Japanese
Japanese greetings live in the bow — the words follow the gesture, not the other way around. Japanese etiquette is mostly about reading the room — language supports that, it does not lead. Japanese idioms carry seasons, weather, animals — small pictures you can hear in conversation. Younger Japanese slang borrows from anime, Kansai dialect, and global internet — but a few words travel.
Japanese greetings live in the bow — the words follow the gesture, not the other way around.
はじめまして。よろしくお願いします。
How do you do. Please be good to me.
The textbook first-meeting line; partially honorific よろしく carries humility, not formality.
Audio: はじめまして。よろしくお願いします。お元気ですか？
お元気ですか？
How are you?
Polite check-in after a long absence. Informal greetings usually skip this and start with the topic.
Audio: はじめまして。よろしくお願いします。お元気ですか？
Japanese etiquette is mostly about reading the room — language supports that, it does not lead.
お先に失礼します。
Pardon me for leaving before you.
Said when leaving the office before your colleagues — humble acknowledgment of going ahead.
Audio: お先に失礼します。お疲れさまでした。いってきます。
お疲れさまでした。
Thank you for your hard work.
The end-of-day ribbon — said to coworkers, trainers, anyone you worked alongside that day.
Audio: お先に失礼します。お疲れさまでした。いってきます。
Japanese idioms carry seasons, weather, animals — small pictures you can hear in conversation.
猫の手も借りたい。
I'd borrow even a cat's paw — desperate for help.
Used humorously when a project has too many small tasks for one person; do not say to your boss.
Audio: 猫の手も借りたい。一期一会。猿も木から落ちる。
一期一会 (ichi-go ichi-e)
One time, one meeting — treasure every encounter.
Often quoted on tea-ceremony / dining scenarios; lightweight enough for a thank-you note too.
Audio: 猫の手も借りたい。一期一会。猿も木から落ちる。
Younger Japanese slang borrows from anime, Kansai dialect, and global internet — but a few words travel.
やばい (yabai)
Wow — could be good or bad, intensity unmarked.
In casual speech it can mean "cool!" or "this is awful!" — read the tone, not the word.
Audio: やばい！ほんまかいな。めっちゃ。
ほんまかいな (honma kai na)
No way!, really? (Kansai)
Kansai (Osaka/Kyoto) flavor of surprise; "honma" is the local form of 本当.
Audio: やばい！ほんまかいな。めっちゃ。
Living language
Japanese module: bows first, words after; humility in every phrase; idioms that draw the seasons, and a few regional slang words you’ll hear in anime and Kansai.
The four big doors into a language — greetings, etiquette, idioms, and the words only locals know. Listen, read the transcript, then try it out loud.
JLPT prep is live.
Practise vocabulary, grammar, kanji, reading, and listening for N5 — then advance through N4, N3, N2, and N1. The readiness card tracks when you are ready to sit the exam.
Japanese greetings live in the bow — the words follow the gesture, not the other way around.
TRANSCRIPTはじめまして。よろしくお願いします。お元気ですか？
はじめまして。よろしくお願いします。
How do you do. Please be good to me.
— The textbook first-meeting line; partially honorific よろしく carries humility, not formality.
お元気ですか？
How are you?
— Polite check-in after a long absence. Informal greetings usually skip this and start with the topic.
Japanese etiquette is mostly about reading the room — language supports that, it does not lead.
TRANSCRIPTお先に失礼します。お疲れさまでした。いってきます。
お先に失礼します。
Pardon me for leaving before you.
— Said when leaving the office before your colleagues — humble acknowledgment of going ahead.
お疲れさまでした。
Thank you for your hard work.
— The end-of-day ribbon — said to coworkers, trainers, anyone you worked alongside that day.
Japanese idioms carry seasons, weather, animals — small pictures you can hear in conversation.
TRANSCRIPT猫の手も借りたい。一期一会。猿も木から落ちる。
猫の手も借りたい。
I'd borrow even a cat's paw — desperate for help.
— Used humorously when a project has too many small tasks for one person; do not say to your boss.
一期一会 (ichi-go ichi-e)
One time, one meeting — treasure every encounter.
— Often quoted on tea-ceremony / dining scenarios; lightweight enough for a thank-you note too.
Younger Japanese slang borrows from anime, Kansai dialect, and global internet — but a few words travel.
TRANSCRIPTやばい！ほんまかいな。めっちゃ。
やばい (yabai)
Wow — could be good or bad, intensity unmarked.
— In casual speech it can mean "cool!" or "this is awful!" — read the tone, not the word.
ほんまかいな (honma kai na)
No way!, really? (Kansai)
— Kansai (Osaka/Kyoto) flavor of surprise; "honma" is the local form of 本当.
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