Takashi's Japanese Dictionary

A blog for learning Japanese that introduces Japanese slang words and Idioms!

Ajimi or Dokumi? Meaning of Japanese Words for Tasting Food

In Japanese, there are several unique words that describe different ways of food tasting, namely, 味見 (あじみ, ajimi), 毒味 (どくみ, dokumi), つまみ食い (つまみぐい, tsumamigui), and 試食 (ししょく, shishoku). This article explains the meanings and differences of these words in details!Read More

Zagin De Shīsū: Japanese “Back Slang” From 1980s Explained

In the late 1980s, it became a trend among people in the TV industry to read words in (partially) reverse order and use them as jargon. Such words include "ザギン", meaning "銀座 (Ginza)" and シースー, meaning "寿司 (sushi)", and people used to say the phrase "ザギンでシースー", meaning "(eating) sushi at Ginza", to make a suggestion for lunch or dinner. Eventually, these TV industry jargons spread to ordinary people since some celebrities, especially the comedy duoとんねるず started to use them on TV. Although most of the words now sound quite old-fashioned, some people still use them as a joke or humorous expression. This article explains famous reverse words that you may use to make your Japanese friends laugh and surprised!Read More