ＨＥＬＬＯ！ Ｉ　ＡＭ　ＱＵＩＺＢＯ™！I am beaming to you via The Internet through a new website editor, so if the formatting appears to be any different to usual, it may be due to said new editor. Though, a new editor does not mean that I have changed in my mission and function. I am the robot friend of Kiki and Koko from the Japanese language and culture blog and series Kiki+Koko: Let’s NihonGO!! Online. I have been here for you, reading Japanese characters and words in order to help you on your unique Japanese language learning journey. It is my hope that I will be able to provide assistance for any level of learner as well as those who simply want to experience some new Japanese vocabulary and sentences that one may not have been able to experience on one’s own. That is the concept of Word of the Week. It is also my hope that the vocabulary, grammar, and sentence ideas presented will enrich your journey. However, in order to fully understand what you will be able to gain from this segment, you may ask yourself: What is Word of the Week Wednesday?

During what some may refer to as the ‘before times’, the site had begun as a place where Japanese lessons and articles regarding language and culture were regularly created and uploaded regularly, every Monday and Friday. Though such a consistent flow of information would seem to be enough for other sites, it was clear that there could be even more. For between Monday and Friday was a long gap in which there was no new information being presented. Not only was there a long gap between information, but many would forget to return to revise previous lessons. In learning any language, it is important to be consistent, even if it is only once a day. Thus, Japanese Word of the Week Wednesday was born. Word of the Week Wednesday not only acts as a great reminder for those who have either missed previous lessons or those who simply require revision, returning to previous lessons and articles, but it also gives just enough new information for students and visitors not to feel overwhelmed. Whether it is simply a quick addition to their vocabulary or studying sentence structure and pronunciation or reading, this segment serves beginners and more advanced learners alike. However, What happens during Word of the Week Wednesday?

During Word of the Week Wednesday, with the assistance of Kiki and Koko, a Japanese word or phrase is chosen and presented to you with the possibility of a bonus word, as well. I provide a definition and other useful information about the vocabulary word, and if applicable, Kiki and Koko provide a helpful hint in using the word or phrase. However, that is not the whole of it. I personally sound out each word or phrase aloud for you to repeat as many times as you wish, and you can ask me to say it as many times as you wish. I will never tire of it, as it is my function. From there, an example sentence is created. You can not only use the sentence to see how the word is used or to see the definition in action, but you can also use it to practise your reading and writing. You can compose your own sentence based on it; you can use it to see examples of grammar; or you can even use it to learn other adjacent vocabulary. Each sentence is written in a way that is useful to beginners through advanced learners. So, there is something for everyone. And, again, I will be there to read it aloud for you. I can only read it at one speed, so there is no need to repeat after me, but it can still assist you in picking out vocabulary within natural speeds of speech. And, if you would like to know more about how to create your own sentences, be sure to consult the grammar section of the Essentials.

And, now it is time for the essential part of this segment, which is the vocabulary! Kiki and Koko will be joining us in their Helpful Hints segment of this corner to give some fun facts relating to today’s vocabulary.

Without further ado, let us NihonGO!!

Word(s) of the Week:

秋【あき】aki

Noun (名詞)
1.autumn; fall

jlpt n5| common word (常用語) 

Bonus Word(s) of the Week:

木の葉【このは】konoha

Noun (名詞)
1. leaves of trees; foliage

Also can be read: 「きのは」ki no ha
jlpt n? | common word (常用語)

We shall return after these messages with Kiki+Koko’s Helpful Hints.

※Helpful Hints with Kiki+Koko

Photo via @kikikokoNihonGO on Twitter

Hello, there! It’s us, Kiki+Koko, your guides to Japanese language and culture from Kiki+Koko: Let’s NihonGO!! Online. Today, we’re keeping it simple with a bit of seasonal vocabulary you can use all year round! We’re here to give you a bit of assistance with one vocabulary word that may give you a bit of trouble if you’re a beginner or even if you’ve begun learning kanji and find yourself confused by the pronunciation. But, we’re here to assist you with a quick explanation!

So, normally, when you see「木」, you’ll read it as 「き, ki」for ‘tree’, however if you remember our introduction of some planetary vocabulary in: Across the Universe| Basic Space Vocabulary | SIDE B where you’ll find 「木」pronounced 「もく, moku」for the wood star, 木星, mokusei, otherwise known as Jupiter. This also applies to more vocabulary, but we’ll start to get lost in it if we delve too deeply. The point is that it’s important to be familiar with the vocabulary in order to know or give an educated guess at the pronunciation of words. There’s usually a bit of a pattern, but with some, especially common words, it’s just a case of getting used to them– Namely: 「木の葉」。

In 秋、aki, autumn, you’ll see 木の葉っぱ, ki no happa, the leaves of the trees, changing their colours. However, due to the singularity of most Japanese nouns that often simply imply multiple objects or single objects, you’ll also see 木の葉, ko no ha, change their colours. Now, we think, if you translate the second as foliage and the first as leaves of the trees, you can really start to differentiate the best reading for each of them and it becomes a bit less confusing, we hope. 

The point is, it can certainly be a bit strange at first, but just as with any vocabulary you learn, with time, effort, and multiple exposures, you’ll find yourself getting the picture sooner or later. 

We hope that helps!! Until the next lesson!
♡Kiki+Koko

Thank you, Kiki and Koko! I know that there is much more than can be discussed as it is related to kanji, but for now, that certainly gives a useful quick mention of something that will be given more focus in the future after the first writing systems are properly learned. But, let us not focus on that just yet. It is time to see these vocabulary words in action to hopefully be able to use them in your own autumnal sentences.

Example Sentences:

The first row is in Japanese with Kanji. The Next row is in hiragana, then romanised using rōmaji with the final row translated into English. (Japanese→Hiragana→Rōmaji→English)

Example #1:

秋が大好きだわ！秋に木の葉は紅葉したり、落ちてしまったり、カリカリになったりする。カリカリな木の葉を踏むことは楽しみ！カリカリカリカリ！
あきが　だいすきだわ！あきに　このはは　こうようしたり、おちてしまったり、かりかりになったりする。かりかりな　この　はを　ふむことは　たのしみ！かりかりかりかり！
aki ga daisuki da wa! aki ni ko no ha wa kouyou shitari, ochite shimattari, kari kari ni nattari suru. kari kari na ko no ha wo fumu koto wa tanoshimi! kari kari kari kari!
I love autumn! In autumn, the leaves change colour, fall down, and become crunchy. I look forward to stepping on crunchy leaves! Cronch-cronch!

Example #2:

夏の終わりに、平和と静かになるだろうと思った間際、聞きます。「ミーンミーンミーンミーン」。そして、秋のセミのことが忘れちゃったと気づきます。
なつの　おわりに　へいわと　しずかに　なるだろうと　おもった　まぎわ、ききます。「みーんみーんみーんみーん」。そして、あきのせみのことが　わすれちゃったと　きづきます。
natsu no owari ni heiwa to shizuka ni naru darou to omotta magiwa, kikimasu. ‘miin miin miin miin’. soshite, aki no semi no koto ga wasurechatta to kidzukimasu.
Just before you think it would become peaceful and quiet at the end of summer, you hear it. ‘Miin miin miin miin’. And, you realise you’ve forgotten about the autumn cicadas. 

Example #3:

A.この美しい「キのハ」を全て見てごらんよ!
B:「キのハ」ってじゃないよ、母さん。「木の葉」だよ。「コ・ノ・ハ」。
A:ウチが言った通りだろう。「キのハ」。誰かは、「キのハ」を発音するために「カクカク学者」である必要はないなぁ。

A:このうつくしい「きのは」を　すべて　みてごらんよ！
B:「きのは」ってじゃないよ、かあさん。「このは」だよ。「こ・の・は。」
A:うちがいったとおりだろう。「きのは」。だれかは、「きのは」をはつおんする　ために　「かくかくがくしゃ」である　ひつようはないなあ。

A:kono utsukushii 「ki no ha」wo subete mite goran yo!
B: 「ki no ha」tte jyanai yo, kaasan. 「ko no ha」da yo. 「ko no ha」
A: uchi ga itta toori darou. 「ki no ha」. dareka wa 「ki no ha」wo hatsuon suru tame ni「kakukakugakusha」de aru hitsuyou wa nai naa.

A: Just look at all this beautiful “foilage.”
B: It’s not “foilage,” Mom. It’s foliage. Foliage.
A: That’s what I said– “foilage.” It doesn’t take a “nucular” scientist to pronounce “foilage.”

ーThe Simps☆ns

（Nuclear isn’t often mispronounced in the same way in Japanese, but the joke would be completely gone. Nuclear scientist is: 核科学者, kakukagakusha. )

(Unlike foliage, we want to stress, you CAN teeeechnically say きのは, ki no ha, just in case you want to be ready to read words like 木の葉っぱ, ki no happa, but it’s just usually the former. But, it’s just more correct to say: このは, ko no ha. We mention this, again, moreso for plasticity when reading. So, again, it’s not completely akin to saying foilage rather than foliage, as one is wrong and one is correct. But, in Japanese, このは, ko no ha, just makes more sense to say and is just more correct, as the other is a reading and makes sense, but… we’re waffling. The point is: このは, ko no ha, is good. きのは, ki no ha, just not as good, but okay, but just use the first when you’re using this term. Whew, we hope that makes sense.)

Japanese Word(s) of the Week w/ QUIZBO™ | 【上手】+ BONUS:【下手】(+Helpful Hints with Kiki+Koko: Don’t just say ‘good’ or ‘bad’!)

That is all for today! But, maybe you have not had enough Japanese vocabulary, yet? Perhaps you would like to learn more vocabulary related to today’s vocabulary? Well, maybe you can give this one a go:Japanese Word(s) of the Week w/ QUIZBO™ | 【上手】+ BONUS:【下手】(+Helpful Hints with Kiki+Koko: Don’t just say ‘good’ or ‘bad’!) Or maybe you want to experience an even broader range of vocabulary. In which case, you can have a look at our fine selection of segments on the main Word of the Week page. Or, you can be sure you are caught up with the latest with the sidebar link: 今週の単語 | Word of the Week. These segments alone serve as weeks of material. Share these segments with your friends and family who may be interested in broadening their Japanese vocabulary, that is if you would like to spread the knowledge and show the fun things you are learning with us. Be sure to return often to keep your pronunciation properly in check, as well! If you have any questions, feel free to contact us, and we will do our best to assist how we can. We hope to see you at the next lesson!

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♡QUIZBO™

    
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