# The quick or short Language Questions Thread (not grammar) **URL:** \ **Category:** Questions\ **Created:** [February 10, 2018, 2:45pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/the-quick-or-short-language-questions-thread-not-grammar/27773 "2018-02-10T14:45:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![acm2010](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/acm2010/32/43822_2.png) [@acm2010](https://community.wanikani.com/u/acm2010)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2018, 3:15am UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/the-quick-or-short-language-questions-thread-not-grammar/27773/64 "2018-05-31T03:15:47Z")
> [@EiriMatsu](#): > > When referring to people (usually ending in 人), じん describes people themselves, such as race, build, and personality. にん, on the other hand, describes “people things,” such as occupations, lifestyles, and roles. How does it relate to one being the Go-On, the other Kan-On? Do the Chinese distinguish it like that with different readings nowadays? Did they do that two thousand years ago? Did the Japanese really import one kind of interpretation first, and then the other 🤔 ---
**Author:** ![Leebo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/leebo/32/439476_2.png) [@Leebo](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Leebo)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2018, 3:18am UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/the-quick-or-short-language-questions-thread-not-grammar/27773/65 "2018-05-31T03:18:46Z")
Given the number of exceptions, I think any correlation between meaning and pronunciation is coincidental. ---
**Author:** ![Belthazar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/belthazar/32/4469_2.png) [@Belthazar](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Belthazar)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2018, 4:33am UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/the-quick-or-short-language-questions-thread-not-grammar/27773/66 "2018-05-31T04:33:20Z")
> [@EiriMatsu](#): > > My bad. I made some re-ordering edits when I wrote that, and forgot to change that to ???. 'Twas quite early in the morning (late at night). Fixed now. Aha, I see. Can you post an image (or a link?) of the original source? ---
**Author:** ![EiriMatsu](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/eirimatsu/32/70498_2.png) [@EiriMatsu](https://community.wanikani.com/u/EiriMatsu)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2018, 6:01am UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/the-quick-or-short-language-questions-thread-not-grammar/27773/67 "2018-05-31T06:01:17Z")
There’s been a lot of debate, and my content is mainly conjecture based on of experience (and what has worked for me, at least in my head), but many solid arguments have been made, so here’s a translated excerpt from a post from the Japanese Language Center [here](https://www.nihongo-c.co.jp/blog/blog-entry-116.html) to provide input from a native speaker. If anyone finds any issues with my interpretation, please do elaborate. I’ll be starting from point 2, as the beginning content is anecdotal and ひと is fairly straightforward. “When a word expressing the actions (behaviors, movements; see [動作](https://jisho.org/word/%E5%8B%95%E4%BD%9C)) of a person precedes 人, it is said as 「にん」.” Several examples are listed, but the scheme seems to be that most nouns capable of being する verbs or that conjugate directly into a verb using kun’yomi result in the 「にん」reading. "When a word describing the attributes or condition (status, state; see [状態](https://jisho.org/word/%E7%8A%B6%E6%85%8B) of a person precedes 人, it is said as 「じん」. Examples include nationality (日本人) and adjectives (美人 from 美しい人 and 老人 from 老い人。 The writer also emphasizes that there are exceptions, but states that having general idea where to start is better than simply trying to memorize every instance of the kanji. > [@Belthazar](#): > > Aha, I see. Can you post an image (or a link?) of the original source? I can screenshot it after work. I’ll likely edit it into this post. Pretty sure it’s 飴色, but I’d hate if I not only misunderstood but also missed a potential kanji to learn. 😶 ---
**Author:** ![itoshiihito93](https://cdck-file-uploads-global.s3.dualstack.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/wanikanicommunity/original/3X/f/d/fd4c154120954695f788402f3bcf4e616499bc2d.png) [@itoshiihito93](https://community.wanikani.com/u/itoshiihito93)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2018, 6:50am UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/the-quick-or-short-language-questions-thread-not-grammar/27773/68 "2018-05-31T06:50:37Z")
Really! I had no idea. I got into the Japanese fan club through anime ^\_~ Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![bellcat](https://cdck-file-uploads-global.s3.dualstack.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/wanikanicommunity/original/3X/f/d/fd4c154120954695f788402f3bcf4e616499bc2d.png) [@bellcat](https://community.wanikani.com/u/bellcat)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 2:21pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/the-quick-or-short-language-questions-thread-not-grammar/27773/69 "2018-06-02T14:21:25Z")
I’d like to ask something silly if possible. For a younger sibling referring to their older sister, what is the difference between ねえさん and おねえちゃん? I recently learned about お金 and お茶 and the description given in WK was that adding an お is used to elevate something and show respect for it. But as far as I can understand, the difference between さん and ちゃん is that the former is more respectful and the latter tends to be to show familiarity. So, what differentiates the two of these from each other? Maybe I’m thinking of this too logically, but still. ---
**Author:** ![Leebo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/leebo/32/439476_2.png) [@Leebo](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Leebo)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 2:44pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/the-quick-or-short-language-questions-thread-not-grammar/27773/70 "2018-06-02T14:44:38Z")
> [@snowbell](#): > > So, what differentiates the two of these from each other? Personal preference? What people end up calling their family members is something that develops over time and with regard to the personal quirks of everyone involved. In other words, you can’t assume anything about a particular relationship just because in one family the younger sibling calls the older sister おねえさん and in another family the younger sibling uses おねえちゃん, or doesn’t use the お or any possible combination of them. ---
**Author:** ![seanblue](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/seanblue/32/579844_2.png) [@seanblue](https://community.wanikani.com/u/seanblue)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 2:55pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/the-quick-or-short-language-questions-thread-not-grammar/27773/71 "2018-06-02T14:55:08Z")
Can you make assumptions if they call the older sister 姉貴? (Mostly kidding, but kind of not) ---
**Author:** ![softseal](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/softseal/32/64755_2.png) [@softseal](https://community.wanikani.com/u/softseal)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 2:00pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/the-quick-or-short-language-questions-thread-not-grammar/27773/72 "2018-06-08T14:00:37Z")
I got a comment on my Instagram post saying “オシャレですね”. Jisho provides the translation “smartly dressed, stylish” for オシャレ, but it was a pic of my study space and not my outfit or something, so… What could it mean in this context? What could I reply to it? ---
**Author:** ![Leebo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/leebo/32/439476_2.png) [@Leebo](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Leebo)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 8:17pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/the-quick-or-short-language-questions-thread-not-grammar/27773/73 "2018-06-08T20:17:06Z")
It’s not just used for clothes. The main definition is based on the idea of a stylish dresser, but it extends to anything that evokes the same feeling. I’ve seen people use it for restaurants, parts of towns, etc. ---
**Author:** ![seanblue](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/seanblue/32/579844_2.png) [@seanblue](https://community.wanikani.com/u/seanblue)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 10:52pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/the-quick-or-short-language-questions-thread-not-grammar/27773/74 "2018-06-08T22:52:06Z")
Can someone explain [決裂](https://www.wanikani.com/vocabulary/%E6%B1%BA%E8%A3%82) to me? WaniKani and Jisho say it means “breakdown” or “rupture”. But I don’t really understand the usage in the example sentence: > あの男は奴らの決裂を、牢屋の中で舌なめずりをしながら待っていたに違いない。 > That guy must have eagerly waited out their breakdown from behind bars. Looking at two Japanese dictionaries ([[1]](https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/jn/68574/meaning/m0u/%E6%B1%BA%E8%A3%82/), [[2]](https://www.sanseido.biz/User/Dic/Index.aspx?TWords=%E6%B1%BA%E8%A3%82&st=0&DORDER=&DailyJJ=checkbox&DailyEJ=checkbox&DailyJE=checkbox)), it looks like an _example_ of how it might be used is a breakdown in negotiations. But it’s still not entirely clear to me, so any clarifications or examples would help. ---
**Author:** ![Leebo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/leebo/32/439476_2.png) [@Leebo](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Leebo)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 11:00pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/the-quick-or-short-language-questions-thread-not-grammar/27773/75 "2018-06-08T23:00:54Z")
In the 広辞苑, that’s the second definition (the one about negotiations). And the first is 切り裂けること。切り裂くこと。 In other words, “to be torn apart.” I’m assuming it means for that group to kind of fall apart from something like internal conflict, or maybe someone actively destroyed the group, who knows what was imagined, but it means more than just the failed negotiation meaning. EDIT: My girlfriend woke up, and I asked her showed her the sentence, and asked her “concretely, what happened to the 奴ら” and she said “別れた”. ---
**Author:** ![seanblue](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/seanblue/32/579844_2.png) [@seanblue](https://community.wanikani.com/u/seanblue)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 11:51pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/the-quick-or-short-language-questions-thread-not-grammar/27773/76 "2018-06-08T23:51:22Z")
I don’t see anything about 別れた in the English translation. I wonder if it’s not a good translation. ---
**Author:** ![Leebo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/leebo/32/439476_2.png) [@Leebo](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Leebo)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 11:53pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/the-quick-or-short-language-questions-thread-not-grammar/27773/77 "2018-06-08T23:53:19Z")
> [@seanblue](#): > > I don’t see anything about 別れた in the English translation. I wonder if it’s not a good translation. Wasn’t really looking at the English. Yeah, breakdown seems more appropriate for the negotiation meaning. ---
**Author:** ![Belthazar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/belthazar/32/4469_2.png) [@Belthazar](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Belthazar)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2018, 4:50am UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/the-quick-or-short-language-questions-thread-not-grammar/27773/78 "2018-06-09T04:50:10Z")
One small thing that’s been bugging me for a fair while (which may be more cultural than language), but why on Earth do numbered lists in (formal?) Japanese go 一、一、一? ---
**Author:** ![Leebo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/leebo/32/439476_2.png) [@Leebo](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Leebo)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2018, 4:55am UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/the-quick-or-short-language-questions-thread-not-grammar/27773/79 "2018-06-09T04:55:04Z")
> [@Belthazar](#): > > One small thing that’s been bugging me for a fair while (which may be more cultural than language), but why on Earth do numbered lists in (formal?) Japanese go 一、一、一? > ---
**Author:** ![Luce-R](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/luce-r/32/182697_2.png) [@Luce-R](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Luce-R)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2018, 5:15am UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/the-quick-or-short-language-questions-thread-not-grammar/27773/80 "2018-06-09T05:15:20Z")
How should I practice writing? Would it be better to write the kanji every time it pops up in a review or make an Anki deck? Also, should I bother writing the reading and meaning for the kanji/vocab under it? ---
**Author:** ![Leebo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/leebo/32/439476_2.png) [@Leebo](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Leebo)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2018, 5:17am UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/the-quick-or-short-language-questions-thread-not-grammar/27773/81 "2018-06-09T05:17:46Z")
> [@Luce-R](#): > > How should I practice writing? Would it be better to write the kanji every time it pops up in a review or make an Anki deck? Also, should I bother writing the reading and meaning for the kanji/vocab under it? This isn’t just for writing, but it does help with that. > [@Printout for kanji study/writing practice using the Iversen Method](https://community.wanikani.com/t/printout-for-kanji-studywriting-practice-using-the-iversen-method/17137): > > EDIT: For clarity, I use this when I do kanji lessons on WaniKani as a way to absorb the lessons. So, I don’t know about the Iversen Method’s history or anything, but I learned about it from this youtube video. [[Level up your vocabulary with the Iversen Method!] ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8HuhpsQDrc) Basically, it’s a way of reinforcing something by writing it across the sheet while covering up elements and then repeating that in a cycle. Here’s the printout I created, exclusively for studying individual kanji. ---
**Author:** ![Luce-R](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/luce-r/32/182697_2.png) [@Luce-R](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Luce-R)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2018, 5:22am UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/the-quick-or-short-language-questions-thread-not-grammar/27773/82 "2018-06-09T05:22:26Z")
Ahh that looks interesting! Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![seanblue](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/seanblue/32/579844_2.png) [@seanblue](https://community.wanikani.com/u/seanblue)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 10:22pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/the-quick-or-short-language-questions-thread-not-grammar/27773/83 "2018-06-10T22:22:36Z")
I’m reading a manga and there’s a couple sentences in a row with 相 and I can’t figure out what it’s supposed to mean in this context. Character 1 is telling character 2’s fortune, and then character 3 comments on it offhand. Character 1: 「片思い中でしかもまったく相手に通じない **相** がある…」 Character 3: 「障害だらけの **相** ね」 I’m not even sure if it’s supposed to be the same meaning of 相 in each sentence. The first could mean “seem/appear”, as one definition given by jisho (read as そう) is “a ‘seeming’ that fortune-tellers relate to one’s fortune”. But this definition doesn’t make as much sense for the second one. Maybe that’s the reading さが, meaning “one’s nature” or “one’s destiny”? Any help would be appreciated. [Previous page](https://community.wanikani.com/t/the-quick-or-short-language-questions-thread-not-grammar/27773.md?page=3) [Next page](https://community.wanikani.com/t/the-quick-or-short-language-questions-thread-not-grammar/27773.md?page=5)