indicates possessive; nominalizes verbs and adjectives; substitutes for "ga" in subordinate phrases; (at sentence-end, falling tone) indicates a confident conclusion; (at sentence-end) indicates emotional emphasis; (at sentence-end, rising tone) indicates question
indicates sentence topic; indicates contrast with another option (stated or unstated); adds emphasis
indicates sentence subject (occasionally object); indicates possessive (esp. in literary expressions); but; however; regardless of; whether (or not)
at (place, time); in; to (direction, state); toward; for (purpose); because of (reason); for
indicates direct object of action; indicates subject of causative expression; indicates an area traversed; indicates time (period) over which action takes place; indicates point of departure or separation of action; indicates object of desire, like, hate, etc.
honorific/polite/humble prefix
at; in; at; when; by; with; and then
to be (animate); to be; to be ..ing; to (have the audacity to) do
Mr.; Mrs.; makes a word more polite (usu. in fixed expressions); state; situation
inner palace (in Edo Castle); palace's ladies chambers; shogun's harem
if; when; and; with; used for quoting (thoughts, speech, etc.); promoted pawn; indicates a question
too; also; both A and B; A as well as B; even; as much as
this; this one; this person; now; this point (in time); here; used to stress the subject of a sentence
that; the; part (as in "part two"); um ...; er ...
from (e.g. time, place, numerical quantity); since; from (originator); by; because; since; out of (constituent, part)
indicates a question; or; whether or not; some- (e.g. something, someone); hmm; huh; very
thing; matter; incident; occurrence; circumstances; situation; work
adds force or indicates command
honorific/polite/humble prefix; honorific suffix
be; is; did; (have) done; please; do
this; last (couple of years, etc.); these; you (as in "you liar")
pluralizing suffix (esp. for people and animals; formerly honorific)
direction; way; side (of an argument, etc.); one's part; type; category; field (of study, etc.)
hey; you; hey; hey; hold on; yo
don't; do; hey; listen; now, ...; well, ...
what; you-know-what; that thing; whatsit; whachamacallit; (not) at all; (not) in the slightest
inner part; inside; interior; depths (e.g. of a forest); back (of a house, drawer, etc.); bottom (e.g. of one's heart)
maid; female servant; hostess (in a ryokan); waitress (in a traditional restaurant); (arch.) court lady
to; for; in order to; for; as for; regarding
to do; to carry out; to cause to become; to make (into); to serve as; to act as; to wear (clothes, a facial expression, etc.)
to become; to get; to result in; to turn out; to consist of; to be composed of; to be completed
that; it; then; that point (in time); (arch.) there; (arch.) you
you said; he said; if ... then; do you seriously think that; I already told you; you should know by now that; the said ...
to wait; to await; to look forward to; to depend on; to need
but; however; (and) yet; nevertheless; still; for all that
person; -er; (arch.) expert; (arch.) geisha; (arch.) prostitute
root (of a plant); root (of a tooth, hair, etc.); center (of a pimple, etc.); root (of all evil, etc.); source; one's true nature
Iga (former province located in the west of present-day Mie Prefecture)
rock candy; sugar candy; crystallized sugar; sugar crystals
to hear; to listen (e.g. to music); to ask; to enquire; to hear about; to hear of; to follow (advice, order, etc.)
indicates word or phrase being defined; used for quoting (thoughts, speech, etc.); with; (not) as much as; (not) so much as; the fact that
to leave; to exit; to leave (on a journey); to depart; to move forward; to come to; to get to