The Japanese language is an interesting and complex intricacies of hieroglyphs, strange rules, incomprehensible adverbs and inappropriate prefixes. But one has only to begin to disassemble its basics, as it becomes clear that one is nowhere without the other. And you have to learn everything in order, paying attention to even the smallest details. In Japanese, most declarative sentences end with desu. What does this word mean and why is it used so often? Let's try to figure it out.

Verb

So what does "desu" mean in Japanese? Literally translated, this word means "to be". Quite reasonably, the question may arise: why does the word "desu" appear in almost all sentences? The fact is that in Japanese verbs do not have forms and numbers. Most of them are placed at the end of the sentence and are translated by the single word "desu" - "to be".

To make it clear, let's take a small example.

あれわ 新幹線です。 (Are wa shinkansen desu) - If you translate this phrase literally, you get something like: "That is a train." In colloquial Japanese, this would be taken as: "This is a train."

In fact, "desu" means nothing. This prefix gives the verbs a neutral-polite connotation. And since politeness is considered the main link in the Japanese mentality, this style of speech is most often found in everyday life.

Question

What "desu" means is now a little clear. However, this verb has several other uses. Those who are learning Japanese, and those who have just started to learn the basics, may notice that after "desu" there are often particles. These particles are called "gobi" and in the sentence they are responsible for the emotional background.

One of the most popular particle "ka". If it comes after "desu", then the sentence is interrogative. To illustrate, here are a few examples:

1. あれわ 新幹線ですか? (Are wa shinkansen desu ka?) - In the first example, this phrase was affirmative, but after the addition of the “ka” particle, it turned into an interrogative sentence: “Is this a train?”.
2. どなたですか? (Donata desu ka?) - Another example in literal translation will sound like: “Who is there?”. This interrogative pronoun, which is used when talking about a person, is perceived as a question: "Who is this?". This expression is more often used in a polite, formal conversation. For less formal occasions, it is customary to say: だれですか? (Dare desu ka?). The essence of the question remains the same, only the degree of politeness changes.

Thus, "desu" (which means "to be") can appear not only in declarative, but also in interrogative sentences. But there are two more gobi particles that can be found in tandem with desu.

"Yo" and "ne"

When studying Japanese materials for beginners, you can often find the combination "desu ne". It often appears in phrases such as:

• わ、畳の部屋ですね。(Wa, tatami no heya desu ne.) - Translated, the sentence is quite simple: "This is a tatami room." But you should pay attention to the prefix "va" at the beginning of the sentence, which means delight or admiration for what he saw. In turn, the combination “desu ne” means that a person who admires a room with a tatami is not sure that the interlocutor shares his emotions.

Expressions of this kind are often found when Japanese people talk to visitors. To visitors, everything in Japan seems to be a novelty, but for the natives it is a common everyday life. It also works in the opposite direction: if a Japanese comes to a foreign country and speaks to someone in their native language, you can often find the combination "desu ne".

And it's not "desu" at all

Japanese learners should be aware that "desu" (meaning "to be") is never fully pronounced. Due to the reduction of vowels, the output will be the word "des". That is, when written, the word will consist of two syllables “de” (で) and “su” (す), but it will be read as “des”.

Due to the fact that people who popularize oriental culture do not always have sufficient knowledge, many Internet users are mistaken about the correct pronunciation.

To be or not to be

So, at this stage, “desu” has already been learned, which means “to be”. But what to do when you need to "not be." "To be or not to be" - the words of Shakespeare fit the consideration of this issue at the right time.

The word "desu" has a negative form "de wa arimasen", which literally means "is not". For example:

• 山田さんは学生ではありません。 (Yamada-san wa gakusei de wa arimasen.) - When fully translated, it will turn out: "Yamada-san is a student is not." That is, the listener receives information that Yamada-san is not a university student.

The word "desu" is especially popular. It can be found in the original anime or manga, heard in dubber voiceovers, or remembered after watching some videos. But no matter what meaning the word “desu” is attached to, it is nothing more than a particle of speech. Kind of like a dot at the end of a sentence. And only thanks to this analogue, it is much easier to achieve understanding in a conversation, because “desu” can “be” or “not be”, ask, express emotions and provide additional information.

Today, Japanese culture is very popular and in demand among Russian teenagers, for this reason they are trying to learn more about this eastern state. Usually, after watching the next anime movie, viewers have questions about the meaning of certain concepts of the Japanese language. In this article, we will look at what "kawai desu" means, and touch on some other related concepts.

The term "kawaii"

So what does the word "kawaii" mean? This concept was borrowed from the Japanese language, it can be translated as "adored", "cute", "cool". Kawaii is a term that anime fans mean everything that is lovely and cute, that is, that which can cause bright positive emotions. This concept can also mean very positive events or situations. For the first time, they began to talk about this term thirty years ago, in connection with the new fashion that covered all Japanese girls and even women. This direction makes already formed girls behave and dress like a nymphet, that is, to be infantile and innocent. In addition, anime fan groups are actively using the "kawaii" phenomenon by creating one of the most popular female images in Japan - girls who look like dolls.

Kawaii like style

Several decades have passed since the emergence of this trend, teenage fashion has changed dozens of times, but the “kawaii” trend remains unchanged, constantly finding fans in new generations of teenage girls. Today, the word "kawaii" is used not only in Japan, but also by teenagers around the world. However, not everyone can correctly explain what this word means. But this is not an obstacle to its use. At every opportunity, anime fans and aficionados use this Japanese term, leaving their interlocutors wondering what the word means.

At the moment, there are no specific rules that would regulate the use of this word. Of course, any person will use the concept of "kawaii" at will, that is, based on the situation. After all, every anime fan has the right to independently determine the degree of "kawaii", a particular situation or an anime hero.

It must be understood that this word can be called not only living people and pets, but also a variety of beautiful things. In general, the Japanese love everything bright and shiny, demeanor and external image are important for them. The Japanese consider "kawaii" to be the highest expression of sympathy and cuteness. By the way, if we touch upon Japanese history a little, we can say that the word "kawaii" was often used even in the Japanese army.

The meaning of the word "desu"

What does "desu" mean? Desu - (Japanese character です) is a verbal copula in Japanese used to add a touch of politeness to a declarative sentence. In oral speech, the last vowel in this word is not pronounced, the term should be pronounced as "des". Often this link is used by children and foreigners who cannot correctly express the end of a sentence with intonation. The term has gained traction online as a bunch of words used by anime characters in Japanese films to give a respectful tone of speech.

What does "desu" mean in the circle of anime people?

The close meaning of this word is: "Well, is everything clear?". Like any slang for a narrow circle, the "dialect of anime fans", riddled with Japanese words, is little used in ordinary life. It does not cause such obvious condemnation as the criminal jargon of the criminal environment, but one should not expect understanding in response to such expressions. This term is known to people who are connected with the Internet and various forums, even if they have nothing to do with the anime community. Thus, we can say that this is such a small slang word that is placed at the end of a sentence and has become universal for many Internet users. It is used to give a very polite intonation to a sentence. What does "kawai desu" mean? This word is called something very touching and sweet.

Japanese term "nya"

The word "nya" is very connected with the theme of cats. In fact, this is how the cat's "meow" is translated from Japanese. The same word is called cats in Japan instead of the Russian "kis-kis". The word "nya" is used quite often by anime fans. It is quite consistent with the usage in Japanese.

Some anime characters can only communicate using this word. Cats are cute animals, so the word "nya" is perfectly used as a substitute for or addition to the word "kawaii". All this can be pronounced with the prefix "desu". What does "cute" mean in Russian? From the Japanese "nya" came the well-known term "nyashny", which was transformed into a short noun "nyash", that is, someone cute and touching. Also, the verb "nyakat" has become widespread, which is similar in meaning to the same slang word as "kavaetsya", that is, to be touched, touchingly admire and rejoice at something. What does "nya kawai desu" mean? Those three words describe something very super cute, with a touch of delight.

Anime influence

Now it's clear what "desu" means in Japanese. The earliest commercial Japanese animation dates back to 1917, and Japanese anime production has continued to rise steadily ever since. The distinctive anime art style emerged in the 1960s with the work of Osamu Tezuka and spread internationally in the late twentieth century. This genre is shown in theaters, on television, advertised in the media, and also via the Internet. It is divided into numerous sub-genres targeting different broad and targeted audiences.

Desu 1.

A particle that does not have a semantic load. Used in polite speech. Also popular with anime fans.

Oh desu!

How are you? Desu.

Anime

In Japanese, it is placed at the end of a sentence as an affirmative particle, as if to say that this fact is immutable and irrefutable. The abuse of "desu" in every sentence is somewhat similar to the use of "however" in Russian. Not very welcome.

Watashi namae wa Sergei desu. (My name is Sergey).

Anime, Japanese

Dictionary of modern vocabulary, jargon and slang. 2014 .

See what "desu" is in other dictionaries:

DESU- [fr. dessous] coll. (beautiful) lingerie. Dictionary of foreign words. Komlev N.G., 2006 ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

desu- * dessou m. 1.obsolete Women's underwear. The ladies, of course, had no idea about the current luxurious dessous, they all wore white starched skirts, white stockings, leather or luster shoes without heels and buttons. Skalkovsky Vosp. youth. This… …

desu de carte- *un dessous de cartes. Reverse side, underside. It seems to me that there is some kind of dessous de carte here. Isn't it an intrigue of Bulgarin, an enemy of Vyazemsky and all journalists. 1828. A. Ya. Bulgakov to his brother. // RA 1901 3 193. But Grigorovich wanted ... ... Historical Dictionary of Gallicisms of the Russian Language

pa coupe desu- * pas coupe dessous. Zorn 1890 158 ... Historical Dictionary of Gallicisms of the Russian Language

sans ten desu-*sens dessus dessous. Bottom up; somersault. All of us in the house sens dessus dessous the nurse left yesterday, and today a German nanny has arrived, who does not know a word of either Italian or French. 3. 5. 1876. A. A. Herzen N. A. Ogareva ... Historical Dictionary of Gallicisms of the Russian Language

Kurindesu- (karak.) angimeles, soyles. Kel, kosshym, k ү r i n d e s i p otyrayyk! (karak.) қ. curendesu … Kazakh tilinin aimagtyk sozdigi

Each group of people, united on some basis, sooner or later forms its own vocabulary, which allows you to maintain a conversation on general topics without long unnecessary explanations. The so-called anime fans, that is, anime fans, also did not escape this fate. Sometimes their lexicon introduces involuntary listeners into a stupor. What is "desu"? How to understand the phrase "opening kawaii nya desu"? And why does this “desu” randomly appear in almost any phrase, which leaves no way to independently determine its meaning.

Where did "desu" come from: anime slang

However, "desu" initially carries a reinforcing and confirming meaning, which must be respectfully included in the spoken phrase. In fact, it is a linking verb, literally meaning "to be." In the anime, the word "desu" is abused by some hysterical personalities and comic characters. The excess of this word is used as an artistic technique, emphasizing the features of the character.

What is "desu" and how to use it correctly?

From the point of view of an anime player, especially a beginner, "desu" gives his speech the necessary Japanese flavor to pass for his own in a narrow circle. You can't say it's bad. Many, after starting attempts to figure out what “desu” is and whether it is needed in this speech at all, begin to seriously study. Moreover, they achieve excellent results.

In a conversation with anime people, "desu" can be used in place and out of place, this word will fit almost anywhere, since it means anything. This has nothing to do with academic Japanese, so we are talking purely about the hangout of anime connoisseurs. In most cases, excessive "desu" does not annoy anyone, since neophytes sin with it literally at every turn.

"Kawai nya desu" and other oddities

The most common combination of words in the anime community is "kawai desu", "nya desu", or even together - "nya kawaii desu". What are we talking about? If we take up the translation of each word separately, then this will bring little clarity. “Kawai” is the usual way to talk about something very cute. On the Web, an incorrect derivative of the noun from the adjective "cute" is often found, it looks like "cuteness" or even "mercy" in the sense of "something very glorious and touching." So "kawaii" is the "cuteness" of pure water. The word was used as a noun and immediately spawned the adjective "kawaii". So a touching cat is automatically a kawaii cat.

The word "nya" is closely related to the theme of cats. In fact, this is how the cat's "meow" is translated from Japanese. The cat is called by the same sound instead of our “kiss-kiss-kiss”. The word "nya" is used by anime people anywhere, any way and in any quantity. This is quite consistent with Japanese usage. One of the former cat, manages only this word to issue long monologues, not devoid of meaning. And since cats are cute, the word "nya" is perfectly used as a replacement or addition to the word "kawaii". Also, the verb “nyak”, which is similar in meaning to the same verbal formation as “kavaetsya” - that is, to be touched, touching something to admire and rejoice, got into circulation. From here came the well-known adjective "nice", which, in turn, mutated into the short noun "nash" (someone cute and touching). All this can be pronounced with the prefix "desu".

The most popular meme "desu"

Like any fairly popular phenomenon, anime Japaneseisms have not escaped becoming memes. The expression “shield to do desu” expresses quite sarcastic and even poisonous sarcasm for any reason, is used as the final argument in any disputes or justifications. It literally means “what to do” and implies that there is nothing to do here, it remains only to accept.

The expression itself is an original fusion of the Russian and Japanese languages, seasoned with a two-slang version of the question “what?”, Which differs from the usual one by a double amount of bewilderment invested.

Appropriateness of using anime stamps

Like any slang for a narrow circle, anime dialect, humiliated by Japaneseisms, is of little use in normal life. It does not provoke such obvious condemnation as criminal jargon or the so-called "tramp slang", but it would be short-sighted to expect understanding in response to slang expressions. Of course, not everything is so simple with the word “desu”, the translation and general meaning of which is known to almost all people who are somehow connected with the Internet community, even if they have nothing to do with anime culture.

Japonisms in memetics

I would like to note that not only anime fans use common phrases or images that have Japanese roots. There is such an unrecognized science - memetics, which studies the emergence and influence of memes as an information unit. According to memetic principles, any replicated phrases, words or concepts become more capacious than ordinary explanations if you need to briefly and concisely express not only an opinion, but also an emotional connotation.

What was the origin of the word "desu"? Manga, anime, that is, somewhat exaggerated works designed for children, teenagers and young people. This is now the most active part of Internet users, and time goes by very quickly. The most famous memetic Japonism at the moment, which has spilled out far beyond the boundaries of the anime party, is the word "nyash", which is addressed to a very pretty girl, the prosecutor of the Crimea. Memetics can be considered pseudoscience, but the main thing cannot be taken away from it - just one short word of three letters completely and exhaustively conveys the characteristics of the appearance of a public person. And there's nothing to be done about it, desu.