Common Japanese Words and Phrases
NOTE 2: The Japanese language has single vowel sounds and double vowel sounds and is not tonal. Double vowel sounds sound like the single vowel sounds, but are held for a longer duration. Double vowel sounds are indicated with double vowels, ie "aa", "ii", "uu", or "ee"; whereas a double 'o' sound is indicated by a "ou", to avoid confusion with the "oo" sound (as in "ooh, neat!") . Here is a chart showing the pronunciation of the vowel sounds:
a - the 'a' sound in "father" i - the 'i' sound in "magazine" u - the 'u' sound in "push" e - the 'e' sound in "egg" o - the 'o' sound in "noble" ai - pronounced like "eye-ee" ei - long 'a' sound, as in "say" ou - long 'o' sound, as in "oh, my" (indicates double 'o' sound)
NOTE 3: As always when translating between one language to another, sometimes there is no direct translation and sometimes, a phrase may mean different things, depending on the context. Sometimes the literal translation has a better colloquial meaning in English. I haven't taken any Japanese classes, and I've tried to be as accurate as possible, but if you notice any errors, please let me know.
A-B-C: slang, similar to "first, second, and third base", where
C is "all the way"
abunai: "be careful", "watch out", or "it's dangerous"
aho: derogatory term, similar to "asshole"
aniki: older brother (like oniisan)
ano: umm...
ai: love
aishiteru: I LOVE you (compare to suki)
arigatou: thank you (short form)
arigatou gozaimas: thank you very much (half form)
baka: "idiot" or "stupid" or "jerk"
bakemono: monster
baka-yaro: derogatory term, similar to "asshole" or "bastard"
betsuni: it's nothing
boku: (masculine) I (child, informal)
chikuso: swear word, similar to "shit" or "damn" or "damn it"
chotto matte: wait a second
chotto matte kudasai: please wait a moment
daijoubu: "are you all right?" or "I'm all right", depending on tone
demo: but
domo arigatou gozaimas: thank you very much (full form)
doshte: why
dozo: please (when offering a guest refreshment, for instance
or welcoming a guest inside the house)
ganbatte: "work hard", or "do your best"
gomen: I'm sorry (short form)
gomen nasai: I'm very sorry
gomen ne: I'm sorry (short form)
hai: "yes" or "yes, Sir" or "yes, Ma'am"
hanashte!: let me go!
hayaku!: "hurry!" or "quickly, now!"
hentai: Animated pornography. Its direct translation means "pervert" and refers to any scene or movie that explicitly presents nudity or sexual acts. Can also be used to describe a person who is strange or out of the ordinary.
hime-sama: princess
honto: "really" or "truly"
iie: no
iko!: go!
ikuzo: let's go
itadakimas: thanks for the meal
ittai!: ouch!
ja ne: see ya! (informal)
jodan: joke
kami: god, hair, or paper
kami-sama: God
kampai!: cheers!
kancho: captain
kawaii: cute
kawaiikune: not cute (extremely informal, what Ranma says to Akane)
kaze: wind
kohai: lower classman, used to address someone belonging to the
same school or organization who is younger
(compare to sempai)
koko: here
kokoro: heart
konbanwa: good evening
konnichiwa: good day, hello
kore: this
kudasai: please
kuso: swear word similar to "shit" or "bloody hell"
masaka: "it can't be" or "that's impossible"
matte: wait, as in "wait for me!" (informal)
minna: everyone (sometimes used as in minna-san)
mizu: water
moii: it's OK already
moshi moshi: hello (usually used only when answering the phone)
nani: what
nanda: where
naze: why
nigeru!: "run away!" or "flee!"
ningen: human
obaasan: grandmother
obasan: aunt
ocha: tea
ohayo: good morning
ojiisan: grandfather
ojisan: uncle
okaasan: mother
okairi: "welcome back" or "welcome home", in response to tadaiima
omai: "why you" or "hey, you"
omedetou: congratulations
oneechan: older sister
onegai: please
oni: ogre (a creature with horns)
oniisan: older brother
ore: (masculine) I (adult informal)
otousan: father
oyaji: father (very disrespectful)
oyasumi: good night
piku piku: the sound of blinking; this is used most often in fanfic and
originates from Ranma 1/2 anime
sayonara: good-bye
sempai: upper classman, used to address someone belonging to the
same school or organization who is older
(compare to kohai)
sensei: teacher, other professional person (e.g. doctor)
shiine!: die!
shikashi: but, however, nevertheless
shimatta: swear word, similar to "shit"
shimpai suru: to worry
skebe: pervert
sona bakana: that's impossible
sugoi: wonderful, great
suki: I love/like you
sumimasen: excuse me
suteki: it's great, wonderful
tadaiima: I'm home.
taihen: terrible, awful
tasukete!: help!
tomodachi: friend
ureshi: I'm so happy.
urusai: literally, "noisy", as in "you're being noisy"
colloquially, "shut up" or "be quiet"
uso: "it's a lie" or "you're kidding me"
utskushii: beautiful
wakarimashta: it is understood (colloquially, "I understand")
watashi: I
yama: mountain
yamette: stop
yada!: (feminine) "stop it!" or "no way!"
yare yare: colloquially "well, well", "oh, my", "my, my",
"oh, dear", "oh, brother"
yatta!: I did it!
yokata: I'm glad
yoroushku: nice to meet you
yoush!: colloquially "OK, let's go!" or "all right, let's do it!"
yume: dream
mother: okaasan father: otousan or oyaji (very informal) older brother: oniisan or aniki older sister: oneechan aunt: obasan uncle: ojisan grandmother: obaasan grandfather: ojiisan
-sama Very respectful ending. Not normally used with someone's
names. Used to people of superior status, like your boss,
or to your guests as a host. Envelopes should be addressed
with "-sama". A shopkeeper might call a customer
"o-kyaku-sama" (Respected Mr. Customer).
sensei A respectful term meaning "teacher", also used with
physicians. Frequently used to refer to experts in a
field or people in any respected occupation. Lawyers,
master chefs, fashion designers, and even some manga
artists are called "sensei". Sometimes used like an
honorific with a name or title, as in "kouchou-sensei"
(Mr. Principal, Sir).
-san Usual term of respect. It can stand for Mr. and Ms., and
is attached to either first or last names, and names of
occupations like "o-mawari-san" (Mr. Policeman). You
use it for strangers and people you don't know well, but
are more or less the same social status. When in doubt,
use "-san".
However, never use "-san" with your own name or your
family members' names. Also, it shouldn't be used to refer
to famous people, since a small degree of intimacy is
implied.
High school girls are usually called "-san".
sempai Somebody in the same general social class, but socially
superior to you. "Sempai" can also be used as an honorific.
Older students may be addressed respectfully as sempai,
especially by girls.
-kun Used by a socially superior male to a socially inferior
male. Familiarly used among male students and boys who
grew up together. Recently, some teachers call girl
students and some bosses call office ladies with "-kun",
but it's still considered a masculine suffix.
High school boys are called "-kun". Girls go from "-chan"
to "-san" in high school, but boys go through a period of
"-kun" in between.
- Calling someone by a family name alone is being very
familiar (or rough). Calling someone by given name
alone is less rough, but more familiar. Using no
honorific when one is expected can be an expression of
contempt.
-chan Intimate form of address. Families that are close use it,
and "-chan" is often used to, and by, very young children.
Used with given names, abbreviations of given names, and
nicknames, but not family names. Children who grow up
together (like Madoka and Hikaru), may keep using "-chan"
into adulthood. Note: to call a social superior "-chan"
without reason is very insulting.