random vocab

So i just realized that i probably use a lot of random abbreviations, acronyms, and japanese words that may cause some of you to raise your eyebrow from time to time. Sooo, here a master list of vocab that may come in handy in my blogs about Japan. I’ll keep adding onto this list if i think of new stuff, and please, let me know if there’s anything i should add to this too.

JET – Japan Exchange and Teaching

ALT – Assistant Language Teacher (aka my job title)

JTE – Japanese Teacher of English

BOE – Board of Education

Ichinensei – first years (US 7^th graders)

Ninensei – second years (US 8^th graders)

Sannensei – third years (US 9^th graders)

Sensei – teacher

Kocho/kouchou – Principal

Kyoto/kyoutou – the Head Teacher; my guess is what we’d consider a vice principal. He’s in charge of the teachers. How he differs from the principal i still dont get.

-Ben - dialect. Tsushima-ben = Tsushima's dialect. Kansai-ben = the dialect in the Kyoto region

Conbini - convenience store (7-Eleven, Lawson's Station, Coco!, Family Mart, etc)

Enkai - drinking party, banquet, feast

Gaijin - foreigner (ie. me)

Genki – vigor, spirit, pep, vitality

Inaka – countryside, the sticks, where all of my schools are, etc.

Kawaii – cute

Taihen – much, extremely.. sorry this word is hard to translate. I use it a lot to mean something oppressively sucks or is overwhelming.

Zannen – pity, shame, regrettable, unlucky, unfortunate

Ja ne – See you!

Oyasumi or oyasuminasai – Good night!