Special New Year series vol2-Today’s Gitaigo

Today’s Gitaigo
– 擬態語 – mimetic word;
expressions about a situation/ condition of things or gesture/ motion of people or any other creatures

くねくね　- in Hiragana
クネクネ – in Katakana
[kune-kune]

meaning:
winding, meandering, zigzag
wriggling, wiggling, waving

implications:
a situation/ condition that something is winding or meandering and
turns repeatedly in a zigzag or like a snake
a situation/ condition that causes something to wriggle or wave

practical usage:
It is used for something which is winding, meandering or waving.
It is also used for something, such as body if you twist or contort your body

私(わたし)は、くねくね曲(ま)がった道（みち）を歩(ある)きます。
[Watashiwa kunekune magatta michiwo arukimasu]
I walk on a road which turns in a zigzag.
私(わたし)は、くねくねした道（みち）を歩(ある)きます。
[Watashiwa kunekuneshita michiwo arukimasu]
I walk on a winding road.

私(わたし)は、腰(こし)をくねくね動かします。
[Watashiwa koshiwo kunekune ugokashimasu]
I wiggle my hips.

photo:
We went hiking with our dog recently. We plan to go hiking and exercise more this year as our New Year’s resolution. What is your New Year’s resolution?
The road was ‘kunekune’ and it turns in a zigzag like a snake.

****similar Gitaigo
くねくねと[kune-kune-to] as adverb
: in a zigzag, like a snake
くねくねした[kune-kune-shita] as adjective
くねくねとした[kune-kune-toshita] as adjective
くねくねする[kune-kune-suru] as verb

うねうね[une-une]
: especially something, such as a mountain which has a height difference and is winding
うねうねした[une-une-shita] as adjective
うねうねとした[une-une-toshita] as adjective
うねうねと[une-une-to] as adverb
うねうねする[uen-une-suru] as verb

Special New Year series vol1

Happy New Year!
明けましておめでとうございます! [Akemashite Omedetou gozaimasu!]
今年もよろしくお願いいたします。[Kotoshimo yoroshiku onegaiitashimasu]
-Special New Year series vol1
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2018 is the year of the Inu (Dog) in Zodiac, Japanese 干支 [Eto].
It is called as 戌年 [Inu doshi].
We hope it brings you good health, lots of joy, happiness, and success this year.

This week “Special New Year series” start.
I introduce some simple Japanese style, healthy food I made through Special New Year series.
I plan to introduce interesting Japanese culture and custom more and more as well this year.
I hope you can enjoy all!
– photos taken by Mina, Copyright © 2013 MIJC

Today’s Yojijukugo – four-character idiomatic phrase

Today’s Yojijukugo – four-character idiomatic phrase

七転八起　（しちてんはっき）
Shichiten Hakki

key words:
七[shichi] = seven
八[hachi] = eight

implications:
転[ten] -> 転ぶ[korobu] = fall -> the time when life knocks you down and you face troubles
起[ki] -> 起きる[okiru] = stand up ->
the time when you never give up and stand up to the troubles
The number eight is larger than seven. -> the frequency of standing up to the troubles
-> No matter how many times you face any trouble, you never give up and stand up to it.

usage:
Literally it means that you fall seven times and you stand up eight times.
You can say when you are facing any trouble, you never give up and
七転八起[shichiten hakki]して[shite = suru(= do) and]　you will overcome it.

Interestingly in King James version of the Bible you can find it; Proverbs 24 verse 16 tells you that “For a just man, falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.”

Do you “七転八起” suru when you are in trouble? (^^)/

similar:
七転び八起き[nanakorobi yaoki]
不撓不屈[futou fukutsu]

Let’s use correct Keigo!

◇◇◇Let’s use correct 敬語[Keigo](polite language)! part.3◇◇◇

Today I introduce Kenjougo using simple examples.

謙譲語 I [Kenjougo] – humble language/form I – ex) Ukagau, Moushiageru

謙譲語 I is used for the direction toward whom you pay due respect to.
In 謙譲語, you should lower your position for the person whom you pay due respect to.

[plain sentence] —> [Kenjougo]
To your superiors such as your teacher or elders
明日、午後２時に行く。　—>　明日、午後２時に先生のところに伺います。
Asu, gogo niji ni iku. —> Asu, gogo niji ni Sensei no tokoro ni Ukagaimasu.

明日、午後２時に行く。　—>　明日、午後２時に先生のところにお伺いします。
Asu, gogo niji ni iku. —> Asu, gogo niji ni Sensei no tokoro ni Oukagaishimasu. [more polite]

Both are the same meaning and Kenjougo. “O–shimasu” is more polite in these Kenjougo I sentences.
Tomorrow, I’m going at 2pm. –> Tomorrow, I am going to my teacher at 2pm.
In English it is almost the same between the plain sentence and the Kenjougo sentence.
The difference is whether you clearly mention the direction.
The Kenjougo I sentence always has a direction toward whom you pay due respect to.

#basic key words:
asu = tomorrow
gogo = afternoon
niji = 2 o’clock
iku = go
sensei = teacher
no = [possessive particle]: the ‘s in English
tokoro = place, location

Today’s Haiku

Today’s Haiku – a short form of Japanese poetry which consists of three phrases of 5, 7 and 5

人並に　畳の上の　月見かな
Hitonamini, Tatamino ueno, Tsukimikana

Haiku poet: 小林一茶 Kobayashi Issa (1763-1828) – a Japanese poet active during Meiji period of Japan

key words:
人並に(Hitonami ni) : as the world goes around, like everyone else
人(Hito) : person
畳(Tatami) : straw mats
の上(no ue) : above[in this context]
月(Tsuki) : moon
月見(Tsukimi) : moonlight viewing, moon viewing, moon gazing

implications:
Tsukimi is a Japanese traditional custom originally in mid-August, August 15th at night which was mid autumn in the luner calendar. People had believed in the power of the moon, worshiped it as god, spent time along with the cycle of the waxing and waning of the moon since a long time ago.
The mid-August in the luner calender and the time between early September(ie. Sep. 7th) and early October(ie. Oct. 8th) in modern times is called “十五夜[jugo ya]” or “中秋の名月[Chushu no meigetsu]”. It is the day when the moon is going to become closer to the full moon, even though it is not exactly the full moon. The reason why it is called “十五夜[jugo ya]” is because it takes about 15 days to turn to the full moon from the new crescent moon.
夜[yoru/ya] = night

季語[Kigo]-a word or phrase associated with a particular season,
used in Japanese Haiku
月見(Tsukimi) = a word for mid autumn

usage:
Let’s imagine a relaxed sense of time that you are enjoying moon gazing in the mid autumn.
A full moon symbolizes the productiveness of grain so people prayed to the moon and appreciated the harvest, fruition of things, and the connection with their ancestors. Each year “十五夜[jugo ya]” or “中秋の名月[Chushu no meigetsu]” is a different date and in this year 2017, it was October 4th in Japan.

My Simple Beauty Cooking

Hello! How are you today? How is your meal?
I have been taking these photos every time I made my simple healthy cooking..
My husband always says to me, “I love it!” and we are spending a healthy life.
I will introduce my Simple Beauty Cooking photos here a little by little.
Enjoy the photos..
– photos taken by Mina, Copyright © 2013- MIJC

My Simple Beauty Cooking

Hello! How are you today? How is your meal?
I have been taking these photos every time I made my simple healthy cooking..
My husband always says to me, “I love it!” and we are spending a healthy life.
I will introduce my Simple Beauty Cooking photos here a little by little.
Enjoy the photos..
– photos taken by Mina, Copyright © 2013- MIJC

My Simple Beauty Cooking

Hello!
I will start to introduce my Simple Beauty Cooking photos here a little by little.
I have been taking these photos every time I made my simple healthy cooking..
My husband always says to me, “I love it!” and we are spending a healthy life.

– photos taken by Mina, Copyright © 2013- MIJC