Comments on: hiragana and katakana

By: kirin

kirin — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 23:55:40 +0000

Thank you for your comment. Compared with other categories, learn Japanese category is poor in my blog. I want to make more useful videos in the future. ^ ^

By: chemgirl

chemgirl — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 14:11:20 +0000

i like your blog…its a good effort..its so interesting because it helps me to get to know Japanese better.. =)

By: kirin

kirin — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:18:52 +0000

こんにちは！コメントどうもありがとう。
As you say, that's so true. I finally could speak English after I went to the U.S college. Japanese people study English from elementary school but our education is too much weighted with grammar, reading, and writing. That's why most of us lack in listening and speaking skills, which turn out that many of us still keep learning English after work at English schools if encouraged.
But my English went better at work, because I had to correspond with foreign customers by emails/ phone/ fax everyday.
So…I think you need a "big why" : why you need to speak Japanese? がんばって！I'll make a new video about this, as your comment was interesting to me. Thanks!!

By: Nicole

Nicole — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 02:43:08 +0000

こんにちは、キリンさん！（笑） T__T;;
And.. that's about my level of Japanese. I can read katakan, hiragana and some basic (usually text-message) type of writing thanks to my penpals and Japanese blog, but I'm honestly not that good. ;w;
I especially have difficulty when thrown into a situation (like speaking) ! I think I freeze up.
I know you've said such things about when you first started to learn English. The speaking is so difficult.
But my question is, wasn't it a big help when you were actually forced into speaking situations?
Does it help your language skills a lot?
Anyway, thanks so much for offering your help. I want so badly to better my Japanese language skills.
Please feel free to email me! I need all the support I can get! ;w;

By: Leonard

Leonard — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 06:33:51 +0000

Ahh i think "mihonchou" sounds nice even if it makes me think of a little dog or some kind of pet :$ Thx for your answers! ♥

By: kirin

kirin — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 04:51:52 +0000

I don't know if we have any corresponding word for "catalog" in Japanese. I've never seen it, and that's why I guess every Japanese shopping site or magazine uses "カタログ" in Katakana, because it's originally a foreign word. If there were any Japanese word for catalog, that would be something like "mihonchou" （見本帳） but it sounds sooo classic and out-of-date as if we lived in Edo era. (LOL)

By: Leonard

Leonard — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:00:59 +0000

Ah that is probably it cause it was mentioned in a Japanese shopping site, thx Kirin! Weird that they spelled it wrong.. btw don't you have a Japanese word for catalog? If so, why do some websites use katakana, spelling the foreign word instead for it's own language? Doesn't make sense to me.. :p /cheers! Leonard

By: kirin

kirin — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 08:18:48 +0000

There's no Japanese word such as Kanurogu (カヌログ), but I guess it might be Katarogu (カタログ）=catalog.
What do you think?

By: Leonard

Leonard — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 14:02:36 +0000

Kririn what does this mean? カヌログ I have just learned the basic 46 katakana and this would translate to Kanurogu if I'm not wrong.. but i can't find any word in my English vocabulary similar to this, Plz help =/

By: kirin

kirin — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 13:42:27 +0000

Travelling in Japan costs less than before, I think. I've been to Sydney, Amsterdam, Brussels, Venice and Florence this summer, but I thought meals in Tokyo is a lot cheaper!! Some time ago, people said "everything is expensive in Tokyo" but I think it's no longer nowadays! We could have lunch for 500 yen – 1000 yen and that includes coffee and salad, and we can be stuffed. How much do you think I had to spend for a sandwitch and a bottle of water in Amsterdam? It was about 12-13 euro! We could have the same meal for half amount of money. I found it's even cheaper than Sydney.