One Point Lessons
The following examples are from "Modern Colloquialisms Japanese-English" by Edward G. Seidensicker and Michihiro Matsumoto, 1977
Japanese: kon-nichiwa
English: Hi! or Good afternoon!
A
J: arigato
E: Thanks (not alligator!)
abura-o-uru : *itsu mo abura o utte inaide shigoto o shitara doda.
shoot the breeze : *You should do some work instead of shooting the breeze all the time.
ah-demo-nai-koh-demo-nai : *sono mondai ni tsuite ah demo nai koh demo nai to giron shita ga, nan no ketsuron mo denakatta.
bat around : * We batted the problem around and didn't get anywhere.
adokenai : * kanojo niwa mada adokenasa ga nokotte iru. :
innocent : * There's still something innocent about her.
afutah-sahbisu : *afutah-sahbisu ga shikkari shite iru kara sono burando ni shita nosa.
after-sale service : * The reason I chose that brand was the reliability of after-sale service.
azen-to-suru: * yujin no Hayashi ga Tokyo Daigaku ni haitta toki, kyoshi tachi wa azen to shita.
be dumfounded : * The teachers were dumfounded when my friend Hayashi got into Tokyo University.
ato-no-matsuri :
The damage is done.
aisowarai : * kanojo wa itsu mo aisowarai bakari shite iru.
a put-on smile : * She always has a put-on smile.
ajikenai : * dokushin no ajikenai seikatsu wa kare ni kekkon wo kangaesaseru youni natta.
insipid : * His insipid life as a bachelor drove him to thoughts of marriage.
aka-no-tanin : * iie, mita koto mo nai aka no tanin desu.
a complete stranger : * No, he's a complete stranger to me. I've never seen him before.
akirekaeru : * sono nyuusu wo kiita toki, akirekaette nanto itte yoi ka wakaranakatta.
be astounded (by) : * I was so astounded by the news that I could not answer.
aku-ga-tsuyoi : * aku no tsuyoi hito wa chiimu waaku no hitsuyouna shigoto niwa mukanai.
come on too strong : * People who come on too strong aren't the best type for jobs requiring teamwork.
akuseku-hataraku:
work and slave
akuun-ga-tsuyoi
have the devil's own luck
amaku-miru:
kid oneself
amayakasu:
baby
ame-to-muchi:
the carrot and the stick
ana-ga-attara-hairitai:
wish one could sink through the floor
anote-konote:
the whole bag of tricks
anzuru-yori-umu-ga-yasushi:
easier than one thinks
arakasegi(-suru):
rake in the money
arigata-meiwaku:
an unwante favor
B
bachi-ga-ataru:
get it
baka-no-hitotsuoboe:
all one knows
bakazu-o-fumu:
get a lot of practical experience
bakyaku-o-arawasu:
give oneself away
banare-suru:
feel at home
banjikyuusu:
There is no way out.
bochibochi:
bit by bit
bokasu:
refuse to come out and say
bokeru:
be out of it
bushoohige:
a three-day beard
C
chakasu:
playfully twist someone's words
chimayou:
go out of one's mind
chinoke-ga-hiku:
turn white as a ghost
chinpunkanpun:
gibberish
chiyahoya-suru:
make a fuss over
choojiri-o-awaseru
make up for
chonbo:
a goof
chooshi-o-awaseru:
play along with
chotto-shita:
quite (a)
D
daberu:
shoot the bull
dada-o-koneru:
be unreasonable
daigomi:
the real thrill
dainashi:
ruin
daisoreta:
wild
dajare:
a pun
dame-de-motomoto
can't do any harm
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