Chapter 1

Question 1

おおそうじ

Answer 1

end-of-year cleaning

Oh-so-ji, time to clean the house at the end of the year

Question 2

にほんとくゆう

Answer 2

unique Japanese

In Japan, it’s uniquely ‘toku-you’ that you see such customs

Question 3

かんしゅう

Answer 3

a custom

KAN-shu is a custom everyone can follow.

Question 4

かぞく

Answer 4

a family

KA-zoku means family because they care for each other

Question 5

すみずみ

Answer 5

every corner

Sumizumi means every corner is clean, even the tiniest spot

Question 6

しんねん

Answer 6

a new year

Shin-nen means a new year, a new SHINing start

Question 7

むかえる

Answer 7

to welcome

Mukaeru your guests with a warm welcome

Question 8

よごれ

Answer 8

dust

Yogore means dust — you go clean it away

Question 9

やく

Answer 9

bad luck

Yaku sounds like yuck — bad luck is yuck

Question 10

おとす

Answer 10

to remove

Otosu means to drop or remove something

Question 11

いみ

Answer 11

a meaning

Imi means meaning, because it gives meaning to words.

Question 12

かんがえかた

Answer 12

a way of thinking

KANgaekata is how you THINK or view things

Question 13

ひじょうに

Answer 13

very

Hijyoni means very — think of someone being VERY hyper

Question 14

にほんてきな

Answer 14

typically Japanese

Nihon-teki-na means typically Japanese — the typical Japanese style

Question 15

だれか

Answer 15

somebody

Dare-ka? Who is somebody?

Question 16

じぶんたち

Answer 16

our own

Jibun-tachi means ourselves — we, our own people

Question 17

せきにんをもつ

Answer 17

to be responsible

Sekinin o motsu — You must take responsibility

Question 18

こども

Answer 18

a child

Kodomo sounds like kid — a child

Question 19

わかもの

Answer 19

a young fellow

Waka-mono means a young one, full of energy

Question 20

おとな

Answer 20

an adult

Otona — grown up and responsible

Question 21

おじいちゃん

Answer 21

a grandfather

Question 22

おばあちゃん

Answer 22

a grandmother

Question 23

ふつか

Answer 23

two days

Question 24

いちにち

Answer 24

one day

Question 25

たすけあい

Answer 25

helping each other

Question 26

せいしん

Answer 26

a spirit ## Footnote Seishin — a strong spirit, like the soul

Question 27

にほんこらいの

Answer 27

ancient Japanese ## Footnote Nihon-korai-no — old, traditional Japanese

Question 28

でんとう

Answer 28

a tradition ## Footnote Dento — the traditional way, like a custom.

Question 29

ちょうないかい

Answer 29

neighborhood associations ## Footnote Chonai-kai — a group in the neighborhood

Question 30

いつも

Answer 30

regularly ## Footnote Itsumo means always — it’s always there.

Question 31

しせつ

Answer 31

facility ## Footnote Shisetsu — where services are set up, facilities

Question 32

がっこう

Answer 32

a school ## Footnote Gakkou — where you go to learn

Question 33

せんせい

Answer 33

a teacher ## Footnote Sensei — a teacher, always guiding

Question 34

せいと

Answer 34

a student ## Footnote Seeto — the one who sits and learns

Question 35

きんじょのひとたち

Answer 35

neighbors ## Footnote Kinjo no hitotachi — the people nearby, neighbors

Question 36

すまいのかんきょう

Answer 36

a living environment ## Footnote Sumai no kankyou — your living environment

Question 37

だいじな

Answer 37

important ## Footnote Daijina — something big, important

Question 38

しんとう

Answer 38

to ingrain ## Footnote Shintoh suru — to sink in, like learning deeply

Question 39

かんしゃ

Answer 39

gratitude ## Footnote Kansha — a heartfelt thank you

Question 40

こころ

Answer 40

heart ## Footnote Kokoro — the core, your heart

Question 41

ねんまつ

Answer 41

the end of the year ## Footnote Nenmatsu — the year's end, the final countdown

Question 42

すこし

Answer 42

a little bit ## Footnote Sukoshi — just a little, a small amount