- ai- love.
If a native speaker wanted to specify romantic love,
he would use the character pronounced koi (or ren, depending on the
context).
- akuma- Satan, Devil.
As with it's English counterparts, this
word can be used figuratively.
- arigatou- Thanks.
The full formal version is arigatou
gozaimasu.
- baka- an all-purpose insult towards the subject's
intelligence.
Depending on tone of voice and other factors, it can range in severity from
"silly" to "retard."
- bakemono- monster.
- be-da!- the sound made by Japanese when they perform akanbe
, a
gesture of
contempt made by sticking out the tongue and bringing down one lower eyelid.
The gesture is analogous to "Nyah nyah nyah nyah
nyah."
- bijin- a beautiful woman.
In terms of frequency and usage, it's
best
likened to "babe" but doesn't have a derogatory tone to the word.
- chikusho- an exclamation of frustration
, equivalent to "Damn!"
or "Shit!"
- daijoubu- O.K.
Most often encountered in Anime when one
character inquires as to another's health.
- dare- who.
Note that certain particles placed after the word
will alter its meaning, i.e. dareka-someone, anyone daremo-no one
daredemo-everyone.
- doko- where.
- gaki- young, immature person.
Often translated as "brat" or
"punk."
- hayai- quick, fast, early.
The adverbial form hayaku means
"Hurry up!" when exclaimed.
- hentai-
"pervert" or "perversion."
- hime- princess.
- iie- no.
It is important to note that the Japanese very rarely say no, it's a cultural thing. So when one does say no, it means very strongly no, more so than it's English counterpart.
- itai- hurt, pain; painful.
It's
equivalent to "Ouch!"
- jigoku- Hell. Hades.
- kami- God, god.
This term can also be applied to any
supernatural being with a specific domain/charge/sphere.
- kawaii- cute.
- ki
- is generally used
in two
senses. One is its literal meaning of "air." The other is its
figurative meaning of "spiritual essence." Many English speakers
know
this concept through the Chinese loan word "chi."
- kokoro- heart.
- mamoru- to protect, guard.
- matsu- to wait.
The shouted command "Wait" is "Matte
(kudasai)!"
- Moshimoshi- hello on the telephone.
- mou- already.
- musume- young woman.
- naka- a word referring to one's family and platonic relationships
- nani- what.
- ohayou- abbreviated form of ohayou gozaimasu, "good morning."
- onegai- shortened form of onegai shimasu, "I beg of you," "Please"
or "Pretty please."
- oni- demon, ogre, or any other supernatural life form
- Oyasumi nasai- Good Night.
This can also be shortened to an informal "Oyasumi".
- Ryoukai!- message received and understood-"Roger!"
- Saa- a noncommittal reply indicating that one has understood a
statement and given it serious thought.
)
- sempai- anyone who is one's senior in a hierarchical
organization.
- sugoi- It can mean both awesome or awful, or something inbetween.
- suki- affection, liking.
Also used to signify "love."
- teki- enemy.
- tomodachi- friend.
- uso- a lie.
As an exclamation, it can mean "You must be
kidding!," "You lie!," or "No way!"
- wakaru- to understand.
.
- yameru- to stop, quit, terminate.
The exclamation Yamero! can
be translated as "Stop (it)!" or "Enough!"
- yatta-
Used to proclaim victory or good
fortune. Possible translations include "Hooray!," "Banzai!," "I did
it!," and "Yay!"
- yoshi- an exclamation used when readying oneself to take an
important action.
Possible translations include "Here I come!," "All
right (,then)!"
- youkai- an occult monster.
Sometimes used as a general term
for occult phenomena
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