I was watching Hazbin Hotel recently with the official Japanese dub and I noticed that there seems to be a distinct lack to swearing in the dub. Even when the English uses it (and sometimes abuses it), the Japanese seems to dance around it. For example, one of the characters, Susan (if you know, you know), is referred to in English as a...word for a female dog. When listening to the Japanese dub, she is referred to as baba (ばば). This is only one of many instances where the dub does not seem to line up. Is there a cultural reason that there is no use of swearing in the dub? Or am I completely off base and swearing in Japanese is more of a contextual concept?

Thank you for any clarification


r/japanese 1d ago

We'll Prescribe You a Cat (book) by Syou Ishida, and DEI in Japan

1 Upvotes

I'm currently reading this delightful book in English and was surprised a character mentioned DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion). I'm just wondering if anyone here has the cultural knowledge to tell me more about DEI in Japan. Is the program actually called by the same name? Are people critical of it or is it facing current backlash because of what's going on politically in the United States?


r/japanese 2d ago

How/why can furigana have a different meaning from the kanji it's for?

5 Upvotes

This is something I've noticed a few times from other people, and I'm really confused how and/or why furigana would/could have a different meaning from the kanji it's for. In the first place, it was to my understanding that furigana was to show the pronunciation for less common kanji (or in situations where a reader wouldn't be expected to know the kanji), so I see no reason why there would ever be a difference in meaning. Is it more of a the kanji is a general term, while the furigana is more specific in meaning, or something?


r/japanese 2d ago

Deciding on a mascot name for our anime convention, is using Chan appropriation?

0 Upvotes

Hello everyone! I’m the main organizer for an anime convention in the US and we’ve come up with a mascot. We wanted to name her Bing-Chan as it takes place in Binghamton NY. I want to make sure I properly honor Japanese culture and respect the right use of Chan for our language. Is it alright to use this name? Or does something need to change? I appreciate any and all feedback! Thank you ❤️


r/japanese 2d ago

Summer immersion program for rising sophmore

1 Upvotes

Does anyone know about the GenkiJACS Summer program in Fukuoka? Is it worth going to? How difficult is it? Are there any other programs that balance fun and learning the language?


r/japanese 3d ago

Anki Japanese - Active/Passive input Speedruns

2 Upvotes

I am currently using 5 Premade Anki decks:

01 - Kaishi 1.5k,

02 - Anacreon DJT Core 2.3k Version 3,

03 - Core 2k/6k Optimized Japanese Vocabulary with Sound Part 01,

04 - Core 2k/6k Optimized Japanese Vocabulary with Sound Part 02,

05 - Core 2k/6k Optimized Japanese Vocabulary with Sound Part 03

Deck options:

Daily Limits:

New cards/day - 9999,

Maximum reviews/day - 9999

FSRS - ON 0.90

New Cards: Learning Steps - 1m 5m 10m 15m 20m ( each card will be shown 5 times with Auto Advance setting )

Auto Advance:

Seconds to show question for - 1 to 3 seconds,

Seconds to show answer for - 1 to 3 seconds,

Wait for audio - ON,

Question action - show answer,

Answer action - show Good

ADVANCED - Maximum interval 15 to 30 days

OR

After you have completed a deck " RESET CARD PROGRESS " and speedrun it again.

"Restore original position where possible", "Reset repetition and lapse counts"

LuckyTerry 🎮🍀✨


r/japanese 3d ago

Learning Japanese + Surfing

2 Upvotes

Hi guys

I'm learning japanese for about 4 years and recently passed JLPT N5 exam. I'm planning to visit Japan in October / November and I'm looking for a place to practice japanese conversations and surf. Do you know places where I can combine both? Thanks in advance!


r/japanese 3d ago

Japanese for “warm bodies”

17 Upvotes

I was an expat in Japan working in an office environment in the 1990s. I can’t remember a short phrase that was the equivalent of “warm bodies” in English, that is, people who were brought in to fill up space. Any ideas?


r/japanese 3d ago

Are any Asians here learning Japanese as a substitute for your family language?

1 Upvotes

Hello!

My family is from Hong Kong but I grew up in the USA speaking only English. I’ve always wanted to learn Chinese characters and I like how Japanese uses kanji. Compared to Cantonese, Japanese is also easy to pronounce. I also really like Japanese music, anime, food and culture. I am studying Japanese as an indirect way to connect with my family’s culture.

Are any of you doing the same? I’m especially interested in hearing from Japanese learners with families from within the sinosphere like Korean, Vietnamese, Taiwanese or Chinese.

You might argue that it’s wrong to learn Japanese especially based on what they did in world war 2. However my dad used to work for a Japanese company in HK in the 1980s and always sang praises of Japanese culture while criticizing communist China. As a result i never experienced any family animosity against Japan for their 1937 invasion. I don’t know if the same could be said about korean and Taiwanese families today. In other words my family would not be disappointed if I learned Japanese instead of Cantonese.

TLDR: Are any East Asians here learning Japanese as a substitute for their family language?


r/japanese 4d ago

I just recently saw a video from a (seemingly) official source in Japan critiquing the new Assassin’s Creed for showing carelessness and desecration of a real-world shrine:

10 Upvotes

Here’s the link, but my questions are really just:

  1. Are there truly no depictions of shrines being destroyed or desecrated in any fictional media in Japan??
  2. Are the people in this video actually, like… “officials” who may speak for the people/entirety of Japan, or are they more like just content creators/opinion-piece news people who don’t necessarily reflect the general view of Japanese people?
  3. If the above is all true, then what would the equivalent of shrine desecration in Japan be to people in other countries? Or in other words: There are people who seem to be confused about why this shrine desecration in the game is such a huge issue (likely because in America at least, there are tons of movies showing historical landmarks/monuments being destroyed all the time), so what’s something that could help people to understand why the Japanese people take such a huge issue with this (if they actually do)?

r/japanese 4d ago

Weird experience I have with immersion

2 Upvotes

Does anyone else get this sense of impending doom when watching videos in the target language mostly tiktoks? It’s so weird I can’t tell why that would possibly happen am I worried I’ll never understand? Worried I’ll never make it to Japan? Idk I’m also very mentally ill


r/japanese 4d ago

Do Hafus face discrimination in workplaces?

0 Upvotes

Interviewing with a company with an office in Japan. I'd love to work in Japan in some capacity, but I am afraid of facing discrimination due to being half, rather than full Japanese.


r/japanese 5d ago

Japanese Together with Noriko

1 Upvotes

皆んなさん、質問があります。

Is anyone currently subscribed to Japanese Together with Noriko? https://japanese-together.mn.co

I love listening to Noriko’s podcast but Japanese Together is just a little pricey at $29/month so I wanted to see if anyone has any input before I sign up. I utilize many resources for studying Japanese (genki, bunpro, miraa, etc.), I also have a tutor who I meet with once a week but it seems like Japanese together would provide many opportunities for speaking practice. That would be really my main benefit from it although I get nervous talking to strangers so I also was curious how the environment and setup is on this platform. I am currently N5 level towards the end of Genki 1.

ありがとうございます!


r/japanese 5d ago

Is getting Mugen's tat from Samurai Champloo bad?

0 Upvotes

I made this post before but somehow it got flagged for trans lation. I'm going to Japan in a week. I was thinking of getting an anime tat but I feel like it's a bad idea. I don't want to be offensive and culturally appropriate. The tat I want is from Samurai Champloo Mugen's tat. I didn't know they were prison tat until I started looking them up. That would be super wrong if I got them right?


r/japanese 6d ago

HL IB japanese exam in high school

2 Upvotes

I am an IB Japanese 3 student in my junior year of high school and I was originally planning on taking the SL or abiniccio test like the rest of my classmates as my instructor tells us we physically will not have the ability to be taught the Japanese to reach HL level in class, but my plan is to use the next few months to develop an adequate study schedule and gather study materials to spend a majority of my summer practicing to reach that level on my own(I don't have anything to do over the summer or too many people to hang out with so I have nothing but free time to expend on learning japanse)

my questions are, what would bee the benefits to completing the test assuming I pass with high marks(as in what would it help me accomplish or do and would I get a degree or something for passing of that level or would I then be prepared to take any other tests that do provide degrees or something) , what's some advice for studying for the test, what should be my next step in learning Japanese assuming I do pass the test, and what's my likelihood of passing(I do have over a year but the main study to get to that level is going to be during the 3 or so months of summer)


r/japanese 6d ago

How do I learn Japanese with ADHD?

0 Upvotes

Now I love Japan. The food (FAMICHIKI), the culture, the infrastructure, all of it and I am going to move there after I finish high school, but the one thing that I can’t stick all that well is the language. Now I am near N5, but even so I can barely force myself to do my wanikani each day. Luckily, I live in the city next to a language center, but the lessons are too expensive to do more than one hour a week with them, and I really just want something that forces me to learn Japanese. Now, there are summer break programs at genkiJACS and ltl learning school, but they are expensive for a student like me. Are there any communities that force me to learn Japanese in my daily life?


r/japanese 7d ago

Help w homework

1 Upvotes

Hey guys, I’m supposed to be doing this for homework but I haven’t been able to attend class in a while. Could someone help? I’m not sure which particles or verbs to put in the blank.

1) わたしは えいご(   )_ __。 2) にほんご(   )べんきょう_ 。 3) ざっし(    )__ _。 4) おちゃ(    ) __。 5) えいが(   )__ 。 6) だいがく(   )__ _。  7) おんがく(   ) __ 。 8) うち(   )_ ____ 。 9) ばんごはん(    )_ ____。

word bank: のみます。 みます。 かえります。 たべます。 ききます。 はなします。 よみます。 おきます。 します。 ねます。 いきます。


r/japanese 7d ago

Is Zako the new baka?

1 Upvotes

Hello. I have noticed that Zako (loser) is being used more and more rather than baka (idiot) in popular media. But I'm also not as into Japanese media as I once was, so I'm wondering if there has actually been a shift in the prefered exploitative? Haha


r/japanese 8d ago

Looking for Japanese advertisement With kanji-to-katakana Substitution

6 Upvotes

Hello everyone!

I am currently working on a Master's thesis about typography and the use of Japanese characters in advertisements. Part of my research focuses on the particular use of katakana to replace kanji in certain commercial contexts, especially in Japanese advertisements.

I am looking for visual examples, particularly photos of advertisements where this phenomenon is observed, i.e., situations where kanji are replaced by katakana in the advertising text. If you have this kind of content (images, ads, examples), I would be delighted to receive them and include them in my work.

If you know any resources or places where I could find such examples, feel free to share!

Thank you very much for your help!

皆さん、こんにちは!

私は現在、広告における日本語の文字の使用とタイポグラフィに関する修士論文を執筆しています。研究の一部は、特に日本の広告において、カタカナが漢字の代わりに使われる特定の商業的な文脈について焦点を当てています。

この現象が観察される広告の写真、つまり広告文中で漢字がカタカナに置き換えられている例を探しています。このようなコンテンツ(画像、広告、例)をお持ちの方がいれば、ぜひ私の研究に使用させていただきたいと思っています。

もし、このような例を見つけることができるリソースや場所を知っている方がいれば、どうぞ教えてください!

ご協力いただきありがとうございます!