Here Fusanosuke writes about Japanese language, culture and history.
Daily posts feature new words and expressions from the authentic Japanese materials, making it easier to memorize.
Telling short stories about the new expressions is an effective way to master new vocabulary.
Taking the quotes from the Japanese culture and history proves that the phrases from the textbooks are not that boring and can be applied in different contexts.
A word/phrase a day is easy to remember especially when associated with some interesting situation.
There is so much more about the Japanese language than just drilling the kanji strokes!
I finally had a chance to listen to the based on the - A Carp on the Chopping Block Jumps Twice manga by 水城 せとな (Mizushiro Setona). Absolutely delighted drama. So much emotions!
I love this situation in by 高尾滋 (Takao Shigeru), page 5. A boy from 21 century finds himself in Taishou Japan. Not knowing how to use a fundoshi, he finds himself on the receiving end of a friend's joke who assures him that this is actually a napkin. Hence, they wear fundoshi as napkins at the table. The butler is not amused, though ))))
前掛け --まえかけ -- (n) apron
下着--したぎ-- (n) underwear
下着 has a katakana reading of ふどし which I believe refers to
--ふんどし-- (n) (1) loincloth; breechcloth; breechclout; traditional Japanese male underwear; (2) sumo wrestler's ornamental apron
Dragons, dragons! That's an important character for so many Japanese storoes
I collect beautiful title of the Japanese mangas. There is so much feeling and meaning in the way they title their books - just so extravagant for my non-Japanese mind and so helpful for learning new words and structures. So two of my favourites with dragons:
- story by 津守時生 (Tsumori Tokio), art by 加藤絵理子 (Katou Eriko). This is the manga serialization of the novels with the same title and there is based on the novel.
Manga vol.1 by 鳥人ヒロミ (Toribito Hiromi) is set in Taishou era 大正時代 - (1912 -1926). Overall very a lovely manga with fantastic historical setting and clothes, but what I found very amusing - a misplaced reference in ch.1 page 8.
The character Suo (すおう) makes a witty remark in relation to the name of another character Godou (ごどう) - ゴドーを待ちながら which is a Japanese translation of the French play En attendant Godot by Samuel Beckett (the première in 1953). If the manga is set in Taishou, Sou makes one hell of a future-teller by quoting the name of the play that will not be seen for the next 25 years ^__^
The manga by 水城 せとな - Mizushiro Setona consisting of 2 tankoubons with the most beautiful titles I've ever seen.
- The Cornered Mouse Dreams of Cheese
Kyuuso wa chiizu no yume o miru
窮鼠 --きゅうそ-- cornered rat or mouse
- A Carp on the Chopping Block Jumps Twice
Sojou no koi wa ni do haneru
俎上 --そじょう-- (n) on the chopping board
鯉 --こい -- (n) common carp; koi carp
is already out and it is a must-hear.
is upcoming in the 25.11.2009
I absolutely love the concept of comparing the emotional/physical condition to animals, and I want to start collecting the saying related to the animals/fishes/birds alike.
Jim Breen offers more about cornerned mouses and carps:
窮鼠噛猫 -- きゅうそごうびょう-- (exp) A cornered rat will bite the cat; One who is cornered will fight like a devil.
窮鼠猫を噛む --きゅうそねこをかむ -- (exp) a cornered rat will bite a cat; despair turns cowards courageous.
俎板の鯉; 俎の鯉 -- まないたのこい-- (exp) confronted with a hopeless situation; about to be cut off (e.g. in a battle) and unable to do anything
More to come when I find new expressions that feature animals.