wa omedetō. Watashi mo yūshū na seito o motte, hana ga takai yo.
STUDENT:
Thank you for all the support you've given me. I have been accepted into Tokyō University.
TEACHER:
Congratulations. I am proud of having an excellent student.
Hana ga takai, literally "high nose," means to feel proud; hana o takaku sum is another phrase with the same meaning. Other phrases using hana include hana ni kakeru (be conceited or vain) and hana ni tsuku (get tired of or be fed up with).
EXAMPLES
1. Rippa na musuko-sano o-mochi de, sazo hana ga takai deshō.
You must be so proud to have such a wonderful son.
2. Kanojo wa totemo hana ni tsuku hito da.
She is really stuck up.
3. Boku wa kimi no yō na koibito ga ite, hana ga takai yo,
I'm so proud to have a girlfriend like you.
4. Sensei wa anata no koto de, totemo hana o takaku shite imashita yo.
The teacher was very proud of you.
hana-mochi naranai
detestable, disgusting
DŌRYŌ 1:
Suzuki-san no hanashi wa musuko-san no jiman bakari de, iya ni narimasu ne.
DŌRYŌ 2:
Hontō ni, are wa hana-mochi narimasen ne.
COLLEAGUE 1:
Doesn't it make you sick the way Suzuki constantly brags about his son?
COLLEAGUE 2:
Yes, it really is hard to take.
Hana-mochi naranai combines hana (nose), mochi (endure, stay long), and naranai (not become), and translates as "so foul smelling that one cannot bear the stench." Thus this expression describes anything detestable or disgusting.
EXAMPLES
1. Kare no gōman na hanashikata wa hana-mochi naranai,
I cannot stand his stuck-up way of talking.
2. Seijika no taido no ōkisa wa hana-mochi narimasen ne.
I find the overbearing attitudes of politicians to be obnoxious.
3. Kimi no ima no ōhei na ukekotae wa, hana-mochi naranai ne.
I find your arrogant answer to that question really disgusting.
4. Hontō ni, Satō-san'tte, hana-mochi naranai hito ne.
Satō really is a horrible person, isn't he?
hana-muke no kotoba
farewell remarks
SHIKAISHA:
Sore de wa, futari no kadode o iwatte, sensei ni hana-muke no kotoba o itadakimasu.
SENSEI:
Go-kekkon omedetō...
MASTER OF CEREMONIES:
I'll now call on the professor to extend a few words of farewell to the couple, wishing them good luck for their new life ahead.
PROFESSOR:
Congratulations on your marriage...
Hana-muke no kotoba, a combination of hana (nose) and muke (point or direct), refers to the heartfelt words one expresses to someone from whom one is parting. In the past, it was a common practice to point the nose of one's horse towards his or her destination and pray for safety. Hana-muke ni (as a farewell present) refers to money or other valuables that are given as a parting gift.
EXAMPLES
1. Ryūgaku sum kimi ni, hana-muke no kotoba o okurō.
Let me extend some farewell wishes before you leave to study abroad.
2. Subarashii hana-muke no kotoba, arigatō gozaimasu.
Thank you very much for your splendid farewell speech.
3. Sotsugyō suru seito-tachi ni, hana-muke no kotoba o o-negai shimasu. Would you mind saying a few words to the graduates to wish them good luck for the future?
4. Kono hon, tenkin no hana-muke ni sashiagemasu.
Since you are going to be transferred, I'd like to give you this book as a farewell gift.
hanashi ga nitsumaru
discussion narrows down
TOMODACHI 1:
Shain-ryokō no keikaku, dō narimashita ka?
TOMODACHI 2:
Hanashi ga dandan nitsumatte kimashita yo.
FRIEND 1:
How are the plans for the company trip progressing?
FRIEND 2:
The discussion is gradually starting to get somewhere.
Nitsumaru, and its intransitive form, nitsumeru, means to boil a liquid until the excess moisture disappears. When combined with hanashi (talk), it indicates that negotiations have reached a final stage. Other expressions using nitsumaru include giron ga nitsumaru (the discussion seems like it will finally reach a conclusion), mondai-ten ga nitsumaru (the controversial point is close to resolution), and keikaku ga nitsumaru (the planning is in its final stage).
EXAMPLES
1. Hanashi mo nitsumatta yō na node, ketsuron o dashimashō.
Since the talks seem to be winding down, let's make our conclusions.
2. Mō sukoshi, hanashi o nitsumete kara ni shimashō.
Let's do it after the discussion has narrowed down a little more.
