When you’re learning a new language, it’s often the small, everyday words that trip you up—or make conversations feel truly alive. If you’ve ever watched a Japanese anime, chatted with friends in Tokyo, or scrolled through social media posts from Japan, you might have heard the word “nanka” popping up …

Have you ever felt that bubbly rush of anticipation before a big event, like waiting for a concert to start or unwrapping a surprise gift? In Japanese, there’s a perfect word for that: wakuwaku (ワクワク). This fun, onomatopoeic term captures the essence of excitement and thrill, mimicking the sound of …

Have you ever stumbled across a word in a foreign language that just clicks with you instantly? For me, “donmai” was one of those. I first heard it in a bustling Tokyo café when a waiter accidentally knocked over a glass of water near my table. Instead of fussing over …