I was recently asked what my favorite Japanese word or phrase was by a teacher at my school. Strangely, it had been the first time I was asked this. It seems like a perfectly normal question to get in Japan yet I was totally unprepared. She offered up the English expressions "it's my pleasure" and "because of you" as example. She said she especially liked "it's my pleasure" because there was no Japanese equivalent. After thinking about it for a minute or two I finally came up with 弱肉強食 but I think it was a lame rushed answer (and probably Chinese in origin anyway). Not to mention I think 四文字熟語 are an easy way out of a question like this, since they are poetic by design. Perhaps the truth is, that I don't have a favorite bit of Japanese. A favorite kanji sure but no word or phrase really comes to mind. What about you, in your studies have you come across an expression that you like? 四文字熟語 are OK but I am more interested in real bits of Japanese that can't just be picked off a list. Also, if you can, post your reason as well.

面倒臭いな - Sorry, I like IGWP too much.

omg nukemarine... i was just about to say my most overused word is 面倒臭い... that's funny... too much Naruto here ... by the way this really pisses off my japanese girlfriend when i say it to her all the time LOL i told her don't worry about it... it's just habit

仕方がない

Not just for the meaning, but the sound and the way flows.

千里の行も一歩より始まる

or

漢字ぬきの日本語は片足で歩こうとするようなものです。

蚊に食われて、とても痒いです。

とはいえ

Not used much in conversation, but it sounds awesome.

alyks Wrote:蚊に食われて、とても痒いです。

do people actually say this?　I think I've heard 刺す exclusively when talking about mosquitos. But 食う would be sorta funny to be able to use

「とにもかくにも」 sounds funny to me.

Probably ｢起承転結｣. I heard it on さよなら絶望先生, and it stuck immediately.

Another favorite (from the same source, among others) is ｢...って言うな！｣.

Oh yes, as for funny, I enjoy なんたらかんたら which is "short" for なんとかかんとか。

And there's the other version, こうとかどうとか。

It's not my favourite but I think 我々は (われわれは） is kinda funny sounding.

I like 濡れ鼠. It sounds good and I think the image is nice.

CaLeDee Wrote:It's not my favourite but I think 我々は (われわれは） is kinda funny sounding.

Seconded. Actually, I like most "々-words", if you know what I mean. 時々, 次々, 木々... They're so easy to memorize.

I think 赤ちゃん　is the cutest word in any language. That image of 'the little red guy' is just too sweet. Also love the onomatopeia, like ぼろぼろじゃん、and I refer to my 自転車　as a ちゃり.
I'll stop at three. But compared to my native language, English, and aspiring-to-be-fluent French and Chinese, I think Japanese has some of the coolest words - sounds and meaning together that just perfectly fit a situation.

なんとなく is my favorite word these days.

johnzep Wrote:

alyks Wrote:蚊に食われて、とても痒いです。

do people actually say this?　I think I've heard 刺す exclusively when talking about mosquitos. But 食う would be sorta funny to be able to use

It was in UBJG...

あったか、なかったか、分からなかった。

^^v

死ぬそう

Often heard in the kibitz of 囲碁 games.

And what about things difficult to pronounce? I found the sentence 「目上を敬う」 (from ヒカルの碁) surprisingly tricky.

I don't know but I do like the sound of なんちゃって.

nac_est Wrote:And what about things difficult to pronounce?

七時... <<

My favorite Japanese word is my very non-Japanese name, transliterated into kanji by a good friend!

English name: Samuel

Kanji name: 三夢得 (サムエル)

Receive Three Dreams!!!

tokyostyle Wrote:

rich_f Wrote:なんとなく is my favorite word these days.

I love it too! It's the perfect answer to any why question!

「なんで？」
「なんとなく。」

My least favorite:
「ごめんねぇ。」

Can you really use なんとなく like that? The feeling I get form the word is that it means "Somehow" or "More or less". So "Why?" "More of less." sounds really odd.

might have to be 「めんどうくさい」 - "can't be bothered"

it just seems to sum up the feeling much better than any english alternative...