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 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.
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
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
to be (animate); to be; to be ..ing; to (have the audacity to) do
indicates a question; or; whether or not; some- (e.g. something, someone); hmm; huh; very
at; in; at; when; by; with; and then
honorific/polite/humble prefix
be; is; did; (have) done; please; do
to become; to get; to result in; to turn out; to consist of; to be composed of; to be completed
honorific/polite/humble prefix; honorific suffix
the expectation is that ...; the reason is that ...; the fact is that ...; the explanation is that ...; it is that ...
thing; matter; incident; occurrence; circumstances; situation; work
you; presence (of a god, nobleman, etc.)
this; last (couple of years, etc.); these; you (as in "you liar")
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.)
life; life force; lifetime; lifespan; most important thing; foundation
from (e.g. time, place, numerical quantity); since; from (originator); by; because; since; out of (constituent, part)
adds force or indicates command
building; construction; group effort by Buddhist practitioners; group activities by a community (e.g. cleaning, etc.)
Mr.; Mrs.; makes a word more polite (usu. in fixed expressions); state; situation
dam; weir; barrier; sluice
to say; to utter; to name; to call; to go (e.g. "the alarm went ping"); to make a noise
to do; to undertake; to send; to dispatch; to put; to move; to give (esp. to someone of equal or lower status)
no; nay; well; er; you're welcome; not at all
counter for the ichi-ni-san counting system (usu. directly preceding the item being counted); noun read using its on-yomi; counter for articles; indicates possessive (esp. in place names)
shallows; shoal; rapids; current; position; place
farmer; peasant; farming; the common people
to; for; in order to; for; as for; regarding
ogre; demon; spirit of a deceased person; ogre-like person (i.e. fierce, relentless, merciless, etc.); it (in a game of tag, hide-and-seek, etc.); Chinese "ghost" constellation (one of the 28 mansions); very
in that way; thus; so; so?
indicates word or phrase being defined; used for quoting (thoughts, speech, etc.); with; (not) as much as; (not) so much as; the fact that
from the standpoint of; as a matter of (e.g. fact); aboard (a ship or vehicle); on top of; first volume (e.g. book); superior quality; best
father (esp. used in samurai families prior to the Meiji period)
husband; master (of a house, shop, etc.)
nectar; honey; honeydew; treacle; molasses; sorbitol (when visible as dark patches inside an apple)
giant butterbur (Petasites japonicus); Japanese sweet coltsfoot