Couple of fun kanji catchphrases! Attempts anyways...

Neko_Shiroi · Mar 10, 2007, 20:21

I'm using kanji that I know. I only know 23... Currently memorising them. The phrases that I have in mind are:
1) Don't put yourself out: (self)wa(put out)nai
2) two's company: (two)wa(company)desu

Hope I got them right. If not, maybe it could launch a game:

Kachu furaise!

Catchphrase!! Nihon-jin edition!

Mike Cash · Mar 10, 2007, 21:51

Idiomatic expressions don't lend themselves well to direct translations.

nice gaijin · Mar 10, 2007, 23:41

Originally Posted by Mike Cash

Idiomatic expressions don't lend themselves well to direct translations.

Quoted for truthiness. Japanese in general doesn't work well in direct translation.

akai ken · Mar 11, 2007, 23:36

Is it ok to use wa after saying two?

I mean the number "two" doesn't seem to me like a topic of the sentence that much. Wouldn't it be appropiate to use the particle "no" instead?

And finally in the "two company's" sentence wouldn't be better to use arimasu instead of desu ? I'm guessing it dependes in the context.

**Glenn** · Mar 12, 2007, 05:54

Aside from trying to translate idiomatic phrases literally being a huge mistake, you seem to be thinking that kanji are always words in and of themselves, which is also a mistake.

For example, "self" is 自分 or 自ら or 自分自身, not 自. Also, "company" (the kind people go to to do work and get paid) is 会社, not 社. Note that the reverse, 社会, means "society."

yukio_michael · Mar 12, 2007, 06:11

Have you gotten any proper learning materials yet, or are you just putting it together piecemeal? Go West, er, Get a book, young man!

Neko_Shiroi · Mar 12, 2007, 14:24

Today at uni, I'll get the volume of Kanji de Manga #1 that I found in the uni library. That might aid understanding.

**Glenn** · Mar 12, 2007, 14:49

By the way, as it seems no one has pointed this out to you yet, your screen name says "cat is white." If you wanted "white cat," it would be "shiroi neko."

yukio_michael · Mar 12, 2007, 15:07

Originally Posted by Glenn

By the way, as it seems no one has pointed this out to you yet, your screen name says "cat is white." If you wanted "white cat," it would be "shiroi neko."

leonmarino · Mar 12, 2007, 16:30

Originally Posted by Glenn

By the way, as it seems no one has pointed this out to you yet, your screen name says "cat is white." If you wanted "white cat," it would be "shiroi neko."

Maybe, just maybe it's a clever joke, similar to the "omosiroi" joke.. I don't know if anyone is familiar with it, but tis a story about a girl who has a white kitten sitting on her lap. She's watching tv and her mother asks: "is it fun?" Then the girl points to the tail of the cat.. 「尾も白い」　"the tail is also white", which is pronounced the same way as 「面白い」　"funny"..

Then again, maybe not.

**Glenn** · Mar 12, 2007, 16:31

I'm guessing not, given the person in question's level of Japanese. At any rate, what would the joke be?

leonmarino · Mar 12, 2007, 16:40

Originally Posted by Glenn

I'm guessing not, given the person in question's level of Japanese. At any rate, what would the joke be?

What I just wrote was the whole joke. I know, it's lame. But I guess the Japanese were never good at telling jokes.

It's the same kind of joke as the mother making a salad, and she's cutting the cucumber. She cuts the upper tip of the cucumber and eats it. Her kids sees that and asks: "mom, why do you eat that?", to which the mother replies: 「下手だからよ」 (because I'm not good at it), which is the same pronounciation as 「蔕だからよ」 (because it's the stem).. These are very lame forms of 駄洒落 (dajare) really..

**Glenn** · Mar 12, 2007, 16:45

No, I got that joke; I meant what would the "neko shiroi" joke be?

leonmarino · Mar 12, 2007, 17:00

Originally Posted by Glenn

No, I got that joke; I meant what would the "neko shiroi" joke be?

Don't ask me!!

Neko_Shiroi · Mar 13, 2007, 02:16

It wasn't a joke, just a mistake. Thanks for the correction. ^____^

Mar 10, 2007, 21:51	#2
Mike Cash Delusions of Adequacy Join Date: Mar 15, 2002 Location: Japan Posts: 5,417	Idiomatic expressions don't lend themselves well to direct translations. __________________ Kiva: Loans That Change Lives

Mar 10, 2007, 23:41	#3
nice gaijin Resident Realist Join Date: Aug 8, 2005 Posts: 3,686	Originally Posted by Mike Cash Idiomatic expressions don't lend themselves well to direct translations. Quoted for truthiness. Japanese in general doesn't work well in direct translation.

Mar 12, 2007, 05:54	#5
Glenn 考え中 Join Date: Jan 8, 2004 Posts: 5,544	Aside from trying to translate idiomatic phrases literally being a huge mistake, you seem to be thinking that kanji are always words in and of themselves, which is also a mistake. For example, "self" is 自分 or 自ら or 自分自身, not 自. Also, "company" (the kind people go to to do work and get paid) is 会社, not 社. Note that the reverse, 社会, means "society." __________________ Avoid Mojibake! -- 文字化けを避ける！ Dictionary at Goo - English-Japanese, Japanese-English, Japanese Language Teach Yourself Japanese and Teach Yourself Japanese Message Board Jim Breen's online dictionary and kanji lookup

Mar 12, 2007, 06:11	#6
yukio_michael Koyaniskatsi Join Date: Mar 8, 2005 Location: Pittsburgh, Penn. Age: 38 Posts: 1,990	Have you gotten any proper learning materials yet, or are you just putting it together piecemeal? Go West, er, Get a book, young man! __________________ (flickr: pgh, japan & korea, santa cruz ) (blog: eyesonthewires) (j-rock) Our greatest pretenses are built up not to hide the evil and the ugly in us, but our emptiness. The hardest thing to hide is something that is not there. -Eric Hoffer.

Mar 12, 2007, 15:07	#9
yukio_michael Koyaniskatsi Join Date: Mar 8, 2005 Location: Pittsburgh, Penn. Age: 38 Posts: 1,990	Originally Posted by Glenn By the way, as it seems no one has pointed this out to you yet, your screen name says "cat is white." If you wanted "white cat," it would be "shiroi neko."

Mar 11, 2007, 23:36	#4
akai ken Regular Member Join Date: Feb 26, 2007 Location: Uruguay Age: 22 Posts: 34	Is it ok to use wa after saying two? I mean the number "two" doesn't seem to me like a topic of the sentence that much. Wouldn't it be appropiate to use the particle "no" instead? And finally in the "two company's" sentence wouldn't be better to use arimasu instead of desu ? I'm guessing it dependes in the context.

Mar 12, 2007, 14:24	#7
Neko_Shiroi Junior Member Join Date: Mar 3, 2007 Posts: 19	Today at uni, I'll get the volume of Kanji de Manga #1 that I found in the uni library. That might aid understanding.

Mar 12, 2007, 14:49	#8
Glenn 考え中 Join Date: Jan 8, 2004 Posts: 5,544	By the way, as it seems no one has pointed this out to you yet, your screen name says "cat is white." If you wanted "white cat," it would be "shiroi neko."

Mar 12, 2007, 16:30	#10
leonmarino Back Join Date: May 19, 2006 Location: Rotterdam - ロッテ Posts: 1,070	Originally Posted by Glenn By the way, as it seems no one has pointed this out to you yet, your screen name says "cat is white." If you wanted "white cat," it would be "shiroi neko." Maybe, just maybe it's a clever joke, similar to the "omosiroi" joke.. I don't know if anyone is familiar with it, but tis a story about a girl who has a white kitten sitting on her lap. She's watching tv and her mother asks: "is it fun?" Then the girl points to the tail of the cat.. 「尾も白い」　"the tail is also white", which is pronounced the same way as 「面白い」　"funny".. Then again, maybe not.

Mar 12, 2007, 16:31	#11
Glenn 考え中 Join Date: Jan 8, 2004 Posts: 5,544	I'm guessing not, given the person in question's level of Japanese. At any rate, what would the joke be?

Mar 12, 2007, 16:40	#12
leonmarino Back Join Date: May 19, 2006 Location: Rotterdam - ロッテ Posts: 1,070	Originally Posted by Glenn I'm guessing not, given the person in question's level of Japanese. At any rate, what would the joke be? What I just wrote was the whole joke. I know, it's lame. But I guess the Japanese were never good at telling jokes. It's the same kind of joke as the mother making a salad, and she's cutting the cucumber. She cuts the upper tip of the cucumber and eats it. Her kids sees that and asks: "mom, why do you eat that?", to which the mother replies: 「下手だからよ」 (because I'm not good at it), which is the same pronounciation as 「蔕だからよ」 (because it's the stem).. These are very lame forms of 駄洒落 (dajare) really..

Mar 12, 2007, 16:45	#13
Glenn 考え中 Join Date: Jan 8, 2004 Posts: 5,544	No, I got that joke; I meant what would the "neko shiroi" joke be?

Mar 12, 2007, 17:00	#14
leonmarino Back Join Date: May 19, 2006 Location: Rotterdam - ロッテ Posts: 1,070	Originally Posted by Glenn No, I got that joke; I meant what would the "neko shiroi" joke be? Don't ask me!!

Mar 13, 2007, 02:16	#15
Neko_Shiroi Junior Member Join Date: Mar 3, 2007 Posts: 19	It wasn't a joke, just a mistake. Thanks for the correction. ^____^

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