Underneath The Surface

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”