KyleGoetz's Thread of Questions

[RickOShay]

Originally Posted by KyleGoetz

Well, while I'm in between jobs, I'm making a heavy push for JLPT1 success.

Well I am sure you have your methods, I feel like subtleties like this are the concern of linguists and teachers. In my experience with the test knowing things like this was not necessary to get passed it. I mean there were questions like、 which sentence best uses this word.. and what word should be used in this sentence.. but there was never a decision to be made between 硬い、堅い　or 固い etc.

For me it was most important to know shitloads of vocab, and have good reading comprehension skills (under pressure.. which really sucks...). Grammar-after I knew a certain number of advanced concepts it did not deserve much attention.
Listening.. yeah.. really random.. could never get a consistent score..

Anyhow I know you did not ask for advice on study methods so I will stop talking, but I do wish you the best of luck on the new test, I hear you will have to be able to pass all sections on the thing now, so I suppose every effort will really count. 頑張れ！

[Sashimister]

Originally Posted by KyleGoetz

　
7. 固い／堅い／硬い—This can be passed upon. I know it's a bit tougher, and reading the Japanese explanations made it difficult. I think the first is a bit more like "unchanging" like being stubborn or something.

I'll limit my discussion to what I know for sure and what I feel you would be expected to know at this stage in your studies.

1. physically hard to break 固・硬 (opposite of "soft")
hard (leaded) pencil, hard-boiled egg, etc.

2. tightly knit, hard to separate (both tangible and intangible) 堅・固 (opposite of "loose")
firm handshake, tight knot, etc.

3. firm, unchanging (intangible) 堅・固
firm belief, firm decision, etc.

4. stubborn 固・硬
頭が固い、考え方が硬い

5. tense (facial expression) 硬
硬い表情

6. uninteresting, too serious 固・硬
硬い話、固いだけの面白くない男

7. trustable, dependable 堅
デレク・ジーターの守備は堅い

[KyleGoetz]

「親善」と「友情」は意味が違いますか。
「要望」と「要求」は？

[Sashimister]

Originally Posted by KyleGoetz

「親善」と「友情」は意味が違いますか。
「要望」と「要求」は？

「親善」と「友情」は意味的な共通点が多いのですが、 用法が１８０度違います。

親善 is between groups, cities, nations, etc.　
国際親善、日米親善、親善試合、ＥＴＣ．

友情 is mostly between individuals.
オレたちの友情、永遠の友情、友情出演(in theatrical works)、ＥＴＣ．

友情 is more of an everyday word than 親善, too.
______

「要望」と「要求」は意味が違います。

「要望」は「できればこうしてほしい」、「可能ならこ うしてほしい」という意味の柔らかいことばです。お願 いをしているニュアンスです。

「要求」は「これとあれがほしい。」というような語感 の強いことばです。「これとあれが入手できるのは当然 である。」というニュアンスがあります。

[KyleGoetz]

I have a couple more vocabulary questions that have popped up over the past few days of kanji/vocab studies:

How are 税関 and 関税 different? Both are some variation on "customs" like the thing you go through when importing products into your country, right?

Both 即座に and 即時に mean "immediately," but is there any time difference between them?

I know I am nitpicking stuff, but this type of thing is what reinforces the meanings of the words for me, rather than just accepting that I know it means "immediately" and skipping to the next flashcard.

[Sashimister]

Originally Posted by KyleGoetz

How are 税関 and 関税 different? Both are some variation on "customs" like the thing you go through when importing products into your country, right?

Not right. That's the definition of 税関 only.

関税 means "tariffs".

The last kanji is the base meaning of the word.
税関 is a checkpoint.
関税 is a tax.

Both 即座に and 即時に mean "immediately," but is there any time difference between them?

There is a huge overlap in the meanings. I don't believe there is any time difference between them.

The biggest and most important difference I can think of is that 即座 cannot be followed by another kanji word while 即時 can.

e.g. 即時撤退= immediate withdrawal, 即時取り引き= a direct transaction, 即時払い= cash on the spot, etc.

即座 is mostly used for an adjective with の or an adverb with に.

[KyleGoetz]

Originally Posted by Sashimister

Not right. That's the definition of 税関 only.

関税 means "tariffs".

The last kanji is the base meaning of the word.
税関 is a checkpoint.
関税 is a tax.

Thanks. That sort of analysis is similar to how I was trying to learn the difference between 材木 and 木材.

[KyleGoetz]

Now I'm trying to translate this sentence in a Wikipedia article about Yukiko Todoroki:

1937年、宝塚退団と同時に日活作品『宮本武蔵　地の巻� �のお通役で映画デビュー。この背景には東宝の長谷川一夫引き抜きに対する既存4� �（松竹、日活、新興キネマ、大都映画）の意趣返しが� �ったという。、

The first sentence I understand:

In 1937, she left Takarazuka [Revue] and made her debut in the Nikkatsu production "Musashi Miyamoto: Earth Scroll" as Otsu.

How should I phrase the second sentence? I'm guessing something like

It is said this was revenge by the four existing film companies (Shochiku, Nikkatsu, Shinkou Cinema, and Daito Film) against Toho's Kazuo Hasegawa.

How is that? Did I get it right? The 対する and 意趣返しがあったという are throwing me off!

Thanks!

Edit: What the heck is a 失明騒ぎ? Some sort of uproar that causes blindness? This makes me think of a sandstorm, but it surely must be a figure of speech! Is it a blackout? Temporary blindness?

[Sashimister]

Originally Posted by KyleGoetz

The first sentence I understand

Except maybe for the fact that 巻 doesn't mean "scroll" here. It means "volume (in books)" or "reel (in films)".

How should I phrase the second sentence? I'm guessing something like How is that? Did I get it right? The 対する and 意趣返しがあったという are throwing me off!

This casting was not executed against Hasegawa but it was against the headhunting (引き抜き) of the actor by Toho. 意趣返し = avenge. 対する = against.

"It has been said that, as a background to this casting, it was an avenge by the existing four companies aganst Toho's headhunting of Hasegawa."

Edit: What the heck is a 失明騒ぎ? Some sort of uproar that causes blindness? This makes me think of a sandstorm, but it surely must be a figure of speech! Is it a blackout? Temporary blindness?

失明騒ぎ means a rumor that someone has become blind and the fuss surrounding it. The person in question didn't go blind.

I'll go blind if I type another line. Been typing for 20 straight hours today.

[KyleGoetz]

OK, a new set of words that are similar in meaning to me. How are they different?

推理する
推論する
推測する
推定する

(Haha, yes, I did get all four of these from the 推-vocabulary section of my book.)

And Sashimister, thanks for the help on the past few questions I've had!