Japanese Language Stack Exchange
Japanese Language Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [translation]

翻訳. This site does not provide a translation service. However, questions about translation are welcome provided that they have some academic merit. For example, questions about translating uncommon words, phrases that have different meanings in different contexts, and other non-trivial topics.

Translation questions are welcome, but only provided that they have some academic merit, such as uncommon words, phrases that have different meanings in different contexts, and other non-trivial topics.

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How are ambiguous "brother" and "sister" typically translated into Japanese?

Japanese has different words for "younger sibling" and "older sibling". Then how are the English words "brother" and "sister" (or any other European equivalents for that matter) typically translated into Japanese (in books, TV, movies, etc.) without…
Vun-Hugh Vaw
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What does ルツクハ mean?

I found this written on a blue bottle. What does it mean? ルツクハ
Zack williams
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Dealing with paragraphs when translating Japanese literature

So I would like to translate a Japanese book into an Indo-European language (specifically, Russian) and I'm really not sure how to deal with the paragraph structure. As you may know, Japanese literature is often written in numerous paragraphs, each…
kuchitsu
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Japanese localization for the common phrase "powered by x"

There exists a common English phrase; Powered by x Meaning something along the lines of; This thing is (made possible by/built upon/built with/runs on) (x) Use case examples: This website is powered by WordPress Powered by Google What would…
あらまあ
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What did I say was 苦手?

A few years ago, I was doing a study abroad in Japan, and I was able to participate in a tea ceremony. There was one instructor, our guide/translator, and a few of us students. At this point, I had taken a few semesters of Japanese, so I could speak…
charlieshades
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What does ワソマソ mean?

I'm trying to translate some of the signs in the anime FLCL, and I came across this sign on the side of a train in the first episode: ワソマソ 出入口 The second part means "doorway", correct? But what about ワソマソ ? What does 'Wasomaso' mean? Or am I reading…
Ryan
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What work is left on a map?

Near Shibuya, they're finishing up some construction on a subway system that has been going on for years. It seems they're at the stage of finishing up some road work above where they had been making subway. In the middle of Meiji Dori, where some…
Questioner
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Are 桃色 and ピンク the same color or are they slightly different colors?

English I sometimes see both 桃色 and ピンク translated to "pink." In Japanese, are 桃色 and ピンク the same colors, or do they refer to similar but different colors? Japanese たまに「桃色」と「ピンク」が英語の「pink」に訳されているのを見かけます。 日本語だと、桃色とピンクはまったく同じ色ですか、あるいは似ているけれど違う色ですか。
Pablo
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Translating: "一人でも多くの方にコメントしていただけたら嬉しいので "

I have about a semester of Japanese under my belt, so my ability to read the language is 'not great,' especially when it comes to getting any kind of nuance out of a statement. At the moment, I'm working on…
steve_0804
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How to say, "try to __", "have to __"

For some reason I can't remember how to say "try to _" or "have to (must) _" in Japanese. How can I say this? Any variations you can include would be appreciated.
Muhd
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How to translate rows and columns

I am trying to translate the GUI of a simple memory game from English to Japanese. I want to the user to be able to choose how many rows and columns there should be in the memory game. For a 2x3 memory game it would look like…
Eric
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What's the meaning of 間時肆拾貳 at a car parking sign

I'm trying to translate this car parking sign/garage and I'm stuck on the part for 間時肆拾貳 Google just returns the translation "In between", so I still don't know what they mean. Maybe it's like parking in between the lines?
YTZ
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What does chome chome mean?

In this anime they have a song that's called, Omae no Tou-chan Chome-Chome So I looked what chome chome is, and they say - It's an euphemism for sex - It's an onomatopeia (related to sex) - It's a whatever unprintable word and nobody gives a clear…
Pablo
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Why "pass me the salt" is しおを取って instead of しおをわたして

Isn't 取る means to pick up?, so you are literally saying "pick that salt", so how would you say when you want someone to pick up something instead of passing it to you?
Luis Fernando Badel Méndez
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安らぎの人 translation into English

I'm watching an old anime, and the main character at one point says: 彼は私の安らぎの人です。 The subtitles said, "He's the one that I love." But I'm unfamiliar with the use of 安らぎ in this context, and am wondering if there's a more appropriate/accurate way…
Leila
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