Join Our Newsletter
  • Visit Our Store
  • Come Write for J-List!
J-List Blog
Visit J-List - Your Favorite Online Shop and Friend in Japan
  • Featured
  • News
  • Gallery
  • Product Reports
  • Your Friend in Japan
No Result
View All Result
J-List Blog
  • Featured
  • News
  • Gallery
  • Product Reports
  • Your Friend in Japan
No Result
View All Result
J-List Blog
No Result
View All Result

Four Kana Japanese Words

Peter Payne by Peter Payne
10 years ago
in Your Friend in Japan

There’s a category of four-syllable (or four kana) words used here that are so loaded with meaning they boggle the mind, and I found they were quite fun to study and use. First is せっかくsekkaku (seh-KAH-koo), which carries the implication of having gone to great trouble to do something for someone only to have them not appreciate your efforts. Another fun word is やっぱり yappari (yah-PAH-ree), which means “just as I thought” or “as I expected” or “Aha! I knew you’d be trying to peek into the girl’s bath!” When you learn something that surprises you, you might use the phrase なるほど naruhodo, which can be translated as “wow, I didn’t know that” or “I see your point,” and in a TV drama, a police inspector might mutter this to themselves as a signal to viewers that he’d found another piece of a puzzle. Finally there’s とにかく tonikaku (toh-nee-kah-koo), which just means “at any rate” “regardless of that fact” or just “anyway.” When my bilingual son was growing up, he got confused and accidentally combined English and Japanese stems to create the hybrid word toni-way (tonikaku + anyway), which has been a running joke in our family ever since.

Here are some random Japanese phrases for you.

Tags: familyJapanese language

More Posts Like This

Watashi No Shiawase No Kekkon
Your Friend in Japan

‘My Happy Marriage’ is a Serotonin Boost For Your Brain

by Peter Payne
2 months ago

There are so many worthwhile anime series for fans to enjoy each season it can be easy to miss one....

Learn Japanese Through Anime! Otonari No Tenshi
Your Friend in Japan

Learn Japanese With Anime! Otonari no Tenshi-sama Edition

by Peter Payne
6 months ago

One of the most enjoyable romance anime of the winter 2023 season was Otonari no Tenshi-sama ni Itsunomanika Dame Ningen...

Does Sarcasm Exist In Japan?

Does Sarcasm Exist in the Japanese Language? Let’s Find Out!

1 year ago
Your Saya, My Saya Kanji Names Blog Post

Nine Facts About How Kanji Names Work in Japanese!

2 years ago
Six Strange Things I Learned By Studying Japanese

Six Surprising Things I Learned by Studying Japanese!

2 years ago
Iyapan Mou Sukoshi

Tycoon? Honcho? 16 Japanese Words We Use in English!

2 years ago
Next Post
Jlistfront 334xxo W

My Favorite Summer Festivals in Japan

Trending Today

Why Is Umi Yatsugake So Popular
Your Friend in Japan

Why is Umi Yatsugake The Most Popular JAV Actress?

5 days ago
Roxy Migurdia Blog Post
Figures

This is the Roxy Migurdia Figure We All Needed!

7 days ago
Why Are There So Many Characters Named Sakura
Your Friend in Japan

Why Are So Many Anime Characters Named Sakura?

7 days ago
Ayakashi Triangle Blu Ray Censorship
Your Friend in Japan

Are the Ayakashi Triangle Blu-rays Uncensored? YES THEY ARE.

18 hours ago
J List Staff Pick Waifus 2022 3
Featured

Fashionable Gyaru Girls in Anime

11 hours ago
Get the Newest Figures from J-List - Your Favorite Online Shop and Friend in Japan
Ayakashi Triangle Blu Ray Censorship
Your Friend in Japan

Are the Ayakashi Triangle Blu-rays Uncensored? YES THEY ARE.

by Peter Payne
October 2, 2023

My Tiny Senpai, Episode 11: Smol Fan Wants Big Hug!

TenPuru, Episode 12 [END]: Where Are You Looking?

Rurouni Kenshin, Episode 13: Sword vs. Gun

Comic Con Africa Is a Slice of Global Otaku Culture

The J-List Autumn 2023 Anime Guide! Which Anime Should You Watch?

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Discord
  • YouTube

© J-LIST. All trademarks, characters and images are property of their respective owners.

No Result
View All Result
  • Featured
  • News
  • Gallery
  • Product Reports
  • Your Friend in Japan

© J-LIST. All trademarks, characters and images are property of their respective owners.