I want to share some insights about a significant Kanji 道 (どう dō or みち michi) in Japanese culture. While 道 commonly translates to “way” or “path,” its meaning extends far beyond the physical road or street. In Japanese culture, 道 represents a profound concept encompassing a “way of being,” a spiritual journey, or a […]
How to Use Japanese すぎる (sugiru) with Adjectives
This lesson teaches how to use Japanese すぎる (sugiru) to express “too” with adjectives, indicating something is excessive, like “too difficult” or “too expensive.” Watch the Lesson on YouTube Key Points Meaning of すぎる (sugiru) すぎる (sugiru) means “to exceed” or “go too far,” and it is a When conjugating a RU verb, you only […]
またねココ (See you again, Koko) – Dealing with Pet Loss
Our beloved cat daughter, Koko, has crossed the rainbow bridge. She had been so healthy, but suddenly her condition deteriorated in June, and after a battle with illness over the summer, she passed away on October 8th. We are heartbroken… and missing her so much. The home without her no longer feels the same. But […]
The Moment I Felt Alone – Japanese Phrases
There are Japanese phrases that are deeply part of me. I feel alone or lonely when I don’t get to say these to anyone. Today, I want to share a small story related to those phrases. In Japanese, we have specific expressions when we come home or welcome someone home. NOTE: You can drop the […]
Japanese Kamon 家紋（かもん）- Family Crest
家紋（かもん Kamon）means “Family Crest” in Japanese. Let me talk about Japanese Kamon in this article. Kamon is hardly used in modern Japan, but in Samurai Era, each 武家（ぶけ Buke = samurai family) had their own Kamon. Tokugawa’s Kamon One of the most famous Kamon in Japan is 三つ葉葵（みつばあおい Mitsuba Aoi）. It was the Kamon by […]
Too Old To Learn the Japanese Language?
Do you think you are too old to learn the Japanese language? I sometimes receive emails from older learners asking if they are too old to start learning Japanese. The answer is “No.” Never Too Old To Learn You are never too old to start learning something new. We are all lifetime learners until the day […]