Vocabulary

Ever wanted to learn a little Japanese? Now's you chance, with this treasure trove of Japanese from introducing yourself to telling the time (Romanji)

Self Introduction | Greetings and Farewells | Words and Phrases |
| Counting | Time | Days of the Week | Months of the Year | Colours |
| Members of the Family | First Names |
Other Terms and Phrases You May Come Across in Anime/Manga |

Self Introduction

Hajimemashite. Watashi no namae wa..........desu..........
sai desu. Watahi wa..........nen sei. Watashi wa..........ni
sundeimasu. Duozo yoroshiku onegaishimasu. How do you do? My name is..........I am..........years old. I am a
..........year student.I live in..........Nice to meet you.
Example:
Hajimemashite. Watashi no namae wa Yuzuki desu. Jyugo sai desu. Watahi wa
jyuichi nen sei. Watashi wa Tokyo ni sundeimasu. Duozo yoroshiku onegaishimasu.How do you do? My name is Yuzuki. I am 15 years old. I am an eleven year
student. I live in Tokyo. Nice to meet you.

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Greetings and Farewells

Kombawa- Good evening

Konichiwa!- Hello!

Ohayou goziaimasu- Good morning

Okaeri nasai- Welcome home. This is the reply to Tadaima.

Oyasumi nasai - Good night. Said at night before going to bed. When parting at night outside the home, Sayonara is more usual.

Tadaima- I'm back. ( lit.' <I have returned> just now' ) Said by a person on returning home.

Sayonara- Goodbye

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Words/ Phrases

Abunai - Look out. ( lit. ' It's dangerous' )

Ai- Love

Aishiteru- I love you

Anata wa (noun) ga suki desu ka?- Do you like (noun)?

Ano hito wa dare desu ka?- Who is that person over there?

Are wa watashi no otousan desu.- That is my father. In reply to Ano hito wa dare desu ka? as an example.

(Dozo) arigato (gozaimasu)- ('Polite) Thank you (very much)

Baka- Fool/ Idiot

Chan- Japanese suffix. Put at the end of a name i.e. Hikaru-chan. Used for friends/people you know well.

Chibi- Child (Also used as a drawing term-"Chibi" characters meaning cute characters, or "Deformed" characters as some may call it. Also know as "Gag" characters)

Chotto matte kudasai - Wait just a moment, please

Daijobu- It's all right.

Dame dasu - Out of the question./ Impossible./ No good./ Can not.

Dewa mata / Ja mata - Well then...Said informally when parting from relatives the house.

Doitashimashite - You're welcome.

Dozo osakini - Please, go ahead..

Dye-joh-bu desu ka?- Are you alright?

Gambatte kudasai - Keep your chin up. Said to encourage someone.

Gomen ne/ Gomen nasai-Very sorry

Hai, suki desu.- Yes, I like (noun). This is in reply to Anata wa (noun) ga suki desu ka?

Hanji- The original Japanese. This is basicaly the Chinese character set. Most Japanese adults will understand your handwriting if you write in Hanji (Chinese name for Hanji: Han-tzer)

Hikari- Light (Also a Japanese Name.)

Hime- Japanese suffix. Put at the end of a name i.e. Hinoto-hime

Hitomi- Eyes (Also a Japanese name.)

Honou-No-Ya!- Fire Arrow! (Direct Translation: Arrow of Fire. This was the spell Hikaru Shidou used on Magic Knight Rayearth TV series, book and Rayearth OVA)

Itte mairimasu - So long. ( lit.' <I'm> going and coming back' ). This is the reply to Itte rasshai.

Itte rasshai - So long. ( lit. ' Go and come back ') . Said to members of a household as they leave the house.

Ito- Thread/yarn

Jujitsu shi- Human that can use magical powers (e.g. Sorceress.)

Jyuni pounds desu.- Twelve pounds

Kanji- The Japanese language in traditional Japanese characters. This is the common set of characters used by the Japanese.

Karate- Form of Japanese martial art. Used to be very popular in England, but it is not so popular now.

Ki o tsukete kudaisai - Take care./Be careful.

Kishi- Knight

Kendo- Form of Japanese martial art.

Kun- Japanese suffix. Put at the end of a boy's name i.e. Subaru-kun.

Kore wa dare no (noun) desu ka?- Whose (noun) is this?

Kore wa ikura desu ka?- How much is this?

Kore wa nan desu ka?- What is this?

Kore wa (noun) desu.- This is a (noun). In reply to Kore was nan desu ka?

Kuso!- Damn it! (Can also mean sh**)

Lie, kirai desu/suki janai.- No I dislike (noun). This is in reply to Anata wa (noun) ga suki desu ka?

Machi- Town

Maho- Magic

Makenai- Loosley translated as 'Unbeatable'. Can also mean 'I can't loose', 'Don't give up', or 'Loosing isn't an option' depending on the tense. Can be taken as a positive that you will suceed, or the will or want to suceed. It can also be to cheer people on and encourage them.

Mangaka- A Manga artist.

Mashin- Gigantic robots possesing great magical powers. Can also mean "Rune God."

Mo ichido onegaishimasu- Once more, please.

Moshi moshi!- Hello! (Use this greeting when you are speaking to someone over the phone.)

No- Of

Obake-A method used in drawing Manga to express the fast movement by deforming the afterimage.

O-daijini- Take care of yourself.

O-genki desu ka - How are yo? ( lit. ' Are you well ' )

Ou- Japanese suffix. Put at the end of a name i.e. Ashura-ou. The example literally means Lord Ashura (-ou being Lord).

Ohayou goziaimasu- Good morning

Okaeri nasai- Welcome home. This is the reply to Tadaima.

Omedeto gozaimasu-Congratulations.

Osakini - Pardon my going first ( before you ). said when going ahead of other people after being urged to do so

Romanji- The Japanese language in Romanised form. It teaches us how to pronounce the words. The Japanese words here are Romanji words. (If you are Chinese, then it is basicaly the Japanese equivalentn to Ping Ying.)

Sakura- Pink Cherry Blossom

San- Japanese suffix. Put at the end of a name i.e. Umi-San. Translated as Mr./Mrs./Miss./Ms.

Shi- City

Shitsurei Shimasu- (Formal) Good bye

Samma- Japanese suffix. A more polite version of '-san'. i.e. Zagato-samma.

Sore wa (name)-san no (noun) desu.- That is (name)'s (noun). In reply to Kore wa dare no (noun) desu ka?

Tonzura Koite!- Let's get the hell out! (Literally, 'come, let us flee')

Umi- Sea

Sora- Sky (Also a Japanese name)

Tadaima- I'm back. ( lit.' <I have returned> just now' ) Said by a person on returning home.

Ten- Japanese suffix. Put at the end of a name i.e. Pita-Ten. The "-Ten" part is applied for someone who is divine/heavenly.

Tenku- Vision

Watashi wa... - I am...

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Counting

Zero/Rei- 0
Ichi- 1
Ni- 2
San- 3
Shi/Yon- 4
Go- 5
Roku- 6
Shichi/Nana- 7
Hachi- 8
Kyu/Ku- 9
Jyu- 10
Jyuichi- 11
Jyuni- 12
Jyusan- 13
Jyuyon/Jyushi- 14
Jyugo- 15
Jyuroku- 16
Jyunana/Jyushichi- 17
Jyuhachi- 18
Jyukyu/Jyuku- 19
Nijyu- 20
Nijyuichi- 21
Nijyu ni- 22
Sanjyu- 23
Sanjyugo- 35
Yon bun no san- 3/4
Rei ten san- 0.3
Yonjyu- 40
Gojyu- 50
Rokujyu- 60
Nanjyu/Shichijyu- 70
Hachijyu- 80
Kyujyu- 90
Hyaku- 100
Hyaku sanjyu san- 13
Nihyaku- 200
Sanbyaku- 300
Yonhyaku- 400
Gohyaku- 500
Roppyaku- 600
Nanahyaku- 700
Happyaku- 800
Kyuhyaku- 900
Sen- 1000
Sanzen- 3000
Yonsen- 4000
Ichiman- 10 000
Ichiman yonsen- 14 000
Goman- 50 000
Hyakuman- 1 000 000
Issenman- 10 000 000
Ichioku- 100 000 000
Yon bun no ichi- 1/4
Itten go- 1.5

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Days of the Week

Nichi-yobi- Sunday
Getsu-yobi- Monday
Ka-yobi- Tuesday
Sui-yobi- Wednesday
Moku-yobi- Thursday
Kin-yobi- Friday
Do-yobi- Saturday

Kyo wa nan yobi desu ka?- What day is it today?

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Months of the Year

Ichi-gatsu- January
Ni-gatsu- February
San-gastsu- March
Yon-gatsu- April
Go-gatsu- May
Roku-gatsu- June
Shichi-gatsu- July
Hachi-gatsu- August
Kyu-gatsu- September
Ju-gatsu- October
Juichi-gatsu- November
Juni-gatsu- December

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Colours

Colours-Iro
Sukina iro wa nan desu ka?- What is your favourite colour?
Aka-Red
Ao- Blue
Chairo- Brown
Daidaiiro- Orange
Haiiro- Grey
Kiiro- Yellow
Kuro/Kuroi- Black
Midori- Green
Mizuiro- Sky blue
Momoiro- Pink
Murasaki- Purple
Shiro- White

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Members of the Family

Otousan- Father Okaasan- Mother
Oniisan- Older brother
Oneesan- Older sister
Imouto- Younger sister
Otouto- Younger brother
Obaasan- Grandmother/ Aunt
Ojiisan- Grandfather/Uncle
Musuko- Son
Musume- Daughter
Mago- Grandchild
Itouko- Cousin

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First Names (B=Boy G=Girl E=Either Gender)

Aiko (G)

Arashi (G)

Ascat (B)

Ayomi (G)

Ayumi (G)

Fujitaka (B)

Fuma (B)

Fuu (G)

Hajime (B)

Hikaru (G)

Hikari (E)

Hitomi (G)

Hokuto (G)

Kamui (B)

Kagura (G)

Kaguya (G)

Kotori (G)

Kumiko (G)

Masuki (B)

Mirei (G)

Momiji (G)

Nadeshiko (G)

Nakuru (G)

Nagumo (B)

Nyamo (G)

Mokona (E)

Morio (B)

Nanase (G)

Nataku (B)

Rika (G)

Sakaki (G)

Sakura (G)

Satsuki (G)

Suzuki (G)

Shougo (B)

Sora (E)

Subaru (B)

Seishirou (B)

Seichirou (B)

Takeshi (B)

Tomnori (B)

Tomoyo (G)

Umi (G)

Wataru (B)

Yoko (G)

Yukari (G)

Yukito (B)

Yumi (G)

Yuzerhia (G)

Yuzuki (G)

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Other Terms and Phrases You May Come Across in Anime/Manga

OVA/ OAV- Original Video Animation/ Original Animated Video

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