Learn what うそ・嘘 (uso) and 嘘だ (uso da) mean in Japanese, why “Uso!” can mean “No way!”, how to say “lie” and “liar,” and how the expression is used in anime and daily conversation.
Learn what “hakkeyoi, nokotta” means in sumo, why the official form is はっきよい (hakkiyoi), when a gyōji says each call, and other phrases heard before, during, and after a bout.
Learn what ki ni shinaide (気にしないで) means in Japanese, how it differs from ki ni shinai, shinpai shinaide, and daijoubu, how to say “don’t worry” naturally, and how to reply.
Learn what よし (yoshi/yosh) means in Japanese, when it means “All right,” “Let’s do this,” or “Good,” what よしよし means, and how it differs from やった, 行こう, よっしゃ, and よいしょ.
Learn why 4 and 9 are considered unlucky numbers in Japan, how their readings connect with death and suffering, where people may avoid them, and whether Japanese people still believe these superstitions today.
Learn what やった (yatta) means in Japanese, whether it is slang, how to pronounce and use it, and how it differs from やったー, よし, よかった, and できた.
Learn what goroawase means, how Japanese numbers become words, and how to read common examples such as 39, 4649, 2525, 1122, 831, and 888. Includes a beginner-friendly number sound chart and goroawase list.
Learn essential yakuza vocabulary and Japanese gangster words, including yakuza, bōryokudan, kumichō, oyabun, kobun, wakagashira, aniki, sakazuki, daimon, katagi, gokudō, ninkyō, bakuto, tekiya, and more.
Learn what yankii (ヤンキー) means in Japanese, why the English word “Yankee” came to mean a delinquent, how to pronounce it, and how it differs from furyō, bōsōzoku, chinpira, and yakuza.
Learn what oyabun (親分) and kobun (子分) mean in Japanese, how the oyabun–kobun relationship works, why it is modeled on parent and child roles, and how the terms differ from boss, kumichō, oyakata, aniki, and kyōdaibun.
