Nya-ice to meet you! If you love cats and Japan, you’ve come to the right place! From Hello Kitty to maneki neko figurines that wave at you nonstop from shop windows, or even cat cafes for ailurophile foodies – there’s something cat people will love. The word for cat in Japanese is neko (猫 / … Read more
Do you have a Japanese boyfriend or girlfriend and want to take it to the next level by calling them by a sweet, cute nickname? If you’re stuck on what to call your lover in Japanese, this is the guide for you! Terms of endearment work uniquely in Japan because of its formal and introverted … Read more
While Japanese is spoken by the majority of people in Japan, it may come as a surprise that it’s not the official language of the country! You’re probably thinking, wait – what? Let us explain! What is an official language? An official language (known as kouyogo/公用語 in Japanese) is a language recognised by law for … Read more
‘Cool’ is a very flexible word in the English language. It can be used to describe someone’s fashion sense, action movie stunts, or a gift you received from a friend. It’s also used as a response in agreement to something or someone: ‘Let’s head to the amusement park.’ ‘Cool!’ The most popular Japanese word for … Read more
People learning Japanese and Chinese are often curious about the relationship between them. After all, they are spoken by hundreds of millions of people daily and play an important role in communication and cultural exchange. Chinese is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world and Japanese and Chinese are both very popular … Read more
Readers, you know I am a HUGE fan of learning Japanese through immersion. When you are enjoying a Japanese TV show or a movie that you love, you absorb new language much more easily than studying from a book. And it doesn’t even feel like learning! Lingopie is a new site and app that will … Read more
Feeling like your Japanese learning is getting a little ho-hum? Let’s take a break from all the grammar and daily vocabulary. The best part of learning a new language is the funny words! Some of these Japanese words and phrases have a funny sound, or mean something funny when translated into English. There are a … Read more
Ah… those three little words ❤ Some people have called ‘I love you’ the most powerful three words in the English language. It’s also one of the most common phrases people want to learn in a foreign language. So, how do you say I love you in Japanese? It might not surprise you to know … Read more