================================================ # # ## People Focus Consulting Newsletter ## ### No.33 ### ## April, 2003 ## # # ================================================ The PFC Newsletter is a regularly-published email newsletter. Each month is full of tips to enhance your Japanese studies including useful Japanese expressions, interesting explanations on Japanese customs, culture, and much more! To subscribe/unsubscribe from this newsletter, please contact info@peoplefocus.co.jp :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: >From this month, we divide the vocabulary into two categories for your reference; "for beginners and intermediate learners" and "for advanced learners." If you have any questions or comments, or requests for newsletter topics, please contact us at info@peoplefocus.co.jp. This month's feature is a request from Stephen. We are waiting for your feedbacks. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* Cherry blossom season is almost over in Tokyo. Have you already gone to ohanami (flower viewing)? April is the start of the new year for schools and companies in Japan. It is a time of many welcome parties and going away parties. This month, we would like to introduce useful words and expression at drinking places. But please be careful not to drink too much! :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: [For beginners and intermediate learners] :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -->Excuse me, two bottles of hot sake with four sake cups, please. --"okawari": another (cup, glass, plate, etc.) e.g. "Sumimasen, biiru, okawari kudasai." >>Excuse me, another beer please. --"koime ,<-> usume" : stronger (thicker) <-> weaker (thinner) --"mizu-wari": watered (whisky, shoochuu, etc.) --"oyu-wari": hot-watered (shoochuu) e.g. "Shoochuu no oyuwari, koime de, umeboshi o irete kudasai" >>Please give me hot watered shoochuu, a little strong, and put a salted plum in the glass. --"rokku": on-the-rock --"sutoreeto"; straight --"atsukan": hot sake --"hiya": cold sake --"amakuchi": sweetish (sake, wine, etc) --"karakuchi": dry e.g. "Sukkiri shita karakuchi no osake ga hoshii'n desu kedo, nanika osusume wa arimasuka." >>I would like to drink some refreshing, dry sake. Do you have any recommendation? --"yopparau; you": get drunk e.g. "Tanaka-san, kao ga akai desu yo. Chotto yopparatte iru'n ja naidesuka?" >>Mr. Tanaka, your face is red, I think you are a little drunk. --"yopparai": drunken person ............... --"koshitsu": private room e.g. "Kauntaa ka koshitsu ka dochira ni nasaimasu ka" >>Which would you prefer, counter seats or a private room? --"ozashiki": Japanese style tatami room e.g. "Teeburu-seki to ozashiki ga gozaimasu ga, dochira ni nasaimasu ka" >>We have table seats and Japanese style rooms, which one would you like? --"kitsuen-seki / kin'en-seki": smoking / non-smoking seat ................ Ten'in: Irasshaimase, nanmee-sama desu ka? Anata : San-nin desu. Ten'in: Go-yoyaku wa sarete imasuka. Anata: Iie, shiteimasen. Ten'in: Soodesuka. Ainiku tadaima manseki deshite, shibaraku omachi itadaku koto ni narimasu ga-. Anata: (matsutoki) Wakarimashita. Ja, machimasu. (matanai toki) Ja, kekkoo desu. Mata kimasu. Waitress: Hello, how many? You: Three. Waitress: Do you have a reservation? You: No, we don't. Waitress: I see. I am sorry, but it's full right now, would you like to wait? You: (if you wait) OK, then we will wait here. (if you don't wait) No, that's fine. We will come back again. ................. --"fura fura (suru/ ni naru)": dizzy; lightheaded; unsteady e.g. "Furafura shite massugu ni arukenai. Chotto nomisugita mitai" >> I am light-headed and can't walk straight. I guess I drank too much. --(1)"gangan (nomu/ taberu/ asobu etc.)": e.g. "Ashita wa doyoobi dashi, kyoo wa gangan nomoo!" >>Since tomorrow is Saturday, let's drink all the way!" --(2)"gangan (suru)‚ƒ: pounding pain e.g. "Aa, nomisugita. Kyoo wa futsukayoi de atama ga gangan suru" >> Oh, I drank too much. I have a hangover today and my head is pounding. --"guigui (nomu)": (drink) quickly e.g. "Sonna ni guigui nonde, daijoobu?" >>Are you okay to drink so fast? --"chibichibi (nomu/ yaru)": drink little by little slowly e.g. "Fuyu wa atsukan o chibichibi yari nagara, oden o taberu no ga ichiban dane" >>Eating Oden while drinking hot sake little by little-. It's the best thing to do in winter. --"hodohodo (ni suru)": moderately e.g. "Osake wa nomisugiru to karada ni yokunai kara, hodohodo ni shita hoo ga ii yo" >>It is not good for your health to drink too much, you should drink moderately. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: [For advanced learner] :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: --"oshaku o suru": fill (person's) cup e.g. "Buchoo ni oshaku o shita hoo ga iiyo. Gurasu ga kara ni natte iru kara." >>We'd better fill up Bucho director)' glass. It's empty. --"tejaku": fill up one's own cup e.g. "Katakurushii koto wa iwanai de, tejaku de ikimashoo." >>No need to be so formal, let's fill our own glasses. --"(biiru, wain, osake) o tsugu": fill (beer, wine, sake) --"geko" : person who cannot drink alcohol e.g. "Suimasen, watashi, geko nande, uuron-cha, onegai shimasu." >> Excuse me, but I can't drink alcohol, so please give me oolong-tea. --"chidori-ashi": walk drunkenly (chidori is a kind of bird) e.g. "Eki no puratto hoomu de chidori-ashi no sarariiman o miru to itsumo "abunainaa" to omou" >>Whenever I see a salary man walking drunkenly on the platform, I always think "it is so dangerous" --"waruyoi": getting drunk feeling sick e.g. "Ki o tsukau torihikisaki no hito to nonda kara, waruyoi shichatta mitai de, kibun ga warui" >>Probably because I had to drink with difficult clients, I got drunk badly and feel really sick. --"warai joogo": (person who start smiling/laughing/being happy when drunk) --"naki joogo": (person who start crying/ being sad when drunk) --"(hito ) ni karamu": strongly annoy/bother people e.g. "Tanaka-san wa you to sugu hito ni karamu kara, amari isshoni nomitaku nai desu ne" >>I don't want to drink with Tanaka-san very much because he gets annoying when he is drunk. --"otsumami": snacks (when drinking) e.g. "Amari onaka ga suiteinai kara, nattsu toka no otsumami teedo no mono o tanomoo ka." >>I am not that hungry, so let's order some snacks like nuts or something? ********************************************** * tajima@peoplefocus.co.jp * Kayoko Tajima * People Focus Consulting * Tel: 03-5466-0018 * Fax: 03-5466-0019 * Homepage address: * http://www.peoplefocus.co.jp **********************************************