にほんごのたね Nihongo no Tane with Yumi

We spend so much time behind our computer screens, so it is nice to, once-in-a-while, actually meet people. Today, Yumi shares a meeting with a Makoto+ member who happened to be in town. It was a lot of fun and helped motivate Yumi to keep on doing what she's doing.

KEY VOCABULARY:

わざわざ taking the trouble (to do something)

海(うみ)を越(こ)えて crossing the sea and

有名人(ゆうめいじん) famous person

用事(ようじ) business; tasks; affairs

年齢(ねんれい) age

鬼滅(きめつ)の刃(やいば) Demon Slayer (manga/anime)

披露(ひろう) presentation; displaying

自画自賛(じがじさん) self-praise

阿部寛(あべひろし) Abe Hiroshi (famous movie and TV star in Japan)

日本通(にほんつう) expert of Japan; Japanophile

交流(こうりゅう) exchange

機会(きかい)があれば whenever (I) have a chance

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-93

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-93-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

A Makoto+ member had a question for Yumi. "Why are Diet members (Japanese parliament) called "kun" when "kun" is mostly for little boys?" Good question. Listen as Yumi delves into the fascinating history behind this common honorific title.

KEY VOCABULARY:

子供(こども)の頃(ころ) when I was a kid; childhood

そういう感(かん)じ such a feeling; that's how (I) feel

新聞社(しんぶんしゃ) newspaper company

決(き)まりがある there's a rule

年下(としした) younger (person)

現代(げんだい)の日本(にほん) modern Japan

国会議員(こっかいぎいん) Diet member

子供(こども)っぽい childish

年齢(ねんれい)の高(たか)い方(かた)  older people

違和感(いわかん) feeling out of place; uncomfortable feeling; bad feeling

明治時代(めいじじだい) Meiji period (1868-1912)

江戸時代(えどじだい) Edo period (1603-1868)

武士(ぶし) samurai; warrior

農民(のうみん) farmer

商人(しょうにん) merchant

身分制度(みぶんせいど) status system; class system

廃止(はいし) abolish

敬称(けいしょう) honorary titles

平等(びょうどう) equality; impartiality

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-92

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-92-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 continues to talk about counters in Japanese. This series started due to a question from a listener about how to count Godzilla. Then, she talked about rabbits (which uses 一羽 ichiwa -- just like birds). This time, she turns her attention to fish. Fish in general are easy to count. But… of course, it isn't that simple in the real world.

KEY VOCABULARY:

数(かぞ)え方(かた) way of counting

島国(しまぐに) island country

たくさんの種類(しゅるい) many varieties

季節(きせつ)による by season; according to the season

サバ (mackerel)、サンマ (Pacific saury; mackerel pike)、アジ (horse mackerel)、マグロ (tuna)、ブリ (Japanese amberjack)、イワシ (sardine)、カツオ (bonito)、イカ (squid)、カニ (crab)、エビ (shrimp)、貝類(かいるい) (shellfish)、海藻(かいそう) (seaweed)、ワカメ (wakame seaweed)、昆布(こんぶ) (konbu kelp)、フグ (puffer fish)

水族館(すいぞくかん) aquarium

漁師(りょうし)さん fisherman

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-91

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-91-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 continues counting in Japanese. Last time, she discussed how to count Godzilla (is it 一匹 ippiki or 一頭 ittou?). This week, she turns her attention to the interesting counter for rabbits. Is it 一匹 ippiki? Nope. It's 一羽 ichiwa -- just like birds. Why? Listen as Yumi gives two possible etymologies.

KEY VOCABULARY:

数(かぞ)え方(かた) way of counting

頭(とう) counter for large animals (meaning head)

匹(ひき) counter for most small animals and insects

羽(わ) counter for birds and rabbits (means feathers)

束(たば) bundles

把(わ) counter for bundles

説(せつ)があります there is a theory

生類(しょうるい)憐(あわ)れみ mercy on living things

食糧事情(しょくりょうじじょう) food situation

一般(いっぱん)の庶民(しょみん) ordinary folk; common people                

頓智話(とんちばなし) story of a quick-witted person

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-90

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-90-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

In the original Godzilla movie from 1954, the professor uses the counter 一匹 to count Godzilla. But isn't 匹 used with small animals? Shouldn't Godzilla be counted as 一頭? This was a bit of a puzzle for Yumi too, so she researched the subject. Listen as Yumi explains what she discovered.

KEY VOCABULARY:

ゴジラ Godzilla [mix of ゴリラ (gorilla) and クジラ (whale)]

白黒(しろくろ) Black and white [in Japanese, "white and black"]

科学的(かがくてき)な説明(せつめい) scientific explanation

古臭(ふるくさ)い stale; old-fashioned; hackneyed; trite

普遍性(ふへんせい) universality; omnipresence

興味深(きょうみぶか)い very interesting; of great interest

昆虫(こんちゅう) insects; bugs

研究者(けんきゅうしゃ) researchers

脚本(きゃくほん) script

数(かぞ)え方(かた) way of counting

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-89

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-89-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

Japan has many wonderful things. The latest technology, tons of entertainment, low crime… but Japan also has one of the highest rates of suicide. Why is this so? Yumi talks about this difficult subject and gives a few of her thoughts about how to help prevent it.

KEY VOCABULARY:

自殺率(じさつりつ) suicide rate

私自身(わたしじしん)は I, myself; as for me, I…

有名(ゆうめい)な芸能人(げいのうじん) famous entertainer

他(ほか)の国(くに)の人(ひと) a person from another country

真面目(まじめ) serious; honest; sober; earnest

働(はたら)き者(もの) hard worker

ブラック企業(きぎょう) business that exploits its employees

残業(ざんぎょう) overtime work

従業員(じゅうぎょういん) employee; worker

上司(じょうし) boss; superior

精神科(せいしんか) psychiatry

助言(じょげん) advice

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-88

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-88-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 was very careful to always keep a sharp eye out on her children when they were young. In the shortest of moments, the unthinkable can happen. Japan is a very safe country most of the time, but children are left unsupervised moreso than in other countries. Yumi wonders is it's time to rethink that.

KEY VOCABULARY:

行方不明(ゆくえふめい) missing (person); lost; whereabouts unknown

一致(いっち)する to match; to agree; to conform

キャンプ場(じょう) camp site

ほんのちょっと only a little; just a little

警察(けいさつ) police

諦(あきら)めずに never give up; not giving up

残念(ざんねん)な悲(かな)しいニュース unfortunate and sad news

誘拐(ゆうかい)される to be kidnapped

神隠(かみかく)し (the idea that the gods take missing children who cannot be found)

千(せん)と千尋(ちひろ)の神隠(かみかく)し Spirited Away (anime)

冒険(ぼうけん) adventure

現実(げんじつ)には as for reality; but really

敏感(びんかん) sensitive; alert; aware

小学校(しょうがっこう)の高学年(こうがくねん) upper elementary school

後(あと)からついていきました followed after

それに比(くら)べると compared to that; comparing the two

話題(わだい)になりました became a hot topic of conversation

幼児(ようじ) toddler; young child

判断(はんだん)する to judge

無事(ぶじ)に safe and sound; safely

責任(せきにん)を取(と)る to take responsibility

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-87

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-87-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

Did you know Yumi once fell asleep during a production of Cats. You may be thinking, that's because it was in English! Nope. It was a performance in Nagoya in Japanese. She then concluded stories with lines sung rather than spoken make her sleepy and aren't worth the money. But then she saw The Phantom of the Opera.

Listen as Yumi explains a similarity that musical shares with modern anime.

KEY VOCABULARY:

オペラ座(ざ) opera house

怪人(かいじん) phantom; mysterious person

映画版(えいがばん) movie version; film version

舞台美術(ぶたいびじゅつ) stage design; scenic design

俳優(はいゆう)さん  actor

舞台(ぶたい) state (theater); scene or setting

華(はな)やかな衣装(いしょう) gorgeous costumes

幻想的(げんそうてき) fantastic; magical; wondrous; fairytale-like

傑作(けっさく) masterpiece; best work

演劇(えんげき) drama; theater; play

恋愛(れんあい) love; passion; emotion

主人公(しゅじんこう) protagonist; main character; hero (of a story)

不気味(ぶきみ)な weird; ominous; eerie

暗(くら)い雰囲気(ふんいき) dark atmosphere

気味(きみ)が悪(わる)い creepy (feeling); uneasy feeling; giving one the creeps

魅力的(みりょくてき) charming; fascinating; attractive

現象(げんしょう) phenomenon

進撃(しんげき)の巨人(きょじん) Attack on Titan

世界観(せかいかん) world view; outlook on the world

共通点(きょうつうてん) point in common; common features

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-86

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-86-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

Walk 10,000 steps a day! Have you heard that slogan? Today, Yumi talks about how many steps the latest research suggests you should walk and what one should do with conflicting health suggestions.

KEY VOCABULARY:

体(からだ)に良(よ)い good for the body

若(わか)い頃(ころ) youth; when (I) was young

ラジオ局(きょく)に勤(つと)めていた Worked at a radio station

田舎町(いなかまち)  country town

階段(かいだん) stairs

健康効果(けんこうこうか)がある have health benefits; effective for health

万歩計(まんぽけい) pedometer

最新(さいしん)の研究(けんきゅう) latest research

イエス様(さま) Jesus

何事(なにごと)も all things; everything; anything

食(た)べ過(す)ぎず飲(の)み過(す)ぎず don't eat too much; don't drink too much

ほどほどに in moderation

本末転倒(ほんまつてんとう) failing to properly evaluate the (relative) importance (of); putting the cart before the horse; getting one's priorities backwards

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-85

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-85-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

Living to 100 is becoming more common in Japan. In the 1960s, only a few hundred people were over a hundred. Today, that number is around 80,000. Yumi continues with a few of her thoughts about how she plans to live longer.

KEY VOCABULARY:

保険(ほけん) insurance

漠然(ばくぜん) vague; obscure; hazy

長生(ながい)き long life

金(かね)を貯(た)めてください please save up money

最高齢(さいこうれい) oldest (person); oldest age

認定(にんてい)されています is recognized; is certified

老人福祉法(ろうじんふくしほう) Welfare Law for the Elderly

その頃(ころ) at that time

和食(わしょく) Japanese food; Japanese diet

子育(こそだ)て raising children

紫外線(しがいせん)  ultraviolet rays

摂(と)っています taking (vitamins; protein; etc.)

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-84

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-84-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