2. Onomatopoeia and Memetic words
Japanese has a lot of Onomatopoeia and mimetic words (about 2,000 -
3,000 words). When you read manga, you can find a lot of Japanese
Onomatopoeia and Memetic words!
擬音語 ([Gionngo, ぎおんご] Onomatopoeia)
Expression for something making sounds
-Examples
わんわん(Wanwan) = Baw-wow (Sounds dogs barking)
ぶーぶー(Bu-Bu) = Oink-oink (Sounds pigs barking)
擬態語([Gitaigo, ぎたいご] Memetic words)
Expression for something not makig sounds, for example feelings
-Examples
いらいら(Iraira) (Expressing someone annoyed)
どきどき(Dokidoki) (Expressing a heart beating strongly)
3. Examples; どきどき
私(わたし)は彼(かれ)に会って(あって)どきどきした。
Watashi wa kare ni atte dokidoki shita.
When I met him, my heart started beating strongly.
私(わたし)は緊張(きんちょう)で胸(むね)がどきどきした。
Watashi wa kintyou de mune ga dokidoki shita.
My heart beated strongly because I felt nervous.
Vocabulary
私(わたし、watashi)・・I
彼(かれ、kare)・・He
緊張(きんちょう、kinntyou)・・nervous
Expressing for heart beating strongly
4. Examples; いらいら
私(わたし)は彼女(かのじょ)の態度(たいど)にいらいらした。
Watashi wa kanojo no taido ni iraira shita.
I was irritated due to her attitude.
私(わたし)はいらいらしていたから机(つくえ)を蹴った(けった)。
Watashi wa iraira shiteita kara tsukue wo ketta.
I kicked a desk because I was crabby.
Expressing for someone irritated
Vocabulary
彼女(かのじょ、kanojo)・・she
態度(たいど、taido)・・attitude
机(つくえ、tsukue)・・desk, table
蹴った(けった、ketta)・・past form of 蹴る(ける、keru), to kick something
5.
6. Japanese Proverb #1
猫に小判(ねこにこばん、neko ni kobann)
This proverb expresses that it’s meaningless to give something precious to people who
can not understand the value.
“猫(ねこ)” is a cat and “小判(こばん)” is old money used in Edo period. [from
1603 to 1868]
If you give a cat money, it will not understand the value.
Example
彼にこの本をあげても猫に小判だ。
Kare ni kono honn wo agetemo neko ni
kobann da.
It’s meaningless to give him this book,
because he doesn’t understand the value.
7. I showed only two examples here.
However Japanese has thousands of this kind of expression.
Please keep studying Japanese!!
I hope this is helpful for
your understanding
Japanese!!