Glossary and Yuika Translations

a, aa: roughly equivalent to "oh"

aa: Affirmative noise.

abunai: dangerous; often used to mean "Look out!"

agatteru: in the present enduring state of going up

ageteru: we're raising it

ageru: raise, lift up, make go up, give to somebody else

ageru tame ni: for the sake of giving (to you)

ampan: red-bean-jam bread (although it's more like a bun, with the bean-jam as filling. Yummy)

anoh: "hmmmmm" noise

ano na, ano ne: getting-attention noise

anta yo: it's you (girlish)

aozamenakute furuenai Katoru: Unblanching, unflinching Quatre

ara: Thoughtful or distressed noise.

ara ma: Thoughtful and bemused noise.

arara: Extended thoughtful or distressed noise.

are: Thoughtful noise, more masculine than "ara."

arere: Extended thoughtful noise, more masculine than "arara."

arigatoo: Thank you.

arigatoo gozaimashita: Thank you (for something already completed).

arigatoo gozaimasu: Thank you.

aru yo: it *is*!

asagao: morning-glory

asoko: there, that place, a location near neither the speaker nor the listener

asukago: If it were a word, it would mean "tomorrow-corner," but it isn't.

atarimae: exactly, you've hit smack upon it, rem acu tetigisti

battloid: mobile-suit style mode of a Valkyrie.

bempatsu: braid (literally, braid-hair); if kimpatsu (gold-hair, blond) can be used as a noun, so ought bempatsu.

bratchet: small female dog

boke: Goofball.

boku: I, me (the sort of word used by boys)

bu, bu shi: no (Chinese)

cara: dear (the feminine form -- Italian distinguishes.)

caro: dear (the masculine form.)

chanto iimashita: well said

che!: an Annoyed Noise.

chibi: teensy, little (usually used of people)

chigau: mistaken, wrong, no it isn't

choco-pan: chocolate bread

chotto: a little. Often short for "chotto matte": wait just a sec.

chotto machi nasai: wait for a little

chotto matte: wait just a sec.

chou: A little less than two-and-a-half-acres

chou-: ultra-.

coca: a South American shrub, sometimes used in patent medicines (at least one of which decided that seltzerized was the way to go). Cocaine can be extracted from its leaves.

da, desu: the verb "to be"

daijoubu: it's all right

dakara: so... / and so...

dame: No good. It doesn't work.

dare: who

dare ga sunde iru ie?: "__ ga sunde iru ie" would be "the house where __ lives"; this is an elegant way of asking "Who lives there?"

datta: past tense of the verb "to be"

datte: but, however

de: it being so; by itself, usually short for "sore de," in that case, being this way

demo: but

___ deshoo: I suppose ___, I expect ___

de wa: short for "sore de wa," well, then

de wa mata: until we meet again

dokan!: bang!

doke: Outatheway!

doko ni aru?: where is/are ___?

donna?: what sort of?

dono?: which?

doo?: in what way? how? how's that?

doomo: thanks

doose: anyway, at any rate, after all

doo shita n da: what's the matter?

doo sureba, doo sureba ii?: what shall I/we do? (literally, "What, if I/we do it, will be good?")

doozo: please take this (said when giving someone else food)

dotchi mo: Both ways. Both of two things.

e: surprised noise

ee: Affirmative noise; not as masculine as "aa."

eeto, eeto ne: let-me-see noise

-er: Chinese equivalent of -chan

fu: variation on fn/hn.

fuita ki: the tree that lies

fujin: lady, woman (sometimes more polite than josei, DEFINITELY more polite than onna); used in the compounds for woman policeman and so forth. Japanese has a habit of sticking "lady/woman/female" in front of perfectly good job titles when they are in fact held by women. You can also stick "joryuu" in front of them, but that implies frilly and feminine, and I get the feeling that if they were referred to as "joryuu (anything)" Noin and Hilde would kick the referrer up one side and down the other.

fujin pairotto: lady/woman pilot(s).

furoshiki: like a large scarf. You wrap presents in it, or tie it around your neck and pretend you're Superman.

ga: particle -- thing you stick after a noun to show that it's the subject of the sentence.

___ ga imasu: ___ is here/there/present

genki de ite ne: be well, okay?

genki desu ka: how are you? (literally, "are you in a cheerful mood?" and can be answered "I'm genki!") "Genki ka" is a more informal equivalent.

genki kai: sloppy informal equivalent of "genki desu ka"

gerwalk: halfway-in-between-MS-and-plane-style mode of a Valkyrie.

gokurou: well done (said after successful completion of a mission)

goran kudasai: please look (very polite)

-gou: A thing you stick on after the name of a military vessel too small to be a "senkan" (battleship).

gyaa: shocked noise

gyah: a more shocked noise than "kyaa!"

H: risque, bawdy, on beyond that

ha: feather, wing (particularly in compounds)

hai: yes

hai, hai: oh, yes

haiku: Japanese verse; five-seven-five syllable pattern.

hajime!: start! (often said where English would say "Go!")

hanareru na: stay close (ruder than "hanarenaide")

hane: feather, wing

hanyaan: Kinomoto Sakura's (from Card Captor Sakura) signature Happy Noise.

hayai: early

hayakereba: if [it's] early

hayashi (bayashi in some compounds): wood

hen ne, hen desu ne: how odd.

hidoi: terrible, awful, cruel

hitonigiri: a little bit, i.e. of food or something; a morsel

hitotsu: one, one thing

honto?: for real?

honto ni: really

hontou: really

hora!: look!

hour of the Ox: in the Chinese system, between two and four in the morning

hoyoyo: Norimaki Arale's (from Dr. Slump) signature All-Purpose Noise.

hsiehsie: thank you (Chinese)

hyaku: hundred

ichiban no sukimono: the thing I like best

ie: house (slightly more formal than "uchi")

ie: no (more blunt than iie)

iie: no

ikaga: how, as in "ikaga desu ka," how are you?

ikaga desu ka: how are you?

ikikata: way of living

ikimasen ka: won't you go?

ikimashoo: let's go

iki nasai: go/come!

ikoo: let's go (more blunt)

iku wa yo: here I/we go

iku zo: I'm going / let's go

inai: isn't (there)

isoide: I'm in a hurry, so...

itai: hurts (often used for "Ouch!")

itashimasen deshita: I didn't do it (very humble)

itte: go/come on!

itte: speak! / talk, say it

itte-miyoo: let's go take a look at the situation

itteru yo: we're going

iwa: rock

ja: abbreviation for ja mata (see you later)

ja, jaa: well, then

ja mata: good-bye for now, see you later (harder version)

jan: ta-da noise

___ ja nai ka: isn't that ___?

jitsu wa: the truth is, the fact is

Joufunbetsu: a Grand Idea

ka: nothing-word you stick onto the end of a sentence to formally make it a question

kachi: the win

kachi wa ore?: did I win? (literally, did the win go to me?)

kado: corner

kaeroo: let's go home

kami: God Almighty, the whatever-it-is that makes weird noises in the house at night, and anything in between.

kana: Japanese writing, the syllabaries

kangaeteru: am in the present enduring state of thinking (about something)

kanryou: complete

Katoru no tame ni: for Quatre's sake

kawaisoo-na __: poor __

kazeken: song world

kiite: listen

kikoemasen: I can't hear (polite)

kikoemasen ka: can't you hear it? (A little more formal than she's been, but...)

kimashita: has come

kochira koso: same to you (literally, same on this end)

kochira ni: (come/go) this way

koi: imperative of "kuru," come, c'mere

koko: here, this place, the location near me

komban wa: good evening

konnichi wa: good day

kono: this; kono [myname] = "I, [myname],"

koukaishi: mate (literally, "navigator")

kowai: scary

kudasai: please

kukuku: the sound of scary male laughter

Kuritsubo: Chestnut Pavilion (Dorothy's House)

kuru zo: here it comes!

kyaa: shocked noise (rather girlish)

kyaa: the sound of girlish squealing

laili, etc.: part of the chorus for "Suna no Juujika," the ending song to the first Gundam movie.

ma, ika (maa, ii ka): resigned noise.

maikka: resigned noise; more masculine variation on ma, ika.

-maru: A thing you stick on after the name of a commercial vessel. It implies that the vessel will get where it's going and come back safely.

masaka: nonsense!

mata: later, again

mata ashita: Until tomorrow.

mata ne: until later, see you later (softer version)

mazui: bad (with reference to situation or taste)

mecha: any cool mechanical contrivance, such as a fighter plane or a mobile suit

mienai: [I] can't see [it] / [it] isn't visible.

mina de: everyone together ___

mina, mina-san: everybody

Minovsky particles: things that confuse radar and long-distance systems, forcing outer space combat to be up close and personal

___ mitai: just like ___

mite: look

mochiron: of course

mokuyoobi: Thursday

moo ichido: again, once more

mou: frustrated or longsuffering noise

moo ii: it's fine now, enough already

Mukashi-mukashi: Long and long ago; traditional Japanese method of beginning a tale, equivalent to French "Une fois" or English "Once upon a time."

n?: huh?

na: seeking-affirmation noise, more masculine than "ne"

nakama: companion, comrade

nan, nani: what

nanda: what's that? / whassat?

nan da to: what did you say?

nan de mo nai: nothing, don't bother your head about it

nanji no: tuum (archaic "thine")

naruhodo: The thing that I did not understand before has now been made clear to me.

nattou: Fermented soybeans. A typical Japanese delicacy that often turns the stomachs of foreigners (the way Americans are about peanut butter).

naze: why

ne: seeking-affirmation noise

ne / ne, ne: hey-listen-here noise

neesan: older sister; sort of medium-polite

__ ni: to/for __

ninmu: mission ^_^

no: X no Y means that X is describing Y -- either as X's Y, or as Y the X.

o: particle -- thing you stick after a noun to show that it's the object of a sentence.

o-genki de: fare well

ohayo = ohayoo

ohayoo, ohayoo gozaimasu: Good morning. Literally, "you seem to be about early."

oi: hey-you-there noise

oikakete ikimasu yo: I'm chasing you and will catch up

okashii: weird, funny.

okashii na: weiiiird

omedetoo: congratulations

oneesan: elder sister; polite way to address a woman around your age or a little older

oomono: a large something.

ore: I, me. Very guy-speak.

ore dake: just me?

ore ja nakute: It wasn't me... (implying a "but" or "although" or some other added conclusion to the sentence)

ore mo: I also, me too

ore mo ii?: is it all right if I do it too?

osoi: late

o-tachidomari nasai!: halt! (very politely), literally "stop and be standing up!"

o-taku: house

o-tanjoubi omedetoo: happy birthday, congratulations on your birthday

o-tanoshimi ni: have fun!

oyasumi: 'night (short for "oyasumi nasai," good night, literally "rest yourself".)

ririshikute: bravely, and

rusu: out (i.e., not in)

ryoukai: accepted, roger, got that

sa: nothing-word used when emphasizing the thing just before it or indicating a strong reaction

saa: "Well...", "Come on," "We'll see about that" (when drawn out).

saa, ne: come on now

saa tte to: "Hm, let me see here" noise.

sankyuu: thanks (Japanese pronunciation of English "thank you"); sounds ridiculously cute

sekai de: in the world

senchou: captain of a non-military ship (the captain of a military ship is "kanchou").

serifunashi: without words/talking/message.

settenki: snowy weather

shi: yes (Chinese)

shimatta: "Drat"; "Oh, bother."

Shinigami: die-god (i.e., god of dying, god of death); note that it is its own plural

shippai: failure

shiranai: I don't know

soko: there, that place, the location near you

soo: affirmative word -- "that's so"; "in that way."

soo da na: that's so, isn't it?

soo desu ka: is that so?

soo desu ne, soo ne: Really, is that so? / that's so, isn't it?

soo ka: Effectively, "I see."

sore: that; that near you, the thing under discussion

sore datta?: was that it?

sore de ii: now it's fine

sore deshita ka: was that it? (more polite than "sore datta?")

sore de wa: well, then, that being the case, that's on account of

sore ni: and besides

sore ni doomo: and thanks

sore o utagatteru: which I doubt

sore wa: that is

sorya okashii: 'S funny.

soshite: and then

sotchi: on your end, over by you

soto: outdoors, outside

stable: in this case, it means you can park something like a colony there without having to correct its position every so often in order to keep it from wandering off and maybe coming down bump.

sugokatta: cool (past tense)

sugokatta deshoo: In this contest, "wasn't that great of him?"

sumimasen: I'm sorry, excuse me

suna: sand

suwatte kudasai: please sit down

tabun: probably

___ tachi: ___ and whoever's along

tada no: ordinary

taihen: Disaster, something terribly wrong

taku: fancy word for "house"

tanka: Japanese verse; five-seven-five-seven-seven syllable pattern.

tanomu: I ask this of you / I trust you to do this.

tanoshii: fun

tanoshinderu: [the subject] is having fun

to: and

___ to: speaking of ___

tobu: fly, jump

tonde kite: c'mere and jump, jump and come here in the process

tonde mite: try and jump, jump and see how it is

tonikaku: anyway, anyhow

__ to utae: sing ___!

tsumori: what one intends to do

tsutaegoto: rather odd (although valid) way to read two characters that would normally be read "dengon," message.

___ tteba: "I said, ___"

umbrageous: likely to take offense

un: yes, yeah, yup

uta: "song" or "poem."

utarashii: uta-ish

utarashikatta: was uta-like.

utarashiku: uta-like (adverbal because of the verb "make")

X: a popular and extremely angsty manga by CLAMP.

wa: particle -- thing you stick after a noun to show that it's the topic of the sentence.

wa: nothing-word used for emphasis, especially emotional charge; like "sa," only more feminine and emotional

waa: wow, cool, neato

wakaru, wakarimasu: see, understand

wakaru deshoo: I expect you see, you probably know what I mean

wakatta, wakarimashita: literally meaning "understood," often works out in practice to "yes, I've heard you (and I'll do it)."

ware no: meum (archaic "mine")

wareware: we (formal)

wasabi: Japanese Green Horseradish Of Death.

Wing o ageru: take Wing up

ya: surprised or satisfied noise

yaa: hello-ish noise

yarimashita: we did it

yappari: in the end, all in all, just as I expected, I thought so

yatta: I did it, we did it (less polite than "yarimashita")

yo: Intensifier; tack onto the end of a sentence to make it stronger or more assertive.

yoi: good (slightly more formal than "ii")

yoroshii: good; much more formal than "yoshi"

yoroshikatta desu ne: It was good, wasn't it?

yoshi: good (pronounced with the last syllable swallowed: "Yosh'!")

Yuishi: Poohsticks (literally "just branches")

zai jien: good-bye for now (Chinese)

Zaku: the general Zion mecha from the original Kidou Senshi Gundam timeline. You could possibly mistake it for a Leo, but confusing it with an Aries would take *some* doing...

zannen: what a shame / that's too bad

zenzen: not at all (used with a negative)

zettai da: "Absolutely."

The Sustaining Book was Tove Jansson's Moominsummmer Madness, as translated by Thomas Warburton, 1966. For some reason she is wildly popular in Japan. I have an artbook with a gorgeous picture of Snufkin (Nuuskamuikkunen) on the cover.

Syrup of Coca is, essentially, extract of Coke. Jaa, sooner them than ME.

The Valkyrie is the common run of mecha from Super Dimensional Fortress Macross, which I certainly don't own either (it belongs to Tatsunoko Productions).

If flying things were people,
then I shouldn't climb in order to make this base blow up.