Crunchy Nihongo!

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Recently I picked up riichi mahjong, the Japanese version of mahjong. I never expected a game to teach me so much about decisions, luck, and life. So I thought it'd be fun to share a few of those lessons, along with some beginner-friendly Japanese words you can learn too. (´▽`) 1. 運 (un) — Luck Luck matters. You can't choose the tiles you're dealt, just like you can't choose every circumstance in life. What you can choose is how you respond.

2. 流れ (nagare) — Flow Literally "flow." In mahjong, momentum can change from one round to the next. The lesson isn't to chase it, but to recognize when the situation changes and adapt.

3. 我慢 (gaman) — Endurance, self-restraint Sometimes the best move isn't attacking—it's waiting. Knowing when not to act can be just as important as knowing when to push forward.

4. 仕方がない (shikata ga nai) — It can't be helped You can make every correct decision and still lose. Instead of dwelling on what you couldn't control, you focus on the next hand.

5. 頑張る (ganbaru) — To persevere It doesn't simply mean "work hard." It means continuing to do your best, even when the outcome isn't guaranteed.

It’s funny how much wisdom can be packed into a simple set of tiles! What started out as just learning a new game ended up becoming this little reminder of how to handle life. Teaching me so much about patience, letting things go, and just keeping at it. (ㅅ´ ˘ `)

Playing Riichi Mahjong is like a gentle reminder for me that even when we can't control the hand we're dealt, we always get to choose how we want to play it! Let's do our best today too! 頑張ろう！(๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧

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If you're learning Japanese and sometimes feel like you're "too slow"... This is for you ♡ You recognize こんにちは instantly. Then you see a longer sentence... ...and suddenly your brain forgets how to read (╥﹏╥) You study today. Tomorrow, it feels like you've forgotten everything. It can be frustrating. But that's what learning a new language often feels like. You're not moving backwards. Your brain is still figuring things out, little by little (◍•ᴗ•◍)

The funny thing is... One day, you'll read a sentence that used to look impossible. And without realizing it... you'll understand it (๑°ㅁ°๑)‼ One moment, you suddenly realize... "...I can read this." Progress in Japanese is easy to miss because it happens so quietly. So if today feels difficult, keep going ( ´ ▽ ` )♡ The version of you a few months from now will be glad you did.

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Practice reading Japanese Hiragana with this short exercise for beginners.

Vocabulary スムージー（すむーじー）— smoothie 草（くさ）— grass 味（あじ）— taste / flavor 食べる（たべる）— to eat 今日（きょう）— today

Have you ever finished a lesson, watched anime, and thought...

"Wait... why isn't anyone talking like my textbook?" (・_・;)

Most textbooks teach desu/masu form first because it's polite and works almost everywhere. It's perfect for talking to teachers, coworkers, customers, or someone you've just met.

But when you're chatting with friends, people usually switch to dictionary form because it sounds much more natural.

For example:

食べます (tabemasu) → polite

食べる (taberu) → casual

Instead of saying:

"Tabemasu ka?"

A friend is much more likely to ask:

"Taberu?"

Same meaning. Just shorter and more relaxed (´꒳`)♡

Another thing is that in casual conversations, people often drop desu after i-adjectives.

おいしいです → polite

おいしい！ → casual

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All reading chapter with built in dictionary are free to read , so please give it a try and tell us what you think ٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و ♡

CLICK FOR DOWNLOAD LINK FOR IOS AND ANDROID

Note: if you have install it before, please uninstall it to avoid some known bug 😊

EXCITING UPDATE

7 story available ! All reading chapter is free to access!

Can't read hiragana? No problem! built in dictionary now comes with kana cheatsheet! ٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و ♡

NaraNare helps you learn Kanji naturally through stories! And we have a new exciting news!

New lessons arrived! additional 5 Chapters, 90+ guided reading sentences, 90+ quiz material, 40+ flashcard to review! You can play the first chapter of every story for free, So please do give it a try! ٩(^ᗜ^ )و

Available for iOS and Android Click here for download link >

One wrong vowel can change the entire vibe of your conversation:

✨ Kawaii (かわいい) = Cute

😱 Kowai (こわい) = Scary

Be extra mindful of this when trying to compliment someone! 

A slip of the tongue could turn a sweet reply into a horror story, and your "cute target" might just run away ( ˶°ㅁ°) !!

Do you have any 'oops!' moment like this ? ٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و

Learning hiragana katakana?

What Japanese essentials you have in your kitchen ? (˶˃ ᵕ ˂˶) .ᐟ.ᐟ

醤油 (しょうゆ - Shōyu): The "salt" of Japanese cuisine.

味噌 (みそ - Miso): Fermented soybean paste, the soul of umami.

包丁 (ほうちょう - Hōchō): A precision tool for every chef.

みりん (Mirin): Essential for that signature sweet glaze.

明日、日本語の試験があります。 Ashita, nihongo no shiken ga arimasu. I have a Japanese exam tomorrow.

試験は難しかったですが、頑張りました。 Shiken wa muzukashikatta desu ga, ganbarimashita. The exam was difficult, but I did my best.

次の試験のために、毎日勉強しています。 Tsugi no shiken no tame ni, mainichi benkyou shite imasu. I am studying every day for the next exam.

3 kanji a day turns into 1000+ a year (˶◜ᵕ◝˶)

It doesn’t have to be perfect—just keep showing up.

Some days it’s easy, some days it’s not, but every little step counts.

How many kanji did you learn today?

Struggling to start learning kanji?

We’ve been building an app called Naranare to help you learn kanji naturally through reading . Check it out ⸜(*ˊᗜˋ*)⸝

iOS users, your wait is almost over! Kanana — the best free app to learn how to read Hiragana & Katakana — is dropping on the App Store soon. Stay tuned! Download Kanana on Google Play IOS (coming very very soon)

Already moved on to kanji ?

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Learn to read Japanese and kanji vocabulary for N5-N4 (˵ •̀ ᴗ •́ ˵ ) ✧ - Frustration Free Guided Reading Material - Flashcard & Quizzes