Japanese Language

JAPANESE LANGUAGE

Kanji Forever? Why Japan Still Uses Chinese Characters, But Korea Mostly Doesn’t

Japan spent a century trying to abolish kanji, from an 1866 petition to the shogun to a postwar novelist who wanted Japan…

JAPANESE LANGUAGE

The “Dead” Slang Words a Japanese Dictionary Officially Killed

In English, words are rarely deleted from dictionaries. So why in 2021 did a Japanese dictionary publisher give 1,100 words the boot?

JAPANESE LANGUAGE

Why This Japanese Phrase from Kansai Sounds Strange to the Rest of Japan

It's a phrase that confuses Tokyoites. But to many in the Kansai region, it's a daily expression rooted in the region's unique…

JAPANESE LANGUAGE

Why Are More Japanese Girls Calling Themselves “Boku”?

How do you refer to yourself in Japanese? For most women, it’s some variant of "watashi." But for many young girls, the…

JAPANESE LANGUAGE

MEXT to Nothing: Japan Struggles to Help Foreign Residents Learning Japanese

Many foreign residents in Japan want to learn Japanese. But reports show a majority feel they're not getting the support they need…

JAPANESE LANGUAGE

These Are the Hardest Japanese Place Names to Read – Even for Native Speakers

Can you pronounce these difficult Japanese place names? If not, don't feel bad: most native speakers can't either!

JAPANESE LANGUAGE

Japan Prepares Official Hepburn Romanization Switch, Changing 70-Year Tradition

Japan will likely abandon its Kunrei-shiki romanization system that even most of its government doesn't use.

JAPANESE LANGUAGE

Giccho?! Here Are Some Dead Japanese Words That Only Old Folks Use

You may still hear these words or see them in print - but you won't hear them come from the mouth of…