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Cool Japanese

The enemy teams front guard fell right into our trap. Weve practically won already!

Set phrases: / - when push comes to shove / when it really matters

theres no other way to put it

Theyre feeding each other in the cafeteria. If thats not called lovebirds I dont know what is.

even conceding 100 steps

Even in the impossible scenario that you were a time traveller from the future like you claim,
I still wouldnt lend you my car.

The speaker hypothetically acknowledges someones unlikely or far-fetched claim.


Used to reinforce the speakers position in an argument or debate.

unless exceedingly...

on the dawn of... (after...)

After Ive participated in this match, youre going tell me all the information you know. Got it?

A very dramatic/stylized expression meaning after.

A person probably wont be able to solve this cipher unless theyre exceedingly smart.

Typically used to emphasize the difficulty/impossibility of something.

the ~er, the better

The value of a sumo wrestler isnt determined simply by how large their body is.

The quality/amount of ~ is paramount in determining somethings worth/merit.

Major Ateji

having ~ already determined/in place


A debate with a predetermined conclusion is, after all, nothing more than a farce.
Typically used to criticize a lack of flexibility/substance.

even after...

This powerful presence, theyre truly like a celebrity!


What a fierce man to keep fighting even after death.

Go easy on me.

Bring it on.
I take back what I just said.

Ill consider it.

navy

royal/cobalt blue

Japanese indigo

ultramarine

Well, whatever. / So be it.

Serves you right.

blue

dark cyan

sky/baby blue

aqua

Thats a silly question.

Ill do it if I feel like it.

! Mind your own business!

I humbly decline. / Ill pass.

?!

You can say that again.

No problem. / Anytime.

Are you serious!? / No way!

?!

Eureka!

What a coincidence.

Have you lost your mind!?

Take care. (parting for a long time)


/ Goodbye. (casual)

Color Terms

whimsical

I strongly disapprove.

I love you
far ahead of
the competition

Stock Phrases

Pleased to meet you

Set phrase: () - even now

You dont mean...! / Impossible!

A gentleman must never tell dirty jokes in the presence of women.

extra attention to something that


: Draws
the speaker feels is particularly noteworthy. ( )

for anyone in the position of ~

Used when describing the qualifications of a position/role.

Used with naming verbs like: ()


aquamarine

green

Japanese green

jade green

dark green

evergreen

teal

celadon

spring green

moss green

olive green

fern/pea green

maize

yellow

straw/flax

amber/topaz

orange

brick red/terracotta

auburn

beige

Do your best. / Good luck.

Theres absolutely no way that could be true.

What in the world has gotten into you/him/her?

Youd do the same for me if I was in trouble.

Youll gain nothing by flattering me.

Youve almost got it right, but not quite.

Sorry to interrupt, but I need your attention for a moment.

Shame on the man who turns down a womans advances.

May the force be with you.

: - to open ones mouth for food. - combination of (idiot) and (couple)

: Alternate kanji: / : Also:


: Usually understood to be an indirect way to turn down a suggestion.

bitter/astringent - refined (taste)

I love... in Various Dialects

depressing - annoying, pesky

vermilion

brown

khaki

scarlet

chestnut

apricot/champagne

flesh/peach

red

madder

azalea/hot pink

pink

rosewood/burgundy

crimson

fuchsia/magenta

light pink

...

shady, dubious

distant, reserved

disspirited, pitiable

intrusive, uncalled-for

healthy

prompt, speedy

modest (amount), meager


supple

mild
(taste),
mellow
(voice)

graceful, gentle

Kanken 1 verbs that you might


actually come across someday

to hesitate

to anguish

to stagger

to wander

to tease

to doze

Kansai Dialect Examples

(standard Japanese in gray)

not at all
not very

Standard Japanese
Hokkaido

Tsugaru

Akita

Nagoya

Nagano

Gifu

Mie

Ishikawa

Fukui

Toyama

Kyoto

Osaka

Hyogo

Hiroshima

Okayama

Yamaguchi

Tottori

Kochi

Hakata

Nagasaki

Miyazaki

Saga

Kumamoto

Okinawa

Really, please hurry. I have to go back/home soon.

!?
!?
Are you an idiot!? What are you going to do, having bought 5 kilograms of throat lozenges!

Even if it is moms home cooking like you say, theres no way I will eat something this strange-looking!

Leave everything to me! Tonight Ill take you to a club where there are lots of super-cute girls.

It doesnt have to be this movie, right? Look, that one looks interesting too, dont you think?

Examples Using Lots of Miscellaneous Phrases & Vocab

This habanero sauce will knock your socks off! It vastly transcends the realm of super spicy.

Unfortunately its come to this, our only choice is to brace ourselves for slight injuries and jump out the window.

Despite her appearances, Yamada is a little scatterbrained. She screws things up all the time.

Even if we attacked recklessly, the most we could achieve is to make a minor retaliation before the match is over.

His intensity is on a whole different level. I get goosebumps just from making eye contact with him.

acting precocious - prone to narcissistic delusions (lit. sixth-grader syndrome)


ones first sexual intercourse of the year

a woman who is beautiful (only) when viewed from behind

a man whose personality/issues make him unsuitable as a romantic partner

a woman who displays little or no reaction during sex (like a dead tuna fish)

a person who does not seem as such, but is secretly a pervert

a girl who has been excessively sheltered by overprotective parents

when two or more men (not strangers) urinate side by side

purple

violet

periwinkle

dubious, shady, suspicious

black

dark gray

gray

light gray

illicit, lewd

To be sure, Tanaka is also a cosplayer, but dont confuse me with that half-hearted dabbler.

Sorry, something came up that I have to attend to so I must excuse myself.

Hes a shallow-natured man, who takes his stress from work out on his family.


Even if youwho was last place in a race the other dayact tough, but its not convincing at all, you know?

I suspected something like this might happen, so for a few years Ive been saving up a secret stash of money.

Alright, Ill help you out. After all, Id be less of a man if I ignored a friends request.

Study Sheets for Serious Learners

Sushi (& Other Aquatic Creature) Kanji

Of all the senseless things to say, on our first date he asked about my ex-boyfriend. I cant believe his nerve!

the exposed area of a womans thigh between her over-knee socks and skirt

Japaneses Most Peculiar Slang

dark purple

obscene, trashy - lascivious

glamourous

subtle, touchy - questionable

pitiful, contemptible

graceful, refined

embarassed (but not ashamed)

lively, bustling

calm, harmonious

irritated (feeling) - tedious

refreshing

bothersome (thing to do)

...
...

calm, tranquil

...

clever, smart

vivid, brilliant

...

dirty - raunchy - unethical

Japanese scarlet

...

Excellent! Great job!

stinky, having a bad odor

...

few (in number)

small (in size)

not really

Also creates rallying/take the plunge exclamations: (To Tokyo!) At the office he pretends to be so harmless, but when were alone together he wont stop hitting on me.

slightly

a little bit

but when ~ actually happens...

somewhat

considerably

...

quite

Speaker feels they made a (minor) mistake or were let down by something.

very

to regret/feel cheated about...

skillful - delicious /
unskillful - awful tasting
awful, dangerous

incredible

shoddy, run-down - easy (money)

drab, dull

unstylish, lame

languid, sluggish

annoying, naggy

loud, noisy

(annoyingly) persistent

verbose, overly wordy

overly indirect

stingy, cheapskate

unfair, underhanded

petty,
rubbish

insignificant, trifling

rowdy, trouble-making

sleazy, gaudy, flirty

nitpicky, stingy

uninspiring/boring (thing to do)


large

clumsy, unskillful

disgusting, creepy - vile, depraved

impatient/rash (person)

unyielding, tough

tiny, measly

erotic,
sexy
- lecherous

lacking in decency/modesty

untidy, sloppy, not presentable


tiring, exhausing

frustrating,
tantalizing

disgraceful, embarassing

remarkably

Humph! This iced coffee is almost all ice. I feel cheated having bought it.

extremely

super-

is by far the most common.

() Adjectives

Adverbs of Degree

extraordinarily

Although other grammar is possible, usage with

A Bunch of Random Adjectives

practically/basically the same as...

sushi
mackerel
sardine
sea bream
octopus
squid
shrimp
lobster
crab
flounder
eel
conger eel

sweetfish

salmon

Jack mackerel

bonito
righteye
flounder

shark

ray
puffer fish

: Can also be written:

abalone / sea urchin


scallop
carp
cod
yellowtail
herring
herring roe

sea bass

clam

trout

Like this cheat sheet? Be sure to check out Nihonshocks full pack, including:
Basic Japanese
Numbers and Time
Advanced Verbs
Advanced Grammar
Natural Japanese

Spoken Japanese
Onomatopoeia
Beyond Vocabulary
Keigo
Kanji

whiting
largehead
hairtail

sculpin

tuna

dolphin
orca
whale
crocodile

(very fatty)

(moderate fat)

(little or no fat)

http://cheatsheets.nihonshock.com/

: A common (mis)usage of is to mean the easily predictable result (= )

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