Here are some Japanese words that can drive English-speakers crazy when learning Japanese!
Japanese (Page 3)
Always be mindful of what you write or let others write for you. You never know when it will be scrutinized by thousands upon thousands of Japanese people.
Keepin’ it neat and tidy…
You’ll feel motivated to both study harder and buy this textbook when you see this unconventional sample sentence!
What do ordinary Japanese people think of a viral video which depicts a situation wherein a Japanese person is unable to process foreigners’ fluent Japanese?
In Japan, you don’t “like” something on Facebook, you “ii ne” it. But what about the five other “reactions” that Facebook has just added?
Condensing the entire plot of a feature film into a handful of words without accidentally implying that it sucks is surprisingly difficult—as these 10 eye-wateringly terrible film taglines clearly show.
You can learn all the words and practice all the kanji, but there’s one little Japanese language quirk that will almost certainly trip you up when you first encounter it.
A research group from the Kyushu Institute of Technology have announced that they have successfully read certain words and letters from people’s minds without them saying anything.
In terms of pronunciation Japanese is surprisingly easy to get to grips with, but some words can be real tongue-tanglers! Here are 10 of the worst!
Why have a boring old round Christmas pudding when you could have a delicious fruit-cake version of Japan’s national broadcaster’s mascot on your table?
What happens when children contribute new entries to dictionaries? Cat ears happen, that’s what! Err, but maybe not the kind we were hoping for…
Love Japan? Want to learn Japanese? Check out RocketNews24’s six fundamental top tips for learning Japanese!
Speakers of certain languages sometimes get a leg-up when learning Japanese. For example, Japanese includes Chinese characters, which means Chinese speakers can often get the gist of a text even if they don’t understand the grammar. Similarly, Korean speakers might find that Japanese grammar is kinda similar to theirs. And we native English speakers get a huge helping hand from the hundreds of English loan words that have been adopted into modern Japanese.
But sometimes, these loan words aren’t really our friends at all. Instead, they’re what’s known as false friends – words that sound similar in two languages yet have a completely different meaning. In co-opting English words into Japanese, sometimes our crafty Nihonjin pals have assigned our words to things that actually mean something totally different. It’s almost like they’re trying to trick us!
Join us for a quick primer on some Japanese loanwords you might have heard before, and what they really mean!
For English speakers, the Japanese language can be difficult to master. The writing system is completely alien, sentences sound like something Yoda would say thanks to the order the words come in, and while it makes perfect sense once you get the hang of it, the Japanese’s habit of omitting pronouns can make conversations almost impossible to follow.
The good news is that for short visits to Japan you can usually get by with very little Japanese since people are usually extremely patient and accommodating. A bit of miming here and a “please” and a “thank you” there will get you a long way.
But if you’re not familiar with Japanese hand gestures, you may end up in a sticky—or at least rather embarrassing—situation…
Whether we like to admit it or not, where we were brought up has a huge impact on the person we become. From our way of thinking to what foods we prefer, it’s hard to deny that our environment shapes our personal identity.
While some people come from nations that are veritable melting pots of backgrounds, languages, and cultures, others come from a country with much more homogeneity. Japan is one such country, and its people have a strong sense of identity—though they may not readily admit it.
But often during a trip to a foreign country, there comes a moment of self-realization where they become aware of just how Japanese they really are. A recent survey asked Japanese travelers to identify the five moments they felt most Japanese when abroad. The results are really quite telling.
Celebrating its first anniversary, feast, the lingerie brand designed by Gomi Hayakawa and known for targeting women with smaller chest sizes, has released a new lingerie collection, called “Glossy Ribbon Mermaid”.
One of the great pleasures of visiting Japan is the chance to sleep in a futon, traditional Japanese bedding that’s freshly laid out on the floor every evening. When you’ve got a nice thick mattress pad, a fluffy, quilted duvet cover and a compact buckwheat pillow, a night sleeping on tatami straw floors is a night few foreigners forget.
Now you can share the traditional Japanese bedtime experience with your feline friends, with a gorgeous new range of futons created especially for the discerning four-legged customer. From the gorgeous Japanese prints to the matching pillow and the ergonomic, tail-friendly design, this is the best chance yet for obliging humans to finally reclaim their beds!
Selfies taken on smartphones are one of the must-dos for the young girls nowadays, and Japan is no exception. As popular Japanese pop icons or teen models post their selfies on social medias, Japanese young girls would fire up their camera apps and pose the similar way. They do this not just to be like the icons they admire, but also to figure out the best poses for looking good on Twitter or Instagram.
With this in mind, today we have listed 10 selfie poses that young Japanese girls are likely to do on Twitter and Instagram! Maybe you’ll learn a new move or two?
MOST POPULAR
Now
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new Frappuccino and latte for Valentine’s Day
We followed Tokyo’s mystery walking map and ended up creating our own bar-hopping adventure
Hokkaido has an Ice Festival that’s less famous than the Snow one, but beautiful in its own way
New adults go wild at Seijinshiki Coming-of-Age ceremony in Kitakyushu, Japan 【Photos】
Man arrested for violating Japan’s anti-dueling law in downtown Tokyo
Starbucks Japan reveals new sakura drinkware collection, inspired by evening cherry blossoms
Studio Ghibli’s kodama ready to leave the Princess Mononoke forest as a squeezable keychain【Pics】
Japanese women showing rebounding interest in giving Valentine’s Day chocolate【Survey】
Researchers in Japan give mouse glowing sperm
Weekly
10 times to avoid traveling in Japan in 2026
Our 52-year-old pole dancing reporter shares his tips for achieving your New Year’s exercise goal- Starbucks Japan releases new Frappuccino and latte for Valentine’s Day
Ramen restaurant’s English menu prices are nearly double its Japanese ones, denies discriminating
Umamusume anime girl plushie recalled for having parts she absolutely should not have【Pics】
Princess Mononoke magnets return just in time to treat yourself to awesome anime decorations
Top Japanese cosplayer Enako returns to Comiket after 6 years, creates mayhem with admirers
Giant hotel rooms in Osaka reflect the new non-niche face of travel in Japan.
We ate sushi made from Japan’s most expensive tuna ever【Taste test】
Japanese beef bowl chain Sukiya’s 2026 Smile Box lucky bag basically pays for itself
Monthly
- 10 times to avoid traveling in Japan in 2026
Starbucks Japan ready to get Year of the Horse started with adorable drinkware and plushies【Pics】
7-Eleven Japan starts new temporary luggage storage service in over 300 branches- Our 52-year-old pole dancing reporter shares his tips for achieving your New Year’s exercise goal
Disillusionment at Tsukiji’s tourist-target prices led us to a great ramen restaurant in Tokyo- Starbucks Japan releases new Frappuccino and latte for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks teams up with 166-year-old Kyoto doll maker for Year of the Horse decorations【Photos】
Tokyo’s Tsukiji sushi neighborhood asks tour groups to stay away for the rest of the month- Ramen restaurant’s English menu prices are nearly double its Japanese ones, denies discriminating
Japan may add Japanese language proficiency, lifestyle classes to permanent foreign resident requirements
Yearly
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says- Starbucks Japan reveals new sakura drinkware collection, inspired by evening cherry blossoms
Updated cherry blossom forecast shows extra-long sakura season for Japan this year
Human washing machine pods coming to Japanese hotels【Photos】
RECOMMENDED STORIES
Man arrested for violating Japan’s anti-dueling law in downtown Tokyo
Starbucks Japan reveals new sakura drinkware collection, inspired by evening cherry blossoms
Studio Ghibli’s kodama ready to leave the Princess Mononoke forest as a squeezable keychain【Pics】
Japanese women showing rebounding interest in giving Valentine’s Day chocolate【Survey】
Researchers in Japan give mouse glowing sperm
Japan’s super easy sweet potato spread lets you make sweet potato bread thanks to Don Quijote
Say hello to Japan’s new stationmaster cat!【Video】
What’s inside Starbucks Japan’s fukubukuro lucky bag for 2026?
Starbucks Japan releases new popcorn Frappuccino at one special location
Pokémon Lego kits are finally on their way!【Photos】
Giant hotel rooms in Osaka reflect the new non-niche face of travel in Japan.
Japanese KitKat gets a new look as a lucky Pizza Hut Melt in Japan
I can’t believe it’s not fish eggs? Taste-testing Japan’s imitation “almost ikura”【Photos】
This Japanese sweets shop specializes in beautiful flower-shaped ohagi rice cakes
-
