"The "hashi" (chopsticks) you use when you eat rice." "The "ha" should have the accent." "Okay!" "Hashi!" "And then "hashi" (bridge) over a bridge." "Accent on the "shi"." "Okay!" "Hashi!" "And "hashi" can also mean edge too." "So you can grab the end of chopsticks or walk the edge of a bridge." "(Basically using "hashi" many times in a sentence)" "Ah!" "Japanese is too confusing!" "(Basically using "hashi" many times in a sentence)" " What?" " They should use different words!" "What?" "when I invited him out to eat..." "Sore wa ii but he never came!" "doesn't "ii" usually mean no?" "What? "ii" means okay!" "which is right?" "they both are." " Huh?" "It can mean "yeah" sometimes and mean "no" as well." "It depends on the situation which is the correct meaning." " What?" "I don't get it." " Question!" " "Daijoubu desu"." " Can mean you refuse something?" "yeah it means to not need something there." "Why?" "Doesn't "daijoubu" mean okay?" "Yeah." "That's right but..." "I wanted to say that something was just right... ii kagen desu ne they got angry!" "Of course they would." "Use "tekitou" (appropriate) instead of "ii kagen"." "("ii kagen" has a more negative context usually)" " But "tekitou" is also vague too." " Huh?" "it means anything is fine but it says "please choose the appropriate (tekitou) answer"." "So then maybe it means choose something that sounds just about right." " I see..." " And... which means "among other things")" "which means "among other things")" "huh?" "which indicates probability) which indicates probability)" "You don't know what people are saying!" "Shouldn't you ask if you don't?" "So you have to ask everytime?" "You'll always interrupt the flow!" "No one will talk with such a bother!" "Are there no set rules?" "That's enough!" "We don't have to study!" "You can't!" "You all need to graduate together." "Haruko!" "Do something!" " Yeah." " Please!" "I get it!" "I'll do something." "Mmm...." "No good!" "There's no answer!" "Japanese does have a lot of vague expressions." "There's all these so-so answers." "Is there nothing that gets to the point?" "The Japanese are a confusing people." "Yes or no?" "Like or not?" "People who don't want to be vague should just use yes and no then!" "Of course you don't get it." "What?" "There's a reason we have vague sayings." "It's okay" is much nicer to your partner than right?" "all these vague sayings are part of Japanese." "It is a part of teaching Japanese to tell them about the depths of the language." "But there's no point if you can't tell them." "Not at all!" "pointless to expect to you teach a class about the depths of Japanese." "Don't assume." "Takasu-sensei." "Takasu-sensei." "Takasu-sensei." "A visitor." "Who?" "Huh?" "What?" "Who's that?" " Could it..." " Huh?" "It looks like his ex and his daughter." "What?" "Nihonjin no Shiranai Nihongo (The Japanese the Japanese Don't Know) Episode 9" "sit down." "you shouldn't watch." "I have to." "And he has such a big daughter?" "I think she's a first year in high school." "Marriage looks tough." "I still want to be a free man." "What are they talking about?" "Haruko-sensei!" "Sorry about the alimony." "I'll do what I can next month." "Same as always." "You think I came here for that?" " What?" " I'm here for Ayaka." "it's okay." " You can go." " Really?" "Hey!" "Wait wait!" " What does she want?" " I'll be back at 7." "What is this?" "I haven't seen her in 10 years." "right?" "a whole day... thanks." "Hey!" "something to drink?" "Maybe a coffee?" "Or tea?" "Either." "Either"?" "So do you mean you want to drink or not?" "maybe a coffee or" " tea?" " Noisy." "Huh... huh..." "Ah." "If you're going to hang out here." "You can use my seat in the office." "that's actually kinda weird." "Hmm?" "Actually?" "Weird?" "Isn't it my choice?" "Can't be wrong?" "Can't...wrong?" "Which?" "What's wrong with him?" "Doesn't he get it?" "You can just leave me alone." "Ah..." "He was definitely insulted there." "That's the first time I've seen Takasu-sensei like that." " Feels great!" " I can hear you!" " What are you all looking at?" " Nothing really..." "I saw it all." "Sounded so high and mighty but you don't know your daughter's Japanese." "Even for a Japanese teacher." "We haven't met for a long time!" "It can't be helped!" "It has nothing to do with you anyway!" "Move!" " Hmm!" " Ah!" "Time for class." "nice." "The uniform is cute." "not a costume." "Oh nice!" "I got a good picture." "usually means bad but can also mean "good" in certain contexts) usually means bad but can also mean "good" in certain contexts) right?" "But "yabai" can also mean good too?" " Yeah." " Huh... usually means to "to get" but can also mean "interesting" in certain contexts) usually means to "to get" but can also mean "interesting" in certain contexts)" " I get it!" " No you don't." "Such a serious look." " Really interesting!" " We'll get it next time." "So you can use either saying?" " How practical." " Hey!" "this girl is more interesting than your class." "take your seats." "Hey!" "Are you interested in a Japanese class?" "Not really." " Hey!" " Whoa!" "You surprised me." " What?" " I have a question." "What?" "it's okay." " Now I'm all interested." "Hurry up and say it!" "just suppose..." "If you haven't seen your father for a really long time." " Huh?" " It's a hypothetical story." "And then you came to see him." "Why?" " I don't know." " Right?" "what's with the vague questioning?" "So then you're interested in why your daughter" " came back here?" " I didn't say that!" "It's just a hypothetical story." " Hmm." "What if I ask her for you?" " Huh?" " Why she came here." " Can you do that?" "Haruko-sensei?" "Can you do that..." "Haruko-sensei?" "I used be the charismatic clerk!" "I know how to deal with people." "I see." "Then I'll leave it to you." "There is a condition. can you promise to stop meddling in my affairs?" "Fine." "Don't tell anyone what I asked you to do." "Huh?" "I thought that was all a hypothetical story?" "Well then..." "What are you doing?" "Come on in." " Huh?" " Come in." "What is it?" "can I ask something?" " What?" "Why did you all come to Japan?" " I want to run an udon shop." " Huh?" " I want to be an enka singer." " Fisherman." " I'm a ninja!" "I don't understand." "Then why did you come here?" "Why are you at this school?" "Coming to see Takasu-sensei for the first time in 10 years?" " Really?" "Takasu-sensei's daughter?" " Seriously?" "It's natural for split family members to want to see each other." "I miss my family sometimes too." "I'm housesick." "It's home sick!" "I want to see my son too." "you have a son?" " Yeah." "From my third husband." " Huh?" "You have more drama than I thought." "who can never meet but always want to." " They'd be happy just to meet." " If you came here to meet you should tell him." "There's something I wanted to confirm with him." "That's why I'm here." "Hmm." "And?" "Not done halfway. "Han pa ne". "Pa ne"!" "Hmm?" "Accent at the end? "Pa ne!" " Hey!" " Ah!" "You?" " I asked Ayaka what she was feeling." " Really?" "Tell me." "Ayaka!" "You!" "I told you not tell anyone I asked!" "Maybe you should follow your daughter's example." "Ayaka came here to talk to you." " I wanted to see what your job was." " Why?" "right?" "that's not the complete story..." "Did you never worry about us once these past 10 years?" "it would be a lie..." "What is this job?" "More important than your family?" "Answer. maybe if I have some more time to think about it..." " What's with the vague answer!" "?" "She's getting angry." " It's fine." "Where are you going?" "You haven't seen what the job actually is." " Didn't you come for this?" " It's fine!" "I understand enough." "Understand what?" "Your answer is enough. maybe the job isn't as important as it seems." "You threw us away for this?" "How hurtful." "("ukeru" could also mean 'to receive damage')" "Wait a second!" "She said she got it." "Why won't you tell her about being a Japanese teacher?" "You're always telling me." "What about making the other side understand you?" "All your stories about the humble manner of Japanese communication?" "would it be better for me to say that my job is more important than my family?" "Can you say it?" "There are some things better left unsaid." "That's just an excuse." "You didn't tell her how you really feel." "You're just hiding behind the vagueness of Japanese!" "Don't worry about it anymore." "Just leave it alone." "I'll get you to tell her how you feel!" "You're really working hard." "Yeah!" "He got me angry." "Why does Japanese have so many vague phrases?" "That's... there are some things you just can't easily say." "there's no point." "Right." "I guess so." "What do you think of this?" " "Ika...ta"." " "Ta"." "Right?" "Can't get away from work." "Will be an hour late." " Mom" " Hey!" " Come on already." " Let me go." " There's no point in you coming here if you keep acting like this." "I said it was fine!" "I get it enough." "You don't get something "enough"." "You're just like him if you keep acting like this." "You can't face each other so you just run away instead." "You came here to figure it out so why don't you see him?" "There's a lesson ten years in the making for you." "Lesson?" "Hurry up!" "let's start." "So I have an answer for everyone's questions about the vagueness of Japanese." "there is no clear answer!" " What?" "you have to get used to it." " What?" " That's ridiculous!" "I understand how people feel." "there were a group of people worried like you." " Who?" "Portuguese missionaries came to Japan." " Huh?" "They were worried about the pronunciation of "pa-pi-pu-pe-po" letters." " So the p-sound." " Right!" "Originally the circle mark that marks p-sounds was not in Japan!" "What?" "How do you read this?" "Hare"." " Then how do you read this?" " "Apare"." "It's the same "ha" character but you read it "ha" here and "pa" here!" "How do you know how to read it?" "it's just a feeling?" "Feeling?" "Even Japanese then figured out how to read things by the context." "You can't expect us to figure out things by the context!" "do something!" "Okay okay!" "Quiet down." "So what did the Portuguese think?" "How do you read this?" "Ika..towa?" I can't read it." "The correct answer is..." "I'd like an "ikada" please." "You're doing it again!" "We don't make "ikada" here." "We make "ikata" (molds) here." "Look carefully!" "We have a character that says it isn't "da"." "(The current term for mold is "igata" now)" "Ah!" "You're right!" "(The current term for mould is "igata" now)" "That's what the circle is for." " Yeah." " Hmm?" "So then the Portuguese used the circle to mark a p-sound also." "So then the "pa-pi-pu-pe-po" circle came from the Portuguese?" "Right!" "They used the circle to definitely mark it." "So then it's actually not a good thing to have vagueness in language." "That's the same thing we all said." " Japanese is strange!" " Right!" "quiet down." "I guess that's a natural feeling for you guys." "So then..." " Oh!" " Takasu-sensei?" " What are you doing?" " Are you a ninja?" "No no." "Welcome Takasu-sensei." "Okay everyone." "We'll have Takasu-sensei take over here now." "Wha?" "just a second..." "Takasu-sensei!" "Please clear this all up." "Please!" "Don't leave it so vague." "You guys." " It's not really that important to make everything so clear." " Why?" "There's a reason Japanese is so vague." "Japanese respects the concept of harmony and sometimes avoids definite statements out of consideration to the other party." "you stay vague and sometimes avoid even meeting them altogether." "they probably couldn't give up on talking to people." "they had to go headfirst into the culture." "we have this tiny circle that still exists even today." " Concept of harmony." " And they never forget how the other person feels?" "huh?" " Great as always Takasu-sensei." " A good lesson." " Very different from Haruko!" " Definitely!" "wait a second!" "I get it also!" "Haruko!" "You didn't!" "You guys are the ones who didn't!" "I did all of this!" "Ayaka." "I want to talk with you a bit." "The answer to your question..." "I was the one who was left behind." "Huh?" "I decided to quit my old job and jump into this one without talking to anyone." "I used up all of your mother's patience." "I guess I was the one who left behind the family." "What do you mean?" "I wanted for you guys to understand." "But I couldn't tell your mother." "And I jumped into this on my own without telling anyone." "We never met because I felt guilty." "I'm sorry." "even though it's been 10 years." " I never forgot about you guys once." " Dad... I thought I wanted to be with you a bit more maybe." " Huh?" " Huh? - are you saying you have a decision of something?" " No way!" "I came to a decision." " Decision?" " Okay." " Me too..." "I figured I would go see where my new dad is too!" " Huh huh?" " You said new dad?" " Sorry I'm late Ayaka." " Mom!" " Hurry up!" "Dad's private jet is almost here." " Yeah!" "who is this new dad?" " He's a businessman from New York." " New York?" "I wasn't sure if I wanted to go abroad or not." "I was able to meet some foreigners!" " And I guess see dad for the last time too." " Last time?" "Takasu-sensei!" " Let's go Mom." " Is that it?" "Okay!" "Dad said we should go to Miami for the weekend." "All right!" "I need a swimsuit." "huh?" "I'll be heading home now." " Wait!" " Huh?" "Charisma." "I have to tell him honestly." "I have to tell him..." "Good morning." "good morning." " Hey!" " Yes?" "It's Katori Miyuki." "how about some tea?" "I can do it myself." " No!" "Not that." " Maybe at my tea house?" " Tea house?" "the three of us... she made the tea all muddy." " Ah!" " Read that by tomorrow." "you said you wouldn't interfere in my lessons!" "You promised!" " I didn't promise that." " Huh?" "When you promised before you said "fine!" "back then all I said was "fine"." "depending on context) depending on context) things are really going to heat up." "Get ready!" "Japanese is too vague..."maji ukeru"."