► 副助詞
は [わ] meaning: object direct rank: 1
☆ そうは言ってもこのまま放っておく訳にもいかないだろう ⇨ We can just leave it like this, even if you say so
☆ そんな事は誰も言っていない ⇨ Nobody’s saying things like that
☆ もうそのことを心配するのは止めた ⇨ I stopped worrying about that anymore
☆ 何とかなる等とは言っていられない状況だ ⇨ This is a situation where you can’t just say it will somehow work out
☆ 未だかなり残っているから牛乳は買わなくてもいい ⇨ There is still enough left so I don’t have to buy milk
☆ 未だ最終結果は聞いていない ⇨ I still haven’t heard the final result
☆ 私はスポーツが好きだが、野球は好きではない ⇨ I like sports but don’t like baseball
☆ お酒は好きですか？いえ、私はお酒は飲みません ⇨ Do you like alcohol? No, I don’t drink alcohol (☛ は is used in the reply because alcohol is the topic of the conversation. を cannot be used in this context)
は [わ] meaning: qualifying rank: 1
☆ その値段は理不尽に高くはない ⇨ That price is not unreasonably high (if not low)
☆ その考えは正しくはあっても人には受け入れられないだろう ⇨ That idea won’t be accepted by people, even though it is correct
☆ その考え方は間違ってはいない ⇨ That way of thinking is not exactly wrong
は [わ] meaning: subject rank: 1
☆ お母さんは？ ⇨ Where is mom? What about mom?
☆ それは私は決められない ⇨ I cannot decide that. (Somebody else should)
☆ 彼はイタリア人だ ⇨ He is an Italian
☆ 彼女の目は青い ⇨ Her eyes are blue
☆ 彼女の脚は長い ⇨ Her legs are long
☆ 彼女はパーティーに来なかった ⇨ She didn’t come to the party (unlike others)
☆ 彼女は三児の母親だ ⇨ She is a mother of three children
☆ 熱は有るが、お腹は痛くない ⇨ I have a fever, but my stomach doesn’t hurt
☆ 私の家は小さい ⇨ My house is small
☆ 私はそうは思わない ⇨ I don’t think so (unlike others)
☆ 君は間違っている ⇨ You are wrong (☛ Note the difference with “君が間違っている” which emphasizes “it is you who is wrong”)
は [わ] meaning: then rank: 3
☆ あいつ、毎日やって来ては文句を言う ⇨ He comes here every day and just bitch and moan
► 終助詞
わ [わ] [coll] [peer] [女] meaning: declare rank: 1
☆ 私は嫌だわ ⇨ I don’t like it. I don’t want to
☆ 私は知らないわ ⇨ I don’t know
わ [わ] [coll] [peer] meaning: surprise rank: 1
☆ あ、こりゃ駄目だわ ⇨ Oh, this ain’t working (☛ Especially in the western dialects “わ” is used by both men and women in casual conversations)
☆ これは美味しいわ ⇨ This is delicious (☛ Especially in the western dialects “わ” is used by both men and women in casual conversations)
► 成句
輪 [わ] [輪を掛ける] meaning: increase rank: 4
☆ 彼は年をとって短気が輪をかけてひどくなった ⇨ His short-temperedness has gotten even worse as he has gotten older (☛ Literally means “put a ring over”. Something to increase in size, intensity, etc. one more notch)
► 名詞
和 [わ] [liter] meaning: harmony rank: 2
☆ 和を大切にする ⇨
輪 [わ] meaning: circle rank: 2
☆ 友情の輪を広げよう ⇨ Let’s spread the circle, network, of friendship
☆ 皆、輪になって！ ⇨ Everybody, form a circle!
☆ 輪ゴム ⇨ A (circular) rubber band
輪 [わ] meaning: ring rank: 2
☆ 土星の輪 ⇨ The rings of Saturn
► 感嘆詞
わ [(1)わ] [coll] meaning: surprise rank: 2
☆ わ～、何これ？ ⇨ Woah, what is this?
☆ わっ！ ⇨ Boo! (☛ To surprise, scare someone)
► 接頭辞
和 [わ] [liter] meaning: japanese rank: 2
☆ 和菓子 ⇨ Traditional Japanese sweets
More examples:
- 彼が自分で思いつくわけがないから誰かが入れ知恵したに違いない ⇨ Someone must’ve given him the idea because he wouldn’t have come up with it on his own
- 数がきっちり合わない ⇨ The numbers don’t match perfectly
- 彼があんなに俗な人とは思わなかった ⇨ I didn’t think he was that vulgar, with poor taste, little principle
- 特に変わったことは何も無い ⇨ There is nothing unusual
- やわな作りの椅子 ⇨ A chair that is not sturdy enough
- ふんわりとしたパン ⇨ Soft, fluffy, bread
- 全然使わないで埃を被ったままのギター ⇨ A guitar not played and collecting dust
- 使わなかった補助金は返納しなくてはいけない ⇨ You must pay back the subsidy you didn’t use
- 彼は人種差別の屈辱を味あわされた ⇨ He was humiliated for his race
- この事は誰にも言わないで下さい ⇨ Please do not mention this to anybody else
- 思わず口が滑ってしまった ⇨ I let my mouth slip, let it out inadvertently
- ああいうオバンにはなりたくないわよね ⇨ I don’t wanna be a hag like that
- チタンが材料に使われている ⇨ Titanium is used as a raw material
- 交渉は双方引かない形で終わった ⇨ The negotiation has ended where both sides refused to budge
- 戦争で多くの命が失われた ⇨ Many lives are lost in the war