I guess you would have this type of experiences. We will learn a lot from the real world rather than textbooks. Please enjoy this episode, maybe with your favourite coffee or tea!

This episode's vocab list:

言葉(ことば) word; phrase

すぐに quickly; soon

なかなか忘(わす)れない to not forget it easily

一方(いっぽう) on the other hand

何度(なんど)も何度(なんど)も again and again

復習(ふくしゅう) revision

さらに moreover

しばらくfor a while

先生(せんせい)としては、悲(かな)しいんですよね。As a teacher, I am sad about it.

子育(こそだ)て raising children

話題(わだい) topic

外(そと)でin an outside world; in society

頭(あたま)にしっかり残(のこ)ります。 It firmly stays in the head.

本物(ほんもの)の世界(せかい) the real world

影響力(えいきょうりょく) influence; influence level

窓(まど)の外(そと)を眺(なが)めるto look out on the outside through the window

少(すこ)し違(ちが)ってきます。 It would make a slight difference.

試(ため)してみてください！Please give it a try.

Have you been to Japan? If so, where did you visit? What did you do? Do you know new trends for travellers visiting Japan? Check out this episode!

This episode's vocab list:

コロナ後(ご)に after the COVID settled down

意外(いがい)な場所(ばしょ) unexpected places

日本中(にほんじゅう) all over Japan

海外(かいがい)からの観光客(かんこうきゃく) oversea tourists

地元(じもと)の人(ひと) local people

湯田中温泉(ゆだなかおんせん)に行(い)くことにしました。We’ve made a plan to visit Yudanaka hot spring.

しかも on top of that

温泉街(おんせんがい) hot spring resort; hot spring village

島国(しまぐに) island country

見(み)どころattractions

The Japanese word for good, ‘ii’, can sometimes be challenging to use, as its usage is slightly different between English and Japanese. It can be employed to express a beneficial perspective rather than just personal judgement. I hope you enjoy exploring this linguistic nuance in this episode.

This episode's vocab list:

いい天気(てんき)ですね。 It’s a nice day, isn’t it?

好(この)ましい favourable

晴(は)れています。 The sum is out and the sky clears up.

天気予報(てんきよほう) weather forecast

雨(あめ)が降(ふ)りそうな雲(くも) rainy clouds

青空(あおぞら) blue sky

紫外線(しがいせん) ultraviolet rays

地元(じもと)の人(ひと) local people

逆(ぎゃく)に On the contrary

気温(きおん)が下(さ)がれば when the temperature drops

親(おや) parent

そうやって生(い)きてきた私(わたし) myself who has been living in that way

気分(きぶん)も晴(は)れます。 my feeling will clear up too.

What a quirky title for this episode, right? No worries, it’s not about horror or bizarre tales. Check out this episode and explore the fascinating world of bug metaphors in Japanese expressions. I hope you enjoy this bug’s-eye view of language and culture.

This episode's vocab list:

発想(はっそう) an idea

虫(むし) bug; insect

理由(りゆう) reason

意見(いけん) opinion

カリカリする onomatopoeia

虫(むし)の居所(いどころ) a bug’s whereabouts

魂(たましい) soul; spirit

なるほど！I

全部(ぜんぶ)の表現(ひょうげん)で「魂(たましい)」が当(あ)てはまるわけではありません。It doesn’t mean that Tamashii fits

合点(がてん)が行(い)きました。 It makes sense.

居心地(いごこち)の悪(わる)いところ a place where one feels

怒(おこ)りっぽくなる to become short-tempered

もともとの意味(いみ) original meaning

想像(そうぞう)してみる to imagine;

何者(なにもの)？ who is he?

No, it wasn't a serious mishap! Check out what unfolded. That would be something you won't want to miss.

英語(えいご)の学習者(がくしゅうしゃ)でもあります。I’m also an English language learner.

例文(れいぶん) example sentences

見比(みくら)べる to compare

読解問題(どっかいもんだい) reading comprehension

ツボにはまる literally means to get stuck in a pot

鍼(はり) acupuncture

お灸(きゅう) moxa cautery

ふと疑問(ぎもん)に思(おも)う that question occurs to me

口(くち)の狭(せま)い壺(つぼ) a narrow-necked pot

どうしても～する I can’t stop doing it

先(さき)ほど a while ago

代表的(だいひょうてき)な例(れい) typical example

笑(わら)いのツボにはまる to get stuck in sense of humour

笑(わら)わずにはいられない cannot stop oneself from laughing

ツボを押(お)さえているHe knows what lies at the heart of that matter

作戦(さくせん)が成功(せいこう)した The strategy succeeded.

相手(あいて)の作戦(さくせん)に乗(の)せられる to be taken in by the other side’s strategy

相手(あいて)の思(おも)う壺(つぼ)だよ  You would play into their hands.

What did you imagine I was talking about in this episode based on the title? A tool resembling a long stick to reach an itch? Check out this episode to uncover the meaning behind the title.

This episode's vocab list:

小中高(しょうちゅうこう)の学校(がっこう) primary, middle and high schools

生徒(せいと)たち students

この休(やす)み中(ちゅう) during this holiday

宿題(しゅくだい) homework

一番嫌(いちばんいや) the most unpleasant

キャンプ用(よう)に to use for camping

やっぱり as expected

アウトドア用品店(ようひんてん) outdoor item shop

目(め)の付(つ)け所(どころ) what they focus on

ベッドマットレス bed mattress

イメージ image

シングル用(よう) for single-size use

背(せ)もたれbackrest

平(たい)らになる to become flat

座面(ざめん) seat

広(ひろ)げられる to be able to open

さらに furthermore

取(と)っ手(て) handles

肩(かた)ひも straps

言(い)わば so to speak

かゆい所(ところ)に手(て)が届(とど)くto be attentive to one’s needs; literally means to reach the itchy spot

一石二鳥(いっせきにちょう) killing two birds with one stone

一粒(ひとつぶ)で二度(にど)おいしい to have double the fun at the same

折(お)り畳(たた)み式(しき)のマット folding mattress

何(なに)かできないか考(かんが)える to consider and find out what I can do

Please imagine a beautiful night sky, and you will be relaxed. If you have a chance, have an escape to enjoy stargazing!

 This episode's vocab list:

流行(はや)っている to be popular

星空(ほしぞら) starlit sky

眺(なが)める to have a view

流(なが)れ星(ほし) a shooting star

携帯(けいたい)の電波(でんぱ) mobile reception

届(とど)かない out of reach

夜空(よぞら) night sky

見上(みあ)げる to look up

I believe that teachers who can say I don't know or I need to check would be great ones when students asked a difficult question. Honestly, it's not easy to say that. But I believe that is a key to establishing a good rapport with my students.

This episode's vocab list:

対策(たいさく) scheme

くしゃみ a sneeze

英語圏(えいごけん) English-speaking world

その質問(しつもん)をされる to be asked the question.

相手(あいて) the other person; the other party

気(き)づかう to behave with one’s concern or worry

“Bless you!”に当(あ)たる決(き)まった文句(もんく)  a set phrase/expression equivalent for “Bless you!”

ところが、 however

つまり、 in other words

そういう習慣(しゅうかん) that type of customary

過去(かこ)にin the past

・・・ということです。It means that…

恥(は)ずかしながら、 I’m ashamed but to be honest

改(あらた)めて、once again

読解力(どっかいりょく)を高(たか)める to raise reading comprehension

知識(ちしき)を広(ひろ)める to broaden your knowledge

材料(ざいりょう) material

Are you studying for a Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) currently or have you? Reading exercise would be tough and boring for learners, although I found myself enjoy reading short stories from the exercise book for JLPT. Check out this episode!

This episode's vocab list:

読解(どっかい) reading comprehension

問題(もんだい) exercise questions

学者(がくしゃ) scholars

馬鹿(ばか)でなければならない to have to be a fool

お勧(すす)めしません to not recommend

話(はなし)を続(つづ)けますね。I will continue talking.

基本的(きほんてき)にbasically

先(さき)が想像(そうぞう)できる人(ひと) people who can most correctly imagine the future

前途(ぜんと)多難(たなん) です。many problems lie ahead.

行(い)き詰(づ)まりdeadlock

やる気(き)を失(うしな)うTo lose the will to do it.

別(べつ)の道(みち) another way

どんな場面(ばめん)でも in any situation

当(あ)てはまる to apply to it

いや、無理(むり)だ！No, it’s impossible!

大変(たいへん)そう！ That would be so difficult.

思(おも)いがちですto be apt to think in that way.

始(はじ)めてみなければ分(わ)からないこと something we can’t find if we don’t start

とりあえず first; for the time being; tentatively; just in case

Have you ever taken any level of JLPT before? Are you currently studying for the text now? Hope you are enjoying the preparation process. I'm enjoying working on N1 reading with my students.

This episode's vocab list:

イニシャル initial

受験(じゅけん) taking an exam

読解(どっかい) reading comprehension

問題集(もんだいしゅう) a collection of questions

文章(ぶんしょう) sentences; writing

抜(ぬ)き取(と)る to pick out; to extract

4問(もん) 4 questions

どれも everything

硬(かた)い表現(ひょうげん) stiff/bookish expressions

内容(ないよう) story; contents

あぁ、なるほど～。 Oh, I see. That’s why.

あぁ、そうゆうことだったんですね～。 Oh, I see. That makes a sense now.

考(かんが)えさせられる to let me think well

と言(い)いながら Although I have told that

物足(ものた)りない to lack something; to miss something