Japanese Language Stack Exchange
Japanese Language Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [meaning]

意味. The meaning of words or phrases within certain contexts, especially when it does not seem to match the standard definition.

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Is it ok to use 電車 for non-electric trains?

電車 has the kanji for "electric" in it, but is it more or less ok to use it even for non-electric trains, such as steam trains? I saw a steam-powered train being used as the picture for that word in Duolingo.
Golden Cuy
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What does verb+とする mean?

Take the below as an example では私達は先に行くとするわ。ごきげんよう、皆さん. What is the difference between saying 行くとする and 行く and 行こうとする I've seen a lot of explanations for とする that use the meaning of "assume" which doesn't quite make sense with me. ようとする　from my…
Silvertongue00
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Other meanings of でしょう besides "probably"

でしょう can usually be understood to mean "probably." But does it sometimes mean the same thing as ですね? What other meanings can it have? Can it mean "you know?"
language hacker
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What does チャラ mean?

What does チャラ mean? It was explained here that チャラ男 means light image. Does that mean cool image of a person? A cool person? チャラ男とは言動が軽いさまを表す「チャラチャラ」またはこれが形容詞化された「チャラい」を男性名っぽくしたものである（単に「チャラチャラした男」「チャラい男」の略ともいわれる）。 Note: I was actually trying to…
Nap
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What does using という add to a sentence?

This sentence is from a grammar website: 主人公が犯人だったというのが一番面白かった。 Why is という necessary? What does it add? And what meaning is lost in writing the sentence without it? For example, as in: 主人公が犯人だったのが一番面白かった。
ixtmixilix
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How is 口 used here?

祖父はシベリアからの引き揚げを経験した口だ。 My grandfather was one of the people who were repatriated from Siberia. I couldn't find any dictionary entries that would fit 口 in this context. What does it mean here exactly?
user12320
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What does 波 mean at the end of a sentence?

Here are some examples where I saw 波 at the end of a sentence :
Jirei
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Is there a different meaning for ごちそうさま!

I have posted a "status" on Facebook: Dear santa, I would like for you to bring him for christmas My boyfriend commented: Your Wish is my command! And my Japanese manager (from our office) commented: ごちそうさま!! In this case, what does ごちそうさま!!…
Nyein Nyein Chan Chan
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The meaning of うがった見方

I'm kind of lost with the phrase うがった見方 used in NHK's special news program subtitles. They were showing U.S. President Trump speaking about his Russia ties allegations. The voice commentary was トランプ大統領はロシア疑惑に対して否定を繰り返しています and then the program…
macraf
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Can't find the meaning of 「パー」

I have searched through a few dictionaries and through google but i can't seem to find an answer. from the fact that it's not found in any standard dictionary indicates it's an abbreviation but because of that i don't know the original word. so…
noobtube2
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What is 床下? (picture attached)

Most detailed definition I could find: 床下とは 建物の床の下。えん（縁）のした。 Picture from google: Example: その大雨で床下30センチまで水につかった。 The heavy rain flooded my house up to 30cm below the floorboards. However, what I don't understand from the above is: Does the…
user12127
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「探してくる」には「見つける」という意味は含まれますか？

今まで、「探す」には「見つけようとする」という意味しかないと思っていました。辞書が挙げる語義にも、現代において一般的な用法（下記1.と2.）では「見つけようとする」以上の意味は含まれていません。 1. 必要なものや失ったものを見つけようとする。「安い下宿を―す」 2. ものを見つけるためにかき回す。「押し入れを―す」 3. 中にある物を表し出す。「このふる里の女の前にてだにつつみ侍るものを，さる所にて才―しいで侍らむよ」〈紫式部日記〉 4.…
ento
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What does 「など」 mean in this context?

I have been translating articles from NHK News Easy for practice, and I've noticed they sometimes use 「など」in a way I'm not familiar with. For example, in an article about a train that's about to be decommissioned because of its age, this sentence…
waldrumpus
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What does "ちるの、びるの" mean?

Context: 織次{おりじ} the protagonist is trying to buy back a set of drawings from his father's friend, who is mysteriously evasive about the…
ento
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What does おやくそく mean here?

そうびは　「ぶき」と 「ぼうぐ」に分けることができる。　ところで おやくそくだが　「メニュー」でそうびしないと意味はないぞ。 I understand the second sentence as roughly "By the way, if you don't equip them in the menu, they don't do anything." I'm assuming this is お約束. At first I thought it might be…
flowsnake
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