ことば
Meanings
Noun
1. language; dialect
2. word; phrase; expression; term
3. speech; (manner of) speaking; (use of) language
4. words; remark; statement; comment
5. learning to speak; language acquisition
Pitch accent
とば
Top 9700
Used in vocabulary (130 in total)
(your) words; what you say; what you have said; a few words (of welcome, advice, etc.)
to exchange words
to speak to; to give a (something) talk to; to speak words of (something)
speech; expression; wording; language
to stop talking; to break off; to pause
to continue (to say)
exactly as stated; verbatim
meaningless words; words that make no sense
speech; expression; wording; language
God's word; word of God
words of praise; eulogy; compliment
to be at a loss for words
to reply; to respond; to answer; to talk back; to retort
password; watchword; motto; slogan
word ending; way of ending one's words; slip of the tongue; verbal mistake
to exhaust one's vocabulary (in trying to persuade somebody or explain something, etc.); to run out of words; to be verbose; to cajole; to talk someone's head off
to cut in; to butt in
to be vague; to speak ambiguously; to be evasive; to not commit oneself
spoken language; colloquial expression
skillful words; deceitful words; glibness
pillow word; decorative word used prefixally in classical Japanese literature; preface; introduction
to leave words (behind one, e.g. after death); to say (for posterity); to utter last words; to leave some things unsaid
Kyoto dialect; Kyoto accent
to become speechless; to be at a loss for words
to choose one's words (with care); to be careful with one's words
to talk; to speak
word game; wordplay; playing with words
taboo word; euphemism (used in place of a taboo word)
to express in a refined fashion; to weave a web of words
to say too much; to go too far
kakekotoba; pivot word; play on words (esp. in poetry); pun
provincial dialect; rural dialect
words mainly used in songs or poetry
to choke up; to be speechless; to hold one's tongue
dropping the "ra" in the potential form of verbs formed with "-rareru"
stinging (barbed) words; harsh language
secret language; argot
alluring words; endearing words; sugared words; sweet words; honeyed words; flattery
men's language; male language
to watch what one says; to mind one's language
at a loss for words; stumped for words
word game; wordplay; playing with words
to accept a kind offer; to take someone up on their offer
lack of words; being tongue-tied; suppressing what you want to say
skillful words; deceitful words; glibness
spoken language; colloquial expression
to exchange words
common saying; slang; argot
word of Japanese origin; native Japanese word
word of Japanese origin; native Japanese word
buzzword; popular expression; vogue word or phrase
spoken language; spoken words; language
In the beginning was the Word
countryside dialect; sociolect or secret language used by prostitutes in red-light districts during the Edo period
language of flowers; floriography; flower symbolism, e.g. red roses mean love
dictionary; lexicon
dictionary; lexicon
to accept a kind offer; to take someone up on their offer
Word of God; God's Word; sword of the Spirit; Logos (i.e. the Trinity incarnate in Jesus Christ)
lack of words; being tongue-tied; suppressing what you want to say
figure of speech
number of words; vocality
tongue twister
to be at a loss for words
men's language; male language
women's language; word used by women
women's language; word used by women
unable to find the words to thank someone; unable to thank someone enough
I can't find the words to thank you; I can never thank you enough
baby talk; baby language; babbling
inflammatory words
language barrier
tit for tat
words used by young people; slang
opening address
sociolect emphasizing the femininity of the speaker (esp. used by homosexual men)
sociolect emphasizing the femininity of the speaker (esp. used by homosexual men)
words read by the priest in a Shinto purification rite
Kyoto dialect; Kyoto accent
local dialect; vernacular; provincialism
closing address
dropping the "ra" in the potential form of verbs formed with "-rareru"
prefatory modifying statement (of a waka, etc.)
large number of words; (lit.) sea of words
word said backwards; word of opposite meaning
working-class accent or dialect
meaningless words added a song for rhythmical effect; words or utterances added to modulate the cadence of a song
secret language of court ladies (Muromachi period)
polite language used by women
Edo dialect
to make a pun on a word
local dialect; vernacular; provincialism; national language
harsh language
vernacular; local dialect
four-letter word (esp. in English)
filler word; filler phrase
word created by retaining the first syllable (or two) of a word and suffixing it with the word "moji"
norito read at a great purification event
bureaucratic jargon; officialese; gobbledygook
island language; island dialect
countryside dialect; sociolect or secret language used by prostitutes in red-light districts during the Edo period
repeated word or phrase; redundant wording; succession of words of similar meaning; pleonasm
samurai words and phrases
the refined speech of the uptown residents of Tokyo
filled pause (e.g. um, er); filler word
to be evasive; to be not entirely truthful; to not be frank
island language; island dialect
sa-added word (i.e. causative forms with an extra 'sa' like 'ikasaseru' for 'iku')
sa-added word (i.e. causative forms with an extra 'sa' like 'ikasaseru' for 'iku')
Ecclesiastes (book of the Bible); (lit.) words of Qohelet
falconry term
samurai words and phrases
mountain language (euphemisms used by hunters, etc. when in the wild)
casual speech
language used when writing letters
seasonal word (in haiku)
word to soften awkward topics (esp. refusal in business conversation, e.g. "I am afraid that ...")
language game in which extra syllables are added to words
language game in which extra syllables are added to words
euphemisms used by superstitious sailors (e.g. calling sardines "sundries", whales "Ebisu", etc.)
word consisting of (two) repeated syllables
words betray one's character
teyo-dawa speech; mid-Meiji period schoolgirl slang in which sentence-end particles "teyo" and "dawa" were used prominently
false friend
adding a superfluous "re" to the potential form of a godan verb
sociolect or secret language used by prostitutes in red-light districts (Edo period); vulgar words used by prostitutes (Edo period)
Japanese (language)
Examples (174 in total)
This can't be expressed in words.
All I can say is thank you.
Her statement was false.