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100 Japanese words you need to know
What words do you really need to survive when coming to Tokyo?
What words do you need to learn before you come?Japanese language and culture site Tofugu this week selected the top 100 essential words visitors to Japan need to know when planning a jaunt.
Separated into categories, the list begins with an emergency word you might need as soon as you step off the plane; "トイレ" (toire) = toilet.
Other emergency expressions include "やめて！" (yamete!) = stop it! and "死にそう" (shini sou) = seems like I’m going to die.
People, Locations, Asking, Food, Politeness, Greetings and Numbers round out the list with some basic verbs and adjectives thrown in too.
Our favorites are the little used "不味い" (mazui) = bad tasting, since locals rarely express negativity, the playful "馬鹿" (baka) = stupid, and another self-deprecating term, "下手" (heta), an adjective to show you are useless at something, such as using chopsticks on your first visit.
Tofugu encourage users to disagree or add their own suggestions, but we think the list is fairly comprehensive.
