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Does anybody else have this problem? - kusterdu - 2010-08-11
In my reading (especially in Japanese dictionary definitions) I sometimes come across combinations of simple kanji whose meanings I understand perfectly but whose readings I don't know. For example, I have come across 右上 several times, and though the meaning is obvious, I cannot find it in a dictionary. Is it みぎうえ or じょうゆう or what? Do Japanese people even care about the readings of these kinds of words or do they just read them like symbols? I know it doesn't really matter. I know I'll probably never use these kinds of words in conversation -- I'm just curious.
Does anybody else have this problem? - yudantaiteki - 2010-08-11
Everyone has that problem, including native speakers. For more common words, native speakers don't have to worry because they know what is a word and what isn't. For rarer words they probably just don't care, guess at a reading, and move on.
(I would read 右上 as みぎうえ, personally.)
Does anybody else have this problem? - wccrawford - 2010-08-11
http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E5%8F%B3%E4%B8%8A&eng=&dict=edict
みぎうえ it is.
Does anybody else have this problem? - Mushi - 2010-08-11
kusterdu Wrote:For example, I have come across 右上 several times, and though the meaning is obvious, I cannot find it in a dictionary. Is it みぎうえ or じょうゆう or what?I assume that it's because most people would think of that as being two words instead of one. Sort of like how you typically won't find "upper right" in a dictionary.
Does anybody else have this problem? - Rekkusu - 2010-08-12
Though Rikaichan knows it
I actually came across this word and the whole other set （左下 etc.) a few days ago, whilst playing through the new fire emblem on the ds.
Does anybody else have this problem? - Raschaverak - 2010-08-12
kusterdu Wrote:For example, I have come across 右上 several times, and though the meaning is obvious, I cannot find it in a dictionary.Omg. At first I confused the first part with the kanji for "stone" (Heisig keyword), so I thought, hmm it must mean "meteorit" (stone from above)
I was dead wrong
Does anybody else have this problem? - thecite - 2010-08-12
kusterdu Wrote:In my reading (especially in Japanese dictionary definitions) I sometimes come across combinations of simple kanji whose meanings I understand perfectly but whose readings I don't know. For example, I have come across 右上 several times, and though the meaning is obvious, I cannot find it in a dictionary. Is it みぎうえ or じょうゆう or what? Do Japanese people even care about the readings of these kinds of words or do they just read them like symbols? I know it doesn't really matter. I know I'll probably never use these kinds of words in conversation -- I'm just curious.「右上」は「みぎあがり」なんじゃないの？
Does anybody else have this problem? - ocircle - 2010-08-12
You just read it in a manner that would get the meaning across the most efficiently.
Even if you've read a word incorrectly, Japanese speakers would know what you meant. Such as 間 (あいだ/ま/かん):
この間はありがとうございました。
間に合わなかった!
1週間間の休暇ですが...。