Have you ever felt like while you get your point across, it just sounds unnatural and too directly translated from English? Have you ever felt like you understood the words in the sentence, yet you didn’t understand what they meant at all? Well, one of the things that really helps with this is paying closer attention to set expressions! You surely already know the basic ones, but the problem is that there’s plenty of common ones that are rarely taught to learners.
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**General info:**
Languages are all about limitations in possible patterns as well as common patterns that sound natural, because people influence one another. One thing early learning materials tend to not make clear is the importance of set phrases, despite the fact that it’s one of the very first things they teach. Often when you look them up in materials, you will simply get different types of sayings (idioms, axioms, maxims, etc), but these have more to do with expressions in culture and literature than linguistic categories. Otherwise you will often see them taught as ”expressions”, but an expression is simply something that works as a grammatical unit to convey a larger message, so you end up people who teach useful common things you could say but also phrasemes, without making a distinction.
In computational linguistics you have ‘**’Phrasemes’**’, also known as ”fixed expressions”, ”set phrases”. or ”Multi-Word Expressions”. They are specific combinations of words or structures that are best treated as their own vocabulary, its own larger **”lexical item”**. Here, at least 1 component has restrictions in how you have to use it because it has simply become conventional. For example, ”Nice to Meet You” when introducing yourself sounds natural in English but literally translating it to Japanese feels off. You can’t really make your own sentence as you please, there are additional restrictions due to what became common convention.
If you can, try learning your vocabulary with a phraseme. You’ll have an easier time remembering both the phraseme and the individual words, and if its a commonly used one you may end up sounding more natural as long as you know in what situation to use it.
The type of set phrase you’re often introduced to first is limited to specific social and physical situations, they are called ‘**’Pragmatemes”‘**(Pragmatics is the study of how context effects meaning, related to semantics). Phrasemes can be just two words, incomplete phrases, or entire sentences. They can be general **sentence templates**, or specific utterances. Phrasemes can make intuitive sense from the sum of their parts, then they’re **compositional**. Or they can not make sense from the sum of their parts, often being figurative or needing more context in what situation it used to be used when it was coined, these ar**e idiomatic.** Depending on how many parts work like this they can be quasi, semi, or full idioms. Compositional Phrasemes come in just..”**cliches”** people use to talk with, and **”collocation phrasemes”** so to speak. In English you ”Take” a shower, but in Japanese you ”Abiru” (basking in) a shower, you wouldn’t use ”toru” (to take), it would sound weird.
**Collocations** in a more general sense are words or types of words that end up being used together a lot. It’s a big part of sounding natural. Specific Verbs might commonly be used with specific nouns even if they aren’t exactly a phraseme. Specific adjectives may often be used to described certain kinds of nouns which would sound awkward yet correct in English yet normal in Japanese even if the word has similar connotations and meanings simply due to conventions in usage.
Another useful concept that isn’t a type of phraseme is a **discourse marker** as while many are single words, many are also phrasemes. A Discourse marker are clauses or parts of sentences we use to organize the structure of information when we communicate. Things like ”For example”, ”In conclusion, I think that..” . This is closely related to text and **sentence frames/heads**. They’re structures learners can use to easily start and create sentences like ”First I would like to say that \*topic 1\*’. ”I’ve been thinking about x”.
Lastly, **compound words** (a single word with multiple existing components) **can also be idomatic vs compositional**, and sometimes, the lines between a compound and a phraseme get a bit blurry, so I will include some.
Now I got that out of the way, let’s look at the kinds of Phrasemes in Japanese to pay attention to
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**Japanese:**
In Japanse a set phrase is called 決まった言葉(Kimatta kotoba), 慣用句 (kanyouku) or 言い習し) (iinarawashi). Sayings are called 諺 (kotowaza). Expressions in general, which set phrases may also be called, are called 言い回し (ii mawashi) and 表現 (hyougen). Note that this is not according to official Japanese grammar, these are simply patterns I have personally noticed explained through English terms I know or made up.
The phraseme, like any sign, can either be based in more grammatical/structural function (function words like ”and” or ”is”) or based more directly on its meaning (content words, like cow or tree). Functional ones are used more commonly, but there’s less of them out there.
Here’s some structures and sizes I came accross:
**-1 Word or roughly 1 word Phrasemes**
すみません (sumimasen, sorry). Regular 1 word set phrases.
お願いします (oneigai shimasu, please/request)
**Yojijukugo**These are some of the most popular one websites. They’re based on 4 character compound phrasemes from Chinese, though there are yojijukugo that are made in japan, and some that aren’t idioms. 一石二鳥 (Isseki ni chou two birds one stone) 意思疎通 (ishisotsuu) (mutual understanding、諸行無常 (shogyoumujou, impermancne), 試行錯誤 (shikousakugo ,trial and error)
**-Connection types**
Once we get to multiword ones, they’ll be connected in different ways. Either its two words connected one after another (sometimes going against modern or regular grammar), separate clauses connected by て or a particle , or a proper little complete phrase or clause that just follows your usual grammar. Another type of connection is to have 2 entirely separate sentences followed by a pause.
**Dependant vs Independant (relationships)**
Some phrasemes can stand on their own, others need more words. You can’t just say ” まず。。‘’（mazu, first) and have it be a full sentence, unless you’re intentionally giving an unfinished sentence. You cant say かも知れない (kamoshirenai, maybe) because it has to attach to the end of a sentence. However, you can definitely say, お大事に\*\*(odaijini..)\*\* even though it doesn’t look like a complete sentence, the rest is implied.
**Sentence head vs Enders vs Modifiers vs Connectors vs Attachments (Roles/Functions)**
**Sentence heads open** a sentence like もしかすると,……、(moshikasuruto..perhaps..), to give a better idea what we are going to talk about and how things relate to one another. They can be single words likeまず,… (mazu, first..),
We also have conventional parts that come at the **end** I call the ender, often as its own short little sentence connected by a particle or て. Think of と思う to express ”I think”, in English it comes at the start, but in Japanese it comes at the end.
For example, Xてくる (te kuru)、Xている (te iru)、Xてある、Xていく (teiku), etc are functional auxiliary phrases that help the main verb and follow this structure.
**Modifiers** are their own little adverbial or adjectival clause you can place somewhere in the sentence to modify another part of the sentence. 何という expresses degree.
**Connectors** are like conjunctions they connect two clauses or words to gether. These can be part of the same clause, not part of the same clause, a single word, a full phrase, etc. xに対する (nitaisuru)、xからこそ （karakoso), etc.
Lastly, some work like **attachments/affixes**, you attach them to another word, typically a verb conjugation. like verbずには居られない (zunihairarenai)
**Size Structure**
**-Incomplete Phrase Phrasemes and Phrasal Compounds.**
(note: A phrase is a more incomplete and dependant than a clause. See ”To feel bad about x” vs. ”I am feeling bad”. Japanese traditional grammar has different units altogether. I forgot about it but if you want to look it up, dividing sentences is called 文節 (bunsetsu)
These can not stand independently as finished sentences. Most don’t really make that much sense alone.They are typically conjunctions and adverbs, either they go in between two sentences/clauses or they can sit as their own separate clause, often as a sentence head to and discourse marker. 何より (naniyori),若しかすると (moshikasuruto…), だって (datte..)、そう言えば (souieba..) , そういう(souiu..) , While some would make sense like そう言えば , あっという間に (attoiu mani) (lets call them **conventional incompletes**) Some seem to defy the grammar patterns of a typical sentence. Lets call them **unconventional incompletes.** For example **予期せぬ(yoki senu, unexpected)** uses old grammar.
Another type is a shortened sentence like お大事に, where it sounds like a regular sentence with some implied words left out instead. Lets call them **Implied** **Unfinished Phrasemes/Shorthand Phrasemes.**
You can find many, many structures and usages in these. とんでもない(tondemonai, unthinkable) has a verb in te form (which makes it its own clause) + Nai, and its kind of unclear whether its a compound or a set phrase. ほんの少し (hon no sukoshi, just a little bit) uses an entirely different one, in a single clause. Try to look for different ones.
For some its hard to tell whether they are compounds or phrases. 世の中 (yo no naka, ”the world”) is actually a compound noun thats structured like a phrase.
**-Small Complete Clauses (usually collocations).**
These small often 3 word phrases can be a complete clause on their own but are typically used within larger sentences.
You’ll typically see 1 noun + 1 Particle + 1 verb. 手に負える (te ni oeru, to be managable). 手を離れる (te wo hanareru, to become independant). 手が込む (te ga komu, to be intricate). They often involve collocations and may or may not be conjugated differently. Notice that these are all about hands. A lot of the idiomatic ones relateから、まで、etc. to body part nouns. You likely learned them very early on, such as 腹が減 (hara ga heru, to be hungry, literally stomach has decreased/emptied) and のどが渇く (nodo ga kawaku, to be thirsty, literally, throat is dry). One useful thing about these phrasemes is that they are very easy to look up! Go to google and type in a noun. Then type in a particle. を、が、に、の、で、と, から、まで\`, etc. You’ll see a bunch of phrasemes pop up! Note that they can be more complicated.
Not all of them follow this pattern. There are wildly different ones like 何もない (nothing..) or the famous 仕方がない (shikata ga nai, there’s nothing we can do about it), 訳がない(wakeganai), 言いようがない(iiyouganai). Beware: Often they’ll drop certain particles in casual Japanese when its obvious from the context or just conventional. So in an anime you may hear sentences like ”Sonna wake nai darou!”
Note that some even take ”Multiple **arguments**” asin its not just 1 noun and particle. It might by x ga noun 1 x ni noun 2 for example.
Lastly, there are ones that take no particle. Arigatou gozaimasu or とんでもないです(tondemonaidesu) is a full formal thank you that just has 1 phrasal compound I Adjective + desu.
**-Full Saying Phrasemes**
These are typically full sentence sayings, such as proverbs. Some are more like the phrasemes above, and may even be usable in a larger sentence. Some of them are so old their grammar seems a bit odd now. Some leave parts implied, some are full sentences.
Proverb: 井の中の蛙大海を知らず (I no naka no kawazu taikai wo shirazu, a frog in a well knows nothing of the sea, a proverb about perspective)
Regular one: 喉から火が出るほど(恥ずかしい). (nodo kara hi ga deru hodo (hazukashii). To the point there’s fire coming out of my throat (of embarrassment)
Don’t forget to pay attention to whether its:
\-A pragmateme. Again these are restricted by situation. For a lesser known 1 word example when you’re in a livestream, people will often type 待機! to say they’re waiting for the stream.
\-A collocation. シャワーを浴びる(Shawa- Wo abiru to take a shower).
\-Idiomatic vs. Compositional.
\-Functional vs. Content.
\-Compound vs. Phrase/Clause.
\-Template vs strictly fixed
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As you come across these set phrases, try to take note of them and add them to anki. Pay attention to how and when they’re used and what kind of stylistics and connotations they have (some for example are only really used in novels, some are casual, some are formal, etc), and then you can try incorporating them into your own language!
Can you already read Japanese and you want to learn common verb related collocations and phrasemes? Look no further than Ninjals Verb Handbook! It’ll explain everything you’ll ever need to know about the verbs it has already added: [https://verbhandbook.ninjal.ac.jp/headwords/?utm\_source=Tofugu](https://verbhandbook.ninjal.ac.jp/headwords/?utm_source=Tofugu)
Other good resources are those with many sample sentences.
if my depression doesn”t get the best of me, I’ll have a basic spreadsheet of these sometime in the future.
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2 comments
I took the freedom to have chatgpt simplify your post a bit: Have you ever noticed that sometimes when you’re speaking, it can sound a bit strange or too directly translated from another language? Or have you experienced understanding the words in a sentence, but not really grasping the overall meaning? Well, one key to making your language sound more natural is paying attention to set expressions. You might already be familiar with some common ones, but there are many others that often go unnoticed.
In language, there are certain fixed phrases that are like building blocks for natural communication. They have specific rules and patterns, and they play a crucial role in how we express ourselves. For example, think about the phrase “Nice to Meet You.” When you translate it directly into Japanese, it doesn’t quite fit. That’s because set expressions have their own conventions and can’t be freely altered.
When you’re learning a new language, it’s a good idea to incorporate these set phrases into your vocabulary. They help you remember both the phrase itself and the individual words within it. Plus, using them correctly can make you sound more fluent and natural in various situations.
In the world of linguistics, these fixed expressions are called “Phrasemes,” “fixed expressions,” or “set phrases.” They consist of specific word combinations that function as a single unit, and one or more components within them have rigid usage rules due to common conventions.
Set phrases come in different forms, from very short expressions to complete sentences. They can either make sense based on the sum of their parts (compositional) or not make sense without additional context (idiomatic). Some are specific to certain social or physical situations, known as “Pragmatemes,” which depend on the context to convey meaning. Additionally, there are “collocations,” where certain words tend to naturally go together.
In Japanese, set phrases are referred to as 決まった言葉 (Kimatta kotoba), 慣用句 (kanyouku), or 言い習し (iinarawashi). Sayings are called 諺 (kotowaza), and expressions in general can be 言い回し (ii mawashi) or 表現 (hyougen).
These set phrases can be as short as one word or slightly longer, and they can be connected in various ways. Some are standalone, while others depend on additional words. They can be used to open or close sentences, modify other parts of a sentence, connect clauses, or attach to verbs and nouns.
Set phrases can be a bit like puzzle pieces, helping you build sentences naturally. Some are collocations, where specific words frequently appear together. They play a significant role in sounding fluent in a language. Remember that set phrases can vary in form and function, so it’s essential to explore and understand them in context.
Do you want to know more about specific set phrases in Japanese or how to identify and use them effectively?
Are you interested in discovering similar linguistic concepts in other languages, or do you have questions about the structure of set phrases in different languages?
Would you like tips on how to incorporate set phrases into your language learning routine and remember them effectively?
When I started studying Japanese, a US guy who lived in Japan for a decade told me that Japanese is more “formulaic” than English is.
I found that to be helpful advice for studying, notably for endings. But there are some interesting freedoms too. . .