These are my own notes, not an official part of any japanese class.
If you're using them, it's your own fault :-).
If you find any mistakes in here, please tell me!

youkoso chapter 1 pp 82-126

currently working on page 105

[go to source text]

helpful phrases

mou 一度^ichido o 願^negai shimasu.
yu'kuri o 願^negai shimasu.

forms: yes/no queries

noun1 ha noun2 desu ka.
noun1 ha noun2 deha arimasen ka.
本当^hontou desu ka.
違^chigai desu ka.

forms: yes/no answers

hai, noun2 deha.
hai, sou desu.
iie, noun2 deha arimasen.
iie, noun2 jiya arimasen.
iie, 違^chigaimasu.
sumimasen, wakarimasen.

forms: either/or queries

… ha noun1 desu ka, noun2 desu ka.

forms: ha／mo substitution to highlight similarity

In reply to statements in the form:

noun1 ha noun2 desu.

One may highlight matching circumstance by replacing ha with mo as

[ 本当 desu ka. ]
noun1 mo noun2 desu.

forms: polite o and go prefixes in personal questions

o 名前^namae ha 何 desu ka.
go 出身^shiyu'shin ha dochira desu ka.
o 国^kuni ha dochira desu ka.
o sumai ha dochira desu ka. (sumai = residence)
o 電話^denwa 番号^bango ha 何番^nanban desu ka.

age/birthday related (ikutsu = how old):

o 年^toshi ha oikutsu desu ka.
entitysan ha o ikutsu desu ka.
entitysan ha 何歳^nansai desu ka.
reply, 1+ years: yearcount 歳^sai desu.
reply, <1 years: monthcount ke月^gatsu desu.
entitysan ha 何月^nangatsu umare desu ka. (umareru = to be born)

forms: no for equivalence when topic is demonstrative pronoun

kore ha watashi no 友^tomodachi no 町田^machida san desu.

conversation: asking about someone in a picture

山口san to kawamurasan ga 写真^shiyashin wo 見te imasu.
山口：	kono人 ha dare desu ka.
kawamura：	sono人 ha buraunsan desu.
山口：	大学 no kurasume—to desu ka.
kawamura：	hai, sou desu.

conversation: nationality of a person in a picture

chinsan ha 中国人 desu.
kawamura：	kono人 ha chin meirin san desu.
chin：	chinsan ha 中国人 desu ka.
kawamura：	hai, sou desu. 中国語 wo 話shimasu.

conversation: sukiyaki and mistaken identity

resutoranto.
kawamura：	sumimasen. are ha 何 desu ka.
ue—ta—：	are ha 「sukiyaki」 desu.
kawamura：	jiya, are ha o願ishimasu.
buraun：	ano人 ha 林san deha arimasen ka. （note: 林 = hayashi）
kawamura：	dono人 desu ka.
buraun：	hora, ano人 desu.
kawamura：	iie, 林san jiya arimasen yo.

conversation: asking origin, school year, and major
（daiarogu：出身^shiyu'shin to 何年生^nannensei to 専攻^senkou）

山口：	buraunsan no go出身 ha doku desu ka. (the ____no part is omittable)
buraun：	bosuton no 出身 desu.
山口：	何年生 desu ka.
buraun：	三年生 desu.
山口：	専攻 ha 何 desu ka.
buraun：	歴史^rekishi学 desu.

pronouns

notes

Do not use anata to address superiors; use their names.
Parenthesized forms are used less than the next more polite form.
For anata, -gata is more formal than -tachi.
Various texts annote that kare and kanojiyo are not full pronouns.
boku is associated with young males. Many men use ore in informal converse.
atashi is said to be somewhat girly.
kanojiyo is a recent invention (< 100 years). Before, kare was used for both.
ano人 is a generic, and more such as anoko that child are seen.
Reportedly karetachi is never used, although kanojiyotachi is.

		singular			plural （＋tachi）
		casual	normal	polite	casual	normal	polite
1st person	male	樸^boku		watakushi	僕^bokutachi
	either	私^watashi			私^watashitachi
	female	atashi			atashitachi
2nd person	male	kimi		otaku	anatatachi or anatagata
	either	anata
	female	anata
3rd person	male	（彼^kare）		ano方^kata	彼^karera or 彼^karetachi		ano方^katatachi
	either	ano人^hito			ano人^hitotachi
	female	（彼女^kanojiyo）			彼女^kanojiyora or 彼女^kanojiyotachi

demonstrative pronouns and adjectives

type	thing	place	direction	notes	adjective form
ko	kore	koko	kochira	near speaker	kono
so	sore	soko	sochira	near listener	sono
a	are	asoko	achira	near neither	ano
do	dore	doko	dochira	interrogative	dono
	1 of 3+ (which is...)		1 of 2 (which is...)	interrogative selects...	N of 3+ (which are...)

examples of demonstrative pronouns for persons

kochira ha 東京大学 no 横井^yokoi 先生 desu.
町田san ha kochira desu ka.

examples of demonstrative adjectives

kono 本 ha 町田san no 本 desu.
ano 映画^eiga ha 日本 no 映画 desu ka.

examples of demonstrative interrogatives

(note the adjective form taking a repetition of the noun)

町田san no 本 ha dono 本 desu ka. (which are...)
kawamurasan no kaban ha dore desu ka. (which is...)
林san no 本 ha dochira desu ka. (which of these 2 is...)

counters: age and months

	年／歳 sino-japanese		年／tsu japanese (also 人)		月
一	i'sai	一歳	hitotsu	一tsu	ichigatsu	一月	january
二	nisai	二歳	hutatsu	二tsu	nigatsu	二月	february
三	sansai	三歳	mi'tsu	三tsu	sangatsu	三月	march
四	yonsai	四歳	yo'tsu	四tsu	shigatsu	四月	april
五	gosai	五歳	itsutsu	五tsu	gogatsu	五月	may
六	rokusai	六歳	mu'tsu	六tsu	rokugatsu	六月	june
七	nanasai	七歳	nanatsu	七tsu	shichigatsu	七月	july
八	ha'sai	八歳	ya'tsu	八tsu	hachigatsu	八月	august
九	kiyuusai	九歳	kokonotsu	九tsu	kugatsu	九月	september
十	jiyu'sai	十歳	tou	十	jiyuugatsu	十月	october
十一	jiyuui'sai	十一歳			jiyuuichigatsu	十一月	november
十二	jiyuuni	十二歳			jiyuunigatsu	十二月	december
二十	nijiyu'sai	二十歳	hatachi	二十
百	hiyakusai	百歳

student IDs

simulated data

學生証
身分証明書

学籍
番号

12345

氏名	kurisutohua— arekusanda— no—suki—zu

年齢	36
生年月日	1966.02.18
国籍	amerika
出身地	osuchin市
住所	13206 amariro 78729-7557
学部	外国語
専攻	日本語

Student ID Field List

kanji	reading	meaning	notes
學生証	gakuseishiyou	student-id	學生 student + 証₇₁₅proof
身分	mibun	status	身₃₂₃body + 分₁₉₉understand
証明書	shiyoumeishiyo	certificate	証₇₁₅proof + 明₂₀₈clear + 書₁₄₂write
学籍番号	gakusekibangou	student-number	学₁₀learning + 籍₁₄₈₆register + (番₁₉₆ + 号₂₈₁)number
氏名	shimei	full name	氏₄₉₅family/full + 名₇₁name
年齢	nenrei	age	年₆₄year + 齢₁₉₂₅age (perhaps < years of tooth-counted age)
生年月日		birth y/m/d
国籍	kokuseki	nationality	国₁₂₈country + 籍₁₄₈₆register
出身地	shiyu'shinchi	birthplace	出₃₂emerge + 身₃₂₃body + 地₁₆₇land
住所	jiyuushiyo	address	住₃₁₀reside + 所₃₁₂place
学部	gakubu	academic dept.	学₁₀learning + 部₃₈₄section
専攻	senkou	specialization	専₉₁₄exclusive + 攻₁₂₄₇attack

kanji

*(there are 76 kanji in grade 1 of the kiyouiku kanji)*
index	grade	kanji	on reading	kun reading	meaning	uses and other notes
1	1	一	ichi, itsu	hito	1, one	kono人 ha….
61	1	二	ni	huta	2, two	二十 (20), 二人「hutari」
23	1	三	sen	mi	3, three
26	1	四	shi	yon, yo-	4, four	once represented by 4 horizontal strokes, then replaced by the like-sounding kanji for a breath (八₆₆ out(of) + 口₂₀), possibly due to 四 resembling a fist.
19	1	五	go	itsu	5, five	once represented by 5 horizontal strokes, then replaced by the kanji for a thread-reel for phonetic and yarn-winding-related reasons
76	1	六	roku	mu-	6, six	a variation of a roof kanji, phonetic substitute for an old kanji meaning clenched fist, and old way of showing 6.
30	1	七	shichi	nana	7, seven	once a horizontally-stretched 十, representing a line cutting another (one of several ancient 7s), favored perhaps due to resembling a bent finger under a fist, an old way of signing 7.
66	1	八	hachi	ya-	8, eight in compounds: divide, disperse, away, out	八tsu当ri^yatsuatari outburst of anger once written as )( split/divide and possibly similar to an ancient handsign for 8 of a fist with pinky and thumb extended.
12	1	九	kiyuu, ku	kokono	9, nine	left side is a hand, right a bent elbow, an ancient manual representation for 9.
33	1	十	jiyuu	tou	10, ten	phonetic substitute once meaning needle for more complex kanji 拾 (rad. 手₃₂ hand + 合₁₂₁ join)
67	1	百	hiyaku		100, hundred	1 + 白, here meaning thumbnail, an old symbol for 100. replace top stroke with other digits for ancient forms of 200, 500, etc.
1	1	千	sen	chi	1000, thousand	rad. 人 + cross-stroke for 1. Based on partially phonetic symbolism of body for 1000. Add more cross-strokes for ancient form of 2000, 3000, etc.
non-numbers
6	1	音	on, in	oto, ne	sound	子音^shiinconsonant 発音^hatsuonpronunciation 音学^ongakuconsonant old form of 言₂₇₄ with an added tongue, suggesting shout or sing.
10	1	学	gaku	mana（bu）	learning, (school)	canonical form: 學₁₀
16	1	月	getsu, gatsu	tsuki	moon, month
18	1	見	ken	mi-	look, see, show	terebi wo 見masu.
20	1	口	kou, ku	guchi	mouth
24	1	山	san	yama	mountain
25	1	子	shi, su	ko	child	pictograph: swaddling infant waving arms
34	1	出	shiyutsu	de-, da-	emerge, put out	uchi wo 出masu. 出口 (exit)
39	1	人	jin	hito	person
42	1	生	sei, shiyou	nama	life, birth, grow
49	1	先	sen	saki	precede, priority, tip, future, destination	先生
53	1	大	tai, dai	o（kii）	big
57	1	町	chiyou	machi	town, block
59	1	田	den	ta	rice field
62	1	日	nichi, jitsu	hi, -ka	sun, day	本日^honjitsu(today)
64	1	年	nen	toshi	year	五年生^gonensei(5th grader)
68	1	文	bun, mon	humi	writing, text	文字^monjicharacter from an ancient glyph for intricately patterned overlaid collar, then intricate pattern, then writing
70	1	本	hon	moto	root, true, book, this, cylinder counter
71	1	名	mei, miyou	na	name, fame	口₂₀+夕₄₄(= call) o 名mae ha…
80	2	何	ka	nani, nan	what?, how many?
87		会	kai, e	a（u）	meet	resembles two 二 + noses 厶 + under a roof. a rice pot and its lid which yield the intransitive come together / meet. Note that 云₇₈speak is actually an erroneous substitution based on transitive put together and confusion of the real pot element with the mouth-with-tongue kanji.
91	2	外	gai, ge	soto, hoka, haza（su）	outside, other, undo	夕₄₄crescent moon suggesting shape of turtle shell + NGU character for divination, both phonetically suggesting cracks in the outside of the shell.
101	2	教	kiyou	oshi（eru）	teach	孝 [handless 學₁₀] (emulation w/sticks + 子₂₅ child) + 攵hand-with-stick
112	2	語	go	kata（ru）	tell, speak, talk obsolete: match someone verbally, speak well	日本語 looks like: 言₂₇₄ + 五 ₁₉ + 口 ₂₀ suggesting 5 mouths to speak a language. actually the 五/口 was 2 identical thread reels (see 五₁₉) expressing well-matched (later resist and I/me from a person like any other).
113	2	工	kou, ku		work	人工^jinkoumanmade 大工^daikucarpenter pictograph: carpenter's adze/square
119	2	高	kou	taka, taka（i）	tall, high, sum	pictograph: tall watchtower
123	2	国	koku	kuni	state, country, region	o国^kuni ha dochira desu ka.
137		社	shiya	yashiro	shrine	社会^shiyakaisociety (as in togetherness at a shrine?) 示₆₉₅sacrifice on bloody alter + 土₆₀ground = alter ground or shrine
151	2	数	suu, su	kazu, kazo（eru）	number, count	女₃₅ and 米 ₂₀₁ rice, the latter a substitute for an obscure character for linking, comprise the left half shamaness. + 攵 hand-with-stick. The top-left and the shamaness symbol each suggest or connote chanting, yielding the rather mystical chanting while holding counting sticks.
159	2	前	zen	mae	before, front	「止₁₂₉(foot_obs.) +舟₁₃₅₄(boat)」=(clog), +刀 (trim, now ignored) = (advance by trimming)
214	2	友	yuu	tomo	friend	友人^yuujin (friend), 友達^tomodachi (friend) (< 2 right-hands)
220	2	理	ri		reason, rationale	心理学^shinigakupsychology from 玉₁₀₂jewel + 里₂₁₉village with dividing paths yielding 中国語 split a jewel along preexisting flaws/paths within, then act carefully/ handle/ manage, then concentration, then using the mind, then reasoning
221	2	話	wa	hanashi, hana（su）	speech, talk	言₂₇₄word + ^氏/_口mouth/resound + good_phon. (see 氏₄₉₅)
227	3	育	iku		raise, educate	inverted 子₂₅ child + amnion beneath as in older 流₄₀₉, ancient form surmounted by sitting variant of 女₃₅ woman for the birthing mother.
229	3	院	in		an institute	病院^biyouinhospital 寺院^jiintemple rad. hill + top-right roof + 元 origin (sounding like fence/wall)
238	3	化	ka, ke	ba（keu）	change, bewitch	変化^henkachange 化粧^keshiyoumake-up 化ke者^bakemono'spook' 人₃₉(standing) person + fallen person (implying a change of state) + (by one theory) deceive_phon.
274	3	言	gen, gon	koto, i（u）	word, say, speak	口₂₀ + 辛₁₄₃₂ sharp/piercing + (possibly) feelings_phon. = (by one theory) articulate speech
289	3	指	shi	yubi, sa（su）	finger, point	radical 扌/手₃₂hand + 旨₁₃₁₂good (and perhaps useful) + branch_phon.
296	3	写	shiya	utsu（su／ru）	copy, transcribe	写真^shiyashin(photo) 写真機^shiyashinki(camera)
323	3	身	shin	mi	body	was (pregnant woman)
376	3	美	bi	utsuku（shii）	beautiful, fine	美人^bijina beauty/belle 美学^bigakuesthetics 大₅₃big + 羊₉₈₆sheep
384	3	部	bu, be		part, section, clan, dept.	学部^gakubudepartment (< obscure (spit/foo-mouth/division) + village)
387	3	物	butsu, motsu	mono	thing	left side 牛₉₇cow + right side NGU (now 中国語 only) variety of streamers yielding variegated cow, then creature, then thing.
446	4	願	gan	nega（u）	request, wish	o願^negaishima. 原₁₀₇ from+big + 頁_中国語head
495	4	氏	shi	uji	clan, family, Mr.	originally a ladle pictograph, became entangled with the glyph for hill 阜 (which yielded 阝) and associated with hilltop-dwelling nobles.
496	4	史	shi		history, chronicler	a hand, holding a combination mouth/counting-stick, yielding a person counting out loud or a tallyer.
514	4	真	shin	ma	true, quintessence	真実^shinjitsu(truth) 真'白^ma'shiro(pure white)
544		治	chi, ji	osa（meru）, nao（su）	govern, rule, cure	rad. 水₄₀water + the ambiguous 台₁₆₆platform/ self. Conjecture: Some believe this may borrow its meaning in connection with the name of some ancient 中国 river, Some theorize it may refer to self-water i.e. irrigation, metaphorically suggesting self-control and thereby self-government, later broadened.
584	4	法	hou, hatsu		law	rad. 水₄₀water + 去₂₅₈double-lidded rice container (archaic) to metaphorically suggest containment of human behavior or legal constraint
602	4	類	rui		resemble, variety(of), sort, semblance, 中国語： mythical raccoon-semblant creature	種類^shiyuruisort, kind 分類^bunruiclassification 類似^ruijiresemblance 米₂₀₁ in 米頁(similar rice heads) + 犬₁₇dog (see 中国語, left). Replaced simpler dog-free kanji for resemble.
606	4	歴	reki		history, path	止₁₂₉footprint/trail + 米米₂₀₁rice plants + an ambiguous cliff radical = regularly spaced row of rice plants, later regular row or path, then metaphorically history or career path.
658	5	経	kei, kiyou	he（ru）, ta（tsu）	pass, sutra, longitude	経済^keizaieconomy 経過^keikapassage < 糸₂₇ thread + 巠_{(old 269)} loom's guiding warp threads
708	5	術	jiyutsu	sube	means, technique	行₁₁₈go/roads + 朮_{(old 707)}adhere (< hand w/ sticky rice bits) or + 述₇₀₇follow_obs. + twisting_phon. = twisting path adhered to
724		政	sei, shiyou	matsurigoto	government	正₄₁correct + 攵hand-with-stick = correct forcibly, hence govern(ment).
871	6	済	sai, sei	su（mu／masu）	settle, finish, concluded, put in order	返済^hensairepayment rad. 水₄₀ water + 斉₁₄₇₃ equal (derived from offering of similar rice to the gods) + clear/pure_phon. = settled water_obs.
914	6	専	sen	mo'pa（ra）	exclusive, sole	専門^senmon (specialty) 専攻^senkou (acad. major) 専制^sensei (despotism) :-)
1006	gen	違	i	chiga（u）	differ	iie, 違imasu.
1247	gen	攻	kou	se（meru）	attack	専攻^senkou (specialty)
1628	gen	哲	tetsu		wisdom	口₂₀mouth + 折₅₂₂break + correct_phon. + possibly divide/analyze hence correct-speech. I found further setsu puns with: + incisive (pun on 切) + integrity (pun on 節) + preach/explain (pun on 読) Could also mean words that level forests for all we know :-) (from origin of 折₅₂₂ as 林₇₅forest + 斤₁₁₇₆axe/axe-weight)
1910	gen	寮	riyou		hostel, dormitory	radical 宀 building/house + lower part meaning sacrifice fuel + window_phon., originally referred to a house window (possibly smoke vent), later to a small building, now larger ones as noted.

vocabulary (mostly kanji compounds)

*items with '*' are unverified*
kanji	reading	meaning	uses/notes
山口	yamaguchi	mountain pass	[a name]
写真	shiyashin	picture(n.)
町田	machida	rice field village	[a name]
高田	takada	watchtower rice field	[a name]
名前	namae	name
出身	shiyu'shin	origin, hometown
	yuu'kuri	slower	yuu'kuri o願ishimasu.
	ohuisu	office
	erebe—ta—	elevator
	conjunct-verb-nagara	while verbing...	写真^shiyashin wo 指^sashingara… while pointing at the picture...
scholastic
大学	daigaku	university	第学生^daigakusei
専攻	senkou	college major, specialization	see 専₉₁₆sole, 攻₁₂₄₇attack
学部	gakubu	acedemic dept.	see 部₃₈₄
事務室	jimushitsu	administration office	事₂₉₃matters + 務₇₉₅duty + 室₁₃₆^shitsuroom
実験室	ji'kenshitsu	laboratory (room)	実₂₉₆truth/reality + 験₄₇₅examine + 室₁₃₆^shitsuroom
	biru	building
学年	gakunen	school year
一年生	ichinensei	freshman
二年生	ninensei	sophomore
三年生	sannensei	junior
四年生	yonnensei	senior
大学院生	daigakuinsei	grad student	see 院₂₈₄
academic subjects
人類学	jinruigaku	anthropology	man-kind-ology see 類₆₀₂
美術	bijiyutsu	art	beauteous technique see 美₃₇₆, 術₇₀₈
生物学	seibutsugaku	biology	growing thing-ology see 物₃₈₇
化学	kagaku	chemistry	change-ology see 化₂₃₈
	konpiyu—ta saiensu	C.S.
経済学	keizaigaku	economics	see 経₆₅₈,済₈₇₁^sai
教育学	kiyouikugaku	education	teaching/raising-ology see 教₁₀₁, 育₂₂₇
工学	kougaku	engineering	work-ology see 工₁₁₃
外国語	gaikokugo	foreign languages	outside-country language see 外₄₄, 国₁₂₃
歴史学	rekishigaku	history	(event-)path record-ology see 歴₆₀₆, 史₄₉₆
法学	hougaku	law	law-ology see 法₅₈₄
言語学	gengogaku	linguistics	word-language-ology
文学	bungaku	literature	writings-ology see 文₆₈
数学	suugaku	mathematics	number-ology see 数₁₅₁
音楽	ongaku	music	sound-ology see 音₆
哲学	tetsugaku	philosophy	wisdom-ology see 哲₁₆₂₈
物理学	butsurigaku	physics	thing-reason-ology see 物₃₈₇, 理₂₂₀
政治学	seijigaku	political science	govermental-rule-ology see 政₇₂₄, 治₅₄₄
社会学	shiyakaigaku	sociology	society-ology see 社₁₃₇, 会₈₇

countries

*note: 米, for US, might not be general use...*
英語 name	o国^kuni ha dochira…	何人…	何語…	notes
Nippon	日本	日本人	日本語
America	amerika 米	amerika人米人	eigo 英語	米, bei, is also (raw) rice 米軍, beigun, is US Army
Brazil	barajiru	barajiru人	porutogaru語
Canada	kanada	kanada人	英語 huransu語
China	chiyugoku 中国	中国人	中国語	中国 is Middle Kingdom
Deutschland	doitsu	doitsu人	doitsu語	The 日本語 name is based on Germany' native name
England	igirisu	igirisu人	英語
France	huransu	huransu人	huransu語
Hong Kong	honkon 香港	香港人	中国語
Italia	itaria	itaria人	itaria語	The 日本語 name is based on Italy's native name
Mexico	mekishiko	mekishiko人	supein語
Russia	roshia	roshia人	roshia語
Singapore	shingapo—ru	shingapo—ru人	英語, 中国語
South Korea	kangoku 韓国	韓国人	韓国語
Spain	supain	supain人	supain語
Taiwan	taiwan 台湾	台湾人	中国語

Erlkönig: 日本語 youkoso Ch 1 Notes