JLPT N3 〜み (~Mi): Turning Adjectives to Noun in Japanese

The JLPT N3 〜み (~mi) is a suffix that attaches to adjectives (mostly い-adjectives) and turns them into nouns. It’s similar to adding ~ness to an adjective in English (i.e., sweetness). However, there are some differences, the biggest being that nouns with 〜み express a quality or condition that cannot really be measured. They are […]

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Katakana: Free Online Katakana Chart & Learning Guide

After mastering hiragana, one of the three Japanese writing systems, the natural next step is to learn katakana, the second Japanese syllabary. Commonly used to write loanwords, katakana represent the same set of sounds as hiragana, but they look completely different. Katakana characters are typically boxier and more geometric, with sharp corners, in contrast to […]

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JLPT N4 Grammar らしい (Rashii): Meaning, Explanation, Example

The grammar pattern 〜らしい is used to express information that is not directly confirmed by the speaker. In English, it can mean “it seems like,” “apparently,” “I heard that,” or “it looks like.” Although 〜らしい may seem simple at first, it actually has a wide range of meanings and is used in different situations. Depending […]

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