Prologue And Glossary
Hello! Just a heads up, since the setting is in Japan, I will be using common Japanese phrases throughout the whole book, and I will put the glossary here for reference so you don't have to go to the very end to access it. Hope you enjoy the book!
aisatsu = “A greeting or polite gesture; everyday social courtesy.”
aishiteru = “I love you” (Deep, serious, lifelong commitment)
akai kao = “Red face”
arigatō = “Thank you”
arigatō gozaimasu = “Thank you very much”
atarashii = “New/Fresh”
baka = “Fool/Idiot” (playful insult)
butsudan = “A family altar”
chakuseki = “Sit down”
chanto nomi nasai = “Drink it properly”
chiizu = “Cheese” (for photos)
chōrei = “Morning homeroom assembly in Japanese schools”
daijōbu = “Are you okay?/It’s okay”
daijōbu da yo = “It’s okay, really/I promise I’m fine.”
daisuki da (yo) = “I love you”
dame da = “No way / Not happening”
denki = “Electricity”
dōka shita? = “Something wrong?”
dokidoki = “Heart pounding/nervous excitement”
doushite = “Why”
futon = “Traditional Japanese bedding”
futsū = “Normal, ordinary”
gaman = “Enduring hardship with patience and dignity”
ganbatte = “Do your best/Good luck”
genkan = “Entryway of a Japanese home (remove shoes)”
gijutsu da yo = “It’s skill”
gomen nasai/gomen = “I’m sorry”// “Sorry” (informal apology)
guranōrabā = “Granola bar”
hai = “Yes”
hajimeyou/hajimemashō = “Let’s begin”
hazukashii = “Embarrassing”
hayaku = “Hurry; quickly”
hitori janai yo = “You’re not alone”
honne = “One’s true feelings”
hontō ni = “Really/Truly”
hoshi = “Star”
ichi, ni, san, shi = “Counting to four in Japanese”
ii n da yo = “It’s okay/You’re allowed to”
ikiru = “To live/Alive”
ima = “Now”
issho ni = “Together”
issho ni miru no ga ichiban = “Watching together is the best”
itadakimasu = “I humbly receive” (Said before eating)
ittekimasu = “I’m leaving (and will come back)”
itterasshai = “Please go and come back safely.”
ja, mata ne/ja ne? = “See you later”/Casual “See you; Later.”
Kaasan = “Mom”
kakigōri = “Shaved ice dessert”
kakkoii = “Cool/Good-looking”
kaminari = “Thunder”
kāpetto = “Carpet”
kawaii = “Cute”
kimagure = “Whimsical, unpredictable”
ki o tsukero(ete) = “Be careful”
kirei = “Beautiful/Pretty”
kiritsu = Classroom command “Stand”
konna no = “Something like this.”
konbini = “Convenience store”
kore, ii na = “This is nice”
koreru? = “Can you come?”
kyōkai = “Church”
kyūshoku = “School lunch”
mahou = “Magic”
majide = “Seriously?/For real?”
matcha = “Green tea (powdered)”
mendokusai = “What a pain/So annoying”
minminzemi = “A common summer cicada in Japan known for its loud cry”
mochiron = “Of course”
mō ii yo = “It’s enough/You don’t have to keep going.”
mou ii yo = “Enough already”
muri = “Impossible/No way”
nandayo, kore = “What is this?/What the heck is this?”
nani = “What”
naze = “Why?”
nee = “Hey / Listen”
noren = “Traditional fabric dividers”
Obaa-chan = “Grandmother” (informal, affectionate)
Obō-sama = “Young lady / Milady”
ohayō / ohayō gozaimasu = “Good morning”
okaeri = “Welcome back”
okashii = “Ridiculous”
omatsuri = “Festival”
onegai (shimasu) = “Please/Go ahead”
Otosan – “Dad”
otsukaresama = “You must be tired”
otsukaresama deshita = “Thank you for your hard work”
oyasumi = “Good night”
rei = Classroom command “Bow”
ribingu = “Living room”
sabishii = “Lonely/Sad”
sekai seifuku = “World domination”
sensei = “Teacher/Master”
shikata ga nai = “It can’t be helped”
shinyū = “Best friend”
shizuka na jikan = “A peaceful moment”
shizuka ni naru = “To become quiet”
shōji = “Paper sliding door or window”
shōjo manga = “Girls’ comic/romantic manga”
shokudō = “Cafeteria”
sou da ne(a) = “That’s true/Exactly”
sou iu koto da ne = “That’s how it is/That’s what it means/Exactly.”
sou ka = “I see/Is that so?”
sore de ii = “That’s enough/That’s okay as it is”
sore wa ore no tokui waza da = “That’s my special skill”
subarashii = “Wonderful”
suki suki = “Like-like”
sukiya = “A famous Japanese fast‑food chain”
tabun = “Maybe/Probably”
tadaima = “I’m home/I’ve returned”
taiyaki = “Fish-shaped pastry filled with sweet filling”
tanoshimu = “To enjoy”
tanuki = “A Japanese raccoon dog known as a mischievous trickster”
tasukete = “Help me”
tatami = “Traditional straw mat flooring”
tatemae = “The public face or polite mask someone presents socially”
torii = “Shrine gate marking sacred space”
un = “Yeah”
uragiri da = “Betrayal”
uta = “Song/Poem”
uwabaki = “Indoor school shoes worn inside Japanese schools”
wakaru = “I know”
wakaru yo = “I get it/I understand”
watashi mo suki = “I like it too”
yabai = “Crazy”
yameru/yamete = “Stop it!”//“Cut it out”
yamete kudasai = “Please stop”
yasashii = “Gentle/Kind”
yatta = “I did it!/Yes!”
yatai = “Food stall or festival booth”
yō = Casual “yo/hey”
yokatta = “I’m glad/That’s good”
yoroshiku = “Please take care of it/Nice to meet you”
yoroshiku onegai shimasu = “Please treat me kindly/Let’s get along”
yosomono = “Stranger”
zenbu suki = “I like all of it”
zettai ni = “Absolutely/Definitely”
zurui = “Fair” used at an ‘Unfair!’ moment
zutto issho da yo = “We’ll always be together”
