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Themed topic exercises
Themed topic exercises
In Japan, fireworks are called “Hanabi”, which literally means “Fire Flowers”.
Japanese fireworks have been always associated with flowers, which are circular in shape.
Thus, Japanese traditional types of fireworks are named after flowers such as Kiku (Chrysanthemum) and Botan (Peony).
Pyrotechnicians in Japan never stop surprising people around the world with their amazing craftsmanship. They can even show you a famous Japanese animation character, Doraemon, in the night sky.
The term kabuki originally suggested the unorthodox and shocking character of this art form. In modern Japanese, the word is written with three characters: ka, signifying “song”; bu, “dance”; and ki, “skill.”
link to: Kabuki Theater Vocabulary
Children’s Day is annually celebrated on May 5th.
こどもの日は、毎年5月5日にお祝いします。
This national holiday used to be known as Boys’ Day.
この祝日は、以前は男の子の節句として知られていました。
In 1948, the Japanese government changed the official name and made it for all children.
1948年に、日本政府が公式名称を変えて、こどもたちみんなの日にしたんだよ。.
04/02/23
(ソーラン節) is one of the most famous traditional songs and dance (min'yō) in Japan. It is a sea shanty that is said to have been first sung by the fishermen of Hokkaido.
Japanese (Rōmaji):
Yāren sōran sōran
Sōran sōran sōran (hai hai!)
Nishin kita ka to kamome ni toeba,
Watasha tatsu tori nami ni kike choi.
CHORUS (kakegoe)
Yasa e en ya sa dokkoisho
(a dokkoisho, dokkoisho!)
Yāren sōran...
Oyaji tairyō da mukashi to chigau
toreta nishin wa ore no mono choi
Yāren sōran...
Ichi-jō-go-shaku no ro o kogu fune mo
horeta ano go nya te mo choi
Yāren sōran...
Tama no suhada ga shibuki ni nurerya
uwaki kamome ga mite sawagu choi
Rough English Translation:
Oh!!! Soran, soran, soran
soran, soran, soran. (yes, yes!)
When we hear the jabbering of seagulls on the high seas,
we know we can’t give up our fishing lives on the ocean.
CHORUS
Put your backs into it! Heave, ho! Heave, ho!
(Heave, ho! Heave, ho!)
Oh!!! Soran...
Boss, I tell you, the size of this catch of herring
is different from all the others. And it's all MINE.
Oh!!! Soran...
Even if I row four and a half metres,
I couldn't get that girl's attention.
Oh!!! Soran...
A flighty seagull twitters in excitement
As it sees my bare skin, glistening with ocean surf.
03/03/23
topic:
1. 腹八分に医者いらず・Hara hachi bunme ni ishairazu (Eight-tenths full keeps the doctor away)
This one my Japanese mother says a lot, it means to eat only 80% of your stomach capacity so you don’t overindulge in food.
For example, “腹八分目に医者いらずということを守っていれば、きっと胃腸を壊すことはないだろう。” Harahachibunme ni ishairazu to iu koto o mamotte ireba, kitto ichō o kowasu koto wanaidarou. (If you follow the rule that you don't need a doctor and you only have an eighth of your stomach, you will not hurt your stomach and intestines.)
2. 猿も木から落ちる・Sarumo kikara ochiru (Even monkeys fall out of trees)
This means that an animal like the monkey who is born to climb trees and is expert maneuvering around them can fall too. Just like in life, no one is perfect and even the best make mistakes. This can be used to cheer up your friend who made a mistake.
3. 自業自得・Jigō jitoku (You get what you give/what goes around comes around)
Just like how karma is a part of Buddhism, this means your actions have consequences. You get what you deserve, whether that be good or bad is up to you.
4. 弱肉強食・Jakuniku kyōshoku (Survival of the fittest)
Literally translated, it means that the weak are meat while the strong eat. Pretty straightforward and frank.
5. 知らぬが仏・Shiranuga hotoke (Not knowing is buddha)
You may have heard this in an anime before, this one is distinctly Japanese and it may not make sense at first glance but it means ignorance is bliss, not knowing is good.
01/01/23
topic:
Use of onomatopoeia
Onomatopoeic words are used in a variety of ways both in speech and in literature. Although they're primarily used as nouns, adjectives and adverbs, such as crash, bang and wallop; onomatopoeic words can also be used as verbs, for example giggle, growl, chatter, mumble, slap and clap.
You'll notice that there's a pattern with some onomatopoeic verbs - many of these represent vocal sounds. These are often used in literature to describe a certain way of saying something. For example, mumbled creates a more detailed mental image of someone speaking quietly and sheepishly.
A great example of onomatopoeia in literature is this poem by Australian poet Lee Emmett:
"water plops into pond
splish-splash downhill
warbling magpies in tree
trilling, melodic thrill
whoosh, passing breeze
flags flutter and flap
frog croaks, bird whistles
babbling bubbles from tap"
Can you see how his use of water onomatopoeia paints a picture in your head and helps you to understand the sounds that he's describing?
more activities to come
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