Sound words, idioms and loanwords

What holds these lists together

This category has no counterpart in English, because these are not subjects but kinds of word. Japanese has a large stock of sound and mimetic words that describe not only noises but states and feelings: わくわくis excited anticipationいらいらirritationぴかぴかsomething that gleams Verbs can be joined: 書(か)き直(なお)す is to write again, 食(た)べ過(す)ぎる to eat too much, and the second verb carries what English puts in an adverb. Nouns made of kanji become verbs with する, and loanwords in katakana have often moved away from the English they came from. Each of these is a pattern learned once and then met in every other list.

For example: ドキドキ (pounding (heart); nervous; thrilled), 準備(じゅんび) (preparation), うっかり (carelessly; without thinking), 取(と)り消(け)す (to cancel; to withdraw), 言(い)うまでもない (needless to say; it goes without saying), メリット (advantage; benefit)

Spread across the levels

The category runs across the levels — it is an area, not a difficulty. If you practise it, you can also choose a level at the top of the practice page and then get only the part that sits there.