A-Z
- A -
Ago : chin
Akai : red
Aki : autumn
Ame : rain
Aniki : more mature way of addressing your brother
Anime : a common abbreviation of the Japanese term for animation
Aoyama Reien : Aoyama Cemetery
Arigatou : thank you
Asakusa Jinja : Asakusa Shrine
Ashi : foot; leg
Atama : head
Atena : address; directions to address
Awa Odori : Awa Dance
- B -
Baka : stupid, fool, idiot
Bakemono : apparition
Baketsu : bucket
Baku : dream eater
Bento : box lunch
Biru : beer
Bishoujo : a beautiful or pretty girl
Bon Odori : Bon dance
Bonsho : Buddhist temple bell
Bosozoku : bikers
Bukkyo : Buddhism
Buruma : bloomers
Buta : pig
Butsudan : Buddhist family altar, memorial altar
- C -
Chawan : bowl
Chibi : a short person; can also mean small
Chikara : force/strength
Chikyuu : earth
Cho cho : butterfly
Choshoku : breakfast
- D -
Dannoura no Tatakai : Battle of Dannoura
Depato : department store
Demo : but
Denki-gama : electric rice cooker
Densetsu : legend
Doko (ni) : where?
Domo : very much
Donburi : bowl
- E -
Ecchi : mildly perverted
Eigo : English
Enkai : banquet
En no gyoja : Buddhist practice
- F -
Fuku : clothes, uniform
Fu-rin-ka-zan : banners and standards
Furo : bath in home
Furoshiki : carrying cloth
Futon : bedding
Fuyu : winter
- G -
Genkan : entryway where you remove shoes
Gohan : fried rice
Gomen (nasai) : sorry
Gyudon : "beef bowl"
- H -
Ha : teeth
Hagoita : battledore
Hagoita ichi : battledore market
Hai : yes
Hamaya : arrows, New Year's
Hana : flowers; nose
Hanafuda : card games
Hanami : cherry blossom viewing
Hanko : chop
Hara : belly
Hari : acupuncture
Haru : spring
Hashi : chopsticks
Hashigo : ladder
Hata : banners and standards
Hataki : duster
Heikegani : crab with face pattern
Henshin : transformation
Hentai : extremely perverted
Hiji : elbow
Hikari : light
Hina Matsuri : Doll Festival
Hiragana : one of the Japanese phonetic alphabets, used for native words
Hitodama : balls of floating fire
Hiyoko : chicks
Hiza : knee
Hoho : cheek
Homurumu : class number, homeroom
Honto ni : really?!
Hosutesu : bar girl, cabaret girl
- I -
Iie : no
Ika : cuttlefish
Inazuma : lightning
Inu : dog
- J -
Ja ne : bye
Jieitai : Air Self Defense Force
Jiin : Buddhist temple
Jishin : earthquake
Jitensha : bicycle
Joya no kane : bell ringing at New Year's
Jukyo : Confucianism
Juzu : Buddhist rosary
- K -
Kaa-san : mother
Kamidana : altar, family, Shinto
Kamikaze : divine wind
Kanji : Chinese characters used in Japanese, with different meanings and/or pronounciations
Kao : face
Kappogi : cooking apron
Karasu : crow
Kare raisu : curry rice
Kasa : umbrella
Kashiwade : clapping hands
Kaso : cremation
Kasumi : mist
Kata : shoulders
Katakana : one of the Japanese phonetic alphabets, mainly used for borrowed words
Kawaii : cute
Kaze : wind
Kei : bell used in Buddhist service
Keizai Kikaku Cho : Economic Planning Agency (EPA)
Kendama : cup and ball toy
Ken'etsu : censorship
Ketsueki-gata : blood type
Kiku : chrysanthemum
Kiri : fog
Kirisutokyo : Christianity
Kisetsu : seasons
Kissaten : coffeehouse, coffee shop
Kisu : kiss
Kodomo no Hi : Boys' Day, Boys' Festival
Koi : carp
Koinobori : banners and standards, carp streamer
Kokkai : Diet or Parliament
Koko yakyu : baseball, high school
Komiketto : comic market
Kon'in : arranged marriage
Konnichi wa : good day, hello
Kowai : scared, afraid, scary
Kubi : neck
Kuchi : mouth
Kuchibiru : lips
Kudasai : please
Kumo : clouds
Kurisumasu : Christmas
Kushi : comb
Kyudo : archery
Kyuri : cucumber
- L -
- M -
Magatama : beads
Maiko : apprentice geisha
Manekineko : beckoning cat
Manga : Japanese comics
Manju : dumpling
Matoi : banners and standards
Matsuri to nenchu gyoji : annual events
Matte : wait
Mayuge : eyebrow
Me : eye
Meinichi : anniversary of death
Meishi : business card, calling card
Mendori : hens
Mikomi : hope
Mimi : ears
Mimikaki : ear cleaning tool; ear scoop
Minna : everyone
Minshato : Demoncratic Socialist Party (DSP)
Mirai : future
Mitsubachi : bee
Miyage : buying gifts on vacation
Mizuhiki : colored cords on envelope or gift
Momentai : take it easy
Mon : business crest; gate
Moshi moshi : hello (this is used to answer the phone)
Mune : chest
- N -
Nani : what?
Nasu : eggplant
Natsu : summer
Ne : added to the end of a sentence to say "isn't it?" or "am I right?"
Neko : cat
Nenbutsu : Buddhist prayer
Nihonkoku Kenpo : Constitution
Nihon Kyosanto : Communist Party of Japan
Niji : rainbow
Nobori : banners and standards
Noren : curtain
- O -
Obi : belt
Ofuda : amulet
Ohayo : good morning (or Ohayo gozaimasu to be polite)
Ojigi : bow
Kaa-san : mother
Okuribi : bonfire
Omamori : amulet
Omiai : arranged marriage meeting
Onaka : tummy
Ondori : rooster
Onee-san/Onee-sama : sister
Onegai : please
Oni : demon
Onii-chan : brother
Onsen : bath, public, at hot spring
Owari : the end
Owaranai : endless
Oya-yubi : thumb
- P -
Pan : bread
Poke-beru : beeper
Piku : to shake or tremble
- Q -
- R -
Ringo : apples
Romanji : the English alphabet, when used to transliterate the original Japanese words
- S -
Saikoro : dice
Sakura : cherry blossoms
Sayonara : good bye
Seidokyo : bronze mirror
Sempai : elder or upperclassman, can be used to honor someone
Sensei : teacher
Senshi : warrior or soldier
Seiyuu : a voice actor or actress
Semi : cicada sound
Senaka : back
Senbazuru : a thousand cranes
Senbei : rice cracker
Sengoku jidai : Civil War period
Sento : bath, public
Shakuhachi : bamboo flute
Shataku : company housing
Shichirin : brazier
Shika : deer
Shiken jigoku : examination hell
Shimo : frost
Shinai : bamboo sword
Shinkansen : Bullet Train
Shiro : castle
Shishiodoshi : bamboo pipe (garden decoration)
Shita : tongue
Shoyo : bonus
Shugendo : ascetic practice
Sora : sky
Sudare : blinds
Sugoi : cool!
Sumimasen : excuse me, as in interrupting someone, not as in bumping into them
Suzu : bell on rope at shrine
- T -
Tachimono : abstinence (not have sex before marriage), ascetic practice
Takenokawa : bamboo sheath
Taiko : drum
Taiyo : sun
Tanabata : cowherd and weaver story
Tanuki : badger
Te : hand
Temizuya : basin at Shinto shrine
Tenki : weather
Tenshi : angel
Tokonoma : alcove
Tomodachi : friend
Tori no su : nest
Tou-san : father
Tsubasa : wings
Tsukimono otoshi : exorcism
Tsukin : commuting
Tsumasaki : toes
Tsunokakushi : bride's headdress
Tsuru : crane
Tsuyu : dew
- U -
Ude : arm
Ume : apricot
Umeboshi : apricot
Unagi : eel
Uta karuta : card games
- V -
- W -
- X -
- Y -
Yamibushi : ascetic practice
Yobiko : cram school
Yopparai : drunkard
Yoshi : adoption
Yubi : fingers
Yuino : betrothal gift; dowry; engagement gift
Yuki : snow
Yume : dream
- Z -
Zabuton : cushion for sitting
Zoki ishioku : brain death
