Typical Expressions
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Four-Syllable Words
If words can be shortened, Japanese will inevitably shorten them. Two by two syllables is often the sweet spot, and sometimes it's hard to guess where those came from.
- デジカメ deji kame
- デジタルカメラ dejitaru kamera, a digital camera.
- パソコン pasokon
- パーソナルコンピューター pāsonaru konpyūtā, a personal computer. ノート nōto stands for notebooks.
- プリクラ purikura
- プリントクラブ purinto kurabu or "print club". A sort of extremely flashy photo booth and a favourite pastime for many.
- パチスロ pachi suro
- パチンコ＆スロット pachinko & surotto, locations everywhere offering the number one Japanese gambling game pachinko and traditional slot machines.
- リモコン rimokon
- リモートコントロール rimōto kontorōru, remote control
- KY kei wai
- 空気読めない kūki yomenai, "can't read the air", meaning an unperceptive person who can't read between the lines/can't keep up with a conversation.
- That's how it is, isn't it? (General agreement, especially old people can be heard going "sō desu ne" back and forth quite a few times.) そうですね。 Sō desu ne.
- I have made you wait (terribly) long. (Used as an excuse after any amount of downtime, even just seconds. Often also used as a starter to get things going again.) （大変）お待たせしました。 (Taihen) omataseshimashita.
- It's been honorably tiresome. (To colleagues in the sense of "you gave it all, good work", but more generally at the end of almost any activity.) お疲れさまでした。 Otsukaresama deshita.
- Give it your best! (Meant to be encouraging and motivating.) 頑張って！ Ganbatte!
- I will receive. (To yourself before starting to eat or when accepting something offered to you.) いただきます。 Itadakimasu.
- I will trouble you. / I will be impolite. (When entering your superiors room or an unfamiliar house, when trying to get someone's attention or generally when interrupting someone.) 失礼します。 Shitsurei shimasu.
- I have troubled you. / Excuse my impoliteness. (When leaving your superiors room or an unfamiliar house or generally as "Sorry to have bothered you, carry on.") 失礼しました。 Shitsurei shimashita.
- It is alright. (For general reassurance. Used with "desu ka?" to inquire if something or somebody is alright.) 大丈夫。 Daijōbu.
- Great! / Incredible! (Very popular amongst girls and greatly overused.) 凄い！ Sugoi!
- How cute! (See "sugoi".) 可愛い！ Kawaii!
- Reallyyyyyyy~? (Almost a standard reaction to any kind of news. Can be lengthened indefinitely and is hence useful to stall for time when thinking about a real answer.) ええぇ〜 Eee~
- Lie! (Doesn't necessarily accuse one of lying, usually used in the sense of "Seriously?!") ウソ！ Uso!