Must Know Japanese Word,”Moji Moji (もじもじ)” What does it mean~??

Hi everyone!  Happy Saturday! It might be already Sunday where you live, but I guess it’s still weekend. 😉 Hope everyone is having a nice weekend. Before we hit the month of July, I wanted to introduce one last word that describes state or condition, which is “Moji Moji (もじもじ)”. This word is also super useful. I just caught myself acting exactly “Moji Moji (もじもじ)” the other day, so here it is. Read on to learn about this word and master it before the day is over today!!

 

Moji moji (もじもじ　モジモジ) –　to hesitate, to be shy, reluctant to do something, fidgeting, restless

 

Don’t be so shy to ask questions.

Sonna ni moji moji shinaide shitsumon shite.

そんなに　もじもじ　しないで，しつもん　して。

（そんなに　もじもじ　しないで　質問して。）

 

 

He hesitated to ask questions in front of everyone.

Kare wa moji moji shiteite minna no mae de shitsumon suruno o tameratta.

かれは　もじもじ　していて　みんなの　まえで　しつもん　するのを　ためらった。

（彼は　もじもじ　していて　皆んなの　前で　質問するのを　躊躇った。）

 

 

Try avoiding fidgeting as much as you can while you give presentations.

Presen o suru tokiwa dekirudake moji moji shinaiyōni.

ぷれぜん　を　するときは，できるだけ　もじもじ　しないように。

（プレゼン　を　する時は　出来るだけ　もじもじ　しないように。）

 

 

He was hesitant to talk to girls from his class.

Kare wa onaji kurasu no onnanokotach to hanasezu moji moji shiteita.

かれは ，おなじ　くらすの　おんなのこたち　と　はなせず　もじもじ　していた。

（彼は　同じ　クラスの　女の子達と　話せず　もじもじ　していた。）

 

 

Why are you fidgeting like that? Are you nervous?

Nande sonuna ni moji moji shite runo? Shinkeishitsu ni natteru?

なんで　そんなに　もじもじ　しているの？　しんけいしつに　なってる？

（何で　そんなに　もじもじ　しているの？　神経質に　なってる？）

 

So next time when you need to speak up, try not to act “moji moji (もじもじ)”. I often catch myself doing this when I really want to ask questions, but I am hesitant to speak up…. then I often regret later thinking, “why didn’t I just ask?” Well, hope you don’t have too many of these moments. Just go for it! ~ 

8 Must Know Japanese Kanji’s related to Family

Hi everyone. Hope you are all enjoying the summer and longer days.  Love how we can still enjoy the outdoors in later hours to go for a walk or enjoy after dinner activities. 🙂

This month, I received a request to write about the Japanese Kanji’s based on topics that will hopefully give you a good “introduction” if you are new to Kanji’s or “refresher” if you had already studied them before. Based on each of the category, I will pick the most popular and important ones for you to focus on.  Sounds interesting enough? Let’s get started the first article for this month. (although it’s already a mid month.. sorry everyone! ) Read on~.

 

Kanji Challenge Series 1 – Family

 

These are the 8 basic must know Kanji’s related to “Family”.

 

Family = Kazoku  

家族，かぞく

 

There are 6 people in my family.

Watashi no Kazoku wa roku nin kazoku desu.

わたしの　かぞくは　ろくにん　かぞく　です。

（私の　家族は，六人　家族　です。）

 

 

Father = chichi, otōsan

父，ちち，お父さん，おとうさん

 

My father is a high school teacher.

Watashi no chichi wa kōkō no sensei desu.

わたしの　ちちは　こうこうの　せんせい　です。

（私の父は　高校の　先生です。）

 

 

Mother = haha, okāsan

母，はは，お母さん，おかあさん

 

My mother is 55 years old.

Watashi no haha wa gojyūgo sai desu.

わたしの　はは　は　ごじゅうご　さいです。

（私の母は，五十五　歳です。）

 

 

Older brother =ani, onīchan, onīsan

兄，あに，お兄ちゃん，おにいちゃん，お兄さん，おにいさん

 

I have two older brothers.

Boku ni wa onīchan ga futari imasu.

ぼくには，　おにいちゃんが　ふたり　います。

（僕には，お兄ちゃんが　二人　います。）

 

 

Younger brother = otōto, 

弟，おとうと

 

My younger brother is in 3rd grade.

Watashi no otōto wa san nensei desu.

わたしの　おとうとは　さんねんせい　です。

（私の弟は，三年生です。）

 

 

Older sister = ane, onēchan, onēsan 

姉，あね，お姉ちゃん，おねえちゃん，お姉さん，おねえさん，

 

I wish I had an older sister.

Onēsan ga itara iina.

おねえさんが　いたら　いいなぁ。

（お姉さんが　いたらい　いいなぁ。）

 

 

Younger sister = imōto, 

妹，いもうと

 

My younger sister is only 5 years old.

Watashi no imōto wa mada go sai desu.

わたしの　いもうとは　まだ　ごさい　です。

（私の　妹は　まだ　五歳　です。）

 

 

 

Grandfather = sofu, ojīchan, ojīsan

祖父，そふ，お爺ちゃん，おじいちゃん，お爺さん，おじいさん

 

My grandfather lives in Japan.

Watashi no sofu wa nihon ni sunde imasu.

わたしの　そふは　にほんに  すんでいます。

（私の祖父は　日本に　住んでいます。）

 

 

Grandmother = sobo, obāchan, obāsan

My gradmother loves knitting.

Watashi no sobo wa amimono ga daisuki desu.

わたしの　そぼは　あみものが　だいすきです。

（私の祖母は，編み物が　だいすきです。）

 

So, here is a quick summary of the Kanji’s from today’s lesson.

父，母，兄，弟，姉，妹，祖父，祖母

not too bad right!? 

5 must know difficult Japanese words

The other day, I came across this quote above, and thought I would share with you all. This applies to all sorts of things we deal with everyday. Your work, study, and social life, etc. and obviously, learning a foreign language has the same principle. Once you are comfortable with certain sets of vocabulary and expressions, do you catch yourself repeating the same all words and expression in certain situations? Feeling comfortable in any situation is great but if you want to improve, you definitely need to try to step out of your comfort zone. It is so easy to say, but so hard to do.

 

In today’s lesson, I would like to introduce you to the following set of vocabulary that might not sound too familiar but yet good to keep in your vocabulary list.:)

 

Shotaimen （しょたいめん，初対面）　＝　Meeting someone for the first time

 

Kanojo towa shotaimen desu.

=>I just met her for the first time.

かのじょとは，しょたいめん　です。（彼女とは　初対面　です。）

 

 

Uwanosora （うわのそら）　＝　absent-minded

 

Karewa nani o ittemo uwano sora da.

=> It doesn’t matter what you tell him, his mind is somewhere else.

かれは　なにをいっても　うわのそらだ。　（彼は　何を言っても　うわのそらだ。）

 

 

Gaiken （がいけん，外見）= Appearance

 

Gaiken dakede hito o handan shinaide.

=> Don’t judge anyone by appearance.

がいけんだけで，ひとを　はんだんしないで。（外見だけで　人を　判断　しないで。）

 

 

Kokoro gakeru (こころがける，心掛ける)= keep in mind

 

Itsumo nihongo de hanasuyō ni kokoro gaketene.

=>Please keep in mind to speak in Japanese at all times.

いつも　にほんごで　はなすように　こころがけてね。（いつも　日本語で　話すように　心掛けてね。）

 

 

Magirawashi （まぎらわしい，紛らわしい）=misleading, ambiguous, hard to tell the difference

 

The twin brothers look so much alike, and it’s hard to tell one from the other.

==> Ano futago no kyudai wa sugoku yoku niteite, docchi ga docchi ka magirawashi.

あの　ふたごの　きょうだいは　すごく　よくにていて，どっちが　どっちか　まぎらわしい。

（あの　双子の兄弟は　すごく　よく似ていて，どっちが　どっちか　紛らわしい。）

 

So, I hope you challenge yourself today by learning one extra new word/expression!