I haven't stopped learning but I've been lazy to update this blog. I really need to keep doing that huh? Some of my new words lately...

霙 (みぞれ)
This one is relevant to recent weather, last weekend we had "sleet" or as I think of it; snow-rain.

マドラー
I'm not sure why "cocktail stirring sticks" are called muddlers in Japan. If it's the official term in English I've never heard it.

意識を変える (いしきをかえる)
This one kind of makes sense by the individual words but this is to "alter your state of consciousness".

邦画
This odd little word means "Japanese films"

色即是空 (しきそくぜくう)
I'm a bit reluctant to put this here because my mind melted when learning this zen idiom. Roughly "form is emptiness" but when you truly understand it, you can see/be the void if ever so briefly.

生殖器 (せいしょくき)
This is what I learn from translating clinical charts. The very doctor sounding word "genital organ" for the bits that are on our bodies.

膀胱 (ぼうこう)
More doctor words. Thus one is "bladder" or biological pee bag.

蛹 (さなぎ)
Here's a case where I didn't know the English word either. A baby butterfly is apparently called a "chrysalis" when it is the bag waiting pupa stage.

めんこい
This is like "darling" or charming or something

べっぴん
This means a "beautiful woman" but could be old fashion or regional as I learned it from a tv drama set in the 1960s

宴 (うたげ)
This fun little word means like "feast" or party or whatever.

大歓迎 (だいかんげい)
I knew this word but I add it to my last when it takes me too long to remember them. This is a word like "big warm welcome" or you'll be our guest or whatever.

退屈 (たいくつ)
This is a word a coworker asked me about and I was too slow to help so adding it here too. This means "boredom" or dullness.

手ごわい (てごわい)
This is something along the lines of "formidable"

アプレゲール
Another word from 1960s setting TV show so not sure on it's modern frequency but this is a word meaning "after the war (ww2)" apparently from the French word après-guerre. Also seen as アプレ etc.

立ち聞く (たちきく)
This is one of those literal words but in English it's harder, called to "eavesdrop" or listen in on other people talking.

心理 (しんり)
This is used for"psychology" or literally your state of mind.

へそまわり
I learned this one because it's another part of the body I don't know in English, but it is what it says, around your bellybutton area, apparently also sometimes used for the treasure trail.

通り魔 (とおりま)
This is a sad word. Out near Kawasaki some crazy "random slasher" attacked a few random girls and stabbed them to death. Crazy times.

弾丸ツアー (だんがんツアー)
This literally means bullet tour but is used in the English sense of a rushed "whirlwind tour"

しょぼん
This cute little word means to feel "downhearted" or dejected or whatever.

カンペ
This is like the "cue cards" they use on tv to not forget their lines.

探査機 (たんさき)
I keep forgetting this word, argh! This is a "space probe"!

猪の子 (いのこ)
This is how you say boar (イノシシ)'s kid. Fun.


I have a bunch more. It's been a year or so after all but my hands are tired so that's all I'm gonna type for now. More later!

I've been quite delinquent with my study blog, right? Life is a learning journey and I am not done for sure. Just been incredibly lazy updating new words even though I've been keeping track. In order to try to get back into the habit here is a small list of a few of my new words:

豪雨 (ごうう)
Heavy rain, down pours, the kind that bring mud slides.

破傷風 (はしょうふう)
Went to Malawi in Africa and dangerously didn't get a shot to prevent this sickness that freezes you up if you get a cut infected. I didn't know the English either but apparently it's called "tetanus" or "lockjaw" (I'm stupid for not knowing, I know!)

ひづめ
One of those words you wonder how you never learned it, "hoof" as in horse's foot. Related is 蹄鉄 (ていてつ) the "horseshoe" you put on the hooves.

水の泡 (みずのあわ)
Those of you paying attention might know this literally means water bubbles but is often used to mean "something that ends up not mattering or being important".

爪弾き (つまはじき)
This is describing the "black sheep of the family" or in other words, the outcast family member.

タツノオトシゴ
I knew this but forgot it, so putting it here. In English it's simply "seahorse".

処方箋 (しょほうせん)
This a doctor's "prescription". The sign at my local pharmacy writes the final kanji in hiragana cus it's a bit of a hard one I guess.

死すべき (しすべき)
Important to remember that we are all "mortal" and only have a limited time here on Earth.

茅葺き (かやぶき)
In autumn I went to Nagano to try building a "thatched straw roof" on an old house. Hard work but interesting.

水道屋 (すいどうや)
I got drunk and tried to fix my toilet, something went wrong and I ended up having to call the "plumber" (水道屋さん) to finally fix it.

There were more words, but that's it for now. Hope this inspires me to be more active!

I've been learning a pile of words, but just like last time, I was slow to update anything. I really need to get back into the habit of continuously updating this learning blog.


I was talking to R about light and places where there is no light and this word popped up:

しょうにゅうどう (鍾乳洞)
"Cavern" (or limestone cave) which is interestingly related to "stalactite" しょうにゅうせき (鍾乳石)

I was watching an old drama about traveling back in time using photos. It was an odd one, but taught me a ton of new words:

あこがれ (憧れ)
Yearning / longing

はなたば (花束)
A bouquet of flowers

のろま (鈍間)
An idiot/blockhead

てれる (照れる)
To feel shy

どうてい (童貞)
Virginity (usually male)

えしゃく (会釈)
Head nod, mini "hello" bow


I was having an odd conversation with a friend about the guy she kind of likes or something and learned these odd words:

ふうぞく (風俗)
Sex industry / prostitution (I think I knew this one already but it wasn't so clear)

のうそっちゅう (脳卒中)
Stroke / cerebral hemorrhage

けっぺきしょう (潔癖性)
Clean freak / super tidy person

Also learned some words from TV/YouTube/Internet:

れいせん (冷戦)
The Cold War (the kanji on this one is so literal !)

すっぴん (素っぴん)
No make up (this was on a friends Instagram picture!)

みかた (味方)
Supporter / ally

ぐ (具)
The ingredients / goods / tool etc (be careful !! 貝[かい shell] is a slightly different kanji --!!)

ゆうき (有機)
Organic (food)


And finally two fun idioms I also learned. i helped put the first one in a friends speech, and everyone loved it.

けいぞくはちからなり (継続は力なり)
"What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger" those that continue get stronger.

ふこうちゅうのさいわい (不幸中の幸い)
The silver lining. The small happiness in something sad. Something good that came out of the bad.


See? So many new words right? Gosh I need to update more often!!

I've been learning a whole pile of new words, one never stops acquiring new vocabulary really. I've just been a bit lazy to commit them to memory by updating my blog. I feel bad about that, a record is all I have. I'll try to update more frequently. For now, my new words...

I was hanging out with a close friend, and she said she was amazed by the variety of knowledge I had. I disagreed, but she insisted.
はくがくたさい (博学多才)
A wide range of knowledge...
We decided that it just came from how I always want to create something new.
そうさくいよく (創作意欲)
Creativity urge...

Something I hope you all will not have to face, from either view point. I was making important plans, but the other person kept delaying... my landlord asked if they had...
にのあしをふむ (二の足を踏む)
Cold feet. To hesitate. Etc
The whole situation just made me sad so somehow this idiom popped up:
あおなにしお (青菜に塩)
To feel blue, to be in the dumps.

I was discussing online words that only really work well in Japanese. Two of my favorites were:
こもれび (木漏れ日)
God-rays, sunlight through tree leaves, flittered light.
ちっぽけ
Tiny, teenie, super small.

ねこまんま (猫まんま)
Literally 'cat food' but more often used when you use your left over rice in certain way. The regional version I prefer is to put my rice in my miso soup. Interesting!

Some other miscolanious words that popped into conversations over the last few months:
おけ (桶) bucket (was used for shower bucket)
べいこうくううちゅうきょく (米航空宇宙局) NASA (English is simpler in this case!)
しおれる (萎れる) to wither/wilt (flowers etc)
がくふ (楽譜) musical score
てつがくてき (哲学的) philosophical

Clearly I should update my study blog more often, huh? Will try to do that! :)

Wow, it's been way too long since I've updated this learning blog. Bad bad me.

はなきん (花金)

This is literately Flower Fridays, but it's used for like "thank god it's Friday (TGIF)" and I think that's funny!

ぜんそく (喘息)

Sadly a few weeks ago the land lord's grandson had to go to the hospital. He was allergic to dogs and had an "asthma" attack. And that's an import word--- can't believe I didn't know that?

せんぬき (栓抜き)

Was hanging out with a friend at his house and his wife asked in Japanese for the "bottle opener" (also use for "corkscrew") and I was shocked I didn't know this word! Now I hope it won't be a mind gap.

おじゃんになる

I learned this from context. Someone I know was planning to come to visit Tokyo but had to cancel because of work suddenly getting in the way so they sent in an email: 東京はおじゃん。Meaning all the plans "came to nothing" (plans fell through) or something like that. Often seen as おじゃんになってしまった。I like the feeling of this depressed phrase for some reason.

ちんぷんかんぷん (珍紛漢紛)

This one is more common in Hiragana letters I believe. This means "gobbledygook" or incoherent language. And I love the sound of the word!

じゅくじょ (熟女)

This rather saucy word came up at a party of sorts. People asked a guy when he married a woman older than him and he said he like "MILFs" (sexually attractive older women) and if you can read kanji you maybe already guessed what it means because the characters are quite obvious.

ぱんのみみ (パンの耳)

I love this word! It illustrates how two cultures can develop two completely opposite ways to see the same thing. Literally it means the Bread's Ears, but it's what is called the "bread crust" in English. I learned this while reading Snoopy in Japanese!

So I was soooo late updating. Will try to update more often! Learning is a life long process...

はんにち (反日)

This past week there were a lot of suddenly wild protests in China. They were all "anti-Japanese" protests, hating on Japan and even smashing cars made in Japan etc... the word "anti-American" is predictably 反米 (はんべい) and I just hope that's not next!! Another word I learned recently:


いきがい (生き甲斐)

I learned this from discussing culture differences with someone. They were fascinated that American students usually say something like Family when asked about their "reason for living" but in Japan it's usually a dear hobby or something.


どくにもくすりにもならない (毒にも薬にもならない)

I can't remember where I picked this one up but its meaning is rather self evident "it will do neither harm nor good" or more literately 'it won't be poison or medicine' .. Cools!


うみ (膿)

I went to the dentist and he was trying to explain why he had to extract a broken tooth. He used this word and I thought he meant ocean because it's spelled the same (with different kanji) and so I thought it was just some sort of metaphor for the fluid build-up I could see in the x-ray photo. Later I checked the dictionary and realized he meant "pus" which I didn't even know could build up under teeth! Gross!


Anyway I've been lazy to update this blog. I'll try to update more often!

I've been not so diligently updating lately. Learning words but not updating them into my word lexicon blog thing. Oops! Ok here are some of my new ones.


イカレちゃった (いかれる)

I was reading a bilingual translated Snoopy cartoon at work because I was bored, and in one box Lucy said Snoopy had finally "flipped" (as in went crazy) because he was acting strange. Seemed like a cool word. Seems to be also common as いかれてる etc.

とっぷう (突風)

This spring we had a wild wind storm. I was calling it a typhoon but apparently you can't have typhoons in spring but you can have a "squall" (a TOP strength wind storm, makes it kind of easy to remember.)

なきつらにはち (泣き面に蜂)

I have know this idiom for awhile but I don't remember adding it to my lexicon blog, but I used it successfully the other day and so I thought I'd add it here. I had forgot my umbrella on a rainy day, I got a hole in my right shoe (thus a wet sock) and then a problem with my tooth. So I said "when it rains it pours" (or in other words; bad luck happens together) literally this idiom means: bee to a crying face, which in itself is poetically awesome.

はんせんびょう (ハンセン病)

This is one of those times when to laymen such as me , English and Japanese terms are so far apart that I had to guess from context and in this case I was lucky enough to be correct. A good friend of mine is studying Chinese so she volunteered to go to China for a few weeks and help communities with "leprosy" who were traditionally ostracized in China as well as Japan, although now things are looking better for such people in China of course.

てのひら (掌)

I was explaining something to a friend about her "palm" (maybe about fortune tellers? I forget) so needed this word. Anyway that's all of my new words for now!

うるうどし (閏年)

I have been doing this blog sooo long that ironically I know I uploaded this word (in 2008 to be precise!) but it is a word that is only used once every 4 years so not so typical to use it. This word is "leap year" which February 29th (today!) is a result of. Good to keep this word in mind. (last time I learned leap day 閏日 ［うるうび] but this year I went for leap year, seems more typical to talk about the leap year. But the key part is the first part of the word which helps the listener understand either word easily!)

よくし (抑止)

I've learned a lot of new words lately been lazy about uploading them. This one I learned from context right now so I thought I'd share. I don't think it's so conversational, most likely train jargon... but the line was stopped and some girl I didn't know, holding hands with her boyfriend, read the sign out loud (so I didn't even have to look it up!) and asked her boyfriend what it meant and he said, approximately: duh, this. Of course this is a "check" of the lines to make sure they are clear after a suicide jump. According to my dictionary (but haven't checked with a native speaker yet though) it can also mean 'checkmate' which is pretty cool. This is like the third jump in less weeks. This season's been pretty rough.

れんきゅう　（連休）

I am having a bad case of the "Did I already post this?" ... but it's a good word, and if I can't remember it, that means I didn't memorize it well enough, so here it is. My friend is a workaholic, sometimes working all 7 days in a week. Facebook status yesterday was though that she would get ten "consecutive holidays" or you know, 10 days off in-a-row. Time for some rest and relaxation!

みもふたもない (身も蓋もない)

I can't remember what I was reading, but when I came across this phrase it was one of those ah, nice one moments. This word means to be "blunt". I suppose you could say something like: 「えー！そんな身も蓋もない！」 (if I am thinking of this phrase right!)

かたはらいたい (片腹痛い)

I was talking about crazy stories with a friend and she said her coworkers were saying "ridiculous" things, a good word in any language.

たいばん (胎盤)

This bloody word is "placenta" and I learned this word of describing the (Asian? Female?) tradition of using animal placenta in make up. Gross.

ふうしゅう (風習)
By the way, the word "tradition" was new to me too. The kanji kinda makes sense too, although kind of weird.

Oh my god! The horrible Tohoku earthquake has taught me a million new words, mostly because I had never had to deal with this before.

てんさい (天災)
With different kanji characters this means genius, but that has nothing to do with the topic ! With these characters, it means "disaster" like the earthquake up north.

ひさいち (被災地)
It hit bad here in Tokyo too but I guess you would say the main "area the disaster hit" was up north. It was horrible up there.

よしん (余震)
After the main earthquake we had many scary "aftershocks". In fact, we had two big ones just light night! Makes me nervous.

ぶじ (無事)
On TV a lot of people told their stories but wanted to let their family know they were "safe" (as in, I'm alright) and that they were ok, this word was like a mantra. It might start using it instead of 元気[げんき] when greeting people. heehee

ていでん (停電)
After the power plant problems up north, we have had problems here in Tokyo area too. We have had some "blackouts" (power outages) but most supposedly controlled.

ふそく (不足)
You might be able to guess from the kanji but we are having blackouts because there is "insufficient" (not enough) power right now.

せつでん (節電)
At work we are doing our best to avoid blackouts by instigating "brownouts" or energy conservation policies, or in other words turning out all unused lights at the branch. (not sure why, but I learned this word in Chinese today too!)

so many new words! And maybe more to come. Wild times in Tokyo-land.

きゃくせんび (脚線美)

I learned this word from a coworker named Paul. This is the mighty useful "beautiful legs" with all the long slender connotations. (Funnily enough, I knew the opposite 大根足 [だいこんあし] or daikon legs, stubby and fat legs.)

きょうそう (競争)

I was walking past a dead ramen shop and talking about how there weren't enough customers. The person I was with offered that "competition" was very hard in my area. The phrase was 競争が激しい[はげしい, intense] which is quite true for my area.

ちんもく (沈黙)

This basically means "silence" but it has an untranslated nuance. In Japanese conversations, silence is common and doesn't make the conversation partner nervous. Silence is a form of communication.

じんましん

A chinese-medicine poster i am looking at right now is teaching me "hives" which is kind of a rash, right? to be honest, i am not too clear about the english either.

むじゅん （矛盾）

Someone was learning this word and I was overhearing them. It means "contradiction". Something sadly common in my life.

なきつらにはち （泣き面に蜂）

Nice idiom! This litterly means: bees to a crying face. And I guess the English equivelent is "when it rains, it pours" as in all the bad things happen at the same time.

らくちん （楽チン）

This na-adjective wordie kind of explains itself, but this blog is for all new words and technically i didnt know this word. a new chinese study book (in japanese) i am reading said studying chinese is more "pleasent" than japanese because there is only one reading for each characterー I agree thats nice. I'm thinking they picked this adjective because it is phonetically similar to チャイナ, but maybe not. This word also means "easy going" etc.

ズル休み （ずるやすみ）

I was reading a Japanese book for stuying English phrases (bored at work) and looking for words I didnt know. This one is "playing hookey" or in otherwords, escaping work/school or something for no real reason. I've never done that...

そんざい　（存在）

This is a hard word to get a feeling for because it is quite abstract. In my situation my friend was saying sorry for bad advice because she was a small "being", her existence was tiny. A bit of a mental trip, I'll have to play with it more to make sure i have it figured out.

EDIT: It has been thankfully brought to my attention that I had already blogged this word way back in 2005. It is clear that I haven't acquired it yet though, since I reblogged it. Or maybe I just was too drunk, anyway, I should leave this entry here to make sure I acquire this word!!

ひざがわらう （膝が笑う）

Maybe you can understand this litterally, but its not litteral-- its an idiom. I went hiking on mount tsukuba a few days ago. It was hard, "my knees almost gave out" and my legs were so sore. Litterly this would be: my knees are laughing... but most idioms arent litteral.

レトルト

Somehow i never learned the word: "Food-in-a-bag" ... I guess thats why, theres not really a word for it in English i think. Its like precooked food (curry/stew/etc) put in a plastic pouch that you boil in water to "cook". Easy cooking!

ヨード

In my quest to learn ALL japanese words, even ones i dont know in English, i ran into this one, it means "iodine". The japanese word was predictably borrowed from german: jod. BUT! i didnt really get the english word. Google tells me its a chemical used by medicine (knew that!) and photography (didnt know that!) and wikipedia adds: its the heaviest chemical required by land animals, whatever that means!

こっくりさん

I keep forgetting the japanese word for the "ouiji board" ... It looks a little different so I included a picture from google with the post. good way to devine things. creepy! haha

ふでぶしょう （筆不精／筆無精）

A friend was quite slow to respond to my email and said sorry to be a "poor correspondent" or like reluctant or slow to write mail. Interesting word!

ストレスはっさん (ストレス発散)

A friend of mine wrote this in an email as a reason for going to karaoke (context: ストレス発散したい！) and of course the ストレス part is Japanglish for stress. The 発散 part means "let out [feelings]" or emit. So translitterated as something like releave stress. A super useful word when you're stressed.

こんかつ （婚活）

I heard two students talking about marriage. One student said she was "searching for a partner" (hunting for a marriage partner) an interesting word. Short form of 結婚活動 （けっこんかつど） which litterly means 'marriage activites' but translitterly maybe something like 'activities to get married'. 活動（かつど）'activity' can be used in all sorts of other cases, such as 火山活動（かざんかつど） 'volcano activities' (NOT active volcano which is the opposite word order 活火山（かつかざん） opposite meaning [dormant] is clearly 休火山（きゅうかざん）!) ...or 営業活動 （えいぎょうかつど）'business activities' and what not. Cools!

しおひがり （潮干狩り）

I have a coworker that is really good at Japanese vocabulary. And the staff asked him this random word and he (based on the core words i guess) popped out with "clam digging" which was correct. BUT! 潮干［しおひ] does not mean clam it means 'low tide' and! 狩り［かり] doesnt mean dig either. It means to 'hunt' so this litterly 'low tide hunting' ... by the way, if you dont know 'clam' is *something* with 貝［かい], there are many types. 貝 it self just means shell fish i think.

I learned two useless words today. I thought I would share the random joy of words you might never use in your whole life! Ah! The joys of random vocab.

べにざけ (紅鮭)

A coworker was playing a fish videogame and the word "sockeye salmon" came up. I'm not quite sure what type of salmon that is, but it rings a bell.

はくないしょう （白内障）

I am totally unsure of the English meaning of this one. But my goal is to know Japanese good or better than English. Some old students were talking about someone with "cataracts" and i could guess from context but didnt know (either!) word. Wikipedia tells me that it means like when the eye gets cloudy (thus the 'white' kanji i guess) with old age. Now we just have to work it into a conversation somehow. Gonna be hard!

すばやく （素早く）

This adverby thingamabob is fairly easy (and cool) to guess if you can read the kanji. as you thought it means "quick" (with a nimble nuance) and i believe the context was すばやくキスした (from an english learning ad in the train)

きゅうしょく （給食）

Lotsa new words today. I was looking at a Learn English thing in the newspaper and studying backwards. This word means predictably "school lunch"! The context was: 今日は給食どうだった？ (How was lunch [at school?]") I feel like I already know this word, but the kanji confused me a little, so here it is for me to study.

ぼっしゅう （没収）

I heard students talking about when they were at the airport and got something "confinscated" because it was illegal to bring into Japan. Like counterfeit bags or something.

たんしゅく （短縮）

At my company there is a song for the kids to learn, but there is a note that it is the 短縮バージョン or the "abridged" version, shorter than the original song.

むかしふう （昔風）

This one makes sense and I doubt I'd forget it. But it seems useful and so I am updating this blog with it: "old fashioned" which might be good to use sometimes when talking about styles and what not.

へんてこ （変梃）

I had a strange dream and my friend used this na adjective to describe it. Means about the same as the root: "strange".

ぱっつんまえがみ （パッツン前髪）

I already knew that 前髪 means 'bangs' but i didnt know what the パッツン (weird word btw!) part meant. I saw this in a comerical and I guess we call this a "bowl cut" in english? I'm not sure! The kind of hair cut where your bangs are cut straight across your forehead.

かたて （片手）

This word i should have known a long time ago, and i always said it wrong. But enough tears, this word is "one hand" as in not using both. A simple but useful word.

ひょう (豹)

I dont think this word isnt that common maybe. But its the endemic name for "panther" or leopard. It came up reading a BBS. some guy said in japanese that guys are オオカミ (wolves) but wondered what are girls? Someone offered 女豹 (めひょう) or female panther. Interesting. Do you agree?

じゃじゃうま　(じゃじゃ馬)

I have walked past this bar [near my house] a million times but i thought i would update the cool meaning of the word. Its kind of like "stubborn" as in the tomboy image. (litterly a nervous horse)

わごむ （輪ゴム）

If your creative, maybe you can guess this in second. but just in case, heres "rubber band" if you didnt know.

ためぐち （タメ口）

I heard this on a video clip of a tv show. Its like "casual talk" as in not polite reservered lingo. Seems a bit common to use in a negative sense.

やぶさか

This word litterly means something along the lines of "reluctant" but in the context: やぶさかではないです which takes on the (clearly polite) meaning of '[even though you guys dont think so] it's no problem for me.'

ぜつみょう （絶妙）

I learned this one from a fast food chain (lotteria plus) they have rebranded most of their hamburgers as "superb"(perfect etc) hamburgers. context: 絶妙ＢＬＴハンバーガー

へんかく (変革)

This was on a poster promoting action to protect the environment. It was promoting "revelutionary change" (upheavel/reform) and what not. Lets do it!

かわや （厠）

This odd word is flapping infront of the toilet at this local izekaya. roughly equivalant to "privy" or some odd word.

ほうふ (抱負)

Was at a party, and kinda through context I gathered that this means "resolution" (as in: ambition etc) or more correct for the season しんねんのほうふ（新年の抱負）'new years resolutions'!

やく (役)

I was watching TV and heard this super useful word. Its used like "role" as in the context: 僕[ぼく]の役ですか？ 'Is that my role?/Should I do that?' ... useful!

こうよう (紅葉)

This super common word is seasonly approprite! "fall colors" is a good approximate translation, i suppose. i always used to use the word もみじ (which can have the same kanji) which is applicable but focuses more on just the maple tree.

みぎのみみからひだりのみみへききながす (右の耳から左の耳へ聞き流す)

This kind of ideomatic phrase thing is cool because of its similarity to a phrase i like to use in english, "goes in one ear amd comes out the other" or things easily forgotten.

じゅんばん (順番)

Another making tests word. "numerical word". Akin to あいうえお順 (kana order) or アルファベット順 (alphabetical order) Nice! 3 word get! heehee

かこむ (囲む)

I am helping a friend grade tests and ran across this word i knew but forgot. Simply "encirle" in the context ○[まる]で囲む for test instructions.

ほれいざい (保冷剤)

I dont think this word exists perfectly in English, and if it does I dont know it. Its like "keep cool pack" that you get with food when you get it, to keep it fresh.

なまほうそう (生放送)

In Japan live TV is a lot more common still than some other countries. So its quite possible to go to a "live broadcast" like my friend did. The ほうそう part is the broadcast word. (thus words like インターネット放送 meaning of course 'webcast')

つや (艶)

Bored and reading train advertisements again. This word means like "gloss" or like a glaze (the related onimonipedia is of course つやつや: glossy/glistening). The poster was selling lip gloss with a cute young lady. The caption read: ピュア・ツヤ・リップになりましょう。(Wich transliterates into something like: 'Lets get pure glossy lips'.) Interesting. A word to the wise: the same kanji but pronounced えん is the not-so-common adjectivy-noun that means the related but a bit less literal 'fascinating' or charming. Which also takes part in the equally kind of rarer word せいえん (凄艶) 'strangly beautiful' which is a cool word!

しんえんるい (真猿類)

This is totally a hardly used word I guess cus i hardly know it in English. But someone asked me what it ment in English yesterday, so if they expect me to know I guess I should know. It's "simian" (that means 'monkey-like') or something. Wow. Now thats a hard word to slip into a conversation!

ながめ (眺め)

I think I knew this word but it took me a little too long today to remember when my coworker showed me an email he got. This nouny means simply "the view" (which of course comes from the verb 眺める or 'to gaze at')

トウモロコシ (玉蜀黍)

Wow! I am studying Chinese (with a japanese book) and found a JAPANESE vocab gap! This is the endemic japanese word for simply "corn" for all these years i only knew コーン cus thats more common on menus etc. interesting!

はかない (儚い)

We live in such a world, so its a wonder that not until studying puns (this pridictably punned with cant puke) that i ran across this beautiful i-adjective. This is "transient" in the fleeting/short-lived sense. Aint it true!

ひとごみ (人ごみ)

Heres another word from a train poster. It's funny! It means "a crowd of people" but I was thinking trashy people are something haha! oops

じょうたつ (上達)

I'm bored on the train ride home and reading the posters on the walls. This word means "improvement" (or progress etc) the context was a poster selling expensive English lessons. 「上達も早い！」 (or 'Progress is fast too!')... 【OK and if you are a glutton for learning *everything* than you'll wanna know I checked and 下達 (かたつ) is apparently an uncommon word this is NOT the opposite meaning. it just means ordering people under you to do stuff.】

ひがんばな (彼岸花)

Its hard to memorize a botanical word when you dont know the plant in your native language. So I'm including pictures to help with the memorizing. Apparently (according to research) this is "red spider lilly" which wont help too much I guess since I dont know that plant. To help me remember, the 彼岸[ひがん] part is associated with Buddhism. I have the feeling I have uploaded or learned that part before because its the buddhist idea of 'nirvana'. Buddha said life is suffering, red streams look like blood, blood comes from suffering. Hope that helps memorize it!

きば (牙)

This word might make sense if you were Chinese but otherwise you might not get it. This is an elephant's "tusk" (or even fangs of a snake) or mouth teeth. You can tell I went to Ueno zoo today heehee

ヨダレ (涎)

This awesome noun means "drool" like what you do when you see something yummy. (ヨダレ出る)

シャチ (鯱)

I felt that I already knew this word but it didnt come easily to my mind so i am placing it here. This is "orca (killer whale)" which is cool. (bonus points!! 'Narwhal' is predictably イッカク and 'white whale' is oddly シロイルカ and also 'blue whale' joins the party as the also odd シロナガスクジラ)

かいりゅう (海流)

Somehow a conversation about coffee blends turned into a discussion regarding "ocean currents" (the kanji makes sense, huh?)

せんしんこく (先進国)

I feel like i have updated this word before? in anycase, i didnt remember it so here it is. When you are talking about an "advanced/developed nation" you can whip out this word. (The opposite, developing nation, appears to be the mouthful: かいはつとじょうこく [開発途上国]!)

ぼうこう (膀胱)

I drank tons of juice but will ride an hour long train. Its OK cus I got a strong "bladder"!