「白黒写真で撮ってね。」
= Shirokuro shashin de tottene.
= Take my picture in black and white, OK?
Hi everyone! Today’s guest teacher is Ushi-Sensei!
She is a black-and-white cow but asks me to take her picture in black and white. !nemui!
****
Moo everyone! 🐮
I am going to give you a mini lesson on compound words with opposite or “contrastive” meaning kanji.
Unlike other lessons that Maggie makes, I will focus on how to read kanji and the meaning of kanji in this lesson.
I hope you can learn some of the kanji better in this lesson.
★How to form:
* noun+ noun / verb+ verb/ adjective + adjective
When you combine two contradicted kanji, it can mean “and / or”
Let’s see them one by one.
***
:w: noun + noun
* 男 = おとこ = otoko = a man/men + 女 = おんな = onna = a woman/women
→ 男女 = だんじょ = dan jo = men and women
*上 = うえ = ue = top, up + 下 = した = shita = down, under, bottom
→上下 = じょうげ = jou ge = top and bottom
*親 = おや = oya = parent(s) + 子 =こ =ko = child/children
→ 親子 = おやこ = oya ko = parent and child
* 天 = てん = ten = heaven, sky + 地 = ち= chi = earth
→ 天地 = てんち = ten chi = heaven and earth
*公 = おおやけ = ooyake = public + 私= わたし/わたくし = watashi / watakushi = private. I (as a first pronoun)
→ 公私 = こうし = kou shi = business and personal / public and private
* 南 = みなみ = minami = south + 北 = きた = kita = north
→ 南北 = なんぼく ＝ nan boku = north and south
*東 = ひがし = higashi = east + 西 = にし = nishi = west
→ 東西 = とうざい = tou zai = east and west
Note: The basic rule is you usually use 訓読み = くんよみ = kun yomi kun-reading when the kanji is used on its own but you tend to use 音読み = おんよみ = on-yomi, on-reading
with compound words.
But of course, there are exceptions such as 白黒 ( = しろくろ = shiro kuro), 親子 ( = おやこ = oyako),etc.
★verb + verb (some of them have noun form.)
* 開く = ひらく／あく= hiraku/ aku = to open (intransitive verb)
or ひらく／あける=hiraku / akeru = to open (transitive verb)
+ 閉まる = しまる = shimaru = to close (intransitive verb)
or 閉める= しめる = shimeru = to shut, to close (transitive verb)
→ 開閉 = かいへい = kai hei = opening and closing/ open and shut
*生きる = いきる = ikiru = to live + 死ぬ = しぬ = shinu = to die
(noun) 生 = せい = sei = life + 死 = し = shi = death
→ 生死 = せいし = sei shi = life and death / fortune
Ex. 生死を共にする
= せいしをともにする
= Seishi wo tomo ni suru
= to share one’s fate (life)
* 出る = でる = deru = to attend + 欠ける = かける = kakeru = to lack
(or 出席(する） = しゅっせき（する） = shu sseki = attending + 欠席（する） = けっせき（する）= kesseki suru = to be absent (absence)
→ 出欠 = しゅっけつ = shukketsu = attendance or/and absence / attendance
Ex. 出欠をとる
= しゅっけつをとる
= to take attendance
* 有る = ある = aru / 有り = あり = ari = to exist, to have something + 無い= ない = nai = not to have / 無し = なし = nashi = not to exist, not to have, nothing
→有無 = うむ = u mu
→ to have or not to have/ to exist or not exist
→ existence/ presence
* 抑える = おさえる = osaeru = to restrain, tone down + 揚げる = あげる = ageru= to raise, lift
→抑揚 = よくよう = yoku you = contrast, intonation
Ex. 彼の話し方には抑揚がない。
= かれのはなしかたにはよくようがない。
= kare no hanashi kata niwa yokuyou ga nai.
= The way he talks is monotonous.
* 増える = ふえる = to increase + 減る= へる= heru = to decrease
→増減 = ぞうげん = zou gen = increase and/or decrease
* 優れる = すぐれる= sugureru = to surpass, to be superior
+ 劣る = おとる = otoru = to be inferior
→ 優劣 = ゆうれつ = yuu retsu = superior and inferior
Ex. 優劣をつけるのは難しい。
= ゆうれつをつけるのはむずかしい。
= Yuuretsu wo tsukeru nowa muzukashii.
= It is difficult to decide which one is better.
★adjective + adjective (some of them have noun form.)
* 強い= つよい = tsuyoi = strong + 弱い= よわい= yowai = weak
→ 強弱 = きょうじゃく = kyou jaku = accent, strength, power
* 善い = よい = yoi = good, right + 悪い = わるい = warui = bad, wrong
or noun + noun →善 = ぜん = zen = good deed, goodness + 悪 = あく= aku = badness, wrongness
→ 善悪 = ぜんあく = zen aku = right and wrong, good and evil
Note: You also say
善し悪し = よしあし = yoshi ashi = good and bad
( or 良し悪し = よしあし= yoshi ashi)
* 明るい = あかるい = akarui = bright + 暗い = くらい = kurai = dark
→ 明暗 = めいあん = mei an = light and dark / shade / clear contrast
*長い = ながい = nagai = long + 短い = みじかい= mijikai = short
or noun + noun →長所= ちょうしょ= chousho = an advantage, strength + 短所 = たんしょ= tansho = disadvantage, weakness
→ 長短 = ちょうたん = chou tan
= length／strength and weakness / advantages and disadvantages
*大きい = おおきい = ookii = big, large + 小さい = ちいさい = chiisai = small
→ 大小 = だいしょう = dai shou = various size
Ex. 大小、いろいろなサイズがあります。
= だいしょう、いろいろなサイズがあります。
= Daishou, iroirona saizu ga arimasu.
= There are many difference sizes, large and small.
*高い = たかい = takai = high + 低い = ひくい = hikui = low
→高低 = こうてい = kou tei = high and low / height
Ex. 高低差がある
= こうていさがある
= koutei sa ga aru
= There is a difference in hight.
***
OK, let’s look at the picture above.
「白黒写真で撮ってね。」
= しろくろしゃしんでとってね。
= Shirokuro shashin de tottene.
= Take my picture in black and white, OK?
You might have noticed that English translation is “black and white” but the Japanese order is “white and black”.
* 白い = しろい = shiroi = white + 黒い = くろい = kuroi = black
→ 白黒 = しろくろ= shiro kuro
literal meaning = white and black
→ (ENG) black and white
!onpu! Note that the following examples are in reverse order from their English equivalents.
* 左 = ひだり = hidari = left + 右 = みぎ = migi = right
→ 左右 = さゆう= sayuu
literal meaning = left and right
→(ENG) right and left
Ex. 道を渡るときは左右確認をしてしてください。
= みちをわたるときはさゆうかくにんをしてください。
= Michi wo wataru toki wa sayuu kakunin wo shite kudasai.
= Look both ways (left and right) when you cross the street.
* 前 = まえ= mae = front , forward + 後ろ = うしろ= ushiro = back, behind
→ 前後 = ぜんご= zengo
literal meaning = front and back
→ (ENG) back and forth / before and after
* 遠い = とおい = tooi = far + 近い = ちかい = chikai = near, close
→遠近 = えんきん = en kin
literal meaning = far and near
→ (ENG) near and far
* 新しい = あたらしい = atarashii = new + 旧い = ふるい = furui = aged, old
→新旧 = しんきゅう= shin kyuu
literal meaning = new and old
→ (ENG) old and new
* 濃い = こい = koi = dark (color) + 薄い= うすい = usui = light (color), pale
→ 濃淡 = のうたん= nou tan
literal meaning :dark and light
→ (ENG) light and dark
*貧しい = まずしい = mazushii = poor + 富 = とみ = tomi = wealth
→ 貧富 = ひんぷ＝ hin pu
literal meaning: poor and rich
→ (ENG) rich and poor
*寒い = さむい = samui = cold + 暖かい = あたかい= atatakai = warm
→ 寒暖 = かんだん
literal meaning = cold and warm
→ (ENG) hot and cold
* 行く= いく= iku = to go + 来る = くる= kuru = to come
→ 行き来 = いきき = iki ki
literal meaning: going and coming
→ (ENG) to come and go / coming and going
Ex. ２年間ずっと自分の国と日本の間を行き来している。
= にねんかんずっとじぶんのくとにほんのあいだをいききしている。
= Ninen kan zutto jibun no kuni to nihon no aida wo ikiki shiteiru.
= I have been traveling back and forth between my country and Japan for two years.
*売る = うる = uru = to sell + 買う = かう = kau = to buy
→ 売買 = ばいばい= bai bai
literal meaning: buying and selling
→ (ENG) selling and buying
Ex. 株の売買
= かぶのばいばい
= kabu no baibai
= stock trading
You also say:
*（noun form) 売り = うり= uri = selling + 買い = かい = kai = buying
→ 売り買い= うりかい= uri kai
literal meaning : selling and buying
→(ENG) buying and selling
* 飲む = のむ = to drink + 食べる= たべる = to eat
→ 飲食 = いんしょく = in shoku
literal meaning: to drink and eat/ drinking and eating (drink and food)
→ (ENG) eating and drinking / to eat and drink (food and drink)
Ex. 飲食物
= いんしょくぶつ
= inshokubutsu
= food and drink
* 発つ = たつ = to leave, to depart + 着く = つく = tsuku = to arrive
→ 発着 = はっちゃく = ha-cchaku
literal meaning: departure and arrival
→ (ENG) arrival and departure
Ex. 名古屋発着の便
= なごやはっちゃくのびん
= the flights that arrive at and depart from Nagoya
*苦しみ = くるしみ = kurushimi = pain + 楽しみ= たのしみ = tanoshimi = joy
→苦楽 = くらく = ku raku
Literal meaning: pain and joy
→(ENG) joy and sorrow
* 紳士 = しんし = shinshi = gentleman + 淑女= しゅくじょ= shukujo = lady
→ 紳士淑女 = しんししゅくじょ = shinshi shukujo
literal meaning: gentleman and ladies
→ (ENG) ladies and gentleman
Ex. 紳士淑女の皆様、本日はお集まりいただきましてありがとうございます。(speech)
= しんししゅくじょのみなさま、ほんじつは、おあつまりいただきましてありがとうございます。
= Ladies and gentleman, thank you for coming today.
Note: Though it is a very well-known phrase, you don’t actually hear this in Japanese speech. You only use it when you translate English speech.
You say 皆様 = minasama = everyone in Japanese.
* 新郎 = しんろう = groom + 新婦 = しんぷ = shinpu = bride
→ 新郎新婦 = しんろうしんぷ = shinrou shinpu
literal meaning: groom and bride
→ (ENG) bride and groom
And these words are not kanji but they also reverse the order of meaning in English.
* あちら= achira = there (over there) + こちら = kochira = here
→あちらこちら = achira kochira
literal meaning: there and here
→ (ENG) here and there (many places)
Note: You also say
あちこち
= achi kochi
(from あっちこっち = acchi kocchi)
literal meaning = there and here
→ (ENG) here and there ( many places)
* あれ = are = that (that one) + これ= kore = this (this one)
→ あれこれ = あれこれ = are kore
literal meaning: that and this
→ (ENG) this and that
* 東 = ひがし = higashi = east + 西 = にし = nishi = west + 南 = みなみ = minami = south + 北 = きた = kita = north
→東西南北 = とうざいなんぼく = tou zai nan boku
literal meaning = east, west, south and north
→ (ENG) north, south, east and west
* There are some compound words which you can switch the order of kanji.
* 凹 = おう／ぼこ = ou / boko = to be dented + 凸 = とつ/ でこ = totsu / deko = bump/forehead
→ 凹凸 = おうとつ = outotsu = unevenness, roughness
→ 凸凹 = でこぼこ= dekoboko = unevenness, roughness
Ex. 凹凸（おうとつ）がある。
= outotsu ga aru
= It’s uneven. / dented
Ex. この道は凸凹（でこぼこ）している。
= Kono michi wa dekoboko shite iru.
= The street is bumpy.
* 表 = おもて = omote = front + 裏 = うら = ura = back
→ 表裏= おもてうら= omote ura = the front and back
→ 裏表 = うらおもて = ura omote = inside out, the right. two faced
Ex. 表裏／裏表のある人
= おもてうら／うらおもてのあるひと
= Omoteura / Uraomote no aru hito
= a two-faced person
Ex. Tシャツを裏表に着ていた。
= Tシャツをうらおもてにきていた。
= teeshatsu wo uraomote ni kite ita.
= I was wearing a T-shirt inside out.
*****
マギー先生より = Maggie Sensei yori = From Maggie Senseiうし先生、ありがとう！
= Ushi sensei, arigatou!
= Thank you, Ushi-sensei!
私の毛も白黒ですよ。
= Watashi no ke mo shirokuro desuyo.
= My fur is black and white, too!
＊＊＊＊
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