This is 5-Minute Kanji, and today, we are going to go over a sword-fighting kanji: the kanji for noon. Mnemonic: UMA holds her sword up high and yells GO! Onyomi: ゴ go Kunyomi: うま uma The onyomi is most often used to mean noon or relative to noon like in the words 午後ごご, afternoon or ..read more

This is 5-Minute Kanji, and today, we are going to go over a dangerous kanji: the kanji for year. Mnemonic: When I fired my caNON at her TOE, SHE jumped into the tree to get away. Onyomi: ネン nen Kunyomi: とし toshi The onyomi is most often used to mean the calendar year or kanji ..read more

This is 5 Minute Kanji, and today we are going to go over a playful kanji this time, the kanji for yen. Mnemonic: There is a new claw game at the MARU, ENsert another coin and play. Onyomi: エン en Kunyomi: まる maru The onyomi is most often used to mean yen. For example ..read more

This is 5 Minute Kanji, and today we are going to go over a monster kanji this time, the kanji for ten thousand. Mnemonic: A man carries 10,000 bonbons on a plate above his head to feed the monster. Onyomi: まん、ばん man,  ban Kunyomi: よろず yorozu Like other kanji you use the onyomi, まん to ..read more

This is 5 Minute Kanji, and today we are going to go over a mexican kanji this time, the kanji for thousand. Mnemonic: A guy in a sombrero welcomes you with open arms and says “We have 1000s of Chimichangas for you, señor.” Onyomi: せん sen Kunyomi: ち chi Like other kanji you use the ..read more

This is 5 Minute Kanji, and today we are going to go over a hiking kanji this time, the kanji for hundred. Mnemonic: OH, I’m tired. I BIKed and HIKed 100s of miles to see all of Japan. Onyomi: ひゃく、びゃく hyaku, byaku Kunyomi: お, もも o, momo Like other kanji you use the onyomi ..read more

This is 5 Minute Kanji, and today we are going to go over a drink mixer’s kanji this time, the kanji for ten. Mnemonic: I can mix GIn PLUS JUIce with my TEN TOEs. Onyomi: ジュウ、ジッ、じゅっ juu, ji-, ju- Kunyomi: とお, と too, to Like other kanji you use the onyomi, じゅう to count up ..read more

 Take the Quiz Welcome everyone, this is Mac with another N5 Grammar Lesson from JLPT Boot Camp. In the last episode, we learned about how to express changes in states. Today, we are going to learn how to use the て form. We will look at a few, very short exchanges from our friends Matt and Yu. Let’s give it a try. Conversation 1 (0:24) Yu is at her house, talking to her father. She is leaving to meet Matt. They are speaking casually. Yu:    いってきます。             Itte kimasu.            I’ll be back. Dad: いって　らっしゃい。   &n ..read more

 Take the Quiz Welcome everyone, this is Mac with another N5 Grammar Lesson from JLPT Boot Camp. Last episode, we learned about how to express our wants and to make invitations. Today, we are going to learn how to talk about changes in states using もう and まだ. We are going to look at a few, very short exchanges. Let’s give it a try. Conversation 1 (0:24) Yu and Matt are deciding where to eat. Yu:    たこやきは　食たべたの。             Takoyakiwa    tabetano.            Did you eat takoyaki (before)? Matt: もう食べたよ。おいしかった。 &nb ..read more

 Take the Quiz Welcome everyone, this is Mac with another N5 Grammar Lesson from JLPT Boot Camp. Last episode, we learned how to talk about making changes and changes that happened. Today, we are going over some more of the key particles you need to know for the N5. We are going to look at a few, very short exchanges. Let’s give it a try. Conversation 1 (0:23) Yu is asking about Matt’s day. They are friends, so they will be speaking casually. Yu:    きのう　しごとは　どうだった。            Kinou     shigotowa   doudatta.       ..read more