Other Phrases in Japanese – With English Translation

Voice sample: AI

僕と契約して、魔法少女になってよ！

ぼくとけいやくして、まほうしょうじょになってよ！ (Boku to keiyaku shite, mahō shōjo ni natte yo!)

Make a contract with me, and become a magical girl!

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Basic Example

新しい部活に友達を誘うときに冗談で。「僕と契約して、野球部員になってよ！」

者になってよ！

Applied Example

Jokingly inviting a friend to join a club: “Make a contract with me, and become a baseball player!”

Voice sample: 1 AI

ぼくドラえもんです

ぼくどらえもんです (Boku Doraemon desu)

I'm Doraemon

Doraemon (ドラえもん) Doraemon (ドラえもん) Other Greeting

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Voice sample: AI

出る杭は打たれる

でるくいはうたれる (Deru kui wa utareru)

The nail that sticks out gets hammered down

Other Advice Caution

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Basic Example

チームで目立ちすぎると、出る杭は打たれることもある。

Standing out too much in a team can sometimes lead to pushback — the nail that sticks out gets hammered down.

Applied Example

「お前、活躍しすぎだって言われてるぞ。出る杭は打たれるんだよ。」

They say you’re doing too well. The nail that sticks out gets hammered down.

Voice sample: AI

時は金なり

ときはかねなり (Toki wa kane nari)

Time is money

Other Advice

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Basic Example

移動時間に資料を読み切ると決めた。「時は金なり」を実践すれば、仕事は前に進む。

Time is money; he vowed to finish the deck during the commute.

Applied Example

「あと三分。時は金なり、タイムアウトまでに決めるぞ。」

“Three minutes left. Time is money. Let’s score before the buzzer.”

Voice sample: AI

鶴の一声

つるのひとこえ (Tsuru no hitokoe)

The final word / A word from the top settles everything

Other Other

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Basic Example

紛糾する会議も、部長の「鶴の一声」で一気に方向が決まった。

The heated meeting ended when the boss gave the final word.

Applied Example

「作戦はB案でいく。」鶴の一声に、ベンチの空気が一気に締まった。

“We’ll go with Plan B.” A word from the top snapped the dugout to attention.

Voice sample: AI

三人寄れば文殊の知恵

さんにんよればもんじゅのちえ (Sannin yoreba Monju no chie)

Two (or three) heads are better than one

Other Advice Praise

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Basic Example

行き詰まった企画も、三部署でブレストしたら「三人寄れば文殊の知恵」で突破口が見えた。

When three departments brainstormed, two or three heads were better than one and the plan finally moved.

Applied Example

ベンチに戻ると、捕手とコーチが加わる。三人寄れば文殊の知恵で、次の回は三者凡退に抑えた。

Back on the bench, the catcher and coach joined in; two heads are better than one, and the next inning was three up, three down.