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Get What You Deserve – 自業自得

Here’s the Japanese equivalent of a nice little idiom that we often find ourselves using in English. 自業自得 literally translates to the English idiom ‘you reap what you sow’. But we have several other expressions that are good matches for this Japanese phrase too. Let’s explore.

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Insufferable Summer Heat – 夏バテ

Seeing as summer is drawing to a close and Autumn is fast approaching, I figured it would be a good time to cover this seasonal word. Don’t be too sure that the incredibly hot weather has ended yet! September can still pack quite a punch.

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Snaggletooth – 八重歯

Here’s a little word that you may have not heard before, but you’ve more than likely *seen* it. I mean, you do spend all day looking at Japanese idols, right?

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Summer Solstice – 夏至

Interesting little word today that you’re only likely to hear once a year. 夏至 (げし) is the summer solstice – the longest day in the entire calendar year.

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Curious Katakana Words 3

In the previous lessons (1, 2) we looked at foreign words, as well as onomatopoeic and mimetic expressions. This time, we’ll be examining some really interesting terms that splice two or more words together!

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Curious Katakana Words 2

Last time we looked at foreign expressions that make up a portion of Curious Katakana Words. Today we explore some useful onomatopoeic words you can use to really express yourself!

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Curious Katakana Words 1

The Japanese language has a smattering of quirky expressions. At first glance, their meanings can often elude us. This is especially so with Katakana words, as they often contain elements from foreign languages, as well as mixtures of slang and even current, trending terms.

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Carnivorous Girls and Herbivorous Boys

Are traditional gender identities changing? It seems like it might be the case if we examine buzzwords from Japan. Popular a couple of years ago, the so-called 肉食女子 and 草食男子 – carnivorous girls and herbivorous boys – paint a very different picture to the traditional idea of assertive men and shy women.

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