indicates possessive; nominalizes verbs and adjectives; substitutes for "ga" in subordinate phrases; (at sentence-end, falling tone) indicates a confident conclusion; (at sentence-end) indicates emotional emphasis; (at sentence-end, rising tone) indicates question
indicates sentence topic; indicates contrast with another option (stated or unstated); adds emphasis
Japanese person; Japanese people
indicates direct object of action; indicates subject of causative expression; indicates an area traversed; indicates time (period) over which action takes place; indicates point of departure or separation of action; indicates object of desire, like, hate, etc.
to protect; to guard; to defend; to keep (i.e. a promise); to abide (by the rules); to observe
thing; matter; incident; occurrence; circumstances; situation; work
opposite side; bottom; rear; back; lining; inside; in the shadows
face; visage; look; expression; honor; honour
to hold (in one's hand); to take; to possess; to have; to maintain; to keep; to last
accomplishment; execution
man; male; fellow; guy; male lover; boyfriend
this; this one; this person; now; this point (in time); here; used to stress the subject of a sentence
be; is; did; (have) done; please; do
professor; teaching; instruction
head; chief; merit; strong point; superiority; major
series; chain; two reams (i.e. 1000 sheets of paper); verse; stanza
harmful side effects of a medicine or drug
mottled spinefoot (Siganus fuscescens, species of Western Pacific rabbitfish); dusky rabbitfish; sandy spinefoot
for now; for the time being; for the present; though not quite satisfactorily; after a fashion
place; spot; address; district; area; one's house; point
at (place, time); in; to (direction, state); toward; for (purpose); because of (reason); for
to go; to move (in a direction or towards a specific location); to proceed; to take place; to pass through; to come and go; to walk
if; when; and; with; used for quoting (thoughts, speech, etc.); promoted pawn; indicates a question
that; the; part (as in "part two"); um ...; er ...
pluralizing suffix (esp. for people and animals; formerly honorific)
to corner; to drive to the wall; to run down; to track down; to chase after
to understand; to comprehend; to become clear; to be known; I know!; I think so too!
Mr.; Mrs.; Miss; politeness marker
indicates sentence subject (occasionally object); indicates possessive (esp. in literary expressions); but; however; regardless of; whether (or not)
concealment; hiding; ambush; incubation; latency; dormancy
place; location; room; space; basho; wrestling tournament
Metropolitan Police Department (esp. Tokyo)
Public Safety Bureau (of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department); Special Branch (police); Ministry of Public Security (China)
too; also; both A and B; A as well as B; even; as much as
to come alive; to get going; to start to move
police; police officer; police station
hey; you; hey; hey; hold on; yo