#812 No English?

皆さん、こんにちは！今日は、英語には直訳できない、日本の文化や美意識を表す五つの素晴らしい日本語についてお話ししたいと思います。

Learning a language is also about learning culture, and Japan has many words that are truly untranslatable. These five words perfectly capture feelings or concepts that don't exist in the West. Understanding them will give you a great insight into English expression, showing you how to communicate complex feelings in simpler English!

| Japanese Word | Meaning / Concept | English Explanation |

|---|---|---|

| 1. Mottainai (もったいない) | A sense of regret concerning waste. | It expresses a feeling of shame or regret over the improper use of resources. It is used to say, "What a waste!" |

| 2. Komorebi (木漏れ日) | The light of the sun filtered through leaves. | The specific feeling you get when sunlight is shining through the trees, creating a dappled effect on the ground. |

| 3. Tsundoku (積ん読) | Buying books but letting them pile up without reading them. | The act of acquiring reading material and then letting it sit unread, often a sign of future ambition! |

| 4. Boketto (ぼけっと) | The act of gazing vacantly into the distance. | Losing your concentration and staring blankly into space, often while daydreaming. |

| 5. Irusu (居留守) | Pretending not to be home when someone knocks. | The act of staying at home but pretending that you are not there to avoid an unwanted visitor. |

(言語を学ぶことは文化を学ぶことでもあり、日本には本当に翻訳できない多くの言葉があります。この五つの言葉は、西洋にはない感情や概念を完璧に捉えています。これらを理解することは、英語表現への大きな洞察を与えてくれ、複雑な感情をもっとシンプルな英語で伝える方法を教えてくれるでしょう！)

Key Vocabulary

(重要な単語)

 * untranslatable: impossible to translate exactly into another language.

   (翻訳不可能な)

 * capture: to succeed in representing or expressing something.

   (捉える、表現する)

 * insight: the capacity to gain an accurate and deep understanding of someone or something.

   (洞察、理解)

 * vacantly: showing no indication of thought or activity.

   (ぼんやりと、うつろに)

 * waste: an unnecessary or wrong use of money, time, effort, etc.

   (無駄、浪費)

Key English Phrase

(重要な英語フレーズ)

The phrase is "to hit home." (トゥ・ヒット・ホーム)

This means that a message or an idea is suddenly understood clearly and causes a strong, often emotional, reaction. It is a great phrase to use when a concept, like one of these Japanese words, makes a deep impression.

(これは、メッセージや考えが突然はっきりと理解され、しばしば感情的な強い反応を引き起こすことを意味します。これらの日本語のように、ある概念が心に深く響いたときに使うのに最適なフレーズです。)

How to Use It in Conversation

(会話での使い方)

 * "The documentary about global warming really hit home."

   (「地球温暖化についてのドキュメンタリーは、本当に心に響いた。」)

 * "The teacher's advice about studying hit home with the student."

   (「先生の勉強に関するアドバイスは、その生徒に深く響いた。」)

 * "The idea of Mottainai really hits home when you think about throwing away food."

   (「食べ物を捨てることを考えると、もったいないという考えが本当に心に響く。」)

 * "His words hit home because I had been feeling the same way."

   (「彼が言ったことは、私も同じように感じていたので胸に突き刺さった。」)

 * "I didn't understand the story until the end, when the main idea hit home."

   (「最後まで物語が理解できなかったが、最後に主要なアイデアが心に響いた。」)

Quiz Time!

1. Which Japanese word describes the regret of waste?

a) Tsundoku

b) Mottainai

c) Irusu

2. The phrase "to hit home" means the message causes a strong, __ reaction.

a) weak

b) emotional

c) calm

3. Fill in the blank: "The sunlight __ through the leaves is called Komorebi."

a) filtered

b) staring

c) piling up

4. Which word means "pretending not to be home"?

a) Boketto

b) Komorebi

c) Irusu

5. The word "insight" is closest in meaning to:

a) a new word.

b) a deep understanding.

c) a simple solution.

Ask your teacher if you are not sure of the correct answers!

Which of these untranslatable words hits home the most for you? I look forward to hearing your comments!

Miami Eikaiwa Blog: https://miamieikaiwa.blogspot.com/?m=1

Quiz Answers

1. b) Mottainai

理由：「Mottainai」（もったいない）は、資源を浪費することへの後悔や残念な気持ちを表します。

2. b) emotional

理由：「to hit home」は、メッセージが心に響き、しばしば「感情的な（emotional）」強い反応を引き起こすことを意味します。

3. a) filtered

理由：Komorebi（木漏れ日）は、葉を通して「filtered」（ろ過された、漏れてくる）太陽の光を指します。

4. c) Irusu

理由：「Irusu」（居留守）は、訪問者を避けるために「家にいるふりをする」行為です。

5. b) a deep understanding.

理由：「insight」（洞察）は、「深い理解」を得る能力を意味します。