Welcome to Episode 68 of Real Japanese Talk with Haruka & Saki! 🗼🐙

🎇 "Aerial fireworks are flashy - so why are sparklers so plain?" Saki's foreign friend had a point, but to Japanese eyes the humble senko hanabi (handheld sparkler) holds a quiet, wistful beauty that a giant fireworks show can't. A gentle counterpart to our fireworks-festival episode. 🎯

You'll learn three words:

• 線香花火 (senko hanabi) - a handheld sparkler; the opposite of loud aerial fireworks, savored quietly, even alone

• 儚い (hakanai) - fleeting, transient; beautiful precisely because it doesn't last

• 散る (chiru) - to scatter and fall (petals, sparks); Japanese find special beauty in things that fade

💡 Inside: how a sparkler's sparks grow and then scatter like a chrysanthemum before the fireball drops, the game of keeping it lit as long as possible, its link to falling cherry blossoms, and the aesthetic of 「もののあはれ」 (mono no aware) - cherishing things that quietly disappear.

Perfect for N3-N2 learners drawn to Japanese aesthetics. Tokyo & Kansai dialogue, fully shadowable. Full transcript & study notes on Patreon. 🎧

【Today's Vocabulary / 今日の言葉】

・線香花火 (せんこうはなび) - A senko hanabi - a small handheld sparkler held pointing downward, whose delicate sparks are watched quietly. It is the gentle opposite of 打ち上げ花火 (uchiage hanabi, aerial fireworks): rather than a loud crowd spectacle, it's savored slowly, often alone. The sparks grow, spread, and finally scatter before the little fireball drops - a moment prized for its wistfulness. A classic 夏の風物詩 (feature of summer) tied to the aesthetic of impermanence. The name literally combines 線香 (incense stick) + 花火 (fireworks).

・儚い (はかない) - Fleeting, transient, ephemeral - quickly gone and not lasting long. Equivalent to English "fleeting" or "ephemeral." Used like 「儚い命」 (a fleeting life) or 「儚い夢」 (a fleeting dream). In Japanese aesthetics, the very brevity of something can make it more beautiful - which is why a sparkler, gone in moments, is treasured. Closely tied to 「もののあはれ」 (mono no aware). Related words: 「はかなさ」 (the noun, fleetingness), 「淡い」 (awai, faint/fleeting), and the opposite 「永遠」 (eien, eternal).

・散る (ちる) - To scatter and fall; for petals, sparks, or leaves to fall apart and drop. Equivalent to English "to scatter" or "to fall (of blossoms)." Used like 「桜が散る」 (cherry blossoms fall) - a famous image of transient beauty - and 「火花が散る」 (sparks scatter). Japanese sensibility finds special beauty in the moment of falling (散り際, chirigiwa), sometimes prizing it over full bloom (満開). The transitive partner is 「散らす」 (chirasu, to scatter something). Related words: 「落ちる」 (ochiru, to fall) and 「舞う」 (mau, to flutter down).

📄 Get the Full Transcript with Furigana & Study Guide on our Patreon!シャドーイングに便利な「ふりがな付き台本」はこちら：👉 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/posts/155837588⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Transparency Disclosure: To maximize your learning experience, this podcast is produced using Google's generative AI technology for precise scriptwriting and clear, high-quality audio generation.

Welcome to Episode 67 of Real Japanese Talk with Haruka & Saki! 🗼🐙

🎐 "You cool down from the SOUND of a wind chime? That makes no sense." Saki's foreign friend was baffled - but to Japanese ears, it's obvious. Even in the age of air conditioning, Japan has a whole culture of cooling off through the five senses. Following our fireworks episode, here's another slice of Japanese summer. 🎯

You'll learn three words:

• 涼む (suzumu) - to cool off / enjoy the cool (evening-cooling on the veranda was once the classic)

• 風鈴 (furin) - a wind chime; its "chirin" tells you the wind has blown, and the sound itself feels cooling

• 扇ぐ (aogu) - to fan; sending a breeze with an uchiwa or a folding fan (sensu)

💡 Inside: why sound can feel cool, how the wind chime became a summer staple (and originally a charm against evil), the modern twist where its sound is now sometimes called noise, plus uchimizu - sprinkling water so evaporation cools the air.

Perfect for N3-N2 learners who love seasonal culture. Tokyo & Kansai dialogue, fully shadowable. Full transcript & study notes on Patreon. 🎧

【Today's Vocabulary / 今日の言葉】

・涼む (すずむ) - To cool off; to enjoy the cool and rest. Equivalent to English "to cool off" or "to enjoy the cool air." Used like 「木陰で涼む」 (cool off in the shade) or 「縁側で夕涼みをする」 (enjoy the evening cool on the veranda). The noun 「夕涼み」 (yusuzumi) means evening-cooling. Distinct from 「冷やす」 (hiyasu, to chill something) - 涼む is about a person relaxing in coolness. Related words: 「涼しい」 (suzushii, cool) and 「涼しさ」 (suzushisa, coolness).

・風鈴 (ふうりん) - A wind chime; a small bell hung under the eaves (軒先) in summer that rings - "chirin" - when the wind blows. Its sound signals a breeze and, to Japanese sensibility, feels cooling, making it a classic 夏の風物詩 (feature of summer). Originally it also carried a meaning as a charm against evil (魔除け). Made of glass, metal, or ceramic. Note: in modern apartments its sound is sometimes treated as noise (騒音). Related words: 「鈴」 (suzu, a bell) and 「軒先」 (nokisaki, the eaves).

・扇ぐ (あおぐ) - To fan; to send a breeze with an uchiwa (a flat, round fan) or a sensu (a folding fan). Equivalent to English "to fan." Used like 「うちわで扇ぐ」 (fan with an uchiwa) or 「顔を扇ぐ」 (fan one's face). The uchiwa is a summer essential (必需品), often handed out at festivals, while the folding sensu is portable and popular with adults. Don't confuse the kanji with 「仰ぐ」 (aogu, to look up at) - same reading, different meaning. Related word: 「扇子」 (sensu, folding fan).

📄 Get the Full Transcript with Furigana & Study Guide on our Patreon!シャドーイングに便利な「ふりがな付き台本」はこちら：👉 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/posts/155837588⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Transparency Disclosure: To maximize your learning experience, this podcast is produced using Google's generative AI technology for precise scriptwriting and clear, high-quality audio generation.

Welcome to Episode 66 of Real Japanese Talk with Haruka & Saki! 🗼🐙

🎓 "Isn't senpai just 'senior' in English?" Saki's foreign friend assumed so - but it isn't. In Japan, joining even ONE year earlier makes someone your senpai, regardless of age. You use polite language with a senpai who's younger than you. Today Haruka unpacks a relationship English simply has no word for. 🎯

You'll learn three words:

• 先輩 (senpai) - someone who joined before you; age is irrelevant, order is everything

• 後輩 (kohai) - someone who joined after you (and notably, never used as a form of address)

• 面倒を見る (mendo o miru) - to look after / take care of someone; the senpai's actual duty

💡 Inside: why "senior" doesn't capture it (senpai carries respect and hierarchy), why you say "Tanaka-senpai" but never "Tanaka-kohai," how a senpai is expected to teach, advise, and pick up the tab - and the twist: senpai has now entered English itself, thanks to anime, precisely because it can't be translated.

Perfect for N3-N2 learners heading into Japanese schools or workplaces. Tokyo & Kansai dialogue, fully shadowable. Full transcript & study notes on Patreon. 🎧

【Today's Vocabulary / 今日の言葉】

・先輩 (せんぱい) - Someone who joined your school, club, or company before you - regardless of their age. Crucially, this is NOT the English "senior," which merely means older or higher-ranking: 先輩 carries respect (敬い) and hierarchy (上下関係). Even someone younger than you is your 先輩 if they joined one year earlier, and you use polite language (敬語) with them. Used as a title after a name: 「田中先輩」 (Tanaka-senpai), or as direct address: 「先輩！」. The word has now been borrowed into English via anime, precisely because it can't be translated.

・後輩 (こうはい) - Someone who joined your school, club, or company after you - the counterpart to 先輩. Note an important difference: while 先輩 works as a title and a form of address (「田中先輩」, 「先輩！」), 後輩 does NOT. You never say 「田中後輩」 or call out 「後輩！」 - you simply use the person's name. 後輩 is used when talking *about* someone: 「会社の後輩」 (a kohai at work). A 先輩 is expected to look after their 後輩.

・面倒を見る (めんどうをみる) - To look after, take care of, or watch over someone. Equivalent to English "to look after" or "to take care of." Used like 「子どもの面倒を見る」 (look after a child) or, as in this episode, 「後輩の面倒を見る」 (look after one's kohai) - teaching them the ropes, giving advice, and often picking up the tab at drinks. This is the flip side of the senpai's authority: with status comes responsibility, which is why a good senpai is 慕われる (looked up to). Note 「面倒」 alone can mean "troublesome/a hassle."

📄 Get the Full Transcript with Furigana & Study Guide on our Patreon!シャドーイングに便利な「ふりがな付き台本」はこちら：👉 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/posts/155837588⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Transparency Disclosure: To maximize your learning experience, this podcast is produced using Google's generative AI technology for precise scriptwriting and clear, high-quality audio generation.

Welcome to Episode 65 of Real Japanese Talk with Haruka & Saki! 🗼🐙

🎆 "Why do you save your spot from MORNING just to watch fireworks at night?" Saki's foreign friend couldn't believe it - but at Japan's biggest hanabi festivals, hundreds of thousands of people show up, and the battle for a good view starts early. Today Haruka explains the whole culture. 🎯

You'll learn three words:

• 場所取り (bashotori) - saving/securing a spot in advance (sheets down, ground claimed)

• 打ち上げる (uchiageru) - to launch high into the sky; Japan's aerial fireworks open in perfect spheres

• 混雑 (konzatsu) - congestion; the legendary post-fireworks station crush

💡 Inside: the rules of spot-saving (leaving your sheet overnight is usually banned), the rise of paid viewing seats, why Japanese fireworks bloom as perfect circles (a uniquely Japanese technique), the old cheer "Tamaya!" - the trade name of a famous Edo-period fireworks maker - and the greatest trial of all: getting home in a yukata and geta through a massive crowd.

Perfect for N3-N2 learners who want seasonal culture with their vocabulary. Tokyo & Kansai dialogue, fully shadowable. Full transcript & study notes on Patreon. 🎧

【Today's Vocabulary / 今日の言葉】

・場所取り (ばしょとり) - Saving or securing a good spot in advance - literally "place-taking." At fireworks festivals, hanami (cherry-blossom viewing), and sports events, people lay down a sheet (レジャーシート) and claim their ground, sometimes from early morning. Used as a する-verb: 「朝から場所取りする」 (save a spot from morning). Etiquette matters: leaving your sheet out overnight is banned at many venues. Related words: 「確保する」 (kakuho suru, to secure) and 「陣取る」 (jindoru, to claim/occupy a position).

・打ち上げる (うちあげる) - To launch or shoot something high into the sky - used for fireworks (花火を打ち上げる) and rockets (ロケットを打ち上げる). Equivalent to English "to launch" or "to set off." The noun 「打ち上げ花火」 (uchiage hanabi) means aerial fireworks, as opposed to 「手持ち花火」 (handheld sparklers). Japanese aerial shells are famous for opening in perfect spheres, sometimes hundreds of meters across. Note the unrelated colloquial 「打ち上げ」 meaning a wrap-up party after a project.

・混雑 (こんざつ) - Congestion or crowding; a place being packed with people. Equivalent to English "congestion" or "crowds." Used as a する-verb: 「駅が混雑する」 (the station gets crowded), and in signs like 「混雑時」 (during peak times). After a fireworks festival, the nearby station becomes legendary 混雑 - hence people leaving early to avoid it. Related words: 「人混み」 (hitogomi, a crowd of people), 「渋滞」 (jutai, traffic jam), and 「満員」 (man'in, full to capacity).

📄 Get the Full Transcript with Furigana & Study Guide on our Patreon!シャドーイングに便利な「ふりがな付き台本」はこちら：👉 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/posts/155837588⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Transparency Disclosure: To maximize your learning experience, this podcast is produced using Google's generative AI technology for precise scriptwriting and clear, high-quality audio generation.

Welcome to Episode 64 of Real Japanese Talk with Haruka & Saki! 🗼🐙

⚡ "I was praised for being 'high tension' - but tension means nervousness, right?" Saki's foreign friend spotted a real trap: in Japanese, テンション (tension) means your mood or energy, but in English "tension" means nervousness and strain. They're almost opposite! Today Haruka explains this classic wasei-eigo mix-up. 🎯

You'll learn three words:

• テンション (tension) - wasei-eigo for mood/energy; it goes 上がる (up) and 下がる (down)

• 盛り上がる (moriagaru) - to liven up; when tension is high, the scene 盛り上がる

• 落ち込む (ochikomu) - to feel down; when tension is low, you're 落ち込んでいる

💡 Inside: why "high tension" sounds alarming in real English, how テンション expresses BOTH highs and lows, and what to say instead - excited when you're up, depressed or feeling down when you're low.

Perfect for N3-N2 learners who want to dodge wasei-eigo traps and sound natural. Tokyo & Kansai dialogue, fully shadowable. Full transcript & study notes on Patreon. 🎧

【Today's Vocabulary / 今日の言葉】

・テンション (てんしょん) - In Japanese, テンション is wasei-eigo meaning your mood, energy, or spirits - how excited or up you feel. It rises and falls: 「テンションが上がる」 (mood goes up / get excited), 「テンションが下がる」 (mood goes down). Crucially, this is NOT the English "tension," which means nervousness, strain, or a tense atmosphere - so 「ハイテンション」 sounds alarming to English speakers. Say excited or hyper for the high end instead. Related words: 「気分」 (kibun, mood), 「ノリ」 (nori, vibe/energy), 「盛り上がる」 (to liven up).

・盛り上がる (もりあがる) - For a mood, gathering, or scene to liven up, get exciting, or reach a peak of energy. Equivalent to English "to liven up," "to get excited/hyped," or "to reach a climax." Used like 「パーティーが盛り上がる」 (the party livens up), 「話が盛り上がる」 (a conversation gets lively). When テンション is high, things 盛り上がる. The transitive partner is 「盛り上げる」 (moriageru, to liven something up / hype it up). Related words: 「活気」 (kakki, liveliness) and 「賑わう」 (nigiwau, to be bustling).

・落ち込む (おちこむ) - To feel down, depressed, or low; for one's mood to sink. Equivalent to English "to feel down" or "to get depressed." Used like 「失敗して落ち込む」 (feel down after failing), 「落ち込んでいる」 (be feeling low). It's the mood-opposite of 盛り上がる, and describes low テンション. It can also literally mean to fall/sink into (「穴に落ち込む」), but the emotional sense is far more common. Related words: 「へこむ」 (hekomu, casual "feel down") and 「元気がない」 (genki ga nai, lacking energy).

📄 Get the Full Transcript with Furigana & Study Guide on our Patreon!シャドーイングに便利な「ふりがな付き台本」はこちら：👉 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/posts/155837588⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Transparency Disclosure: To maximize your learning experience, this podcast is produced using Google's generative AI technology for precise scriptwriting and clear, high-quality audio generation.

Welcome to Episode 63 of Real Japanese Talk with Haruka & Saki! 🗼🐙

🍟 "Makudo or Makku - which one is correct?" Saki's foreign friend stumbled straight into one of Japan's most beloved regional debates. In Tokyo, McDonald's is "Makku"; in Kansai, it's "Makudo" - and each side finds the other version distinctly weird. Today Haruka (Team Makku) and Saki (Team Makudo) settle in for a friendly East-West showdown. 🎯

You'll learn three words:

• 略す (ryakusu) - to abbreviate / shorten (Japanese loves this: Sutaba, konbini...)

• 違和感 (iwakan) - a sense that something is off or doesn't sit right

• 呼び方 (yobikata) - the way you call something, which varies by region

💡 Inside: why Japanese shortens everything, how Tokyo and Kansai cut the SAME word differently, why the version you grew up with feels "right" and the other feels off, and the real mystery - why Mister Donut (Misudo) and KFC (Kenta) are the same everywhere, but ONLY McDonald's splits.

Perfect for N3-N2 learners who want living, regional Japanese. Tokyo & Kansai dialogue, fully shadowable. Full transcript & study notes on Patreon. 🎧

【Today's Vocabulary / 今日の言葉】

・略す (りゃくす) - To abbreviate, shorten, or omit part of a long word or name. Equivalent to English "to abbreviate" or "to shorten." Japanese loves this: スターバックス→スタバ (Sutaba), コンビニエンスストア→コンビニ (konbini), and of course マクドナルド→マクド/マック. Used like 「名前を略す」 (shorten a name). The noun is 「略語」 (ryakugo, an abbreviation) and 「省略」 (shoryaku, omission). Related verb: 「縮める」 (chijimeru, to shrink/shorten).

・違和感 (いわかん) - A sense that something is off, doesn't fit, or feels strange - a subtle discomfort. Equivalent to English "a sense of incongruity" or "something feeling off." Used like 「違和感がある」 (something feels off) or 「違和感を覚える」 (to feel that something's not right). In this episode, hearing the unfamiliar regional abbreviation creates 違和感. It can be physical too (「喉に違和感がある」, my throat feels off). Related words: 「しっくりこない」 (doesn't sit right) and 「不自然」 (fushizen, unnatural).

・呼び方 (よびかた) - The way of calling or naming something or someone; what you call a thing. Equivalent to English "the way you call/refer to something" or "a name/term for." Used like 「呼び方が違う」 (the name for it differs) or 「丁寧な呼び方」 (a polite way of addressing). In this episode, the same restaurant has different 呼び方 by region (Makudo vs Makku). Built from 「呼ぶ」 (yobu, to call) + 「方」 (kata, way/method). Related words: 「呼び名」 (yobina, a name/nickname) and 「言い方」 (iikata, way of saying).

📄 Get the Full Transcript with Furigana & Study Guide on our Patreon!シャドーイングに便利な「ふりがな付き台本」はこちら：👉 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/posts/155837588⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Transparency Disclosure: To maximize your learning experience, this podcast is produced using Google's generative AI technology for precise scriptwriting and clear, high-quality audio generation.

Welcome to Episode 62 of Real Japanese Talk with Haruka & Saki! 🗼🐙

🤝 "Yoroshiku onegai shimasu... but what does it actually MEAN?" Saki's foreign friend is stumped - because this one phrase does the work of a dozen English expressions and can't be translated in a single word. Today Haruka decodes Japan's ultimate all-purpose phrase. 🎯

You'll learn three words:

• よろしくお願いします (yoroshiku onegai shimasu) - the magic phrase itself

• 挨拶 (aisatsu) - a greeting: at a first meeting it means "nice to meet you"; at New Year, "let's have a good year"

• 頼む (tanomu) - to ask a favor: when handing off work, it means "please take care of it"

💡 Inside: the same phrase shifts meaning by situation (Japanese people just know from context), it politens up to 「よろしくお願いいたします」 for business, and the email sign-off version blends BOTH the greeting and the request. When in doubt, this phrase never fails - the lubricant of Japanese communication.

Perfect for N3-N2 learners who keep hearing this everywhere and want to truly get it. Tokyo & Kansai dialogue, fully shadowable. Full transcript & study notes on Patreon. 🎧

【Today's Vocabulary / 今日の言葉】

・よろしくお願いします (よろしくおねがいします) - An all-purpose set phrase with no single English equivalent. Its meaning depends on the situation: at a first meeting or self-introduction it works like "nice to meet you"; when entrusting a task it means "please take care of it"; at New Year 「今年もよろしく」 means "let's keep up our good relationship this year"; and as an email sign-off it blends greeting and request. The polite form is 「よろしくお願いいたします」. It smooths social interaction - often called the "lubricant" of Japanese. Broken down: よろしく (well/favorably) + お願いします (I request).

・挨拶 (あいさつ) - A greeting; the polite words exchanged when meeting, parting, or on social occasions. Equivalent to English "greeting." Used as a する-verb: 「挨拶する」 (to greet). Examples include おはよう, こんにちは, and, as in this episode, 「よろしくお願いします」 at a first meeting. It also covers a short formal speech (「一言ご挨拶」). Doing proper 挨拶 is considered important social etiquette in Japan. Related words: 「お辞儀」 (ojigi, a bow) and 「会釈」 (eshaku, a slight nod).

・頼む (たのむ) - To ask someone to do something; to request or rely on. Equivalent to English "to ask (a favor)" or "to request." Used like 「仕事を頼む」 (ask someone to do a job), 「友達に頼む」 (ask a friend). In this episode, 「よろしくお願いします」 in the sense of handing off work is essentially 頼む. The noun form is 「頼み」 (tanomi, a request), and a polite way to ask is 「お願いする」. Related words: 「依頼」 (irai, a formal request) and 「任せる」 (makaseru, to entrust).

📄 Get the Full Transcript with Furigana & Study Guide on our Patreon!シャドーイングに便利な「ふりがな付き台本」はこちら：👉 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/posts/155837588⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Transparency Disclosure: To maximize your learning experience, this podcast is produced using Google's generative AI technology for precise scriptwriting and clear, high-quality audio generation.

Welcome to Episode 61 of Real Japanese Talk with Haruka & Saki! 🗼🐙

💼 "My dad is a salaryman." "...A what?" Saki's foreign friend went completely blank - because "salaryman" looks like English but nobody outside Japan actually says it. Today Haruka unpacks this classic piece of wasei-eigo (Japanese-made English). 🎯

You'll learn three words:

• サラリーマン (salaryman) - wasei-eigo for a salaried worker; in real English it's "office worker" or "businessperson"

• 会社員 (kaishain) - the natural Japanese for "company employee," gender-neutral and the word you write on forms

• 勤める (tsutomeru) - to be employed at / work for, a more polite verb than 働く

💡 Inside: why salaryman (and OL!) are made-in-Japan English, why it carries a male, suit-and-packed-train image, why 会社員 is now often preferred, and how 「どこにお勤めですか？」 is a polished way to ask what someone does.

Perfect for N3-N2 learners who want to sound natural and spot wasei-eigo traps. Tokyo & Kansai dialogue, fully shadowable. Full transcript & study notes on Patreon. 🎧

【Today's Vocabulary / 今日の言葉】

・サラリーマン (さらりーまん) - A salaried office worker - but note this is wasei-eigo (Japanese-made English), coined from "salary" + "man." It is NOT used in natural English; say "office worker" or "businessperson" instead. It carries a somewhat male, suit-wearing, commuting image and symbolizes Japan's traditional company culture. The female counterpart 「OL」 (office lady) is likewise wasei-eigo. For a neutral, form-friendly term, use 会社員. Related words: 「ビジネスマン」 (also wasei-eigo-ish) and 「勤め人」 (tsutomenin, a salaried worker).

・会社員 (かいしゃいん) - A company employee; a person who works for a company. This is the natural, neutral Japanese word - what you write on official forms and say when asked your occupation (「会社員です」). Unlike サラリーマン, it is gender-neutral and slightly more formal. It contrasts with 「自営業」 (jieigyo, self-employed), 「フリーランス」 (freelance), and 「公務員」 (komuin, civil servant). Related words: 「社員」 (shain, staff member) and 「正社員」 (seishain, full-time employee).

・勤める (つとめる) - To be employed at / work for a company, bank, government office, etc. Equivalent to English "to work for" or "to be employed at." Used with に: 「銀行に勤める」 (work at a bank), 「会社に勤めている」 (be employed at a company). It's a little more formal/polite than 「働く」 (hataraku), and the set question 「どこにお勤めですか？」 is a refined way to ask where someone works. Don't confuse the homophones: 「務める」 (to serve a role/duty) and 「努める」 (to make an effort) - here it's 「勤める」 (to be employed). Related noun: 「勤め先」 (tsutomesaki, one's workplace).

📄 Get the Full Transcript with Furigana & Study Guide on our Patreon!シャドーイングに便利な「ふりがな付き台本」はこちら：👉 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/posts/155837588⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Transparency Disclosure: To maximize your learning experience, this podcast is produced using Google's generative AI technology for precise scriptwriting and clear, high-quality audio generation.