At first glance, written Japanese and Chinese seem to share a lot. Both use Chinese characters—called hanzi in Chinese and kanji in Japanese—and many characters look exactly the same. In fact, Japanese writing contains thousands of kanji that were directly borrowed from classical Chinese. Because of this shared origin, it’s easy to assume that a […]
Category: explanations
If you’ve ever studied Japanese, Chinese, or Korean—or traveled around East Asia—you’ve probably noticed a striking similarity: Chinese characters appear in all three cultures. These characters are called kanji in Japanese, Hanzi in Chinese, and Hanja (한자) in Korean. But do Koreans still learn Hanja (Chinese characters) in school the way Japanese students rigorously study […]
—from someone who actually finished all three books—and lived to write about it If you’re here, you’ve likely heard about the Heisig method—the famous system behind Remembering the Kanji. Maybe you’ve seen an SRS deck with keywords like “river,” “idea,” or “collapse.” You’re curious whether this method works—and whether it’s worth investing months (or even […]
If you’re watching anime or reading manga (or listening to or reading Yakuza words) and hear a character shout something like: 「見るか！」 You might wonder — are they asking a question? Or refusing something? The answer is: it depends on the tone and context. In anime and casual Japanese, 〜か isn’t always a simple question […]
The character お (pronounced “oh”) is the fifth and final vowel in the Japanese gojūon sequence: i.e. a, i, u, e, o. Though it’s the last of the vowel group, it’s just as essential — appearing in hundreds of common words, polite expressions, and foundational grammar patterns. Whether you’re greeting someone with おはよう (ohayou – […]
When you’re learning Japanese, each kana character you study isn’t just a symbol to memorize — it’s a piece of a larger linguistic puzzle that reveals how the Japanese language works. The hiragana character え (pronounced “eh”) is one of the five foundational vowels and a sound you’ll encounter constantly in everyday conversation, reading, and […]
The hiragana character う (pronounced “oo”, like in “food”) is the third vowel in the Japanese gojūon order (i.e. a, i, u, e, o) and a fundamental sound in the language. As with its vowel siblings, う is clear, consistent, and essential for forming words, conjugating verbs, and expressing tone in both written and spoken […]
When you’re just starting out with Japanese, few characters are as important to your foundation as い. It’s the second vowel in the gojūon order (i.e. a, i, u, e, o) and one of the five core sounds that appear in nearly every aspect of Japanese speech and grammar. Like its vowel siblings, い is […]
Learning Japanese is like piecing together a puzzle — every character you master reveals more about how the language works. The hiragana character あ (pronounced “ah”) is one of the most essential pieces of that puzzle. It’s the very first sound in the gojūon order (i.e. a, i, u, e, o), and the starting point […]
Embark on a thrilling Kanji Quest Adventure to master Japanese numbers 1 to 100! Forget boring memorization—here’s a beginner-friendly, self-taught journey using kanji as magical runes in a fantasy world. This guide covers numbers 1–10 and the tens (10, 20, 30, 40–100) with unique mnemonics, treasure hunts, and creative exercises. No apps or books needed—just […]
If you’ve watched any action-packed anime or gritty Japanese dramas/films, chances are you’ve heard a character yell something like: 「手を出すんじゃねえ！」Don’t you dare lay a hand (on them)! This kind of phrase is often delivered with fire and fury, but what exactly is going on grammatically? And how does it differ from more standard expressions? 🔍 […]
Learning the Okinawan dialect (also known as Uchinaaguchi うちなーぐち) can be a fascinating journey for any intermediate Japanese language learner. Okinawan Japanese is a branch of the broader Ryukyuan language family and differs significantly from standard Japanese in pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar. While the standard dialect is commonly spoken today, understanding the traditional Okinawan language […]
Proverbs carry timeless wisdom, and 井の中の蛙、大海を知らず (A frog in a well does not know the great ocean) is one of Japan’s most cherished. This saying has long encouraged us to broaden our horizons and seek greater knowledge beyond our immediate surroundings. It speaks to the dangers of limited perspectives and calls for exploration. However, what […]
In Japanese, the particle は is used to indicate the topic of a sentence, while the particle が is used to indicate the subject of a sentence. The topic of a sentence is the general subject being discussed, while the subject is the specific thing performing the action of the verb in the sentence. For […]