Japanese word no translation

When learning a new language, people encounter words and expressions which can’t be clearly translated into that language. Japanese is no exception. Japanese has various untranslatable words which need to be explained with concepts, contexts, or situations in order to grasp the true meaning and nuance these original words have. Japanese phrases with no English equivalent are both fun and important to learn during your language studies.

Much like in other languages, Japanese untranslatable words reflect the Japanese culture. By learning untranslatable Japanese words, you’ll also gain insight into unique Japanese views, values, and philosophies. Japanese words that are untranslatable often prove interesting to other cultures, and in fact, there are quite a few beautiful untranslatable Japanese words for you to discover!

Here’s our list of Japanese untranslatable words with no direct English equivalent (though these are just our favorite untranslatable Japanese words).

Table of Contents

1. いただきます (Itadakimasu)
2. ごちそうさま (Gochisō-sama)
3. お疲れ様 (Otsukare-sama)
4. おじゃまします（Ojama shimasu）
5. もったいない (Mottainai)
6. 懐かしい (Natsukashii)
7. よろしくお願いします (Yoroshiku onegai shimasu)
8. 侘寂 わびさび (Wabi Sabi)
9. 高嶺の花 (Takane no Hana)
10. ありがた迷惑 (Arigata Meiwaku)
11. Summary of Untranslatable Words in Japanese
12. Conclusion: How Japanesepod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

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1. いただきます (Itadakimasu)

• Literal Translation: I eat/receive. (In a humble and respectful way)
• Meaning: “I’m thankful for food and I start to eat.”
• Example Situation:
• Before you start to eat a meal (whether it be breakfast, lunch, or dinner), you say Itadakimasu.
• Example:
• 美味しそうなラーメン！いただきます。
  Oishisō na Rāmen! Itadakimasu.
  The Ramen looks yummy! Itadakimasu.
• Additional Notes:

In formal Japanese, there are three forms of honorific languages with different levels of politeness: Teinei-go (it shows politeness), Sonkei-go (it respects, honors, and increases the status of the person you’re talking to), and Kenjō-go (it lowers your status with humbleness and respect). Itadakimasu is “I eat” in the form of Kenjō-go which express your humbleness to eat.

Itadakimasu is different from “Bon appetit.” Itadakimasu is used by a person who starts to eat with gratitude for the food and for the person who cooked it, while “Bon appetit” is used by a person who serves food and means “enjoy food.”

2. ごちそうさま (Gochisō-sama)

• Literal Translation: Delicious food; treat; feast; banquet; etc., in a respectful style.
• Meaning: “I finished eating and thank you for the food.” (With respect) Sama is the term used to express respect.
• Example Situation:
  When you finish eating a meal, you say Gochisō-sama.
• Example:
  ごちそうさま。お母さん、今日の夕食はとても美味しかったよ！
  Gochisō-sama. O-kā-san, kyō no yūshoku wa totemo oishikatta yo!
  Gochisō-sama. Tonight’s dinner was really good, mom!
• Additional Notes:
  This is one Japanese word with no English translation that people around the world can actually relate to. You can say Gochisō-sama when you’ve finished eating your meal at home, in a restaurant, or really for any occasion. If you want to say it more politely in a more formal situation, you add deshita to the end: Gochisō-sama deshita. It’ a good Japanese table manner to say Itadakimasu and Gochisō-sama during meals.

3. お疲れ様 (Otsukare-sama)

• Literal Translation: “(You must be) tired.” (With respect)
• Meaning:
  Otsukare-sama has some different meanings depending on the situation, all of which are handy to use. It can mean: “hello,” “well done,” “you must be tired,” “see you,” “good-bye,”and so on.
• Example Situation:
  It can be used to say “well done” or “good job” to praise or to be thankful for someone who finished something. You can also use it to say “you must be tired” to show that you care about someone and that you also know how they must feel. Or it can simply be used as a greeting at an office upon arriving or leaving, or when meeting with colleagues.
• Example:
  1. 会議でのプレゼンお疲れ様。
  Kaigi de no purezen otsukare-sama.
  Well done for the presentation at the meeting.

  2. お疲れ様です。また明日。
  Otsukare-sama desu. Mata ashita.
  See you tomorrow. (At office)

• Additional Notes:
  It becomes more polite when you put desu at the end of Otsukare-sama. It’s an expression used when Japanese people want to show their appreciation for the other person’s efforts and work with respect. Nowadays, Otsukare-sama desu is a very common greeting in work settings, especially among colleagues.

4. おじゃまします（Ojama shimasu）

• Literal Translation: “I disturb.” (In a humble and polite way)
• Meaning:
  Let me visit /enter a house. (In a humble and polite way)
• Example Situation:
  This is the greeting phrase to use when you enter someone’s house, especially when you’re invited. It’s to show gratitude for the host for the invitation and makes you seem polite as a guest.
• Example:
  おじゃまします。すごく広くて素敵なお家ですね。
  Ojama shimasu. Sugoku hirokute suteki na o-uchi desu ne.
  Ojama shimasu. Your house is very spacious and nice.
• Additional Notes:
  In Japan, we usually say Ojama shimasu whenever visiting someone’s house. It would be rude to enter someone’s house without saying this. When you leave someone’s house, you say Ojama shimashita, which is the past tense of Ojama shimasu.

5. もったいない (Mottainai)

• Literal Translation: “No dignity/importance.”
• Meaning: Worthy of a better cause, associated with a feeling of being attached to it and reluctant to throw it away. Mottainai’ can mean: “What a waste,” “How wasteful,” “It is too good for/to ___,” “You don’t know what you’re missing,” etc.
• Example Situation:
  This phrase may be used when something that’s still useful or worth something is either not being used, or is going to be thrown away. This can be used for people, opportunities, situations, and so on.
• Example:
  お腹いっぱいだからと言って、食べ物を捨てるのはもったいないよ。
  Onaka ippai da kara to itte, tabemono o suteru no wa mottainai yo.
  It is a waste to throw away food only because you are full.
• Additional Notes:
  This phrase comes from the Japanese mentality which puts value on treating things well and taking good care of things to use them for a long time. While the English word “waste” has negative nuances such as worthless, useless, and unwanted, whose Japanese translation can be “浪費 (rōhi)”, in Japanese, mottainai contains positive nuances such as worthy and valuable. It also expresses regret that a thing still useful isn’t used to its full potential. This may be one of the most beautiful untranslatable Japanese words.

6. 懐かしい (Natsukashii)

• Literal Translation: “Nostalgic.”
• Meaning: A nostalgic feeling you have when you remember and miss something about the past.
• Example Situation:
  You feel Natsukashii when you find your toys from childhood that you enjoyed playing with. You remember all the childhood memories of playing with that toy with friends and family, and you have nostalgic feelings about it.
• Example:
  高校の卒業アルバムを実家で見つけた！懐かしい思い出ばかりだよ。
  Kōkō no sotsugyō arubamu o jikka de mitsuketa! Natsukashii omoide bakari da yo.
  I found the graduation yearbook of highschool at my parents’ house. It’s full of memories of good old days.
• Additional Notes:
  It can also be used to express: “The good old days,” “Good times,” “I miss ___,” “It reminds me of ___,” “It brings back memories,” “I feel nostalgic,” etc.

7. よろしくお願いします (Yoroshiku onegai shimasu)

• Literal Translation: “Good” / “Right” / “Suitable favor please”
• Meaning: It has many meanings, depending on what situation it’s used in, and all meanings are quite useful. It can mean: “Nice to meet you,” “Best regards,” “Favorably please,” “Please take care of me,” etc., to show your gratitude and humbleness in hoping to have a good relationship from that point forward.
• Example Situation:
  Yoroshiku onegai shimasu can be used in a variety of situations, especially when you’re new to something, such as meeting new people at work, when you start a new job or project, when someone’s going to take care of you, etc.
• Example:
  今日からこのクラスに参加する田中です。よろしくお願いします。
  Kyō kara kono kurasu ni sanka suru Tanaka desu. Yoroshiku onegai shimasu.
  I am Tanaka who starts this class from today. Yoroshiku onegai shimasu.
• Additional Notes:
  This phrase is very useful. It doesn’t actually have a particular clear meaning and so you can use it for many occasions. It’s also used to finish a conversation or email message.

8. 侘寂 わびさび (Wabi Sabi)

• Literal Translation: “Frugal” / “Simple and quiet” / “Silent”
• Meaning: This is a concept, or view, of Japanese beauty. It accepts and values things which are natural and transient, as well as imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete.
• Example Situation: An asymmetrical wooden table with a natural and original shape, as well as the grain of a tree, is a great example of imperfection as an aesthetic according to Wabi Sabi.
• Example:
  建仁寺は、ミラノの大聖堂のように豪華ではないが、禅のわびさびの風情がある。
  Kennin-ji wa, Mirano no daiseidō no yō ni gōka de wa nai ga, Zen no Wabi Sabi no fuzei ga aru.
  The Kennin-ji temple isn’t gorgeous like Milano Cathedral, but there is the Zen taste of wabi sabi.
• Additional Notes:
  Wabi sabi is also used to express the concept of valuing simplicity and humility, rather than luxury and impressiveness.

9. 高嶺の花 (Takane no Hana)

• Literal Translation: “Flower” (Hana) “in high peak” (Takane).
• Meaning:
  This is one of the most creative untranslatable Japanese words and describes a woman who seems out of reach and who’s not easy to get familiar with. Takane no Hana is a metaphor which comes from the fact that flowers on a high peak on a mountain aren’t easily reachable. It also expresses a feeling of admiration.
• Example Situation:
  If you see someone with a high profile who’s super beautiful and has a good personality, you tend to think that she’s not easy to become friends with (or even to make her your girlfriend).
• Example:
  美人なかおりさんは、クラスで一番優秀で大企業の社長令嬢です。学校中で高嶺の花の存在です
  　ね。
  Bijin na Kaori-san wa, kurasu de ichi-ban yūshū de daikigyō no shachō reijō desu. Gakkōjū de Takane no. Hana no sonzai desu ne.
  Beautiful Kaori is the smartest girl in the class and she is the daughter of a large company’s CEO. She is Takane no hana in school, isn’t she?
• Additional Notes:
  It’s also used to express that a woman is too perfect to be attainable.

10. ありがた迷惑 (Arigata Meiwaku)

• Literal Translation: “Thankful” / “Grateful” (Arigatai) / “Troublesome” / “Annoying” (Meiwaku)
• Meaning: This phrase is used to describe a situation when someone does something for you that you didn’t necessarily want them to do (but you still think you should be grateful for it).
• Example Situation:
  When your neighbour always shares their food with you, but you never actually like when they do this, you feel that this neighbor’s favor is Arigata Meiwaku.
• Example:
  私の祖母は毎年手編みの手袋をくれます。嬉しいけど使わないから、ありがた迷惑です。
  Watashi no sobo wa maitoshi teami no tebukuro o kuremasu. Ureshii kedo tsukawanai kara, Arigata Meiwaku desu.
  My grandmother gives me her handmade knitted gloves every year. It’s Arigata meiwaku because I’m happy for her favor but I never use them.
• Additional Notes:
  This phrase reflects the Japanese mentality which puts importance on being polite to others and maintaining harmony without causing conflict. Japanese people can’t easily say “No,” especially when it comes to favors and offerings because people think saying no will hurt or offend the other person’s feelings and would cause some sort of conflict (breaking harmony).

11. Summary of Untranslatable Words in Japanese

In this article, we’ve gone over common Japanese untranslatable words for language learning, and have also shown you untranslatable Japanese words to English.

These Japanese untranslatable words are very handy to use for expressing situations or your feelings. There are thousands of more untranslatable words in Japanese, including idioms, proverbs, slangs, and even newly coined words.

You’ll be able to speak Japanese like a native once you master Japanese untranslatable words, as you also comprehend the Japanese philosophy and mentality behind the country’s culture!

We hope we’ve helped to satisfy your curiosity about untranslatable words from Japanese, and that you found our list of untranslatable Japanese words helpful!

12. Conclusion: How Japanesepod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

If you would like to learn more about the Japanese language, you’ll find a lot of useful content on JapanesePod101. We provide a variety of free lessons for you to improve your Japanese language skills.

If you’re a beginner learner of Japanese, you’ll find the following useful:

• Basic Japanese
• Daily Japanese Conversations
• 100 Japanese Words for Beginners
• Introduction to Japanese Pronunciation
• Learn to Read and Write Japanese

If you’re at the intermediate level, we recommend:

• Intermediate Japanese Grammar
• Japanese Gestures
• Learn Japanese with Songs

You’ll enjoy learning the Japanese language by watching videos and listening to actual Japanese pronunciation.

Happy Japanese learning with JapanesePod101!

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When you’re learning a new language, you’re likely to stumble across words for which there’s no equivalent in your native tongue. Japanese is no exception. There are nuances of societal expectations conveyed through language that just don’t make sense when directly translated from English to Japanese or vice versa. Often, the words for which there is no Japanese to English translation have important things to teach us about regional traditions and culture.

When you use a google translate of English to Japanese words, you’ll not only open yourself to misunderstandings by potentially using the wrong words in the wrong context. You’ll also miss the chance to learn more about Japanese philosophy and daily life. So step this way for a deeper dive into Japanese words that don’t translate from Japanese to English and what they can teach us about the language, its culture, and the people.

1. Nekojita, 猫舌 (cat tongue)

You know that feeling when something is too hot to eat and you find yourself blowing on it incessantly while others get right down to business? The Japanese have a word for this and its nekojita (猫舌) or “cat’s tongue.” While it might sound similar, this Japanese word has no relation to the English idiom “cat got your tongue.” It simply means food or a drink is too hot (not to be confused with too spicy) for you to eat.

This word for which there is no Japanese to English equivalent is one of many involving cats or neko (猫). These furry balls of feline play a prominent role in Japanese culture that goes well beyond the global appeal of Hello, Kitty. The Japanese have kept cats as pets for more than a thousand years and Japanese folklore depicts cats as symbols of feline good fortune.

Example: Nekojita dakara taberenai

“Since I have cat tongue, I can’t eat it.”

2. Dogeza, 土下座 (kneeling prostrate)

Dogeza (土下座) is a gesture steeped in tradition and Japanese etiquette, where one kneels prostrate with the forehead touching the ground as a sign of humility. It can be used as both a way to show deference to someone of higher status such as the nobility or as a demonstration of shame or disgrace during a heartfelt apology. Occasionally it can also be employed when imploring someone for an important favor.

In English, we sometimes use the word “kowtow” as a rough equivalent, which is derived from Cantonese for a similar gesture of subservience in Chinese traditions. Bowing one’s forehead to the ground is considered the highest form of reverence in many Asian cultures, but the practice also has roots in shame rather than straightforward humility.

Example: Dogeza shite ayamarinasai

“Get on your knees and beg forgiveness.”

3. Seishun,青春 (blue spring)

While referring to something as blue usually implies a feeling of depression in English, the Japanese translation of seishun (青春) or “blue spring” instead implies excitement or buoyancy. The Japanese use this term with a certain amount of nostalgia and fondness, describing the “springtime of youth” as a time of happiness and hope.

In anime or manga, seishun often means falling in love or the thrill of the more intense feelings you might experience as a teenager or young adult. Because many associate this human awakening with the natural awakening of spring, the Japanese phrase speaks to a universal idea that has no English equivalent. 

Example: Seishun dane

“Enjoy your youth” 

4. Omotenashi, おもてなし (Japanese hospitality)

It is said there is hospitality and then there is Japanese hospitality which seems to be in a class by itself. Japanese hospitality is referred to as omotenashi (おもてなし), but it conveys much more than the English equivalent. In Japan, anticipating a guest’s needs takes on something of an art form and those who wait on customers or clients spend years training to exceed expectations.

The Japanese word omote means “public face” and “nashi” means nothing. Motenasu also means to entertain and “O” is an exalted prefix that confers respect. As Tokyo ambassador Christel Takigawa explained to the Olympic Committee, the Japanese way of receiving guests means that no service, however insignificant, is left unanticipated in order to communicate the respect that is at the heart of Japanese culture.

Example: Shinsetsu na omotenashi

“Thank you for your hospitality. I appreciate it.”

5. Itterasshai, 行ってらっしゃい (go on your way)

While the literal translation from Japanese to English of the word itterasshai (行ってらっしゃい) is “go on your way,” it’s not as dismissive as it sounds. In Japanese, it’s a way to wish someone well as they depart and to urge them to return. The person who leaves will say ittekimasu or “I’ll go but come back,” and the family member or friend will echo back itterasshai, which means “please go and come back again.” You might also hear family members use tadaima, or “I am home now,’ followed by okaeri, or “welcome home.”

Both the Japanese word itterasshai and its callback derive from the verb iku which means to leave or to go. You can think of the usage of this Japanese word as similar to the phrase “see you later” or “take care,” but avoiding using it interchangeably with goodbye. The word implies you’ll be coming back to the place you’re leaving and imparts well wishes for your safe return.

Example: Itterasshai!

“Go and come back safely!”

Ask an Expert

Mari Ito, a Rosetta Stone Japanese language coach, says seishun (青春) or “blue spring” is a great example of the theory of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements. According to this theory, each season has a different color. Spring is blue ( 青春), summer is red (朱夏), fall or autumn is white (白秋), and winter is black (玄冬). A Japanese novelist first used the word blue spring (青春) to describe the meaning of youth in his book and the phrase became part of the language and is often used today.

Recommended Articles:

The Japanese language is known around the world for its beautiful poetry and enchanting stories. Even the name of the country invokes images of an elegant nature scene. 日本 Nihon—»Japan” in Japanese—literally translates as “the land of the rising sun.” The eloquence and grace with which the Japanese language depicts its homeland is embedded in all aspects of the culture—especially its language. This makes the language exceptionally beautiful, but also exceptionally difficult to translate. Our team of dedicated language experts work to provide the most accurate translations, no matter how challenging the project.

Here are some of the most captivating yet most mystifying Japanese words and phrases:

#1 よろしくお願いします Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu

In Japanese culture it is very important to give a respectful greeting. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu is a formal way to greet someone or say, “nice to meet you.” But it can be applied to a variety of other situations to communicate respect and politesse. For example, you can use the expression to convey gratitude when asking someone for a favor. It can also be used in place of “sincerely” or “regards” as a closing to an email.

#2 かわいい Kawaii

When you think of the wide-eyed, bright-faced characters of Japanese cartoons, the word “cute” just doesn’t seem to cover it. Kawaii describes what the English language cannot. Lionbridge Country Manager, Japan, Miki Inagaki explains, “As a word, kawaii has a much broader definition than just ‘cute.’ You could call a baby or a child kawaii, just like you could call them ‘cute,’ but you might also call small flowers kawaii when you’d never call them ‘cute’ in English.” For the Japanese people, kawaii is more than just a cartoon kitten or animated superhero. It reflects a cultural focus on protecting what is pure and harmless and what might not be able to protect itself.

#3 わびさび Wabi-Sabi

Wabi-sabi is a Japanese motif for finding the beauty in imperfection. As a combination of two old words with overlapping definitions, it is another Japanese word with roots in the Buddhist tradition. Author David Watts Barton eloquently captures its essence, writing, “both life and art are beautiful not because they are perfect and eternal, but because they are imperfect and fleeting.”

#4 いただきます Itadakimasu

If you’ve ever sat down for a meal with Japanese-speakers, you might have heard them say Itadakimasu before starting to eat. It literally translates as “I humbly receive,” and goes beyond a simple bon appetit or “enjoy your meal.” It shows gratitude for everyone who made the meal possible, from the elements of nature that provided the ingredients, to the chef who cooked it. Itadakimasu is rooted in the Buddhist tradition of respecting and honoring all living things.

#5 本音と建前 Honne to Tatemae

Broken down, honne (本音), refers to what we really think in our hearts: our opinions, thoughts and desires. Tatemae (建前), refers to the behaviors that we adopt in public; how we act in order to align with society norms and expectations. These two juxtaposed halves come together to mean “public façade.” While some cultures might view the act of putting on a different face in public as misleading, for the Japanese adapting your behavior to your environment is seen as a sign of respect and courtesy.

#6 空気を読む Kuukiwoyomu

Understanding a language also means understanding the nuances of that language’s culture. In the case of Japanese, these nuances are core to the cultural identity. Japanese people value maintaining harmony in their interactions. As a result, they often approach subjects indirectly. Kuukiwoyomu is a linguistic reflection of this value. It literally means “to read the atmosphere,” but metaphorically, it expresses the ability to pick up on nuances in conversation or “read between the lines.” For an English-speaking culture like the U.S. which often values more direct communication—this idea does not translate very smoothly.

#7 頑張って Ganbatte

This term is often translated as “good luck” in English and can generally be used in similar situations. In reality, it is a verb meaning, “to do one’s best” or “to try one’s hardest.” A more precise translation would be a combination of the two: “You can do this. If you try your best, luck will be with you and you will be able to do it.”

#8 木漏れ日 Komorebi

Komorebi is a Japanese word describing sunlight filtering through the leaves of a tree. It evokes a beautiful, warm and rather quiet mental image of a pleasing nature setting. Ashita Miwa, a Lionbridge Language Lead in Japan has her own interpretation of its meaning: “there’s a lot of beauty in nature that is meant to be appreciated, even the little things.”

#9 木枯らしKogarashi

Another poetic term relating to nature, kogarashi describes a cold wind that signals the arrival of winter. Words like this often require long, detailed translations in English; “bone-chilling wind” won’t cut it. The presence of such precise terminology speaks to the nuance of the Japanese language and the value they give to nature.

#10 お疲れ様 Otsukaresama

A fitting way to end virtually any Japanese exchange, otsukaresama is our final Japanese phrase that defies English translation. This all-in-one expression has a wide range of applications and meanings—hello, goodbye, congrats, cheers.  Derived from the verb tsukareru (疲れる) meaning “to be tired,” if translated directly, otsukaresama, means “you are tired.” This might seem like a confusing way to end an interaction, but it’s yet another case where literal translation does not convey the true meaning of the expression. In reflection of the Buddhist sentiment that inspired it, otsukaresama thanks someone for their hard work and acknowledges that it must have made them tired.

With that, it is only polite to say thank you for reading. Otsukaresama deshita! Translating Japanese is challenging, but well worth the effort.

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Contact a Lionbridge language expert.

The further apart two languages are, like Japanese and English, the more likely you are to come face to face with it. A word that’s completely natural in a language, that’s common vocabulary and tends to be used in a specific context. Everybody who speaks that language knows what it means.

Only problem: that word has no real equivalent in English.

And there are dozens of those. For each language. People make lists of them online.

So how are you supposed to treat them? Do you even bother translating them?

Let’s have a look at what this Japanese to English translator did with the word “ittadakimasu”.

What’s “ittadakimasu”?

Japanese people will say that just before eating. Literally, it means “I receive humbly”. But that would sound strange in English conversation. For a movie where people talk like normal human beings, you’ll need to find equivalents. Here is one, from the Japanese movie, Umi no Futa (There Is No Lid on the Sea).

The girl, Hajime, is about to eat shaved ice. Just before eating, she says “ittadakimasu”. The translation says “Let’s give this a go!”. Okay, sounds fine.

But what happens later in the same movie when another character says the same word?

And finally later on…

Same word. Same movie. Different translations. Looking at tentative translations for the word, it seems the last one is pretty common. Ittadakimasu could also mean “Bon appétit” or “Let’s eat”. So what happened here?

Context.

Since there isn’t a unique, official way to say “ittadakimasu” in English, the translator took advantage of it to give us hints of the context it is said in. And since Japanese is a language full of unspoken rules and innuendo, I think it works well.

What are these three contexts?

• The first picture is the first time they try this dessert.
• The second one shows the parents of the shop owner. They’ll have a more casual “thanks” for the same word.
• The last picture is a young girl, who will have a more respectful way to say it.

Context is important. If your translator does not have context to rely on, you would be very helpful to provide some. The end-result will be of a higher quality, like in this example.

When this approach won’t work

Translating like that isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution to Japanese translation. Sometimes you should try something else. Here are two cases:

# 1 When the Japanese word is a famous one.

You wouldn’t translate “Dojo” by “training place” nor would you translate “kimono” by “Japanese garment”. Although both are correct translations, these words have entered English vocabulary and no longer need to be localized.

That’s obvious, but the same logic applies to lesser-known words. Kendo enthusiasts won’t need to see the translation for “Shinai” in a document about their own sport. English-speakers living in Tokyo already know what a “conbini” is.  If your audience is likely to know the word in Japanese, don’t translate it.

# 2 When it is used so often your audience will remember it.

You’ve probably had this experience. You see a movie or play a video game and keep hearing the same word in the original audio. You’ll likely remember it next time they use it in the movie or video game.

If that’s the case you can still translate the word. What you’ll want though, is consistency in your translation. If you see a word or term used over and over in your text, make sure you instruct your translation team to use the same translation throughout. Your (not confused) audience will thank you.

Trust your Japanese translator

All that being said, if your translator knows what he’s doing, none of it should be an issue. You should hire someone who grasps the nuances of Japanese and is creative enough to translate them into English. Even for words that just don’t exist in English.

Once you find a good translator like that, let them know how consistent you want them to be, and give them context if necessary. Like the translator in the example, they’ll get creative when needed.

Do you know other Japanese words that have no English equivalent? What about in other languages? Let us know! Our Japanese translation team will write more about this topic soon.

Did you know there are quite a few Japanese words that don’t translate exactly into English? Some of them are quite similar to English concepts, or can be explained in English with only a few words. However, other Japanese words have concepts and meanings completly non-exisitant in the English language! Here’s our list of 15 words that do not exactly exist in the English vocabulary.

Shibui (シブい )

Meaning: Has good old taste, in a cool way. This adjective can not be used for young people or things. It is only used to describe people or things that have aged well, and remain cool and attractive.

Shouganai (しょうがない) 

Meaning: It can’t be helped, so don’t worry about it. If something regrettable happens that is outside of your control, don’t stress! Just say shouganai, it can’t be helped.

Sugoi  (すごい )

Meaning: This word has so many words in English that are used similarly to this, such as, “Wow”, “superb”, “wonderful”, “fabulous”, “great”, “marvelous”, and “amazing”.  In English , there is not one single word to convey all of these things, but in Japanese, they are all expressed by crying out sugoi!

Komorebi (木漏れ日)

Meaning: Sunlight filtering through trees. In Japanese, the way sunlight shines through the leaves of trees is given its own noun, and it’s called komorebi.

Yoroshiku onegai shimasu. (よろしくおねがいします。)

Meaning: When meeting someone, it’s similar to “nice to meet you”. But this phrase is also used when you ask someone to do a task, of a way of saying “thanks for letting me ask this of you.”

Example: Good morning! Do you mind starting the second page of the website today? Yoroshiku onegai shimasu!

Kouyou (紅葉)

Meaning: The leaves changing colors in the fall. In English, this can be called “fall foliage”, but that’s not something people say often. In Japanese, kouyou is used quite often to describe the autumn’s colorful leaves.

Gensōteki (幻想的)

Meaning: In the Japanese-to-English dictionary, this word is defined as“fantastic”, but that’s not quite right. Gensouteki is much more magical, and mystical, like glowing lanterns at night. A kind of calming, gentile, eerie beauty.

Ikigai （生きがい）

Meaning: Reason for living/ Life’s purpose. Ikiru means to live, and gai means to want to do something, so this word is literally your motivation to live. Everyone’s ikigai is different – for some people, it is their family, or pet, or job, or hobby.

Moodii (ムーディー )

Meaning: The Japanese use of “moody” and the original meaning of English’s moody are quite different. According to the Japanese dictionary, moody is “having a good atmosphere; sexy; romantic”. Unlike the English word moody, which typically describes people who are irritable or easily upset, in Japanese, it’s a good thing. A moodii na hito (moody person) would be someone who has a sexy, romantic atmosphere.

Kogarashi （木枯らし)

Meaning: “Leaf-shaking wind”; The first cold wind of the year that lets you know winter is coming.

Idtadakimasu  (いただきます)

Meaning: I humbly receive this. Said before you eat, or if you receive a treat/gift from someone.

Note: Exists in other languages, such as French “Bon apetite”.

Naiibu (from English’s Naive) (ナイーブ)

Meaning: In English, “naive” has a negative meaning, but in Japanese, people who are naiibu are a person who has a sensitive mind, or an introverted character. This is not negative in Japanese culture. 

Ojamashimasu (お邪魔します)

Meaning: Excuse the intrusion/sorry for interrupting. This is a polite phrase Japanese people use when they enter someone’s home.

Wabi-sabi (侘び寂び)

Meaning: “Aesthetic sense in Japanese art emphasizing quiet simplicity and subdued refinement”. Or  in other words, something that is simple and quiet but makes you have a good feeling and a calm mind. For example, a temple or shrine, or pottery.

Facebook LIVE: Japanese Words That Don’t Exist In English! 

We recently did a Facebook live discussing several of these words, and more! Check it out here:

The Japanese culture is known for its appreciation of nature and for finding beauty in simplicity. It is no wonder then that their language reflects the zen-like beauty their culture emanates. There are hundreds of untranslatable Japanese words that have no English counterpart. Attempts to translate these beautiful Japanese words into English result in poetic descriptions that warm the soul.

Beautiful and Untranslatable Japanese Words with No English Equivalent

The pronunciations alone of these untranslatable Japanese words ooze beauty as they roll off the tongue. But their meanings paint beautiful imagery that English speakers can only wish to encompass in a single word.

1. Flower Petal Storm

Hanafubuki is usually used to describe how cherry blossom petals float down en-masse, like snowflakes in a blizzard. I certainly wouldn’t mind being caught in this storm.

2. Beauty in Imperfection

When you adopt a wabisabi perspective, you accept that life is imperfect and, therefore, can appreciate the beauty of imperfect things. Japanese artists embrace wabisabi by purposely leaving imperfections in their artwork. For instance, a knot left in a wood carving or a crack in a piece of pottery.

3. Collecting Books with Reading

Booklovers are all too familiar with the truth behind the Japanese word tsundoku. In English, this untranslatable Japanese word describes the act of piling up books that you never get around to reading.

4. Memories That Warm the Heart

While the Japanese word ‘natsukashii’ does have an English equivalent in the word ‘nostalgia,’ the use and meaning of the word are quite different. Natsukashii is used quite often in everyday language in Japan. When used, Japanese people are not saying “nostalgia”; they are expressing a feeling that warms the heart because it brings back memories.

5. It Is What It Is

We are all familiar with the English expression that we use when we can’t do anything about a situation or when we give up because it’s out of our control. “It is what it is,” we say. But the Japanese wrap this up into one untranslatable Japanese word: Shoganai.

6. Just Be Yourself

Often used at company outings, the Japanese word Bureikou (which, coincidentally, sounds like ‘break’ in English) releases people from the confines of social status to just be themselves. It is a way to tell people to take a break from the pressures of the real world to be who you are without consequence.

7. Selfless Hospitality

Omotenashi is an untranslatable Japanese word that represents careful thoughtfulness. It is the type of hospitality that puts the customer or guest first without the expectation of anything in return.

8. Mouth Lonely

‘Kuchisabishii’ makes the list because the literal translation is cute and oh-so appropriate to express its meaning. When you are ‘mouth lonely’ you eat out of boredom rather than hunger.

9. Leaves Changing Colour

Like Hanafubuki is used in Cherry Blossom season, Kouyou is used as Autumn arrives. Kouyou is a way to say, “The leaves are changing colour, so Autumn is near.”

10. I Humbly Receive with Gratitude

Usually spoken before eating, ‘Itadakimasu’ is often translated as ‘bon appetit’ but much of the meaning is lost by doing so. Itadakimasu is beautifully nuanced to express gratefulness to all those responsible for producing the meal, from the farmers to the grocers to the cooks, and so on.

11. A Cold Wind of Winter

As winter approaches, Japanese people will use the word ‘Kogarashi’ every time a bitingly cold wind sends shivers down their spine.

12. Sunlight Leaking Through the Trees

In a single untranslatable Japanese word, ‘Komorebi’ illustrates a beautiful forest with sunlight peeking through the leaves of the trees. What English word could compare?

13. Bitter Sweetness of Fading Beauty

Though technically this is three words in Japanese, ‘Mono no aware’ shows an appreciation for things that quickly pass or are soon lost. This phrase is often used to describe the short Cherry Blossom season.

14. A Profound Sense of the Universe

Yugen describes the emotional response one feels when they consider things too big to comprehend, like how many stars are in the universe, or the mysteries of creation.

15. Soaking in the Forest

Literally translated to ‘Forest Bathing,’ Shinrin-yoku describes spending time in the forest to reduce stress, which has been clinically proven to be effective.

16. Worth Living For

Ikigai is a person’s reason for being. It’s the passion, purpose, or value that makes life worth living.

17. Love is Inevitable

Often translated as ‘Love at first sight,’ ‘Koi no Yokan’ is not quite the head-over-heels love you’d expect from the mistranslation. More accurately, it means you are bound to fall in love even if you don’t feel it now.

18. Light of a River in Darkness

Just like many untranslatable Japanese words, kawaakari conjures an entire landscape in the mind’s eye. This word refers to light reflected off a river at night or dusk.

19. From Strangers to Family

Ichariba chode embraces the spirit of friendliness to strangers. In ways, it can be compared to the sentiment of ‘Mi casa es su casa’ but more accurately means ‘from strangers to brothers or sisters.’

20. Golden Repair

In the way wabisabi embraces imperfections, kintsukuroi (or kintsugi) repairs pottery with gold or silver. Instead of trying to blend and hide the imperfection, kintsukuroi highlights its beauty.

21. Can’t Be Touched

Kyouka suigetsu is a Japanese phrase that can’t be easily translated into English. It refers to something that is visible but can’t be touched, like the moon’s reflection on the water. Or, an emotion that can’t be described in words.

22. An Unattainable Goal

Literally translated as ‘flower on a high peak,’ ‘takane no hana’ describes something that is beyond your reach.

23. Viewing the Moon

Japanese festivals often revolve around nature. Tsukimi is the act of viewing the moon, which is often enjoyed en-masse during moon-viewing festivals in September or October.

Translating Untranslatable Japanese Words

The Japanese language is filled with words that are very descriptive in their simplicity. A single word can have more depth and impact that is difficult to capture in other languages. When there is no English equivalent, translators must explore the nuances of a word’s meaning and endeavour to convey a word’s true meaning.

Check out our other article on “The 7 Hardest Languages to Translate into English” and learn more about Avo Translations’ experienced team of translators.

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Heya it’s me 七(Nana) from the #BlogSquad ^^

For today’s blog, I collected interesting words in Japanese with no English equivalent, or words that don’t really have a simple and direct translation in English, as many as I know and could find.

Enjoy~~! ヽ(｡ゝω・｡)ﾉ

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┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓

物の哀れ

読み方: もののあわれ

┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

▸ The bittersweet realisation of the ephemeral nature of all things. It is the awareness that everything in existence is temporary. The fleetingness of youth, the fading of romance, and the changing of seasons are not to be mourned, but cherished and appreciated in their impermanence, for that is where their beauty comes from.

-—————————————͙͙✩ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓

積ん読

読み方: つんどく

┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

▸ The act of constantly buying books and then left them piled up, unread.

✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙-—————————————

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓

木漏れ日

読み方: こもれび

┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

▸ Dappled light, or sunlight that is filtered through the leaves of trees. ①

-—————————————͙͙✩ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓

幽玄

読み方: ゆうげん

┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

▸ An awareness of the Universe that triggers emotional responses too deep and powerful for words.

✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙-—————————————

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓

恋の予感

読み方: こいのよかん

┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

▸ The sense felt upon first meeting a person that the two of you are going to inevitably fall in love with each other in the future, despite there being no love at the moment. ②

-—————————————͙͙✩ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓

侘寂

読み方: わびさび

┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

▸ Aesthetic sense in Japanese art, embracing the beauty found in simplicity, and things that are sometimes flawed, damaged, or incomplete. ③

✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙-—————————————

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓

居留守

読み方: いるす

┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

▸ Pretending to be out or not at home when someone knocks at your door.

-—————————————͙͙✩ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓

食い倒れ

読み方: くいだおれ

┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

▸ To eat yourself into bankruptcy. The word implies a kind of extravagant love of good food and drink – so much love that you will happily spend all your money on it. ④

✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙-—————————————

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓

よいしょ

┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

▸ A word without meaning, may be said when flopping into a chair after a hard day at work, when standing up from a chair after sitting on it for a long time or when lifting/pushing a heavy thing. Mostly used by aged people.

-—————————————͙͙✩ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓

木枯らし

読み方: こがらし

┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

▸ The cold, withering wind that comes at the start of winter and blows the last leaves off of the trees.

✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙-—————————————

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━┓

真面目

読み方: まじめ

┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

▸ Serious or diligent (when used to describe a person’s behaviour).

-—————————————͙͙✩ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓

森林浴

読み方: しんりんよく

┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

▸ Literally “forest bathing”, a practice which involves slow and tranquil walks in the woods for its restorative and therapeutic benefits.

✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙-—————————————

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓

渋い

読み方: しぶい

┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

▸ An adjective used to describe simple, subtle, and unobtrusive beauty. In aesthetic sense, it refers to something that is charming precisely because it is understated and low key.

-—————————————͙͙✩ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓

浮世

読み方: うきよ

┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

▸ (Lit. Floating World) describes the urban lifestyle, especially the pleasure-seeking aspects, of the Edo-period Japan (1600–1867).

✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙-—————————————

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓

引きこもり

読み方: ひきこもり

┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

▸ Basically a shut-in. 引きこもり stays inside their home (or room) and never leaves the place for 6 months or longer. ⑤

-—————————————͙͙✩ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓

いただきます

┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

▸ Literally means “I humbly receive”, it is said before every meal, and expresses appreciation for all the work that went into the meal that is about to be eaten. It conveys a respect for all living things, but at a more pedestrian level, signals that it is time to eat.

✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙-—————————————

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓

お邪魔します

読み方: おじゃまします

┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

▸ Said whenever you enter someone else’s house, signifying that you know you are going to be a bother and apologise in advance. When using this phrase, you are signifying your own modesty and sense that you are intruding.

-—————————————͙͙✩ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓

しょうがない

┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

▸ Means “it can’t be helped”, but also expresses a conviction that there’s no point in complaining if a situation is out of one’s control.

✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙-—————————————

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓

バックシャン

┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

▸ A made up word of the English “back” and the German “schoen” (beautiful) to refer to a woman who looks lovely from behind but turns out to be unattractive when she turns around.

-—————————————͙͙✩ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓

勿体ない

読み方: もったいない

┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

▸ A Buddhist word that has found its way into the vernacular, もったいない means “what a waste!” and expresses regret over this waste. This wastefulness not also pertains to physical resources, but also to a misuse of opportunities and time. It can also be used to deflect praise that one feels isn’t deserved.

✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙-—————————————

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓

懐かしい

読み方: なつかしい

┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

▸ This adjective is commonly used when something evokes a sense of nostalgia for the past or fond remembrance. It is not a wistful longing, but a happy look back at a past memory, for instance when looking at old pictures from childhood.

-—————————————͙͙✩ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓

生きがい

読み方: いきがい

┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

▸ The idea that having a purpose in your life is key to happiness. It’s similar to the French phrase “Raison d’être”.

✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙-—————————————

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓

文字化け

読み方: もじばけ

┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

▸ Digital text that turned into incomprehensible gibberish due to an error. ⑥

-—————————————͙͙✩ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓

ツンデレ

┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

▸ A person, who is initially cold towards another person, gradually showing their warm side over time. ⑦

✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙-—————————————

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓

踏ん反り返る

読み方: ふんぞりかえる

┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

▸ To lean on one’s back comfortably with legs outstretched. ⑧

-—————————————͙͙✩ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓

逆ギレ

読み方: ぎゃくぎれ

┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

▸ When you get mad at someone for a legitimate reason and they in turn get mad at you.

✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙-—————————————

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓

過労死

読み方: かろうし

┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

▸ Death from overworking. ⑨

-—————————————͙͙✩ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓

風物詩

読み方: ふうぶつし

┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

▸ The things – feelings, scents, images – that evoke memories or anticipation of a particular season.

✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙-—————————————

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓

ボケッと

┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

▸ Gazing vacantly into the distance without really thinking about anything specific. ⑩

-—————————————͙͙✩ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓

五月晴れ

読み方: さつきばれ

┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

▸ Literally “bright day of May“, the term originally indicated a sunny day in the rainy season. Now it is used as a reference to a day with a particularly bright sky in early May.

✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙-—————————————

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓

川明かり

読み方: かわあかり

┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

▸ Gleam on a river at dusk.

-—————————————͙͙✩ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓

お疲れ様

読み方: おつかれさま

┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

▸ The meaning of this word differs depending on the setting. When said to colleagues at work, you are recognizing their hard work by saying something like “it’s been tough and you must be tired”. It is used as a greeting on arriving at work, during the day when you see colleagues in the hallway and when you leave the office. Sometimes it is even used in place of “cheers” when drinking together with friends on a Friday after a hard work week.

✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙-—————————————

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓

微妙

読み方: びみょう

┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

▸ A slang word with dictionary definition of “delicate, subtle, or fine”. It can be used to describe something you don’t love but don’t hate it either.

-—————————————͙͙✩ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓

大雑把

読み方: おおざっぱ

┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

▸ A person who doesn’t care, or take pride in their work. ①①

✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙-—————————————

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓

本音 & 建前

読み方: ほんね &

たてまえ

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▸ 本音 and 建前 are two Japanese words that go hand-in-hand. They represent the contrast between how a person really feels (本音) and the feelings that they display in public (建前).

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※ Extra Notes

① One of the most beautiful and poetic words in the Japanese language imo, 木漏れ日 (こもれび)

② I’d like to point out that 恋の予感 (lit. premonition of love) differs from “love at first sight” (there’s a word for it in Japanese, 一目惚れ) because it does not imply “the feeling of love that is felt straight away” but more to “love that will be inevitably felt in the future”.

③ Objects that elicit a sense of quiet melancholy and longing could be defined as わびさび, such as wood that gains a mellow patina over time, falling autumn leaves, or a chipped vase.

④ Osaka people are passionate about food, as said by the popular Japanese saying that goes something like: the people of Tokyo ruin themselves by overspending on fine footwear, the people of Kyoto on fine clothing and the people of Osaka on fine food. So much that the Japanese even have a word for this. くいだおれ.

⑤ In 2016, the Japanese government census estimated that there are 540,000 引きこもり in Japan aged between 15-39. Source here.

⑥ Examples of もじばけ

⑦ Aisaka Taiga from ToraDora! is an example of a tsundere.

⑧ 踏ん反り返る (ふんぞりかえる)

⑨ 過労死 (かろうし) is usually associated with Japanese salarymen who work in a corporate culture of extreme long hours. The Japanese Ministry of Labour defines 過労死 as when somebody works over 100 hours of overtime in the month before their death. Read more about it here.

⑩ ボケッと is the more zen and quaintrelle way of saying spaced-out or zoned-out, since there is an almost reverent calmness to it.

①① While some people may describe おおざっぱ as being “laid-back” or “worry-free,” this isn’t exactly the case. While it does refer to a person who doesn’t care too much or sweat the small stuff, おおざっぱ is more commonly used with a negative connotation. Think about a person who is careless at work or doesn’t really take pride in what he does. This person is おおざっぱ, and it’s not a good thing.

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Which word(s) is/are your favourite?

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Background and cover photo: Nagoya City

by @torastagraphy

The particle の “no” is extremely versatile. It’s used as the Japanese possessive particle, showing ownership, and more generally, as way to turn any noun into a modifier.

Recommended background:

The Copula “Desu”

Nouns, Pronouns, and Plurals

“No” as a Possessive

As a possessive, no comes between two nouns, after the “possessor” and before the “possessee”.

やまぐち	の	かばん
Yamaguchi	no	kaban
Yamaguchi	‘s	bag

In this case it works essentially like possesive [‘s] in English, and this is a good way to think of it. Basically, the no is attached to the preceding noun and turns it into a modifier. Here are a few more examples.

きむらさんの　くるま	Kimura-san no kuruma	Kimura’s car
おとこの　せいかく	otoko no seikaku	the man’s personality
こどもの　おかあさん	kodomo no okaasan	the kid’s mother
ねこの　みみ	neko no mimi	cats’ ears

So, “Kimura-san no kuruma” is a kuruma, “otoko no seikaku” is seikaku, and “neko no mimi” are mimi. This is extremely important – unlike in English, the last noun is always what the entire noun phrase “is”. When we get to more difficult cases below, always thinking of no as [‘s] will help you interpret them correctly.

Possessive pronouns are created in exactly the same way as other possessives.

わたしの	watashi no	my
あなたの	anata no	your
わたしたちの	watashi-tachi no	our

Again, you generally should not use anata no for “your”. Instead, use [the person’s name] + [name suffix] + no. So if you’re talking to Tanaka about her book, it’s “Tanaka-san no hon”.

Next, question words can also be used with no.

だれのくるまですか。

Dare no kuruma desu ka?

Whose car is it?

And as in English, you can omit the actual item that is possessed.

だれのですか。	Dare no desu ka?	Whose is it?
わたしのです。	Watashi no desu.	It’s mine.
いしかわのです。	Ishikawa no desu.	It’s Ishikawa’s.

This [noun]+no pair can also be used as a subject or topic.

きむらさんの　くるまは　あかです。	Kimura-san no kuruma wa aka desu.	Kimura’s car is red.
わたしのは　あおです。	Watashi no wa ao desu.	Mine is blue.

It’s worth noting that there are also verbs that are possesive in nature, just like “to have” or “to own” in English. There are several ways to say “I have” in Japanese, which you’ll learn about when we get to verbs.

“No” as a General Modifier

In general, the particle no can turn any noun into a modifier, whether or not the thing in question actually “owns” anything. So its possessive quality is really only one of several related uses.

In many cases, no substitutes for English prepositions like “of”, for adjectival forms of nouns, and where you would simply stick two nouns together in English. Let’s look at some examples.

きんの　ゆびわ	kin no yubiwa	a gold ring (ring of gold)
にほんごの　せんせい	Nihongo no sensei	a Japanese teacher (teacher of Japanese)

In this first usage, no is often translated as “of”, but while “of” does indeed translate to no in Japanese, this is a confusing way to think of the particle because the order is exactly the opposite of English. When you have multiple no modifiers in a row (which we’ll look at below), it’s best not to assume that each no is a reverse “of”, because all to often, the English equivalent doesn’t use the preposition. Here’s another example:

Japanese	English
[A] no [B]	[A] [B]
yakyuu no shiai	a baseball game

So Japanese uses no where English uses unchanged nouns as modifiers. You would generally only say “game of baseball” in English in the sense of “the game of baseball” (as opposed to “the game of basketball”), which has a very different meaning. And often, the English equivalent of [A] isn’t even a noun.

まほうの　とびら

mahou no tobira

a magical door

Mahou (magic) is a noun, but it’s being used like the adjective magical, which doesn’t exist in Japanese. And while “mahou no hon” could be “a book of magic” (filled with spells) or “a magic book” (itself enchanted), the “of” interpretation for no does not exist in every case. So while “of” is a possible translation of no, it’s not always the best translation.

In other cases, no takes the place of different English prepositions.

にほんの　くるま	Nihon no kuruma	a Japanese car (car from Japan)
アメリカ（あめりか）の　だいがく	Amerika no daigaku	American universities (universities in the U.S.)
バス（ばす）の　きっぷ	basu no kippu	a bus ticket (ticket for the bus)

Although again, the most general English translation does not include a preposition. But if you were to translate such prepositions into Japanese, they would often, but not always become no. For example, “in” overlaps with no when we use “in the U.S.” as a modifier, but not when we say “the university is in the U.S.”(Daigaku wa Amerika ni arimasu).

This is why we focus on understanding Japanese to English translation: Japanese and English each distinguish different parts of a spectrum of meaning, but while you intuitively know the nuances in English, you need to learn what the Japanese nuances are before you can correctly translate English to Japanese.

One last use of no that we’ll look at here is where it is used to show one’s relationship to a particular person.

ともだちの　トム（とむ）さん	tomodachi no Tomu-san	my friend Tom (Tom, who is my friend)
あねの　リサ（りさ）	ane no Lisa	my older sister Lisa (Lisa, who is my older sister)

This is equivalent to the English appositive, where one noun is immediately redefined or modified by the following noun.

Multiple “No” Modifiers

There’s no limit to the number of no‘s you can have in a single noun phrase.

わたしの	ともだちの	だいがくの	にほんごの	せんせいの	にほんの	くるま
watashi no	tomodachi no	daigaku no	Nihongo no	sensei no	Nihon no	kuruma
my	friend’s	college	Japanese	professor’s	Japanese	car

And if you wanted to use any adjectives in there, you certainly could.

Translating “No”

That particular string of no‘s was easy because there were no “of”s in the English translation, but what if there were? Translating such phrases can be tricky, but here’s a reliable way to go about it.

For the first step, keep the word order intact. Modifier always comes before modified in Japanese, and this order makes sense in English too, so translate each individual item into English to interpret the phrase as is. Each no could be an [‘s], or might just be erased. So at this point, “blade of grass” will be “grass’s blade” or “grass blade”, but the meaning is still obvious.

Then, once know the meaning of the phrase, add any adjective-forming suffixes and if necessary, add prepositions and correct the word order to get the proper English version.

Other Uses of “No”

You’ll soon see no used in other places: after verbs and adjectives, before desu, and even as a sentence ending particle. These are really not the same no at all, but rather separate particles, homonyms with this one. These other no‘s will be covered separately.

What Next?

Questions and Negation