TCJ Blog

“I like you” or “我喜欢你” (Chinese). This is the phrase used in English or Chinese when saying “I like you.” However, when translating them into Japanese, there are many ways to say “I,” such as “Watashi wa anata ga suki desu,” “Ore wa kimi ga suki desu,” or “Uchi wa anata ga suki desu.” These “I” or “我” (which means “I” in Chinese) are called first-person pronouns. First-person pronouns are used to describe the speaker or writer. Japanese first-person pronouns have a variety of options besides “watashi.”

In this article, we’ll introduce how Japanese is generally spoken in everyday life, using examples from anime. I believe you can enjoy anime even more after learning some important points about Japanese!

Counting animals in Japanese has some special rules. We’ll introduce some of the most common counters used for animals—“hiki”, “tou”, “wa”, and “bi”—in an easy-to-understand way. Imagine the illustrations as you learn, and have fun exploring these counters. After reading, you’ll probably want to try counting the animals around you yourself!

If you’ve ever studied Japanese even a little, you’ve probably come across the words “お父さん otōsan” and “お母さん okāsan”, which are used to address parents. However, you might have wondered: “I just learned ‘父 chichi’ and ‘母 haha’ in my class, but in the movie I watched last week, they said ‘親父 oyaji’ and ‘おふくろ ofukuro’. Which one is correct?” Today, we’ll dive into the fascinating world of how people in Japan address their parents in various ways.

We’ll explore the situations in which Japanese native speakers use the word “kawaii” and delve into its various meanings. By the end of this article, you’ll likely find yourself eager to incorporate “kawaii” into your daily conversations!