閑古鳥が鳴く (かんこどりがなく, kankodori ga naku), idiom
Basic ○ ○ ○ ● ○Advanced
Standard ● ○ ○ ○ ○Slang
Formal ○ ○ ● ○ ○Informal
記念受験 (kinen juken): ‘Taking Exams Just as a Memory’ in Japanese
記念受験 (きねんじゅけん, kinen juken), noun, verb [+する]
Basic ○ ● ○ ○ ○Advanced
Standard ○ ● ○ ○ ○Slang
Formal ○ ○ ● ○ ○Informal
一理ある (ichiriaru): Cool Reply in Japanese ‘True in a Way’
Basic ○ ○ ● ○ ○Advanced
Standard ● ○ ○ ○ ○Slang
Formal ○ ○ ● ○ ○Informal
一理ある basically means “(someone’s argument) is true in a way”. It is often used when you show some recognition of someone’s statement while …Read Definition
背水の陣 (Haisuinojin): Advanced Idiom Meaning ‘Last-Stand Moment’
Basic ○ ○ ○ ○ ●Advanced
Standard ● ○ ○ ○ ○Slang
Formal ● ○ ○ ○ ○Informal
背水の陣 indicates that you’re facing a last stand and there is nowhere to retreat into. This idiom is very similar to the English expression “one’s back against the wall”, but …Read Definition
重鎮 (Jūchin): ‘Important Person’ in a Japanese Advanced Word
Basic ○ ○ ○ ○ ●Advanced
Standard ● ○ ○ ○ ○Slang
Formal ○ ● ○ ○ ○Informal
重鎮 indicates a person who is very important in a particular field. This word is often used with “~界の”, meaning “in the world of ~”. For instance, “ファッション界…Read Definition
音痴 (onchi): ‘Bad Singer’ in Japanese
Basic ○ ● ○ ○ ○Advanced
Standard ● ○ ○ ○ ○Slang
Formal ○ ○ ● ○ ○Informal
音痴 describes a person who sucks at singing. Some people hate karaoke because they believe that they are 音痴. When they …Read Definition
日常茶飯事 (nichijousahanji): ‘As Ordinary As Drinking Tea and Eating Rice’
Basic ○ ○ ○ ● ○Advanced
Standard ● ○ ○ ○ ○Slang
Formal ○ ○ ● ○ ○Informal
Definition
日常茶飯事 indicates a common or daily event/incident. This word is often used with a bit of irony to indicate negative incidents that are not supposed to happen frequently. For instance …Read Definition
守銭奴 (shusendo): “Protect-Money Guy” i.e., Miser in Japanese
Basic ○ ○ ○ ○ ●Advanced
Standard ● ○ ○ ○ ○Slang
Formal ○ ● ○ ○ ○Informal
守銭奴 indicates people whose objective of life is to accumulate money and increase their bank balance. They always sniff for opportunities to gain money, and try to spend as little money as possible. In a nutshell, it is an equivalent ….Read Definition
ふつつか者 (futsutsukamono): Lovely Japanese Word to Humble Yourself
Basic ○ ○ ○ ● ○Advanced
Standard ● ○ ○ ○ ○Slang
Formal ○ ○ ● ○ ○Informal
Definition
ふつつか者 indicates a person who is a little immature, clumsy, goofy, and/or careless. Normally it is used to ….Read Definition