Kimtaro

J-E false friends: 足が長い, "long legs"

This is a casual JP phrase used to describe tall or lanky proportions.

In EN, describing someone as having long legs takes on very different connotations. So a literal translation would be adding subtext that the source didn't have.

As a general rule, you should always, ALWAYS be suspicious of katakana words when you translate. Don't translate them without thinking about the context and double checking. And don't trust jisho dot org either.

This dictionary is missing a few things but it's designed for Japanese to English media translators.
yakuaru.com

JR山手線の環状化まもなく百年　大正期から首都発展支え 東京のJR山手線が大正時代に都心を一周する環状運転になってから、11月1日で100年を迎える。東京、上野、新宿といったターミナル駅をつなぎ、私鉄やバス路線とも接続して首都の発展を支えてきた。34.5 ...

The Yamanote Line first became a full loop in 1925, and November 1st next week will mark the 100th anniversary of its complete encirclement of the city centre. www.47news.jp/13346469.html

An innocent post translating Japanese fillers into English. I cross out the English translations and write I. What I think people actually mean. まあまあ（maa maa） Well, kind-of. Not really, no ていうか （te iu ka） Or rather... /I mear….. I don't actually know what I mean とりあえず（toriaezu） For now.... Stop talking and listen to そうね （sou ne） Well... /I guess... Derp なるほどね （naruhodo ne） I see... / Makes sense. NARUHODO NE! なんだろう （nan darou） What could it be... Wait wut どうしよう （dou shiyou） What should I do...? You do it なんとなく （nantonaku） Somehow This is absolutely a thing but I'd hate to sound confident about it どういうか （douiu ka） How should I put it... You’ll never understand まあいいか （maa ii ka） Well, whatever I'm going home そうだっけ （sou da kke） Was that so..? Yeah no that never happened まあそうね （maa sou ne） Well, yeah I give up. Go ahead and just keep thinking you're right. なんかさ （nanka sa） You know, like The thing you say before everything you say まあいいでしょう (maa ii deshou) Well, that's fine... You need to calm down

Another day, another random post bitterly defaced by yours truly, who only strives to keep it real 😇

#大阪NOHATE街宣 さんが作ったチラシです。広めよう。

『外国人優遇デマあれこれ』

Some Star Trek art for Trek Tuesday.

Enjoy.

#scifiart #scifi #fanart #StarTrek #TrekTuesday

PART 1 - High Resolution photos of the Voyager Model If you like the content and want to help, Feel free to follow me and share my posts. #startrek #trek #tng #VOY #DS9.

FONTS! [the word rendered using different iconic Star Trek fonts]

#StarTrek Fonts: The Thread

This thread is going to cover the official typefaces used for on-screen titles and marketing materials etc. Not in-universe graphics, alien scripts or any of that.

Feedback and corrections welcome! Please check ALT text for additional context. 🧵 [001/???]

Japanese Slang Review – August 2025 And it’s time for the eighth Japanese slang review of 2025 (see all prior posts here)! In these posts I deep dive into the world of Japanese terms you probably won’t see in a textbook, …

Time for the August #Japanese slang review! Click this link to learn about the terms:

ドン勝
回します界隈
ぷくぷく界隈
ダル着
グラドル
筋通しましょうや
ひな？やったー！
生まれ持った顔ポーカー
入れ違いグッジョブ
ほん𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒚わかんのでskrrrrメロいちゃむ〜ドカ鬱横転ちゃんねるでしぬ〜セブンのカリカリ梅しか勝たんのやめれる

wesleycrobertson.wordpress.com/2025/08/31/j...

Here's a thing about translation. Particularly, people who complain about "accuracy." Nearly always, what they mean is, "I put this word into a J>E dictionary and that's NOT what it said!"

But have you looked at an English dictionary? No, really, have you? Does it look like a J>E dictionary?

This is also actually reminding me of the way a dictionary can be a false friend, too, especially when you don't have a deep enough understand of the source language grammar.

a story🧵:

some years back, I was helping a J->E translator friend untangle a scene she was having trouble with.

A Guide to Words With Multiple Kanji A while ago, I made a video discussing how to navigate cases where a single word is written in multiple kanji. That is, cases like とる being written as 取る and 摂る and 撮る. In making that video, my goa…

New Blog Post! A guide to understanding the nuances behind different uses of #kanji to write a single word in #Japanese (things like 飲む vs 呑む or 見る vs 診る and 観る).

wesleycrobertson.wordpress.com/2025/08/05/a...

Any recommendations for an authoritative Japanese etymology dictionary?

Japanese Slang Review – July 2025 And it’s time for the seventh Japanese slang review of 2025 (see all prior posts here)! In these posts I deep dive into the world of Japanese terms you probably won’t see in a textbook,…

It's time for the July #Japanese slang review! Click the link below to learn about the words:

神ってる
ガイガイ音頭
ネット乞食
ビジュイイじゃん
自発光メイク/モカムースメイク
裏山
詐胸
対立厨/出会い厨/カプ厨/懐古厨
水素の音
マコモ湯構文

wesleycrobertson.wordpress.com/2025/07/31/j...

Do I have Japanese grammar study recommendations for N5 to N2 levels? Do I ever?!

Order the book Ideologies of Communication in Japan from Multilingual Matters for 50% via the code ICJ50 by July 31st

Hey! I've got a chapter on script-based language ideologies across Japanese history in this new book Ideologies of Communication in Japan out via @multi-ling-mat.bsky.social! Use the code in the image for 50% off if you order a copy by the 31st of July!

Friend of Garak shirts are freshly restocked! I have t-shirts in sizes S-5XL and tank tops in S-4XL. Other sizes available on backorder. Still 10% off for Pride Month. willburrows.art/shop

What’s a Kaiwai?: 界隈理解界隈 If you’ve spent any time on the Japanese internet over the last few years, you’ve probably part of some kind of 界隈 that regularly sees the word 界隈 (かいわい) floating around. This word for …

New Blog Post! Join the 界隈理解界隈 by reading this deep dive into 界隈... I mean, 界-隈not?

wesleycrobertson.wordpress.com/2025/05/22/w...

現代オタク用語の基礎知識 学校でも会社でも教えてくれないフシギで笑える「オタク語」の数々！あなたはどれだけ知っていますか？【女性アイドルファンの行動や状況を表す専門用語】山下清（短パンで参加している人）野鳥の会（双眼鏡を凝視している人）メモリスト（何のためか公演中にメモをとる人）ケンシロウ（上半身裸）ドナドナ（興奮しすぎて係員に退去させられること）人間スターダスト（興奮しすぎて上階から下に落ちること）【鉄道マニアにもいろい...

The tagline of this otaku dictionary is maybe perfect? 知っているだけで恥ずかしいーYou'll be embarrassed just to know these words. So nerdy, the words themselves bring shame, proof that it is *the* geek dictionary of choice.

ありがとう！ Btw I really enjoy your podcast and newsletter!

Thank you! I appreciate it!

Thank you for the kind words!

Pushed the first bug fix!

The current Jisho might have seemed almost abandoned, but I care deeply about the site, and I am so happy to have a platform that I can easily build on and improve.

The beta version of the new Jisho is live! four.jisho.org

I'm releasing it today (with one minute to spare!) to celebrate 20 years since the Wayback Machine first indexed Jisho.

Japanese Slang Review – April 2025 And it’s time for the fourth Japanese slang review of 2025 (see all prior posts here)! In these posts I deep dive into the world of Japanese terms you probably won’t see in a textbook, …

New #Japanese 流行語 explanations are out! Click the link below to learn about:

海外ニキネキ
違和感仕事しろ
ちくわ大明神
5000兆円欲しい!
あくしろよ
切り替えピース
風呂キャンセル界隈
メンブレ
リアコ
恋のHamburg♪/お料理、得意なんです

wesleycrobertson.wordpress.com/2025/04/30/j...

Japanese Study Apps That DON'T Use AI - Japanese Talk The plagiarism machine seems to be worming its way into everything. Here's a list of Japanese Study apps That DON'T Use AI!

I was going to post this article this weekend but Duolingo's recent doubling down on replacing humans with generative AI pushed me to get it out sooner.

Here's a list of amazing apps for learning Japanese that DON'T use generative AI!

#cancelDuolingo
jtalkonline.com/japanese-stu...

Me too, Anpanman. Me too.

‘The Joy of Translating is Gone’ | Swedish Book Review by Yukiko Duke, translated by Ian Giles

This piece by Yukiko Duke, who co-translated Kenzaburo Oe, Haruki Murakami and Yu Miri among others with her mother, deeply moved me. "It was the best kind of family business." swedishbookreview.org/joy-translat...

Thank you for the kind shout-out!