Japanese Language Stack Exchange
Japanese Language Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [connotation]

Cultural or emotional association beyond a word's or phrase's literal meaning.

Questions regarding commonly understood cultural or emotional associations of a word or a phrase, as opposed to the word's or phrase's explicit or literal meaning, which is called its denotation.

For example, both 化粧室 and 便所 denote the same object (bathroom or toilet), but the former carries a positive ("clean"), the latter a negative ("dirty") connotation.

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Why can できている carry a judgemental, negative connotation?

My Japanese teacher, who is a native speaker, once answered a student's question about the difference between: （彼は）ドイツ語ができる。 （彼は）ドイツ語ができている He said that a younger speaker might be more likely to use the second, in a context in which, for example,…
JMC
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What connotation does the ending -n to a Japanese female name have?

The Japanese female names that end with "i" can be altered by adding "n" in their end. E.g.: "Konami" -> "Konamin" "Mizuki" -> "Mizukin" "Narumi" -> "Narumin" "Chinami" -> "Chinamin" I would like to understand what exact connotation this alternation…
Dávid Natingga
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Is "役立つ" a recent lexicalization of "役に立つ"? Is it less formal?

When did 役に立つ lexicalize to 役立{やくだ}つ? Has 役立つ always been a word, and a word that is used more frequently than 役に立つ? A quick google shows 役立つ is used 3 times more frequently. I am reading the translation of a speech. The translator always says 役立つ…
Just Someone
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「ボーダー」... What border?

My gf loves me wearing striped shirts, as I'm not a skinny person (Japanese standard skinny, stateside I'm skin and bone) they naturally make me look fat! She always says "ボーダーが好き" and I always think "No, I hate the the (Mexican/Canadian/Any border!…
Y12K
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Does 同棲 always have a romantic connotation?

Take for instance the noun, 同棲組 which roughly means a group living together. Does 同棲 always have a romantic connotation, or is it possible to use it in a non-romantic sense. For example, to describe a group of friends living together?
Tim F.
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Are 腹違い (harachigai) and 種違い (tanechigai) rude terms to use when referring to half-siblings?

腹違い and 種違い are ways to refer to siblings born of different mothers/fathers. Are these terms rude/disrespectful? Or are they about as innocuous as saying "half-siblings"? Also, I could open another question, but for bonus points, is ハーフ considered a…
chausies
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what is the difference between 転ぶ【ころぶ】 and 落ちる【おちる】

What is the difference between 転ぶ【ころぶ】 and 落ちる【おちる】? Here is a nice entry about おちる The differences with おちる (落ちる、堕ちる、墜ちる) ...but I have not found an explanation of the difference between 転ぶ【ころぶ】 and 落ちる【おちる】 as it occurs in this…
Ned Reif
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Is there any difference in connotation between 悪い人 and 悪人?

Context: I like to translate song lyrics for fun and casual practice; two I've recently been listening to are 悪い人 by syudou and 悪人 by ive, and the similar titles got me wondering whether I should be translating the two terms differently. I…
kieran
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Connotations and use of 日本晴(れ)

I know that 日本晴れ （にっぽん・ばれ）(it can be にほん, but is most commonly にっぽん) literally means "sunny Japan" and gives the sense of a clear sky, but I was wondering: are there any other connotations of this? I was wondering since I have seen it a lot…
Inazuma Yoshi
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Connotation of 行きますか vs 行きましょうか

My textbook has the following conversation: A: 明日どこに行きますか。 B: デパートに行きましょう。 A: どのデパートに行きますか。 B: 貴方の家の北のデパートに行きましょう The third line is translated to English in the textbook as "which department store should we go to?" My trouble is with the…
Shirik
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Is 馬鹿げた only used in a negative way?

I seem to recall hearing it being used in an "That's crazy/insane/amazing","WOW" kind of way. But looking it up, it seems to have more of a negative "That's stupid" kind of connotation to it. In what context can it be used? Is it really just a…
Y12K
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Are「まじめじゃない」、「まじめな人」subjective terms

I have a really hard time understanding the connotation of the term「まじめじゃない」or「まじめな人」, I know the denotation is "a serious person". Phrases like「まじめに仕事する人 (A person who works hard/takes their job seriously)」are easy to understand, but when it comes…
Y12K
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"善処します" What is the person saying this actually implying?

On the OpenStack contributor's guide, it contains the following: In Japanese culture, people tend not to say yes or no clearly as a way to respect others and to avoid appearing argumentative. A common phrase in Japanese business language is “Zensho…
Y12K
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「深酷」とは　どういう意味ですか

現在、私は戦前の日本語を読んでいるところで、辞書にも存在していないことばを見つけました。次の文です： ...極めて深酷に徹底的と云はざるを得ない。 推測ですが、私にはこのように思われます： ...極めて深刻に徹底的と言えざるを得ない。 かと思っていますが、辞書などの根拠がないので、ちょっと自信がないです。 旧字体・新字体の便利帳を見ても、これは書いてありません。 質問として、 私の推測があっているかどうかをチェックしてもらいたいです。 またできれば、どこか辞典で掲載しているところを教え…
virmaior
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Connotation of 親密 (shinmitsu)

jisho.org translates shinmitsu as "intimacy; friendship​", and says it's a common word. But I want to know its connotation. Is it heavily inclined to romance? Or heavily inclined towards a platonic bond? Or completely neutral between those two…
chausies
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