Author Archives: Misa-chan

A Small Guide to Japanese Slang Words

22 Friday Oct 2010

Posted by in Japan Tidbits

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A Small Guide to Japanese Slang Words

Hey all!! This is a list of some popular Japanese slang words which can be found in some of my translations.

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Azassu (あざっす), or sometimes just Azs, is a short-form for “Thank you”. Yamazaki (Boke), from the owarai comedic team The Untouchables, abbreviated the term 「Arigatou Gozaimasu」 to 「Azassu」, which quickly became popular. The short-form used to sound similar to 「Arigatou Gozaimasu」, but nowadays, it has completely shortened to 「Azassu」.

Karano (からの) is a term often heard in TV variety shows. Most probably coined by popular comedian Yamazaki, the phrase is used when someone on a show is telling a juicy story but not revealing enough details. It’s sort of like asking “Hey, that’s surely not all that you know! What happens next? And then? And then?” I loosely translate the phrase into “and then” sometimes, but mostly, I leave it untouched as roomaji “karano”.

Masai (マサイ), often written in katakan, is a phrase coined by Hamasaki Ayumi’s dancer ZIN. It has the general meaning of “making a mistake”, and is often used as a verb eg “I Masai-ed”.

Ndaba (んだば) is Hokkaido dialect for daba (だば). Daba is slang for ja (じゃ) which means alright/see you/ok, depending on the context. ayu often uses it as plain “ndaba” or “ndabayon”, the latter of which is just a cuter version of the word.

 Zabutons (座布団) are those flat square cushions which the Japanese put under them when they kneel on the floor. There is a variety show on Japan TV called “shouten”, and one of the corners they have is a wit competition. The competitors will be asked a variety of questions, and whenever the host deems that someone has made a witty/smart comment, he will be awarded one zabuton to sit on (or two if the comment is extra funny). When the competitor gives an unsatisfactory answer, one zabuton will be removed instead. The game continues until a competitor accumulates 10 zabutons under him, after which he’ll receive the grand prize. Following the show, the phrase “1 zabuton” has become a slang when someone wants to compliment another for a witty comment. The number of zabutons can vary, depending on how witty the listener finds the comment to be.
Check out zabuton competition: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjxYhzVJU4M)

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More coming soon!

Last angel – ayumi hamasaki

29 Wednesday Sep 2010

Posted by in ayumi hamasaki, lyrics

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L / Ayumi Hamasaki L / Ayumi Hamasaki L / Ayumi Hamasaki L / Ayumi Hamasaki
Love songs / Ayumi Hamasaki Love songs / Ayumi Hamasaki
From L single + Love songs album.

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I believe you can hear me
There’s something I want to tell you
“The bell that is announcing the end
Is not a sad sound”

We cried, we screamed
Until we had no voice left
It’s not a lie, it’s not a dream
It’s not something we can wake up from
I won’t regret, won’t go back anymore
There’s nowhere to go but forward
Even if I feel love, even if I feel nostalgia
Even if we will never meet a second time

Unable to come clean, filled with guilt
I’ve had such loves before
Frolicking during the night, alone at dawn
My life repeated like that

Unable to come clean, filled with guilt
I’ve had such loves before
Frolicking during the night, alone at dawn
My life repeated like that

Maybe I’ll be on time, maybe it’s not too late
Maybe I can begin again
I want you to see, I want you to feel
I want you not to give up on us
I won’t run, I won’t lie
I won’t let things repeat again
I will stay with you, I will hold onto you
I will accept you as you are

Just one, the last one
There is such a love
Believe in the night, it will come true at dawn
The angel has smiled

Just one, the last one
There is such a love
Believe in the night, it will come true at dawn
The angel has smiled

We cried, we screamed
Until we had no voice left
It’s not a lie, it’s not a dream
It’s not something we can wake up from
I won’t regret, won’t go back anymore
There’s nowhere to go but forward
Even if I feel love, even if I feel nostalgia
Even if we will never meet a second time

Maybe I’ll be on time, maybe it’s not too late
Maybe I can begin again
I want you to see, I want you to feel
I want you not to give up on us
I won’t run, I won’t lie
I won’t let things repeat again
I will stay with you, I will hold onto you
I will accept you as you are

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Sweet Season – ayumi hamasaki

29 Wednesday Sep 2010

Posted by in ayumi hamasaki, lyrics

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L / Ayumi Hamasaki L / Ayumi Hamasaki L / Ayumi Hamasaki L / Ayumi Hamasaki
Love songs / Ayumi Hamasaki Love songs / Ayumi Hamasaki
From L single + Love songs album.

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Surrounded by transient blooming cherry blossoms
On spring days, we were still so shy

Feeling the sun’s rays when they occasionally beat down
On summer days, we shone in our dreams

Yes, we were together through all the seasons

The sparkling tears on your face now
Seem to be a sign that you have not lost to yourself
The sparkling smile on your face now
Is a sign of your happiness shining, shining, shining

The falling leaves couldn’t conceal our loneliness
On autumn days, we were a little weak

Fingertips trembling in the freezing cold
On winter days, we kept our hearts warm

Yes, we went though all the seasons together

As you set off now, you look back a little
And give a nostalgic smile
As you set off now, I can see
Your future, filled with hope, shining, shining, shining

The sparkling tears on your face now
Seem to be a sign that you have not lost to yourself
The sparkling smile on your face now
Is a sign of your happiness shining, shining, shining

Shining, shining, shining

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