This article will give you all of the knowledge you need on the Japanese word nichijou, including its Japanese definition and translation, example sentences, related expressions and more!
Contents
What does nichijou mean?
In Japanese, nichijou means everyday, daily, or normal. You may have heard of it from the famous manga by Keiichi Arawi.
As you might guess, it’s a fairly useful word to know. Let’s take a look at how to use it.
Example usage of nichijou
Below, we take a look at some examples of how to use nichijou in Japanese.
To make it easier for you, I have written each sentence in full Japanese kanji in the first line, followed by roman letters (romaji), and hiragana, with the English meaning coming last.
日常でよく使う漢字
Nichijou de yoku tsukau kanji
にちじょうでよくつかうかんじ
Kanji characters often used in everyday life
早く日常に戻ってほしいと思っている。
Hayaku nichijou ni modotte hoshii to omotteiru.
はやくにちじょうにもどってほしいとおもっている
I hope life gets back to normal soon.
Nichijou is commonly paired with seikatsu to mean everyday life, as below.
日常生活で英語を話す機会がない。
Nichijou seikatsu de eigo wo hanasu kikai ga nai.
にちじょうせいかつでえいごをはなすきかいがない。
I don’t have the opportunity to speak English in my everyday life.
You can also use the nichijouteki when talking about something you do on a regular basis.
彼は日常的にお酒を飲んでいる。
Kare wa nichijouteki ni osake wo nondeiru.
かれはにちじょうてきにおさけをのんでいる。
He drinks alcohol on a regular basis.
Nichijou sahanji (日常茶飯事, にちじょうさはんじ；literally everyday rice boiled in tea) is a related expression that takes the meaning of nothing out of the ordinary or a regular occurrence.
うちの家族では喧嘩なんて日常茶飯事だよ
Uchi no kazoku de wa kenka nante nichijou sahanji da yo.
うちのかぞくではけんかなんてにちじょうさはんじだよ
Arguments are a regular occurrence in our family.
Why example sentences?
Learning Japanese can seem like a daunting task at first. The grammar and forms of politeness are very different from what English native speakers are used to.
You also have three distinct writing systems to get the hang of. I know it was difficult for me when I started out in 2005. But don’t let the kanji fool you! Like any language, Japanese is conquered one word at a time.
Example sentences are a large part of how I achieved fluency and became a professional translator. That’s why I’m writing this series of articles to break down new words in simple terms. I hope they will be useful.
A couple of bonus tips
Here are a couple of additional pointers to supercharge your learning.
1. Learn new vocabulary terms with example sentences
It’s much easier to remember the meaning of a new word within a sentence rather than in isolation. Use sites such as Linguee to find helpful examples for the term you want to learn.
2. Focus on verbs first and foremost.
Verbs will allow you to quickly construct your own sentences so they should be the main part of your study early on. You can always learn the Japanese for pencil sharpener when you actually need it.
Rohan's favorite resource for learning Japanese is JapanesePod101, one of the best tools for getting started with the language. Sign up for a free lifetime account here.
- Discover the Best Things to Do near to Tokyo station: A Guide to Tokyo’s bustling center - January 15, 2023
- Maximize your JAL Mileage Bank (JMB) Miles: A Complete Guide on Earning, Redeeming, and Hacks - January 15, 2023
- Discover the Best Things to Do in Harajuku: A Guide to Tokyo’s Trendiest Neighborhood - January 15, 2023
