Bungo Nyūmon
A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO CLASSICAL JAPANESE
Vocabulary Problems
One of the greatest problems in translating or understanding CJ faced by those familiar with MJ is the proliferation of “false friends” with whom they share kanji or other roots. Some of the more common—and more troublesome—examples are:
|
Classical Japanese Word
|
Classical Japanese Meaning
|
Modern Japanese Meaning
|
|
tameshi
|
example
|
test/attempt
|
|
sunawachi
|
soon, immediately
|
“in other words…”
|
|
okashi
|
interesting, beautiful
|
funny
|
|
utsukushi
|
beloved, attractive
|
beautiful
|
|
mezamashi
|
amazing, interesting
|
waking-up
|
|
ashita
|
morning
|
tomorrow
|
|
mezamashi
|
mezamashi
|
mezamashi
|
|
mutsukashi
|
unpleasant, eerie
|
difficult
|
|
okonau
|
to do; to hold Buddhist services
|
to occur
|
|
nonoshiru
|
to shout, to call out
|
to revile, to abuse
|
|
ari
|
to be (people & things)
|
to be (things only)
|
Another problem is the proliferation of totally different terms and words for common ones long-since internalized from years of working with Modern Japanese. Some of the more frequent ones are:
|
Modern Japanese Word
|
Classical Japanese Word
|
Meaning
|
|
a, ano
|
ka, kano
|
that (over there)
|
|
sore
|
sa
|
that
|
|
aruku
|
ariku
|
to walk
|
|
muzukashii
|
katashi
|
difficult
|
|
tegami
|
fumi
|
letter (correspondence)
|
Other frequent, useful words either do not exist in Modern Japanese, or are totally unlike any related concept in Modern Japanese, although the same kanji may be used (with a different reading) for the same concept. Some examples:
|
Classical Japanese Word
|
Meaning
|
|
yamugotonashi
|
exalted; unable to be ignored
|
|
ito
|
very
|
|
ikade
|
in what manner; however (rhetorical, with Q)
|
|
saranari
|
of course; it goes without saying
|
|
atenari
|
exalted; first rate
|
|
imiji
|
great; impressive
|
|
kokoroushi
|
difficult; unappreciated; unpleasant
|
|
ashi
|
evil; bad; wrong
|
|
itsuku
|
to revere; to worship
|
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