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Intermediate Japanese

Tsunami to Nami

Tsunami vs. Wave

In 2011, enormous Tsunami attacked Tohoku region and destroyed many towns. "Nami" in Tsunami means "wave", but, wave and Tsunami are totally different.

2011-nen 3-gatsu 11-nichi, Toohoku-chihoo de kyodai jishin ga hassei shimashita.
Toohoku-chihoo de wa ookina higai ga demashita.
Shikashi, higai no ooku wa jishin ni yoru mono dewa naku, Tsunami ni yoru mono deshita.

Tsunami no takasa wa 5-meetoru kara 15-meetoru.
Soshite, 15-meetoru no Tsunami wa mochiron, 5-meetoru de mo ookina higai ga demashita.

Hawai de wa 5-meetoru no nami de wakamono ga Saafin o tanoshimimasu.
Shikashi, Kono nami de uchi wa kowaremasen.
Dooshite deshoo ka?

Sore wa Hakairyoku no chigai desu.
"Hakairyoku" towa mono o kowasu chikara no koto desu.

Futsuu no nami no haba wa 1, 2-meetoru desu.
Ippoo, Tsunami no haba wa suu-kiro desu.

Sarani, Tsunami no sokudo wa kaijoo de Jisoku 900-kiro ni tasshimasu.
Kore wa Jettoki to onaji sokudo desu.

Kono tame, Onaji nami demo, futsuu no nami no hakairyoku to tsunami no hakairyoku wa mattaku chigaimasu.

Vocabulary

USA

illness, sickness

difference

to be different, differ

chikara

power, strength, force, might

demo (onaji ... demo)

both are the same ..., but

demonstration

is not A, but B

which

both

why

[sv] eruption

ordinary, normal, common, usual

gasoline, gas

crude oil, petroleum

width

[sv] destroy, break, destruction

hakairyoku

destructive power

hassei (suru)

[sv] happen, occur, break out

Hawai

Hawaii

higai

damage, harm

higai ga demasu

be damaged, suffer damage

hitotsu

one

house

on the other hand

jet plane

accident

earthquake

(speed) per hour, km/h

jooshoo (suru)

[sv] rise, increase, go up

kaijoo

on the sea, at sea

kakaku

price

kakarimasu

to take time, to cost

kazan

volcano

kega

injury, hurt

kigyoo

(organized) company, corporation

kono tame

because of this

koozui

flood

koto

matter, affair, thing, event

kowareru

to break, be damaged, be out of order (vi.)

kowasu

to break, destroy, tear down (vt.)

kyodai

huge, enormous

man

ten thousand

mattaku

entirely, completely, quite

mono

things, object, substance, matter

long

not A, but B

wave

a rise in price

same

onaji (onaji ... demo)

both are the same ..., but

heavy rain, downpour

large, big

many, a lot

heavy snow

surfing

[sv] participation, join, take part

sarani

moreover, furthermore

sareta

passive ta form of suru

however, but

[sv] repair, fix

speed

Sushi (Japanese food)

suuhyaku-en

several hundred yen

suuhyaku-meetoru

several hundred meters

several hours

tens of people

several kilo(meters)

tens of thousands of people

typhoon

height

to enjoy

to reach, arrive

breaded pork cutlet

Tohoku region

towa (-towa ... koto)

it means that

quotation marker

virus

young people

Japanese food

it is because of, be caused by

(fp) : Functional Pattern

Practices

A.Practice the following words.

1.	kyodai	huge, enormous
2.	hassei (suru)	[sv] happen, break out
3.	jishin	earthquake
4.	higai	damage, harm
5.	Tsunami	Tsunami
6.	nami	wave
7.	takasa	height
8.	wakamono	young people
9.	tanoshimu	to enjoy
10.	kowareru	to break
11.	hakairyoku	destructive power

12.	hakai (suru)[sv] destroy, break, destruction
13.	chikara	power, strength, force
14.	futsuu	ordinary, normal, common
15.	haba	width
16.	suuhyaku-meetoru	several hundred meters
17.	suu-kiro	several kilo(meters)
18.	sarani	moreover, furthermore
19.	sokudo	speed
20.	tassuru	to reach, arrive
21.	mattaku	entirely, completely
22.	chigau	to be different, differ

B.Practice the following pattern.

[something] ni yoru mono desu : it is because of, be caused by

ex.

kono higai / Tsunami

Kono higai wa Tsunami ni yoru mono desu.

Kono ooame wa taifuu ni yoru mono desu.

Kono byooki wa uirusu ni yoru mono desu.

Gasorin no neagari wa genyu kakaku no jooshoo ni yoru mono desu.

1.	ooame / taifuu
2.	kono byooki / uirusu
3.	gasorin no neagari / gen'yu kakaku no jooshoo

C.Practice the following pattern.

suu- : several ....

ex.

jiko de [juu-nin] ga kega o shita

Jiko de suujuu-nin ga kega o shita.

Suuman-nin ga demo ni sanka shita.

Shuuri ni wa suu-jikan kakarimasu.

Kore wa hitotsu suuhyaku-en desu.

1.	[1-man-nin] ga demo ni sanka shita
2.	shuuri ni wa [1-jikan] kakarimasu
3.	kore wa hitotsu [100-en] desu

D.Practice the following sentences.

onaji .... demo, A to B wa mattaku chigau : Both are the same ..., but A and B are entirely different

ex.

nami / Tsunami, futsuu no nami

Onaji nami demo, Tsunami to futsuu no nami wa mattaku chigau.

Onaji Nihon demo, Hokkaidoo to Okinawa wa mattaku chigau.

Onaji Washoku demo, Sushi to Tonkatsu wa mattaku chigau.

Onaji kigyoo demo, Nihon kigyoo to Beikoku no kigyoo wa mattaku chigau.

1.	Nihon / Hokkaidoo, Okinawa
2.	Washoku / Sushi, Tonkatsu
3.	kigyoo / Nihon kigyoo, Beikoku no kigyoo

Comprehension Quiz

Verbs are the Key to learning Japanese

Essential Japanese Verbs

This material explains clearly about the meaning of each verb with explaining its usage.

"Key Sentences", "Practical Usage" and "Short Dialogues" help you to grasp how you can apply each verb in communication.

Key Sentences shows you in what sentence pattern each verb is used. Practical Usage and Short Dialogues show how to use each verb in a more practical sense as in everyday conversations.