Japanese

Is Japanese Hard? The 3 ‘Scary’ Parts Debunked

Is Japanese truly the impossible mountain it's made out to be? We tackle the three biggest fears for aspiring learners—Kanji,…

3 months ago

Japan’s 3 ‘Alphabets’: Why You Need All Three

Ever looked at a Japanese sentence and felt overwhelmed by the mix of characters? You're not alone. This guide demystifies…

3 months ago

You’re Already Speaking Japanese! 15 Loanwords

** Did you know that when you talk about a business 'tycoon' or ask for 'just a skosh' more, you're…

3 months ago

The Sailor Who Mistook a Word for an Island

Explore the strange case of "I-da-no", a phantom island that appeared on Japanese maps for decades. This wasn't a sailor's…

6 months ago

Japan’s ‘Hentaigana’: The Lost Characters

Before Japanese script was standardized in 1900, writers used a vast and beautiful array of variant cursive characters known as…

6 months ago

The Japanese Crossword Puzzle

How do you build a crossword in a language with three writing systems and no spaces? This piece explores the…

6 months ago

Korean vs. Japanese: Which is Easier?

Korean and Japanese share similar grammar, but their writing systems and pronunciation offer very different challenges. Korean's alphabet is famously…

6 months ago

Crash, Sparkle, Grumble: Japan’s Sound Words

Go beyond textbook grammar and discover the soul of the Japanese language: onomatopoeia. This guide breaks down the essential "sound"…

6 months ago

Why We Call It Japan, Not Nippon

Why do we call the "Land of the Rising Sun" Japan instead of its native Nippon? This linguistic puzzle opens…

6 months ago

Counting People in Japanese: The ‘Nin’ Counter

Learning to count in Japanese means mastering counters, and the one for people holds a fascinating secret. While most numbers…

6 months ago

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