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A weekly podcast for upper beginner to intermediate learners of Japanese. Listen to Yumi talk about... whatever she wants to talk about. Practice your listening comprehension with natural (howbeit slightly slowed down) Japanese on various topics such as Japanese culture, fun idioms, and, of course, cats. The episodes can be enjoyed in any order. -- Become a Makoto+ member and get show notes with a complete transcript and a list of key vocabulary. www.MakotoPlus.com
Episodes
Monday Sep 05, 2022
Monday Sep 05, 2022
The 101st episode. Today, Yumi shares some details and trivia about a 1991 hit TV drama called The 101st Proposal starring Takeda Tetsuya and Asano Atsuko.
KEY VOCABULARY:
101回目(かいめ) 101st time
101回目(かいめ)のプロポーズ 101st Proposal (1991 Fuji TV drama)
平成(へいせい)3年(ねん) Heisei 3; 1991
フジテレビ Fuji TV (TV Station)
放送(ほうそう)された was broadcast
武田鉄矢(たけだてつや) Takeda Tetsuya [Japanese folk singer and actor; he has a weekly podcast called 今朝の三枚おろし (This Morning’s Three Cuts) where he shares interesting tidbits from some book he’s recently read. The topics vary widely, but it is always interesting. He has a deep knowledge in a wide variety of topics. Recommended for intermediates and above.]
浅野温子(あさのあつこ) Asano Atsuko [Actress]
最終回(さいしゅうかい) final episode (of a TV program)
視聴率(しちょうりつ) viewing rate; ratings (of a TV program)
リメイク remake
チェロ奏者(そうしゃ) Cellist
お見合(みあ)い a formal marriage interview [often set up by matchmakers]
冴(さ)えないおじさん dull older man; unattractive older man
結婚式当日(けっこんしきとうじつ) the day of (her) wedding
ひたむきに dedicated; single mindedly; earnestly
ダンプカー dump truck
僕(ぼく)は死(し)にません I won’t die
美女(びじょ)と野獣(やじゅう) Beauty and the Beast
交通(こうつう)マナー traffic manners; traffic etiquette
台本(だいほん) script
流行語(りゅうこうご) buzzword; vogue word; popular phrase
For upper beginners to intermediates. Listen to the short podcast and then answer the comprehension questions on the website: https://thejapanesepage.com/nihongonotane-index/
Take a quiz on this episode here:
https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-101
If you are a Makoto+ member, you can find the transcript, English translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF for printing:
https://MakotoPlus.com/podcast-nihongonotane-101-m
--
Become a Makoto+ member and get show notes with a complete transcript, translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF.
www.MakotoPlus.com
Sunday Aug 28, 2022
Sunday Aug 28, 2022
100th episode. Yumi started this podcast exactly two years ago and is now on her 100th episode. Today, Yumi talks about several interesting Japanese phrases that include the word 百【ひゃく】 (hundred).
Also, to celebrate the 100th episode, Makoto+ members not only get a full transcript, but we also created an Anki flashcard deck with dozens of key vocabulary words heard in today’s podcast. Not only that, each card has a sound file. Listen, learn, and repeat with Yumi!
KEY VOCABULARY:
百回(ひゃっかい)目(め) the 100th time
たどり着(つ)く to arrive at (after a struggle); to finally reach
百貨店(ひゃっかてん) department store
百獣(ひゃくじゅう)の王(おう) King of a hundred beasts (lion)
種類(しゅるい) variety; sort; kind
という意味(いみ) such a meaning
百戦錬磨(ひゃくせんれんま) veteran; battle-worn; rich in experience
経験(けいけん)を積(つ)む to gain experience; to accumulate experiences
戦(たたか)い fight; battle; struggle
鍛(きた)える to forge; to drill; to train; to discipline
百花繚乱(ひゃっかりょうらん) a gathering of many talented people; gathering of many beautiful women; simultaneous emergence of many talents and achievements
乱(みだ)れる to be disordered; to be disarrayed; to be upset; to be confused; to lapse into chaos
能力(のうりょく)がある人(ひと) a person with ability
優(すぐ)れた人物(じんぶつ) an outstanding person; person of distinction
同(おな)じ時期(じき)に at the same time
活躍(かつやく)する to be active; to flourish; to participate actively
百回(ひゃっかい)を迎(むか)える to reach 100 times; to welcome the 100th time
私(わたし)の気持(きも)ち my feelings
紹介(しょうかい)します to introduce; (I) will introduce
続(つづ)く to continue
受験勉強(じゅけんべんきょう) studying for a test; studying for school entrance exams
諦(あきら)めないで don’t give up
最後(さいご)まで until the end
試(し)験(けん) test
こうやって in this way; like this
～気(き)がします I have a feeling that~
見(み)たことある (I’ve) seen it before
穴(あな)を掘(ほ)る to dig a hole
あともう一息(ひといき) just a little more [literally, after one more breath]
宝物(たからもの)に届(とど)く to reach the treasure
隣(となり) next to; next door; neighbor
同(おな)じように in the same way
諦(あきら)めずに without giving up
最後(さいご)まで until the end
手(て)に入(い)れる to obtain; to procure; to get a hold of
気持(きも)ちはわかります (I) understand the feeling
辿(たど)り着(つ)く to arrive at (after a struggle); to finally reach; to find one’s way to
～を目指(めざ)して aiming for ~
For upper beginners to intermediates. Listen to the short podcast and then answer the comprehension questions on the website: https://thejapanesepage.com/nihongonotane-index/
Take a quiz on this episode here:
https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-100
If you are a Makoto+ member, you can find the transcript, English translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF for printing:
https://MakotoPlus.com/podcast-nihongonotane-100-m
--
Become a Makoto+ member and get show notes with a complete transcript, translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF.
www.MakotoPlus.com
Monday Aug 22, 2022
Monday Aug 22, 2022
Yumi has been on a cleaning kick. She’s always been tidy, but recently, she’s gotten serious about it. Japan has very clean streets despite (or perhaps because of) the fact that there are few public trash cans. Is there some connection with Japanese history and mythology to explain this?
KEY VOCABULARY:
掃除(そうじ) cleaning
ピカピカ with a glitter; with a sparkle; shiny and new
磨(みが)いています polishing; shining
主婦(しゅふ) housewife; homemaker
言葉(ことば)に触発(しょくはつ)されて inspired by words [言葉 (words) に (by) 触発 (triggering; inspiring) されて (passive)]
管理(かんり) control; management
整理(せいり) sorting; arrangement; putting in order
真剣(しんけん)に earnestly; in earnest
隙間(すきま) crevice; crack; gap
面倒(めんどう)くさい bothersome; tiresome
綿棒(めんぼう) cotton swab
竹串(たけぐし) bamboo skewer
神道(しんとう) Shinto
境内(けいだい) grounds (of shrine); compound
神話(しんわ) mythology; legend
日本(にほん)の国旗(こっき) Japanese flag
清潔(せいけつ) cleanliness; hygienic
For upper beginners to intermediates. Listen to the short podcast and then answer the comprehension questions on the website: https://thejapanesepage.com/nihongonotane-index/
Take a quiz on this episode here:
https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-99
If you are a Makoto+ member, you can find the transcript, English translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF for printing:
https://MakotoPlus.com/podcast-nihongonotane-99-m
--
Become a Makoto+ member and get show notes with a complete transcript, translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF.
www.MakotoPlus.com
Monday Aug 15, 2022
Monday Aug 15, 2022
Yumi continues her discussion on onomatopoeia in Japanese. Japanese use sound words and mimetic words far more frequently than in English. Learning how to use these words well will help improve your fluency.
KEY VOCABULARY:
オノマトペ onomatopoeia
ごちゃごちゃ messy; confused; chaotic
整理(せいり)されていない not organized
状態(じょうたい) condition; state of things
ペコペコ very hungry; starving
ペラペラ fluent (speaking foreign languages); incessantly (speaking)
流暢(りゅうちょう)に fluent; flowing
ゴロゴロする roll about; idling about; thundering; purring
ガタンゴトン clickety-clack
終点(しゅうてん) terminus; last stop (train)
川上(かわかみ) upstream
ドンブラコドンブラコ effect of tumbling
クンクン effect of sniffing
ドドドド sound of something heavy moving rapidly
グラグラ wobbling; shaking; unsteadily
ピキピキ snapping
豊富(ほうふ)に abundantly
身近(みぢか)に near at hand; near oneself
For upper beginners to intermediates. Listen to the short podcast and then answer the comprehension questions on the website: https://thejapanesepage.com/nihongonotane-index/
Take a quiz on this episode here:
https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-98
If you are a Makoto+ member, you can find the transcript, English translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF for printing:
https://MakotoPlus.com/podcast-nihongonotane-98-m
--
Become a Makoto+ member and get show notes with a complete transcript, translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF.
www.MakotoPlus.com
Monday Aug 08, 2022
Monday Aug 08, 2022
Yumi continues her discussion on onomatopoeia in Japanese. Japanese use sound words and mimetic words far more frequently than in English. Learning how to use these words well will help improve your fluency.
KEY VOCABULARY:
オノマトペ onomatopoeia
日本人(にほんじん)らしく話(はなし)せる to be able to speak like a Japanese
汗(あせ)をかいた to sweat
さっぱり refreshed
含(ふく)まれます includes
さっぱり分(わ)からない don’t know at all
ゴロゴロ loafing; rolling; sound of thunder
回転(かいてん)する to rotate; to turn
クタクタ exhausted; tired; worn out
芯(しん) wick; core; heart; center
カンカンになっている to be very angry
絶対許(ぜったいゆる)さない absolutely won’t forgive
For upper beginners to intermediates. Listen to the short podcast and then answer the comprehension questions on the website: https://thejapanesepage.com/nihongonotane-index/
Take a quiz on this episode here:
https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-97
If you are a Makoto+ member, you can find the transcript, English translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF for printing:
https://MakotoPlus.com/podcast-nihongonotane-97-m
--
Become a Makoto+ member and get show notes with a complete transcript, translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF.
www.MakotoPlus.com
Sunday Jul 31, 2022
Sunday Jul 31, 2022
Yumi continues her discussion on onomatopoeia in Japanese. Japanese use sound words and mimetic words far more frequently than in English. Learning how to use these words well will help improve your fluency.
KEY VOCABULARY:
オノマトペ onomatopoeia
擬音語(ぎおんご) sound word onomatopoeia
擬態語(ぎたいご) mimetic word
音(おと)を真似(まね) imitating sounds
ぴかぴか光(ひか)るto sparkle; to glitter; to twinkle
ギラギラ glaringly; dazzlingly
バキーっ boom
ドカーン boom
ドドド b.b.boom
迫力(はくりょく)が出(で)ます show power; have strength
ドキドキする to be excited; to be nervous
わくわく to be excited
にやにや笑(わら)う to smirk
ニコニコ smile
キリキリと痛(いた)みます sharp pain
チクチク痛(いた)い prickling pain
頭(あたま)がズキズキする throbbing headache
脈(みゃく) pulse
ガンガン痛(いた)い pounding pain
万(まん)が一(いち) just in case; in the unlikely event
ふわふわ fluffy; lightly floating
ぷにぷに fluffy; squishy; bouncy
ぷるぷる soft and fluffy; jiggling; wobbling
For upper beginners to intermediates. Listen to the short podcast and then answer the comprehension questions on the website: https://thejapanesepage.com/nihongonotane-index/
Take a quiz on this episode here:
https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-96
If you are a Makoto+ member, you can find the transcript, English translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF for printing:
https://MakotoPlus.com/podcast-nihongonotane-96-m
--
Become a Makoto+ member and get show notes with a complete transcript, translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF.
www.MakotoPlus.com
Monday Jul 25, 2022
Monday Jul 25, 2022
Yumi is surprised by Clay’s usage of onomatopoeia. “Just as a Japanese person would say,” she thought. Onomatopoeia is used much more often in Japanese than we would in English. Yumi is convinced learning to use onomatopoeia correctly and in natural situations will greatly improve your Japanese conversation.
KEY VOCABULARY:
オノマトペ onomatopoeia
よっぽど to a large extent; greatly
日本人(にほんじん)らしい like a Japanese person
ぐうぐう寝(ね)てる fast asleep; sleeping soundly
すやすや寝(ね)る to sleep like a baby; sleeping peacefully
雰囲気(ふんいき) atmosphere; mood
ズンズン前(まえ)に進(すす)む to boldly move forward; to steadily make progress
どんどん食(た)べてください please keep eating; please continue to enjoy your food
擬音語(ぎおんご) onomatopoeic word; word that mimics a sound
擬態語(ぎたいご) mimetic word; word that mimics an action, condition, or manner that does not make a sound
ゲラゲラ笑(わら)う to guffaw; to roar with laughter
シクシク泣(な)いている to softly cry; to weep; to sob
ポロポロ泣(な)いている to wail; to cry with large drops of tears
きらきら光(ひか)る sparkling light
カチカチ clattering; knocking; clacking
雨(あめ)がザーザー降(ふ)っている raining heavily
For upper beginners to intermediates. Listen to the short podcast and then answer the comprehension questions on the website: https://thejapanesepage.com/nihongonotane-index/
Take a quiz on this episode here:
https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-95
If you are a Makoto+ member, you can find the transcript, English translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF for printing:
https://MakotoPlus.com/podcast-nihongonotane-95-m
--
Become a Makoto+ member and get show notes with a complete transcript, translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF.
www.MakotoPlus.com
Sunday Jul 17, 2022
Sunday Jul 17, 2022
Today, Yumi looks at a few ways to help prevent dementia. Good news! By listening to this podcast, you are already doing one very powerful thing.
KEY VOCABULARY:
認知症(にんちしょう) dementia; senility; cognitive impairment
認知症予防(にんちしょうよぼう) dementia prevention
言(い)い方(かた) way of saying; term
アルツハイマー型認知症(がたにんちしょう) Alzheimer's disease
症状(しょうじょう) symptoms
開口一番(かいこういちばん) first words out of one's mouth
義理(ぎり)のお母さん mother-in-law
公務員(こうむいん) civil servant
規則(きそく) rules; regulations
政治家(せいじか) politician
高齢(こうれい)の方(かた) elderly person
自営業(じえいぎょう) self-employed
常(つね)に always
外国語(がいこくご) foreign language
For upper beginners to intermediates. Listen to the short podcast and then answer the comprehension questions on the website: https://thejapanesepage.com/nihongonotane-index/
Take a quiz on this episode here:
https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-94
If you are a Makoto+ member, you can find the transcript, English translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF for printing:
https://MakotoPlus.com/podcast-nihongonotane-94-m
--
Become a Makoto+ member and get show notes with a complete transcript, translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF.
www.MakotoPlus.com
Sunday Jul 10, 2022
Sunday Jul 10, 2022
We spend so much time behind our computer screens, so it is nice to, once-in-a-while, actually meet people. Today, Yumi shares a meeting with a Makoto+ member who happened to be in town. It was a lot of fun and helped motivate Yumi to keep on doing what she's doing.
KEY VOCABULARY:
わざわざ taking the trouble (to do something)
海(うみ)を越(こ)えて crossing the sea and
有名人(ゆうめいじん) famous person
用事(ようじ) business; tasks; affairs
年齢(ねんれい) age
鬼滅(きめつ)の刃(やいば) Demon Slayer (manga/anime)
披露(ひろう) presentation; displaying
自画自賛(じがじさん) self-praise
阿部寛(あべひろし) Abe Hiroshi (famous movie and TV star in Japan)
日本通(にほんつう) expert of Japan; Japanophile
交流(こうりゅう) exchange
機会(きかい)があれば whenever (I) have a chance
For upper beginners to intermediates. Listen to the short podcast and then answer the comprehension questions on the website: https://thejapanesepage.com/nihongonotane-index/
Take a quiz on this episode here:
https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-93
If you are a Makoto+ member, you can find the transcript, English translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF for printing:
https://MakotoPlus.com/podcast-nihongonotane-93-m
--
Become a Makoto+ member and get show notes with a complete transcript, translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF.
www.MakotoPlus.com
Monday Jul 04, 2022
Monday Jul 04, 2022
A Makoto+ member had a question for Yumi. "Why are Diet members (Japanese parliament) called "kun" when "kun" is mostly for little boys?" Good question. Listen as Yumi delves into the fascinating history behind this common honorific title.
KEY VOCABULARY:
子供(こども)の頃(ころ) when I was a kid; childhood
そういう感(かん)じ such a feeling; that's how (I) feel
新聞社(しんぶんしゃ) newspaper company
決(き)まりがある there's a rule
年下(としした) younger (person)
現代(げんだい)の日本(にほん) modern Japan
国会議員(こっかいぎいん) Diet member
子供(こども)っぽい childish
年齢(ねんれい)の高(たか)い方(かた) older people
違和感(いわかん) feeling out of place; uncomfortable feeling; bad feeling
明治時代(めいじじだい) Meiji period (1868-1912)
江戸時代(えどじだい) Edo period (1603-1868)
武士(ぶし) samurai; warrior
農民(のうみん) farmer
商人(しょうにん) merchant
身分制度(みぶんせいど) status system; class system
廃止(はいし) abolish
敬称(けいしょう) honorary titles
平等(びょうどう) equality; impartiality
For upper beginners to intermediates. Listen to the short podcast and then answer the comprehension questions on the website: https://thejapanesepage.com/nihongonotane-index/
Take a quiz on this episode here:
https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-92
If you are a Makoto+ member, you can find the transcript, English translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF for printing:
https://MakotoPlus.com/podcast-nihongonotane-92-m
--
Become a Makoto+ member and get show notes with a complete transcript, translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF.
www.MakotoPlus.com