Comments on: I was going to make a better title but eh, whatever http://nihongo.3yen.com/2006-09-01/i-was-going-to-make-a-better-title-but-eh-whatever/ Nihongo.3Yen.com - Japanese Language Fri, 18 Dec 2009 12:09:56 +0100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: taniwha http://nihongo.3yen.com/2006-09-01/i-was-going-to-make-a-better-title-but-eh-whatever/comment-page-1/#comment-3808 taniwha Tue, 19 Sep 2006 04:31:56 +0000 http://nihongo.3yen.com/2006-09-01/i-was-going-to-make-a-better-title-but-eh-whatever/#comment-3808 My problem with まさか is when I hear things like そのまさかだ. I'm not sure if it's confirming or denying. My problem with まさか is when I hear things like そのまさかだ. I’m not sure if it’s confirming or denying.

]]> By: Tae Kim http://nihongo.3yen.com/2006-09-01/i-was-going-to-make-a-better-title-but-eh-whatever/comment-page-1/#comment-3402 Tae Kim Thu, 07 Sep 2006 13:37:00 +0000 http://nihongo.3yen.com/2006-09-01/i-was-going-to-make-a-better-title-but-eh-whatever/#comment-3402 Well, I always appreciate suggestions so it's not a bother. First of all, まさか and まさに are completely different words. まさに is easy to understand if you look at the kanji: 正に. It's the kanji for "correct" with the target particle. Therefore it means, "it's exactly correct/the right thing". 正にその通りです That's perfectly right.／Exactly so. (from http://dic.yahoo.co.jp/dsearch?enc=UTF-8&p=%E6%AD%A3%E3%81%AB&stype=0&dtype=3) まさか has no kanji. It is used to express disbelief. Kind of like, "I can't believe it!" まさか君がやったのではないだろうね Surely you didn't do it, did you?／Don't tell me you did it! (from http://dic.yahoo.co.jp/dsearch?enc=UTF-8&p=%E3%81%BE%E3%81%95%E3%81%8B&dtype=3&dname=2na&stype=0&pagenum=1&index=04125200) So you see, they are completely different. Well, I always appreciate suggestions so it’s not a bother. First of all, まさか and まさに are completely different words.

まさに is easy to understand if you look at the kanji: 正に. It’s the kanji for “correct” with the target particle. Therefore it means, “it’s exactly correct/the right thing”.

正にその通りです
That’s perfectly right.／Exactly so.
(from http://dic.yahoo.co.jp/dsearch?enc=UTF-8&p=%E6%AD%A3%E3%81%AB&stype=0&dtype=3)

まさか has no kanji. It is used to express disbelief. Kind of like, “I can’t believe it!”

まさか君がやったのではないだろうね
Surely you didn’t do it, did you?／Don’t tell me you did it!
(from http://dic.yahoo.co.jp/dsearch?enc=UTF-8&p=%E3%81%BE%E3%81%95%E3%81%8B&dtype=3&dname=2na&stype=0&pagenum=1&index=04125200)

So you see, they are completely different.

]]> By: Mani http://nihongo.3yen.com/2006-09-01/i-was-going-to-make-a-better-title-but-eh-whatever/comment-page-1/#comment-3388 Mani Thu, 07 Sep 2006 09:24:11 +0000 http://nihongo.3yen.com/2006-09-01/i-was-going-to-make-a-better-title-but-eh-whatever/#comment-3388 I am not really sure about the usage of まさか and 　まさに I think that means surely or certainly.And sometimes まさに means "JUST".Yes there are several exampls of above words in the Dict but somehow I find japanese people using it in a very different way. anywyas..thnx for asking that..But it's just fine even if you don't discuss this here. It was just a suggestion.So please don't bother. I am not really sure about the usage of まさか and 　まさに
I think that means surely or certainly.And sometimes まさに means “JUST”.Yes there are several exampls of above words in the Dict but somehow I find japanese people using it in a very different way.
anywyas..thnx for asking that..But it’s just fine even if you don’t discuss this here. It was just a suggestion.So please don’t bother.

]]> By: Tae Kim http://nihongo.3yen.com/2006-09-01/i-was-going-to-make-a-better-title-but-eh-whatever/comment-page-1/#comment-3289 Tae Kim Tue, 05 Sep 2006 09:38:58 +0000 http://nihongo.3yen.com/2006-09-01/i-was-going-to-make-a-better-title-but-eh-whatever/#comment-3289 Those are great examples! Hmm... what do you want to know about まさか and まさに that you can't look up in a dictionary? Those are great examples!

Hmm… what do you want to know about まさか and まさに that you can’t look up in a dictionary?

]]> By: Mani http://nihongo.3yen.com/2006-09-01/i-was-going-to-make-a-better-title-but-eh-whatever/comment-page-1/#comment-3282 Mani Tue, 05 Sep 2006 03:01:06 +0000 http://nihongo.3yen.com/2006-09-01/i-was-going-to-make-a-better-title-but-eh-whatever/#comment-3282 Hey!! great article!! Even I find 別にquite useful...This japanese friend of mine uses it a lot..and yeah..he really says it with plenty of spit A common expression is If I try to do something going out of my way..it goes 別に無理ならいいよ！ Or when he wants to say I'm not at all angry with you 別に何も怒ってないよ。 and if I apologize he would simply say.. 別に謝らなくいいよ！ It's just too 便利of a an expression. BTW I read all ur articles..especially on japanese language. Let's discuss まさか、まさに as well sometime in the near future. Please keep posting. Mani Hey!!
great article!!
Even I find 別にquite useful…This japanese friend of mine uses it a lot..and yeah..he really says it with plenty of spit
A common expression is
If I try to do something going out of my way..it goes
別に無理ならいいよ！
Or when he wants to say I’m not at all angry with you
別に何も怒ってないよ。
and if I apologize he would simply say..
別に謝らなくいいよ！

It’s just too 便利of a an expression.
BTW I read all ur articles..especially on japanese language.
Let’s discuss まさか、まさに as well sometime in the near future.
Please keep posting.
Mani

]]> By: Taro, at news.3yen.com http://nihongo.3yen.com/2006-09-01/i-was-going-to-make-a-better-title-but-eh-whatever/comment-page-1/#comment-3226 Taro, at news.3yen.com Sat, 02 Sep 2006 14:04:36 +0000 http://nihongo.3yen.com/2006-09-01/i-was-going-to-make-a-better-title-but-eh-whatever/#comment-3226 Ha, ha, I was blocking on what the devil the character 別に was, but from your ”Going Dutch” description, I immediately thought of 別々 betsu-betsu. Yep, my standand answer to most questions in Japan is either 別に betsu-ni or 大丈夫 dai-jou-bu. Ha, ha, I was blocking on what the devil the character 別に was, but from your ”Going Dutch” description, I immediately thought of 別々 betsu-betsu. Yep, my standand answer to most questions in Japan is either 別に betsu-ni or 大丈夫 dai-jou-bu.

]]> By: Rin http://nihongo.3yen.com/2006-09-01/i-was-going-to-make-a-better-title-but-eh-whatever/comment-page-1/#comment-3213 Rin Sat, 02 Sep 2006 06:43:25 +0000 http://nihongo.3yen.com/2006-09-01/i-was-going-to-make-a-better-title-but-eh-whatever/#comment-3213 Cool! I never quite knew what betsu ni meant. Cool! I never quite knew what betsu ni meant.

]]> By: Phil Harnish http://nihongo.3yen.com/2006-09-01/i-was-going-to-make-a-better-title-but-eh-whatever/comment-page-1/#comment-3196 Phil Harnish Fri, 01 Sep 2006 20:12:09 +0000 http://nihongo.3yen.com/2006-09-01/i-was-going-to-make-a-better-title-but-eh-whatever/#comment-3196 I believe it can also mean "never mind" or "I didn't say anything." A simple example: 男：好きです・・・ 女：えっ、何？ 男；別に Similar to "whatever". Maybe "don't mind me" sort of captures it? This comes with all the same disclaimers Tae gave and more. I believe it can also mean “never mind” or “I didn’t say anything.”

A simple example:
男：好きです・・・
女：えっ、何？
男；別に

Similar to “whatever”. Maybe “don’t mind me” sort of captures it?

This comes with all the same disclaimers Tae gave and more.

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