This Week's Word
今日 きょう / kyou
“today”
A simple, everyday word that shows up constantly in casual conversation.
読みもの Readings
Bite-sized vocabulary, learning tips, and cultural notes to help your Japanese along between lessons.
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Past Words
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頑張って がんばって / ganbatte “good luck” / “do your best”
One of the most-used encouragement phrases in Japanese, said to friends, coworkers, even yourself.
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もったいない “what a waste”
A uniquely Japanese concept about not wasting things, valued deeply in the culture, with no exact one-word English equivalent.