The languages

Japanese is a fascinating language the comprehension of which will require you to learn not one, but three different character sets, namely the two times 46 syllabic characters of hiragana and katakana as well as the even more intricate kanji, an nearly open-ended set of 2,000+ characters originally imported from China. On top of that, of course, comes all the grammar. At least pronunciation is easy, and below you can see some simple phrases occurring in the novels and replicated here in “romaji”, the Roman alphabet.

Romaji Original Meaning
arigatai ありがたい grateful
arigatou gozaimasu ありがとうございます thank you
dareka だれか somebody
deai 出会い meeting
densha 電車 train
dojo 道場 training hall
gomen kudasai ご免ください excuse me
ike pond
ippon 一本 1 long object, e.g. a bottle
itsumo いつも always
itadakimasu いただきます receive (humbly), often said before dinner
kisu shite キスして kiss
konbanwa 今晩は good evening
konyoku 混浴 mixed-gender bath
made まで to
maiko 舞子 geisha student
mairimasu まいります come
matane またね see you
mizu water
moshi moshi もしもし hello (on the phone)
nomikai 飲み会 party / entertaining clients
nomimono 飲み物 beverages
ohayo gozaimasu お早うございます good morning
ojama shimasu お邪魔します excuse me
onegai shimasu お願いします can I have […] please
onsen 温泉 hot springs
osewa ni natte orimasu お世話になっております thank you for your kindness
oto sound
otsukaresama desu お疲れ様です well done (no equivalent)
oyabun 親分 boss / godfather
oyasuminasai お休みなさい good night
ryokan 旅館 traditional Japanese inn
sake rice wine
senpai 先輩 someone with more experienced
shitsurei shimasu 失礼します sorry, literally “being impolite”
taihen 大変 terrible/terribly
tasukete 助けて help
tatami bamboo carpet
tobikomi 飛び込み jump in
tokubetsu 特別 special
tsuzukete 続けて continue
umeshu 梅酒 plum wine
yukata 浴衣 summer kimono
yurushite kudasai 許してください forgive me
washitsu 和室 traditional Japanese room
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