OMG
I even have lookups on “a simple sign”
エレベーターでは (by elevator) 地下ギャラリーへ行く(going to the basement gallery) ことはできません (things that cannot be done)
入口様(entrance + 丁寧 語 polite-ifier?) 音声機器 (おんせい きき audio device Anime, News Top 4K (!!))を返却(へんきゃく return)してください。
地下へは 外側の階段 (そとがわのかいだん exterior staircase) をご利用 (ごりよう polite-ifier + use)ください。
Then I think the last two lines are in Chinese? Because the meaning repeats…
横（よこ） 
Although I do like the idea of calling it entrance-sama more
Sunday, June 15, 2025
level 23 unlocked 6/6 radicals, 28/34 kanji, 36/129 vocab;
due to WK updates there is 1 level 8 vocab, 41 level 22 vocab
started level 23 yesterday
WK
46 Cotton material 木綿 も め ん
Cotton 綿 め ん
56 To sew 縫う ぬう godan
28 Repair 修理 しゅうり servicing
24 Pipe 管 かん
47 Front Door 扉 とびら opening
- Plumbing 配管 はいかん
32 To get dirty 汚れる よごれる
23 One’s Home 自宅 じたく
23 Housing 住宅 じゅうたく residential building
27,28 :cat_face:To beckon 招く ま ね く to invite in
28 About 程 ほど as much as
47,48 To cook grains 炊く たく to boil, to simmer, to stew
41 Kitchen knife 包丁 ほうちょう
47 Rice cooker 炊飯器 すいはんき
- Just now - さっき
25 Custom, habit 習慣 しゅうかん
28 Clean 清潔 せいけつ hygienic, sanitary
- Drawers 引き出し ひきだし From 引き出す to pull out
- Attic 屋根裏 やねうら
- Attic 屋根裏部屋 やねうらべや
45,31 Coins 硬貨 こうか hard currency
32,36 Stained 汚い きたない dirty, filthy, foul, unclean
31 Mud 泥 どろ Android (mobile os)
- Wrinkled - くしゃくしゃ
The housing shortage is a serious social issue. 住宅不足は深刻な社会問題です。
There is a housing shortage in this town. この町では住宅が不足している。(simpified tone ) NOTE 住宅難housing shortage
He felt lonely living in a big city. 彼は大都会に住むことを寂しいと感じた。
Words cut more than swords. 言葉は剣より切れる。
How is the construction work progressing? 建設工事の進みが具合はどうですか？
I had a drink with my coworkers after work. 帰りに同僚たちといっぱいを飲んだ。
This kitchen is as clean as a hospital. この台所は病院のように清潔です。
starting today/tomorrow
topic 3 of 5
read EN to JP online magazine. (see notes under reset)
download 5:2 for tomorrow
お入口様、私を入らせてください！
June midmonth, midyear refresh AKA what’s working/what’s not
6/20/2025
Continuing level 23, should advance in 2 days
I will come as soon as possible. できるだけ早く参ります。
There is no room for doubt. 疑いの余地はない。VS それについて疑う余地がない。
It’s my fault. 私のせいです。
Please come again. またお越しください。
Are there guests visiting here by car? お車でお越しのお客様はいらっしゃいますか？
I beg your pardon. 何とおっしゃいましたか
WK EN KANJI KANA NOTES
28 Record 記録 きろく minutes
50 coincidence 偶然 ぐうぜん
23 reality 現実 げんじつ hard fact
0 Remark,comment 発言 はつげん
27 Lack of sleep 睡眠不足 すいみんぶそく 寝不足 22
26, 24 To publish 載せる の せ る 乗せる other form?
0 headline 見出し みだし caption
30 Subscription 購読 subscribing
0 Survey, questionaire アンケート
0 Public opinion 世論 せ ろ ん/せいろん/よろん consensus
0 (Spare) room 余地 よち margin, scope
compare 余裕 20
21 To admit, to confess 認める み と め る Not WK primary meaning
38 To avoid 避ける さける
53 Please (give me; do for me) ちょうだいas 〜をちょうだい or after the -te form of a verb familiar language, female term
頂戴Humbly Receiving
13 enlightened Gratitude 感謝 かんしゃ WK Thanks
saving the next session of reading for tomorrow’s readathon; totally not procrastinating
bookmarked webpages for tomorrow’s readathon; could not resist reading one page
still working on Chapter 2 Hotels and Attractions- There are 24 lessons compared to past chapters.
Sunday, June 22, 2025
Yesterday was my first x-a-thon. I didn’t post because there was no easy way to track it.
My method: find an EN web page that was interesting, use a browser extension to convert it to JP, read until the end, rinse and repeat.
My results: 6 hours 6 minutes; 1 nonfiction, 5 fiction + one in progress
My experience: wonderful! This was so much more of a pleasure than graded readers or high-level novels. Some of the translations were simplified compared to the original EN e.g clauses were written as separate sentences when possible. I did not like how often it resorted to katakana for words that could/do use kanji. Loved being able to change the font size.
2025 read-a-thon 7:45 AM-9:10
My Hobby by Tom Fabian私の趣味
/strandmag.com/the-magazine/short-stories/my-hobby/
脅迫 blackmailきょうはく threat, menace, coercion, blackmail
恐喝 きょうかつblackmail
9:20 AM- 9:27
A Guide to Grief by Emily Fox 悲しみへのガイド
/www.lightspeedmagazine.com/fiction/a-guide-to-grief/
flash fiction just leaves me cold when it’s not executed well
Break- went for walk; water restrictions are in effect and the nearby citrus trees are feeling it
; saw a turtle in a fountain and did a web search when I got home.
11:22 AM-11:36
oops- no link or title; nonfiction advice about turtles in chlorinated water
塩素 chlorine
This sentence made my head hurt. より大きく成熟した個体に比べて、より小さいまたは若いカメは塩素の悪影響を受けやすい可能性があります。
Stopped reading after the article went off-topic
11:48 AM- 12:15
Emotion by Henry Peter Gribbin 感情
/365tomorrows.com/2015/09/29/emotion/
Translator spoiler: 死体 instead of body; not all bodies are 死体 and vice versa
12:24 PM -12:32 break (ate lunch, WK reviews, changed CDs) 1:23 PM- 2:04 PM
Toaster of the Gods by Randall Coots 神々のトースター
/strangehorizons.com/wordpress/fiction/toaster-of-the-gods/
ところが another word for but
二度 / 再び ふ た た び again, second tine
2:22 PM-3:43
/omenana.com/2025/03/31/order-update-olajesutofunmi-akinyemi/
Order Update by Olajesutofunmi Akinyemi 注文の更新
Lots of keigo when dealing with customer support
Codswallop new to me (UK?) EN word デタラメ
7:25 PM 9:08 unfinished…….sleepy.
The Perfectionist by Peter Lovesey 完璧主義者
/strandmag.com/the-magazine/short-stories/the-perfectionist/
ADDENDUM
vocab and context coming soon
really any excuse not to do the work; this unit just does not interest me
in progress; who knew there were different types of keigo?
Ha ha - glad I can help with new English words, if not with Japanese!
And your marathon reading session sounds amazing. It’s so nice to be able to learn while doing something you love.
Sunday, June 29, 2025
level 24 in progress
I’m finding fewer new to me vocab; the grammar is taking center stage; interesting how WK teaches kanji for words usually written in kana alone.
WK EN KANJI KANA NOTES
3大人しい Simple usually written using kana alone お と な し い quiet (color, pattern, etc.),
48 Regret 後悔 こうかい
0 Heartfelt 心を込めて こころをこめて Expression, wholeheartedly
27 To be worrying 悩む な や む
50, 32, 50 Excitement 興奮 こ う ふ ん
52, 26, 52 Endurance 我慢 がまん self-control
0 Selfishness usually written using kana alone わがまま 我儘
0 What! usually written using kana alone な ん て
27 Boring 退屈 たいくつ Compare つまらない
9 辛い Tough usually written using kana alone つらい difficult (emotionally), hard (usu. of situations)
46 To be proud 誇る ほこる to boast of
9 To Express To represent 表す あらわす to stand for
29, 23 Tension, nervousness 緊張 きんちょう
18, 苛める To bully usually written using kana alone いじめる
Context sentences
You will regret this .後悔することになるよ。
Such selfishness is not acceptable . そんな わがまま は つ釣らないよ。
What a nice color ! なんていい色でしょう！
I had nothing to do today and I ended up getting bored . 今日は何もすることがなくて、退屈してしまった。
It is boring just sitting and watching TV. 座ってテレビを見ているだけなんて退屈だ。
WK EN KANJI KANA NOTES
0 quickly さっさと Onomatopoeic
49 唯 merely Kana usually ただに
37, 8 disobedience 反抗 はんこう resistance, insubordination
46 To shut up 黙る だまる to be silent, to say nothing
33 respect 尊敬 そんけい See 尊敬語
14 On’yomiてき Object, target 的 まと Subject
25 influence 影響 えいきょう
0 (please) come, go, stay おいで honorific language
43 authority 権威 けんい Influence
42,11 challenge 挑戦 ちょうせん
0 application 申し込み もうしこみ entry (competition, raffle, etc.)
Try 挑 ちょう
22 value to deserve 値する あたいする
46 silent 黙々 もくもく
to obey 従う したがう
5 To Stand Something Up to treat with respect 立てる たてる to give (someone) their due, to make (someone) look good, to avoid embarrassing (someone)
started today with 3 free superDuo days.
I have until November to finish.
4 pages of notes later, finally finished in two weeks .
Next week should be less meaty. The topic synchs with Marugoto… may be motivation to get back to it.
Thanks again for sharing your notes and thoughts, Tipさん.
Nice to see ..
I think there may be a typo in the selfishness sentence… For some reason, it tickles a memory in me that’s just out of reach…I think it may involve 耐える (たえる to endure, withstand WK48)
You are correct . My statement about fishing makes no sense .
Thanks for taking time to close read my notes.
This is what I think I should have written :
Such selfishness is not acceptable . そんな わがまま は 耐えら ないよ。
7/2/2025
Should level up tonight; expect more vocabulary than usual due to WK updates
WK EN KANJI KANA NOTE
25 shadow 影 かげ 陰 WK 45
44 hiding place 物陰 ものかげ
0 Dense ,thick 濛々 もうもう usually written using kana alone,'taru' adjective A variant of な adjectives which take たる ending.
18, 23 Chimney 煙突 えんとつ
0 Trap 罠 わな
42 To dig 掘る ほる
Forest 森林 しんりん Compare 森もりor 林はやし
42 Lawn 芝生 しばふ
45 Waterfall 滝 たき
0 Rose バラ
11 At heart,fundamentally 根っから ね っ か ら
0 Day by day 日を追って ひをおって
0 Under pressure 追う お う to be pressed (e.g. for time) in passive voice
45 To hunt 狩る かる to gather (mushrooms)
43 To sink , set 沈む しずむ
31 Stick 棒 ぼう
今日は時間に追われていてね。I’ve been pressed for time today!
Context coming soon
start tomorrow
4 of 5 topics complete
finished story from readathon
Chapter 3 in progress
Sunday, July 6, 2025
Kaitou = answer 回答 解答
Level 24 had 40 vocab remaining; level 25 unlocked 8/8 R, 26/39 K, 38/118 V- started yesterday
UNIT 53 CONTEXT
This stick is thicker than that stick. この棒はその棒よりも太いです。
Please keep off the lawn. 芝生に入らないでください。
I watered the lawn. 芝生に水をやりました。
UNIT 54 CONTEXT
ANIMALS- why are some in kanji instead of katakana?
WK EN KANJI KANA NOTES
54,23,18 Mammal 哺乳類 ほにゅうるい
54鯨 Whale クジラ
5 give birth to lay (eggs) 生む
31 Web/nest 巣 す breeding place
42 Net 網 あみ
42 Twins 双子 ふたご
59メス Female (noun) 雌 めす (animal, plant) usually written using kana alone
(め) human
29, 31オス Male (noun) 雄 おす (animal, plant) usually written using kana alone
(お) (ゆう)-human
Owl フクロウ
Giraffe キリン
41 Tiger 虎 とら
0 To bark, roar 吠える ほえる to howl
0 To growl, roar うなる to howl
44, 29, 44 Dinosaur 恐竜 きょうりゅう
32, 先祖 Ancestor 祖先 そせん 先祖 せんぞ
Lion ライオン
Is your kitten male [adjective] or female [adjective]? 君の子猫は雄なですか、雌なですか？
How does evolution take place? 進化はどのように生まじるのですか？
生じる 【しょうじる】WK 16 -first time seeing outside WK
Vocabulary coming soon
Is my always being sleepy due to coffee addiction? いつも眠いのをコーヒー中毒のだから？
Telephonic communications came back. 電話による通信が回復した。
The moon’s gravity is one-sixth of the Earth’s. 月の重力は地球の6分の1である。
There are many stars that cannot be seen without a telescope. 望遠鏡がなくては見えない星がたくさんある。
The universe is infinite. 宇宙は無限である。
The astronomer saw her dead dad on another planet. 天文学者は他の惑星で死んだ父親を見た。
ugggg
none
finished passive listening; notes are in progress; the course is almost done and just now introducing transitive/intransitive pairs; downloaded next unit for tomorrow
doing the bare minimum due to pressures at work; haven’t seen the sun in a few days. The weekend can’t come soon enough.
I’m still studying. My handwritten notes have become a looming mountain of transcription to do. Meanwhile, some neat videos …
For just the briefest moment, I thought you were going to transcribe your notes and then origami (probably not meant to be used as a verb but still) them into memorable shapes. Anyway, hope the work pressures ease (though seeing the sun, for me, 2/10 do not recommend) and good luck with the continued journey. 
That’s a cool idea. Once my notebook is full, I could fold the loose pages into something… a green owl and a crabigator eating cake.
As an origami fan I especially like seeing it in other arts and crafts.
Weeks of July 6th-20th
My apprentice count reached 0 the first week. The burn reviews kept me busy though.
Since I don’t watch anime or read manga, this unit was full of news to me. Not surprisingly, few items are on WK. I will go back and look at the grammar when my brain has the bandwidth to take it in.
| WK | EN | KANJI | KANA | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| right? | じゃん | Particle orig. from じゃないか | ||
| have to …, must … | なきゃ | Abbreviation なければならない | ||
| to chat | しゃべる | |||
| this guy, this person | こいつ | |||
| って | equiv. of は topic marker and so much more | |||
| 28 | subtle, delicate, | 微妙 | びみょう | not great, iffy |
| 28 | strange | 妙 | みょう | |
| gross | キモイ | Abbreviation, 気持ち悪い | ||
| something like …, | なんか | oft. scornful or dismissive | ||
| among other things | とか | oft. as …とか…とか | ||
| or something, something like, or whatever | とか | make a statement vague or less absolute; usu. after a noun | ||
| 34 | guy | 奴 | やつ | he, she, him, her |
| he, she, that guy | あいつ | that, that one, that thing | ||
| good-looking guy | イケ面 | イケメン | ||
| serious、really | まじ(で） | Abbreviation真面目 まじめ | ||
| absurd, ridiculous | めちゃ | |||
| 36 | super-, ultra-, hyper-, | 超 | ちょう | Prefix e.g. 超高速 hyperspeed |
| Darn, OMG | やばい | Dangerous, awful, terrific, unhinged |
I do not need a grave when I die. 私 が 死んだら、 墓 は いらない。
Hell is other people . mine 地獄とは他人のことだ。duolingo’s 地獄とは他人である。
である (or であります) is a construction in Japanese that is considered to be the formal or literary equivalent of だ
It is quite warm in hell. 地獄はかなり暖かい。
| WK | EN | KANJI | KANA | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | cemetery | 墓地 | ぼち | |
| 31 | graveyard | 墓場 | はかば | |
| 31 | to rescue from | 救う | すくう | |
| 34 | holiness, sacredness | 神聖 | しんせい | な adjective |
| Sermon, scolding | 説教 | せっきょう | ||
| forever | いつまでも | |||
| priest, minister, pastor | 司祭 | しさい | ||
| 46 | devil | 悪魔 | あくま | |
| 31 | grave | 墓 | はか | |
| mission | 使命 | しめい | ||
| 35 | hell | 地獄 | じごく | Misery |
| Bible | 聖書 | せいしょ | Scriptures | |
| 37,28 | miracle | 奇跡 | きせき | |
| 37 | to bury | 葬る | ほうむる | Compare埋める |
| 13 | to do … completely | 果たす | はたす |
I do not have one decent suit. 僕は満足な背広は 一着も持っていない
い っ ちゃ くone suit (of clothes), one item (of clothing)
Do not complain about the food. 食べ物に不満を言わないで。
I will walk facing up, so my tears don’t roll down. 上を向いて歩こう、涙がこぼれないように。
Abandon all hope. 一切の希望を捨てよ。
Even if it is tough now, do not give up hope.
Let’s take it easy. のんびりしよう.
He is quite a carefree person. 彼はかなりののんびり屋さんだ。
Women have achieved equality in certain areas. 女性はある分野で平等を達成してきた。
への You can’t connect two nouns directly with へ、で or まで, you need the の
| WK | EN | KANJI | KANA | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| without exception | 一切 | いっさい | ||
| in a carefree manner | のんびり | Onomatopoeic | ||
| easygoing person | のんびり屋 | のんびりや | ||
| to spill, to fall out of, to overflow | こぼれる | usually kana alone | ||
| 48,46 | to become visible (although normally not) | 零れる | こぼれる | |
| (not) ever | 決して | けっして | ||
| to abandon, to give up, to resign | 捨てる | すてる | Compare諦める |
I strapped in and completed the course. Once again, I would have done better with a tutor etc. This part of the program especially does not consider the needs of a solo learner. In fact, the last unit was all about language learning in a classroom setting. Even the writing assignments required me to pretend to be in a classroom.
Now the question is: Do I take the last course or find something else?
Grammar Note for House Hunting- goals were a review so no news
Very interesting…
I did not think about it like that
