Tuesday, December 24, 2013

What the Hell!

Today I'm gonna tell you about a great study tool for language.
And about a unique hot spring resort in Japan, which is famous for the "hells".


<Language Exchange SNS Lang-8>


If you're studying a foreign language and wanna try to make some sentences,
or just wanna find language exchange partner, check out this website.
http://lang-8.com

I started it 2 years ago, to practice writing Persian.
Now I'm focusing on studying Chinese, so I rarely write Persian or English articles.

There're plenty of Japanese users, so if you want to practice writing Japanese,
a lot of Japanese native speakers are willing to help you. : ) So am I!!

Just try it, it's free!!



<the Romantic Hell Tour>

Beppu city in Japan is the best hot spring resort I've ever been.
Beppu city is known for having more hot springs than anywhere in Japan.
You can see steams of hot springs every time and everywhere.


Beppu's top sight is the eight hells (地獄/jigoku/). Traveling around these eight hells is called 地獄めぐり/jigoku-meguri/ which means "the hell tour".

the sea hell
(1)Umi-jigoku (The sea hell) There are big cobalt-blue pond of boiling water.
The steamed eggs in this hell were yummy! You should try one. ; )

Oniishi shaven head hell
(2)Oniishibouzu-jigoku (Oniishi shaven head hell) You can see mud bubbles emerging from boiling mud pools. This hell is named after these bubbles because they look like a shaven heads of monks. It's creepy. :O

(3)Yama-jigoku (The mountain hell) This is a small zoo. I love zoos! XD




There're chimpanzee, flamingos, llamas, a hippo, an elephant...
This hippo is bathing with his mouth opened. He's waiting for tourists to throw his snack into his mouth. This hell must be the heaven for him!!

I'm giving an elephant some biscuits

(4)Kamado-jigoku (The cooking pot hell) There're several boiling ponds, and visitors can drink the hot spring water, enjoy hand and foot baths.

(5)Oniyama-jigoku (The monster mountain hell) You can see a lot of crocodiles and alligators here!! It's very scary sight...



(6)Shiraike-jigoku (The white pond hell) The white milky pond, surrounded by a traditional Japanese garden. There's a small aquarium. There're piranhas!

(7)Chinoike-jigoku (The blood pond hell) This hell has a big red hot pond. You can buy "Chinoike Ointment", which is made from the red clay produced here. It's effective for skin disease.


(8)Tatsumaki-jigoku (The spout hell) This hell is famous for a boiling hot geyser, which erupts every 30-40 minutes for about 6-10 minutes.




Last year on Christmas night, there were fireworks festival at the seaside park.
It's usual to see fireworks in the summer in Japan.
But I thought fireworks in the winter also very beautiful.
1000 children were singing Christmas songs. It was adorable.


I'm going to go back to Japan at the end of this year, and planning to travel around Beppu again. Awww, I can't wait!! XD



*Japanese Word of the Day*
待(ま)ちきれない!!!
/machikirenai/
I can't wait!!


I wish you happy holidays!! :D

Monday, December 23, 2013

The Time of Life

Happy birthday to ME!!! lol I became 25 on 21st Dec!
Don't worry, I still welcome your birthday message and gifts. ;P


Have you ever heard of "the time of life"?
Divide your age by 3, this number tells you what time it is in a life.  :)

As for me, 25/3=8.333... It means I'm at about 8:20 in the morning in my life. 

My father, 59 years old, is already around 19:40. (59/3=19.666...)
Maybe it is time to go back home from his work. 

My older brother is at 10 o'clock. 
It's time everybody starts working in the morning. 

My younger brother is still around 7 in the morning.
He just woke up and needs to wash his face before starting his day. 

Do you get the picture?
So my life has just started. It's maybe time to go to school or work, right?
I haven't decided where to go, but I hope my life will be a great journey for me. 
Fortunately, I could meet good friends (like you!) at the beginning of my life. (*^_^*)

Thank you everybody!



*Japanese Word of the Day*
誕生日(たんじょうび)おめでとう!!!
/tanjoubi omedetou/
Happy Birthday!!

; )

Friday, December 20, 2013

Cozy Cozy Winter :3

It's so cold these days!! :/

I miss Japanese traditional heater こたつ/kotatsu/. Do you know it?



Cats also love the kotatsu.


Japanese people love to eat mandarin oranges while sitting warm under the kotatsu.



When the winter comes, I miss Japanese hot springs, too.
Beppu city is the best hot spring resort in Japan, I think.
I've been there for three or four times.

The most famous tourist attraction in Beppu is "The Hells".
It was amazing. Don't worry, it's not a scary place at all. XD
Well, I'll write about "The Hells" in Beppu city next time.



It's very beautiful, isn't it?


And... YATTA!!! I'll be able to visit Beppu again at the beginning of 2014!!
I'm really really happy and excited to go. XD Yahoo!



*Japanese Word of the Day*
冬(ふゆ)はこたつが恋(こい)しくなるね。
/fuyu wa kotatsu ga koishiku naru ne/
I miss the kotatsu in winter, don't you think so?

* : winter
*(Aが)恋しい : to miss (A)

Be careful to use this word "恋しい" for a person.
If you say あなた(you)が恋しい, it indicates that you love him or her.
It has a romantic meaning.

*
This "ね" at the end of the sentence makes the sentence friendly.
We often use it when we friendly talk to someone, when we want to emphasis the sentence, or when we want to confirm something. It's often translated as "don't you think so?" "isn't it?" or "don't you agree with me?".
It's called sentence ending particles. Japanese has many kinds of sentence ending particles!



What do you miss in winter? :)

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Hassle?

Listening to Podcast is a good way to learn foreign languages.
I subscribe many kinds of podcasts. Mainly, to learn English.
Do you ever listen to podcasts to learn foreign languages?

Here's the list I subscribe:
<English Podcast>
*All Ears English Podcast
*English as a Second Language Podcast
*CNN Student News
*TED Talks (audio)
*Let's Master English's Podcast
*www.BreakingNewsEnglish.com

(↓Podcasts for Japanese people learning English)
*毎日ちょこっとリスニング特訓~Podcast~
*ECC 英会話 Podcasting

<Learn Chinese>
*Learn Chinese -The ChinesePod Qingwen Show
*Mandarin Chinese Lessons with Serge Melnyk

<Learn Persian>
*Learn Persian with Chai and Conversation
*Learn Persian PersianPod101.com


I usually listen to them on my way to the grocery store,
during my commute, or during I do housework.

Now I have to go shopping for food. I mean, it's time to study.
But... It's really nuisance to have to go out in the rain!!
It's always raining these days in Taiwan. It's not because I am a Rain Bringer.
I've heard that it rains a lot during winter in Taiwan.

Do you remember the Japanese words which have relation to rain?
If not, please check out my previous post below! : )
>Typhoon is coming (again!)
>Rain, Rain, Go Away!



OK, today I'm gonna tell you an useful phrase when you don't feel like doing something.
*Japanese Word of the Day*
めんどくさい!!
/mendokusai/
What a hassle! I can't be bothered! I'm too lazy! What a nuisance!
You know I am very lazy person, I often say it. lol

めんどくさい can be used as an adjective.
A troublesome job : めんどくさい仕事(しごと)
A complicated question : めんどくさい問題(もんだい)


めんどい is an informal term of めんどくさい. It's often used among young people.
Some considers it rude, so be careful when you use it. I sometimes say it though.


買(か)い物(もの)に 行(い)くのが めんどくさい。
/kaimono ni iku noga mendokusai/
*買い物 : shopping
*行く : to go

Let's say "I'm reluctant to go shopping because it's raining." in Japanese.
雨(あめ)が降(ふ)っているから、買い物に行くのがめんどくさい。
*雨が降っている : it is raining
*~から : because...
In Japanese, we usually express the reason at the beginning of the sentence.
It's quite different from English, right? : )



Don't be too lazy to read my blog!

Thursday, December 12, 2013

OH, CRAP! I OVERSLEPT!!

I know I am a long sleeper. 8 hours sleep isn't enough for me!!
I had a Taijiquan class this morning, but I overslept...

My husband must go to work at 7 in the morning. So I wake up (technically he wakes me up) at 6:30 and I prepare our breakfast. Recently I go to bed at 12:30 or 1 at night because he comes home late. That's why I feel really really sleepy. Fortunately I don't have to go to work. I usually go to bed and sleep again after I see him off to his work.

Do you know how to say "go back to sleep after waking up in the morning" in Japanese? There's a verb to express this action.


*Japanese Word of the Day*
二度寝(にどね)する
/nidone suru/

*二度/nido/ twice
*寝/ne/ is from the verb 寝る/reru/, to sleep.

If you 二度寝する(go back to sleep again), you might 寝過ごす (oversleep).
It often happens. Have you done it before?

*寝(ね)過(す)ごす/nesugosu/ to oversleep



What will you say if you overslept?
I would say: やばい!!!!寝坊した!!!!!

*やばい/yabai/ is said when something bad happened.
Well, confusingly, it's also often used as "awesome" or "amazing".

*寝坊(ねぼう)した is past tense of 寝坊する/nebou suru/
It means "to sleep in".



Too many words today? I hope this article isn't too boring to make you sleepy. Lol
I love sleeping!!=)

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Rock Scissors, Paper... one, two, three!!!

The last cookie on the plate. Would you like to take it?
People are reluctant to take it, but I'm not, sorry.

Sometimes my friend also reaches for the last item on the plate at the same time. What will happen next? She shouts "It's mine!!" and I reply "No!! It's mine!!". After glaring at each other, she tries to knock me down but I quickly roll with her punches, and...

No, no. I'm kinda pacifist (maybe), I never get into a fight (maybe).
So, what should we do? I know the fairest way to settle this.

It's じゃんけん /JANKEN/.
Yes, this is Rock Scissors Paper Game in Japan.
Have you played it before? It's very common way to decide something.
I often play Janken with my husband when our opinions are divided.



Of course, children love playing Janken.
I had played it hundreds of times in a primary school.


Some boys stroke a strange pose to choose which one to throw out. They said they could see the sign of what would be thrown next. I tried to imitate that pose a few times, but I didn't understand the logic. Let me know if you know it.



There're many versions of Janken all over Japan.
The most common version is like this:

最初(さいしょ)はグー、じゃんけんポイ!!
/saisho wa guu, janken poi/

Maybe you know Rock Scissors Paper Game's rule, don't you?
So I won't explain it in detail. =P

Rock : グー(ぐー)
Scissors : チョキ(ちょき)
Paper : パー(ぱー)

(1)最初はグー
Every player throw out Rock at first.

(2)じゃんけんポイ!
On "poi!" players show their hands.

(3)あいこでしょ! /aiko de sho!/
If it's a draw, try again with saying あいこでしょ.




No cheating. 後(あと)出(だ)し is against the rules.
*後出し /ato dashi/ or おそだし /oso dashi/ means to throw out your hand after you look at the other player's hand. Here, Super あとだし Janken Machine in Japan. Lol





Janken is not only a good way to decide on something, but it can be also a very exciting game. Play it with your friends or your family! =D I'm sure it would be fun!




I do like it! XD
Ah, I found this video says it's "じゃんけんポ".
But don't worry, both of them (ポン and ポイ) are correct.
Use the one which you like.



*Japanese Word of the Day*
よし、じゃあ、じゃんけんで決めよう。
/yoshi, jaa, janken de kimeyou/
Okay, then, let's play Janken to decide.

わかった。3回(さんかい)勝負(しょうぶ)ね。
/wakatta. san-kai shoubu ne/
Alright. Why don't we play the best of three games?

Sunday, December 8, 2013

Don't Move! There's Something In Your Hair...!

It's already December! But it's still warm in Taiwan! :O

It was rather HOT yesterday. It's very comfortable season for me, but Taiwanese people are too sensitive to cold, I think. Some wear a sweater or a down jackets, on the other hand I roll up my sleeves. I confirmed that I am a foreigner in Taiwan when I was walking among fully equipped people. Or, am I just too fat to sensitive to heat? Lol




















By the way, my husband hates bugs. I can't help laughing when him found a bug and jumped up. I love playing a prank on him. hehehe...



*Japanese Word of the Day*
動(うご)かないで、髪(かみ)に何(なに)かついてるよ。
/ugokanaide, kami ni nani ka tsuiteru yo/
Don't move, there's something in your hair.

取(と)って、取って、取ってえええええええええ!!!
/totte, totte, totteeeeeee!!/
Get it off, get it off, get it ooooffffff!!

Monday, December 2, 2013

It Happens While You Sleep

I slept in! I saw a sad dream, and woke up at noon :'(
Do you often see a strange dream? I do. But I don't remember what I saw very well.
My husband says that I sometimes talk in my sleep and act as if I am awake.
It's creepy, isn't it? lol

I remembered something from long time ago!
When I was small, I slept with my family together. My father shouted aloud at midnight suddenly, which surprised me. I woke up and looked at him.


My younger brother also woke up but didn't understand what happened. He sucked his thumb and went to sleep again. My father... was sleeping with his feet up. He rubbed his feet together as if a fly. It was really weird sight. Sooner or later I fell asleep again.

At the next morning, I thought what I saw was a strange dream.
I asked my dad, "Did you sleep well last night?".
He replied that he had seen a strange dream at that night.

He found that his daughter (it's me!) was, in fact,  a Terminator.
Tomoe (me!) noticed that he found the truth. And she ran after him to kill.
He was far too excited and shouted out, then his dream ended.


Yeah, I understood. That's why he shouted out at midnight. Lol
He didn't remember that he was rubbing his feet together, though.



By the way, is it strange for you to sleep with family together?
In Japanese traditional room, we put futon mattress to sleep.
We used to spread 4 sets of mattresses in a room.


Don't worry, only small kids sleep with parents together. lol
Nowadays many Japanese people like to sleep in a bed, instead of a futon mattress.


*Japanese Word of the Day*
彼(かれ)は寝相(ねぞう)が悪(わる)い。
/kare wa nezou ga warui/
He tosses around in his sleep.

お父(とう)さんのいびきがうるさくて眠(ねむ)れない。
/otousan no ibiki ga urusakute nemurenai/
My father's snores so loudly that it disturb my sleep.

*寝相 one's sleeping posture
寝相が悪い literary means "one's sleeping posture is bad".
You can say 寝相が良(い)い if he sleeps without turning over.


*いびき a snore
いびきをかく (verb) snore
Here I wrote いびきがうるさい. うるさい means noisy or annoying.


*眠る to sleep
眠れない cannot sleep
最近よく眠れない = I cannot sleep well recently.
最近(さいきん)recently + よく well + 眠れない cannot sleep



Are you 寝相が良い, or 寝相が悪い? =)