Japanese with Hikari's Blog

Have you ever noticed how some things in life change together?
For example, as you practice Japanese more, your confidence grows.
Or as the sun goes down, the air slowly gets cooler.

That feeling of “as one thing changes, another thing changes too” i...

Have you ever run out of milk and had to use soy milk instead?
Or maybe your boss was sick, and you ended up attending a very important meeting in their place.

In Japanese, when you want to say “instead of,” “in place of,” or “in exchange for,” we us...

Have you ever been in a conversation where you wanted to talk all about your favorite anime, your upcoming travel plans, or maybe even your deep thoughts on the best ramen in Tokyo?

But then you stop and wonder…
“Wait, how do I actually say ‘about’ i...

Imagine this!
You’re curled up on your sofa, eyes glued to the screen, watching the season finale of a gripping Netflix thriller. The music is swelling, the hero is slowly opening the mysterious door, and your heart is pounding in your chest...
Just a...

Have you ever seen someone you wanted to avoid on the street and suddenly become very interested in a random pebble on the ground?
Or maybe you’ve scrolled through your phone without actually looking at anything, just to look busy?
We’ve all been ther...

Have you ever walked through a department store in Japan and seen signs like “Men’s Section” or “For Women”?
Or maybe you’ve noticed labels like “For Beginners” or “For Professionals” when shopping online.

In Japanese, when you want to say that somet...

Have you ever done something like this?

You skipped breakfast and rushed out the door.
You stayed up late without turning off the lights.
You kept going without giving up, even when things were tough.

In English, you might say “without doing somethin...

Have you ever had a conversation like this?

Someone says one word, and suddenly it reminds you of something else.
A place, a food, a memory, or even a slightly different opinion you want to add.

In English, you might say “Speaking of …” at moments l...

Have you ever had one of those moments where you know you heard something before… but your memory just won’t cooperate?

You’re talking with a friend, nodding along, and suddenly you think,
“Wait… what time was the meeting again?”
Or you’re standing at...

Have you ever told yourself something like this?

“I know I should be healthier… so I’ll try to take the stairs instead of the escalator.”
Or, “I’ll try not to eat snacks before dinner… even though they’re right there.”

You’re not saying you’ll do it...

Imagine you’re at a cute Japanese bakery.
There are so many pastries that you just can’t choose… so you tell the staff you want one of each.

Or maybe you’re studying Japanese and you decide
“I’ll learn five new words every day little by little.”

Tha...

Have you ever been so nervous, so excited, or so worried that something totally unexpected happened?
Maybe your hands were shaking before a big meeting, or you were so happy you almost danced in the street (I’ve definitely been there), or you were so ...

Have you ever started doing something… and then just stopped halfway?
Maybe you were reading a book but fell asleep, started cleaning your room and got distracted, or began writing a message and thought “Hmm… maybe I won’t send this after all.”

Yep. ...

Have you ever noticed how some things happen every single time. Almost like a little personal rule in your life?

Maybe you open Instagram “just for a moment,” and before you know it… twenty minutes have vanished.
Or you watch that one movie again, an...

Have you ever noticed how people love making these big, bold statements as if they’re universal truths?

“Hard work guarantees success.”
“Expensive things are always high quality.”
“Everyone from Japan must know how to make sushi.”
(…I mean, I eat sushi...

Have you ever had one of those moments where something happens the very second you do something. And you think, “Wait, seriously? Right now?”

Picture this…
You finally get home, sink into your sofa, and the moment you relax your shoulders, sleep just...

Have you ever been in a situation where you could do something… but you weren’t exactly confident about it?

Maybe a friend asks you to join a weekend hike, and you’re tired, but not that tired… so you think,
“Well… I can go, I guess.”

Or your cowork...

Have you ever had that moment when you suddenly realize…“Wow, I haven’t done this in ages!”

Maybe you finally message a friend you haven’t talked to in months and think, “This is the first time we’ve chatted in half a year.”

Or you go back to your ...

Have you ever seen the little kanji 中 in Japanese and thought…
“Wait, how do I read this? chuu? juu? And why does it mean different things depending on the situation?”

Maybe you’re checking a restaurant’s door and see a sign that says “〜中”…
and you wo...

Have you ever had a day so chaotic that you didn’t even have time for coffee?
Like… not even one sip?

Or maybe you were so tired that you couldn’t even open your eyes in the morning…
(Yes, I’ve been there. Seven alarms and still no movement. )

In Jap...

Have you ever promised yourself not to eat snacks at night… and then suddenly realized you finished a whole bag of potato chips?

Or maybe you told yourself not to check your phone before bed, but before you know it, you’re scrolling through social m...

Have you ever tried something and thought, “Wow, this is actually better than I expected”?
That’s when Japanese speakers often use なかなか (nakanaka), a little word that expresses pleasant surprise or admiration.

It’s often translated as “quite,” “prett...

You know those moments when you think,
“I should’ve gone shopping while it was still sunny!”
Or maybe,
“I wish I had started studying Japanese while I was still a student…”

In Japanese, there’s a perfect phrase for expressing these “while you can” mom...

You’re strolling through a market in another country when you suddenly spot a notebook with a kimono-style pattern on the cover.
You stop and think,
“Hmm… this feels kind of Japanese-ish, or maybe Japanese-like!”

In Japanese, you can express that same...