にほんごのたね Nihongo no Tane with Yumi

Getting in shape and staying healthy isn't just to feel better now, it also increases the change one can live longer. Japanese have the longest life expectancies on earth. Today, Yumi shares a few of her thoughts about how she plans to live longer.

KEY VOCABULARY:

水筒(すいとう) canteen; water bottle; thermos

グビグビ in loud gulps (drinking)

水分(すいぶん)をとる to take (drink) liquids

 意識(いしき)し始(はじ)める to begin to be aware of; becoming aware of; to be conscious of

平均寿命(へいきんじゅみょう) life expectancy

排泄(はいせつ) excretion (poop or pee)

手(て)を借(か)りる to get someone's help; to ask for help

生活習慣病(せいかつしゅうかんびょう) lifestyle disease; disease caused by lifestyle choices

老化(ろうか)する to age; to grow old

若々(わかわか)しく保(たも)つ to maintain youthfulness

For upper beginners to intermediates. Listen to the short podcast and then answer the comprehension questions on the website: https://thejapanesepage.com/nihongonotane-index/

Take a quiz on this episode here:

https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-83

If you are a Makoto+ member, you can find the transcript, English translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF for printing:

https://MakotoPlus.com/podcast-nihongonotane-83-m

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Do you have allergies? Yumi lives in Florida and while she doesn't have bad allergies, the pollen season is bad. In Japan, however, people with allergies don't just have pollen to worry about but yellow dust from Mongolia called 黄砂【こうさ】 also.

KEY VOCABULARY:

花粉(かふん) pollen

花粉症(かふんしょう) hay fever; allergy to pollen

の季節(きせつ) the season of…

アレルギーがある to have allergies

幸(さいわ)いなことに thankfully; a good thing is

砂埃(すなぼこり) a cloud of dust or sand

積(つ)もる to build up; to accumulate

日本海側(にほんかいがわ) Western Japan on the side of the Sea of Japan

偏西風(へんせいふう) prevailing westerlies; prevailing winds blowing from west to east

モンゴルの砂漠(さばく) Mongolia deserts

PM2・5  atmospheric particulate matter with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometers; PM2.5

For upper beginners to intermediates. Listen to the short podcast and then answer the comprehension questions on the website: https://thejapanesepage.com/nihongonotane-index/

Take a quiz on this episode here:

https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-82

If you are a Makoto+ member, you can find the transcript, English translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF for printing:

https://MakotoPlus.com/podcast-nihongonotane-82-m

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Spring has sprung, and Japan is filled with pink-hued flowers floating in the air. Yumi shares a few of her sakura-related thoughts and memories.

KEY VOCABULARY:

桜(さくら) cherry blossoms

花見(はなみ) flower viewing; meeting others under cherry trees to enjoy talking and drinking while watching the blossoms.

満開(まんかい) full bloom

地元(じもと) hometown; local area

名所(めいしょ) famous places

川(かわ)のほとり river edge

川(かわ)の堤防(ていぼう) river bank; river embankment

並木道(なみきみち) tree-lined street

毛虫(けむし) catepillar

ソメイヨシノ Yoshino cherry; the most common type of cherry tree in Japan

早(はや)い者勝(ものが)ち first come, first served; the early bird catches the worm

本格的(ほんかくてき) seriously; for real; authentic; full-scale

For upper beginners to intermediates. Listen to the short podcast and then answer the comprehension questions on the website: https://thejapanesepage.com/nihongonotane-index/

Take a quiz on this episode here:

https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-81

If you are a Makoto+ member, you can find the transcript, English translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF for printing:

https://MakotoPlus.com/podcast-nihongonotane-81-m

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www.MakotoPlus.com

So-and-so looks just like that celebrity! Oh, I don't think so.

Recently two people told Yumi her son resembles someone famous. Yumi looked at the celebrities online and… didn't see the resemblance.

How is it some people see a resemblance when others don't? Today, Yumi talks about this phenomenon.

KEY VOCABULARY:

似(に)ている resembling; looks like

まず初(はじ)めは first of all

有名選手(ゆうめいせんしゅ) famous athlete

羽生結弦選手(はにゅうゆづるせんしゅ) the athlete Hanyuu Yuzuru [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuzuru_Hanyu]

同感(どうかん) agree; same feeling; same opinion

芸能人(げいのうじん) celebrity; entertainer; performer

For upper beginners to intermediates. Listen to the short podcast and then answer the comprehension questions on the website: https://thejapanesepage.com/nihongonotane-index/

Take a quiz on this episode here:

https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-80

If you are a Makoto+ member, you can find the transcript, English translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF for printing:

https://MakotoPlus.com/podcast-nihongonotane-80-m

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www.MakotoPlus.com

Do you do well speaking in front of others? Today, Yumi talks about giving speeches.

KEY VOCABULARY:

成人式(せいじんしき) coming of age ceremony

ユダヤ式(しき) Jewish style

儀式(ぎしき) ceremony; rite; ritual

招待(しょうたい) invitation

緊張(きんちょう)のあまり was so nervous that; too nervous

一時中断(いちじちゅうだん) temporary suspension

ハプニング happening; unexpected incident; unforeseen event; surprising occurrence

吐(は)き気(け)を乗(の)り越(こ)える to overcome nausea

体験(たいけん) experience

吐(は)き気(け)を催(もよお)す to feel nausea [催(もよお)す can mean "to hold (an event or party)" or "to feel (sensation; emotion; sickness; etc.)"]

演説(えんぜつ) speech

For upper beginners to intermediates. Listen to the short podcast and then answer the comprehension questions on the website: https://thejapanesepage.com/nihongonotane-index/

Take a quiz on this episode here:

https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-79

If you are a Makoto+ member, you can find the transcript, English translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF for printing:

https://MakotoPlus.com/podcast-nihongonotane-79-m

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Become a Makoto+ member and get show notes with a complete transcript, translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF.

www.MakotoPlus.com

決まり文句 kimari monku are cliched phrases used in certain situations. Today, Yumi talks about a few useful kimari monku and the situations you should use them in. Using kimari monku in the right way will make your conversational Japanese much smoother.

KEY VOCABULARY:

決(き)まり文句(もんく) set cliché phrases

挨拶(あいさつ) greetings

ある場面(ばめん) a certain scene/situation

本来(ほんらい) origin

関係(かんけい)なく unrelated

日本語独特(にほんごどくとく) unique to Japanese

どうかしてる somethings wrong (with someone or something); not right (in the head); not oneself; nuts

洗濯機(せんたっき) washing machine

文法的(ぶんぽうてき) grammatically

何(なん)とかする I'll figure out something.

なんとかなる Something will come up.

どうでもいい Anything is fine.

なんでもない It's nothing.

For upper beginners to intermediates. Listen to the short podcast and then answer the comprehension questions on the website: https://thejapanesepage.com/nihongonotane-index/

Take a quiz on this episode here:

https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-78

If you are a Makoto+ member, you can find the transcript, English translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF for printing:

https://MakotoPlus.com/podcast-nihongonotane-78-m

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Did you know Makoto+ also has online courses? We just added one on Japanese names and it is free for Shogun or lifetime members.

https://makotoplus.com/

Today, Yumi talks a little about Japanese names. To her, it is natural that 渡部 is "Watanabe" but Japanese names aren't quite as easy for the learner of Japanese. Understanding Japanese names is critical for improving understanding of movies, novels, and conversational Japanese

KEY VOCABULARY:

名前(なまえ)の読(よ)み方(かた) how to pronounce a name

苗字(みょうじ) family name; last name

変(か)わった名字(みょうじ) a strange name; an unusual name

珍(めずら)しい unusual

ラジオ局(きょく) radio station

全国的(ぜんこくてき)に nationally; the nation as a whole

地元(じもと)で local; locally

旧姓(きゅうせい) maiden name

世代(せだい)を遡(さかのぼ)ります going back generations [遡(さかのぼ)る (to go back (in time); to date back to; to trace back to)]

For upper beginners to intermediates. Listen to the short podcast and then answer the comprehension questions on the website: https://thejapanesepage.com/nihongonotane-index/

Take a quiz on this episode here:

https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-77

If you are a Makoto+ member, you can find the transcript, English translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF for printing:

https://MakotoPlus.com/podcast-nihongonotane-77-m

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Become a Makoto+ member and get show notes with a complete transcript, translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF.

www.MakotoPlus.com

Yumi posts daily vocabulary images on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/thejapanshop/). For the past month or so, the lessons have been on Japanese slang. Slang can be fun but also a little dangerous if used in improper contexts. Listen as Yumi talks about slang and her time as a radio DJ.

KEY VOCABULARY:

一時的(いちじてき) temporary

仲間同士(なかまどうし) among friends; peers [the 同士 means "fellow" or "mutual" and shows the members of that group are similar in some way.]

犯罪者(はんざいしゃ) criminal

業界用語(ぎょうかいようご) industry terminology; professional jargon

ラジオ局(きょく) radio station

完(かん)パケ complete package; recording of a program from start to finish

ギャラ fee paid to performing artists

番宣(ばんせん) program (theater; TV; radio; etc) [short for 番組宣伝(ばんぐみせんでん)]

ドタキャン last-minute cancellation

流行(はや)りの言葉(ことば) buzzword

俗語(ぞくご)  slang; colloquialism

For upper beginners to intermediates. Listen to the short podcast and then answer the comprehension questions on the website: https://thejapanesepage.com/nihongonotane-index/

Take a quiz on this episode here:

https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-76

If you are a Makoto+ member, you can find the transcript, English translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF for printing:

https://MakotoPlus.com/podcast-nihongonotane-76-m

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www.MakotoPlus.com

Yumi's cat and her childish embarrassment (this story is from when she was a first grade elementary student) gets her into some trouble at school. Do you know what 濡(ぬ)れ衣(ぎぬ)を着(き)せる means? Listen to today's podcast and find out.

KEY VOCABULARY:

思(おも)い出(で) memories; recollections; reminiscences

真(ま)っ赤(か) bright red

教室(きょうしつ) classroom

〇〇君(くん) boy called X [the 〇〇 is read "maru maru" and indicates a certain but unnamed name]

恥(は)ずかしかった was embarrassed; was shy

察(さっ)してくれた (the teacher) sensed and sympathized with (Yumi's embarrassement) [察(さっ)する (to sympathize with; to guess; to sense; to presume; to judge]

濡(ぬ)れ衣(ぎぬ)を着(き)せる falsely accuse someone of a crime; pin a crime on someone; frame [literally, to put wet clothes (on someone)]

叱(しか)られる to be scolded

For upper beginners to intermediates. Listen to the short podcast and then answer the comprehension questions on the website: https://thejapanesepage.com/nihongonotane-index/

Take a quiz on this episode here:

https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-75

If you are a Makoto+ member, you can find the transcript, English translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF for printing:

https://MakotoPlus.com/podcast-nihongonotane-75-m

Continuing with the animal-theme from recent episodes, Yumi tells us about her first cat. The cat was plump and so received the name "Koro" (roly-poly). But… there was a reason for the cat's plumpness. Little Yumi was surprised when strange-looking mice-like creatures began coming out of her cat.

KEY VOCABULARY:

子(こ)どもの頃(ころ) childhood

思(おも)い出(で) memory

三毛猫(みけねこ) calico cat

名付(なづ)けた named (the cat)

すりすり snuggling; cuddling

かわいがりました to be affectionate; to pet (a pet); to cherish

押(お)し入(い)れ closet

ねずみ色(いろ) gray [mouse colored]

お察(さっ)しの通(とお)り as you can guess; as you may have figured out

感心(かんしん)して took to heart; admire; be impressed; astonishment

本能(ほんのう) instincts

お医者(いしゃ)さん doctor

看護師(かんごし) nurse

産婆(さんば)さん midwife (obsolete)

助産師(じょさんし)さん midwife (current term)

For upper beginners to intermediates. Listen to the short podcast and then answer the comprehension questions on the website: https://thejapanesepage.com/nihongonotane-index/

Take a quiz on this episode here:

https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-74

If you are a Makoto+ member, you can find the transcript, English translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF for printing:

https://MakotoPlus.com/podcast-nihongonotane-74-m

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Become a Makoto+ member and get show notes with a complete transcript, translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF.

www.MakotoPlus.com