This is where I've got the meanings to some of the Japanese words I use on my site , etc.So if you want to read all this stuff you These are based on my own translations that I use with a japanese dictionary by the way so if you'd like to use any of this infomation please give me credit!~These are just common words that are used in the japanese version of the Anime,also please don't ask me to translate things for people!(or aliens for that matter)Thankies!
P.S.I used a lot of Sailor Moon Series references on this page so -please don't get confused!~
In Japan or "Nihon" there are two diffrent systems of writing.First "Kanji"(top symbol) which in this example I'm using the symbols for the word "ai" meaning "love".Kanji is based off traditonal chinese characters and each symbol stands for a different word.
The second system of writing is called "Kana" which is two systems of writng "Hiragana" and "Katakana".Kana is sybols that make up sounds.Hiragana is used for Japanese words,while Katakana which is actually easier to learn is used mainly for forgien words.In Japan little kids normally learn Kana first,because it's easier and Kanji has thousands of diffrent symbols(ack!)Also as a running gag on Sailor Moon "Usagi" cannot write kanji which she should be able to do at her age and even as Neo Queen Serenity in the future she sends a note to the past with Chibi-usa in the S series, that is written all in kana which makes as a big embarrassment for Usagi!^.^
In Japan when you refere to someone their name is usually followed by a suffix for politeness unless you have a really close relationship to this person(notice how in S episode 92, Usagi and Minako can tell that Haruka and Michiru are very close(umm....a little too......)There are other suffixes these are just the most common ones.
-chan=used when refering to to younger children or someone your own age.Also used for pet names between lovers(like Rei-chan in a friendly case and then Usagi calls Mamoru,Mamo-chan.
-ko=suffix added to a girls name(as in Usa-ko)
-kun=used for buys but is being used more for girls,also for prossfession cases sometimes(the inner senshi call the three lights Sieya-kun,Taiki-kun,and Yaten-kun and Professor Tomoe calls Kaolinite,Kaolinite-kun.)
-sama=for royalty or really honorable cases(Serenity-sama or Endymion-sama)
-san=person older than you or person you respect(the inner senshi refer to Haruka and Michiru as,Michiru-san and Haruka-san.)
-sempai=upperclassmen(I think Makoto refers to an old boyfriend who is older with this one)
-sensei=teachers,docters,manga artists(like Naoko-sensei,or Haruna-sensei)
-tachi=group of people(like Haruka -tachi refering to maybe Haruka and Michiru)
Hello
yaa-between men
maa-between women
ara-between women
ohayou gozaimasu-good morning
konichewa-general Hi,or good afternoon
konban wa-good evening
oyasuminasai-good night
kore wa,kore wa-informal
hai-between americanized people
hisashiburi-after long absense
hajimenmashite-very formal,used when meeting for the first time
aitakatta-betwen lovers
moshi moshi-when answering the telephone
Goodbye
jaa-friendly
jaa ne-between young people
ja matta-informal
bai-bye
sore ja-informal but widely used
ogenki de-when parting for a long time
Kids in Japan of course learn to count and such when they are very little(just like in the states.)The japanese system of counting(# wise)is very similar to the english.Such as 22 would be twenty two,where we add the twenty and then two,such as the japanese would use Nijuuni.
2 Ni
3 San
4 Shi
5 Go
6 Roku
7 Shichi(or nana)
8 Hachi
9 Kyuu
10 Juu
30 Sanjuu
40 Shijuu(or yonjuu)
50 Gojuu
60 Rokujuu
70 Nanajuu
80 Hachijuu
90 Kyuujuu
100 Hyaku
1,000 Sen
In Japan the weekdays mainly are written with the japanese kanji symbols of an "inner senshi" planet.This is because of the five main elements in asian mythology fire(hi or ka),water(mizu or sui),wood(ki or moku),metal(kin)and earth although moon is used in it's place being the moon(tsuki).It also has something to do with they're pronuciations in Latin that I really don't wanna get into but maybe I will later.
Sunday-Nichiyoubi
Monday-Getsuyoubi/meaning "moon day"
Tuesday-Kayoubi/meaning "mars day"
Wednesday-Suiyoubi/meaning "mercury day"
Thursday-Mokuyoubi/meaning "jupiter day"
Friday-Kinyoubi/meaning "venus day"
Saturday-Doyoubi