benkyoutobentou

[benkyoutobentou]

カフェで日本語を勉強している૮꒰ྀི >⸝⸝⸝< ꒱ྀིა これはげんき2の練習だ。皆、日本語が頑張ってね！

#study

[benkyoutobentou]

a very incomplete list of cdramas (plus a few chinese films) i've watched and my rating for hsk proficiencies for them below the cut!

i've watched some shows that aren't included on this list, but i didn't watch enough of them to get a good sense for the level of challenge they pose, so they're omitted from the list. i've also included links to the mydramalist pages, if you want to get a sense of the plot.

i had to remove the list format, since tumblr decided i had too many characters per block of text, so i apologise for that. a number of these can be watched on youtube with english fansubs, but if you can't find something, you can always dm me and i'll get you a link!

沙海/tomb of the sea: this fits into the extended daomu biji/grave robbers' chronicles/lost tomb franchise, but you don't have to have seen the other shows or read the books to watch it, and the pov character is an outsider who also doesn't understand what's going on 90% of the time. this show is contemporary, and you could probably start watching it at a fairly low hsk level because it doesn't have a ton of complicated technical or genre-specific terms. the subbing in english decent, since it came out a while ago, but there are some errors that crop up with names and nicknames. if you wanted to watch it without subtitles, i'd say you could probably get the gist of what's being said at around an hsk 4 or hsk 5 level. it has 52 episodes, each around 45 minutes long. (mdl link)

双镜/couple of mirrors: set in the republican era, so some of the terms used are a bit outdated in terms of colloquialism, and it also has a mystery/detective element to it, so that could pose a bit of a struggle. that said, the show isn't actually too challenging in terms of vocab—i would say you could watch it without english subtitles at an hsk 3 level with some struggle, and with a fair amount of ease at hsk 4. 12 episodes, at 46 minutes each. (mdl link)

云泽传/legend of yunze: wuxia/xianxia, which makes the amount of unfamiliar terms higher if you aren't used to the genre, but the episodes are all very short, and the plot itself isn't overly complicated, which makes it easy to sit down and watch in one go. on a level of difficulty, as long as you're familiar with wuxia/xianxia terms, you could probably watch this at an hsk 2 level without too much issue, and the subbing in english is very thorough. has multiple seasons, but the first season is 12 episodes, between 3-7 minutes each. (mdl link)

神探/detective l: this is a procedural detective show, and it's set in the 1930s republican shanghai, so there's a combination of more formal/outdated language and specialised detective/case-related phrases. the english subs are decent, though, and the actors all enunciate clearly, which helps if you need to look up words. i would say this would probably be a bit of a struggle below the hsk 5 level, but you'll pick up a lot of new, crime-related phrases. 24 episodes, 40 minutes each. (mdl link)

不良执念清除师/oh no! here comes trouble!: i'll be honest, this one was a struggle for me because of the taiwanese accent. i can understand what they're saying, it just sounds like the auditory equivalent of someone coming into my house and moving everything a few centimetres to the left. this is also a procedural show, but contemporary, so not quite as challenging in terms of vocab to detective l, in my opinion..........but it's also got a heavy supernatural element, which does come with specific vocab. the subbing is good, but if you're going to watch it, this one probably requires a higher hsk level to keep up—hsk 5, at a minimum, in my opinion. 12 episodes, 52 minutes each. (mdl link)

s.c.i谜案集/sci mystery/sci: another contemporary procedural mystery show, but from the mainland, so there's no elements of supernatural. surprisingly simple vocabulary; you could watch this at an hsk 2 level and get the gist, and an hsk 3 or hsk 4 level would let you watch it just fine. has fairly good english subs, and i believe they set the show in hk, which accounts for the higher than usual amount of english usage, up to and including in dialogue. the only bit that might make it challenging is the heavy lean into the psychology, but it's all largely explained directly, since most of the characters aren't familiar with the terms either. 24 episodes, 45 minutes each. (mdl link)

成化十四年/sleuth of the ming dynasty: ming dynasty (mid 1400s, under the chenghua emperor) setting, but a fairly colloquial vocabulary. there are some specialised titles used, but those are fairly self-evident by the way the show is shot, and easy enough to look up. the english subs are good, and i would put this at an hsk 4 level—but even at an hsk 3 level you probably won't struggle too badly. my hangup here was, again, one of the leads being played by an actor with a taiwanese accent, though it's not too heavy. 48 episodes, 45 minutes each. (mdl link)

老九门/the mystic nine: dmbj prequel, set in the tail end of the republican era (1939, if i remember correctly?). has a lot of tomb- and tomb-robbing specific vocabulary, alongside the more dated modes of speech, so i would put this up at an hsk 5 or hsk 6 level, but there's decent subs, so you could watch it at lower levels, it would just be a bit of a challenge. 48 episodes, 42 minutes each. (mdl link)

猎罪图鉴/under the skin: contemporary procedural show; there's a lot of emotion- and motive-specific words used, and the fact that it's a procedural makes it a bit more challenging, in my opinion. i would recommend that don't start with this show, just because of the fact that it's pretty easy to get lost if you don't grasp some of the vocabulary. i'd put it at an hsk 6 level, but that said, the subs are good and you can watch it at an hsk 5 level with some effort, i think. 20 episodes, 45 minutes each. (mdl link)

春风沉醉的夜晚/spring fever: honestly not as challenging in terms of vocabulary as a lot of things on this list, and fairly contemporary (set in the 2000s). i would say if you're at an hsk 4 level, you will probably do alright with it. 116 minutes in total. (mdl link)

关于我和鬼变成家人的那件事/marry my dead body: another case of struggling to acclimate to the taiwanese accent; otherwise, not too complicated in terms of vocab, though there are some spirit/marriage-specific terms used. overall, though, i'd put this at an hsk 4 level as well. 130 minutes in total. (mdl link)

陈情令/the untamed: heavy on the wuxia/xianxia elements, so unless you're familiar with that, you might struggle a lot to get through it. this is a lot of peoples' entry into cdramas, though, so it's not utterly inaccessible, and has decent english subs. i would put this around an hsk 5, if you want to watch it without subs, though you'll probably still have to pause and look up some words here and there even then. 50 episodes, 45 minutes each, making it the longest on this list. (mdl link)

山河令/word of honour: arguably the hardest on this list, i would say, because it's so plot-heavy. i, as a native speaker, struggle to follow along with this for extended amounts of time because there's a combination of 1. a lot happening, 2. a lot of wuxia terms, and 3. a lot of references to literature/art/etc. i would put this up at an hsk 7 level, honestly. that said, the subs for this are very good. 36 official episodes with a 37th mini-episode, 45 minutes each for the regular ones. (mdl link)

天官赐福/heaven official's blessing: one of the easier shows on this list; i would put this at an hsk 3 or hsk 4 level; there's some words you probably won't know, but while it does fall under xianxia, it doesn't go into that as much in terms of vocabulary as cql/the untamed does. i believe both seasons have both official subbing and official dubbing into english available, but that's not how i watched it, and i've only seen the first season, which is 11 episodes and about 20 minutes per episode. (mal link)

致命游戏/the spirealm: not particularly challenging in terms of actual vocab, but as of yet, only the first few episodes are subbed, since it came out literally this month, and the other subs are all auto-generated and.............very lacking. that said, it's a contemporary setting, and i would put this at an hsk 5 level, give or take; there are some references to folklore, but the characters research and explain or deduce the explanations of what is happening as it occurs, and you aren't left to struggle to figure it out yourself. 78 episodes, but each one is a bit under 20 minutes long, so it actually isn't that much content in total. (mdl link)

#languages #definitely filing this one away for future reference

[benkyoutobentou]

#memes #sorry enjoy a german meme #heres your reminder that i also study german sometimes

[benkyoutobentou]

What to do when you’ve hit a language slump:

(or that inevitable moment when you’re either unmotivated or you feel like all of your work is for nothing or you think maybe learning this language is silly) (spoiler alert it’s not):

-Listen to music in the language. Listen to how cool that music is; wouldn’t it be awesome to be able to sing it and understand what you’re singing?!

-Go watch some tv shows or movies in the language. Wouldn’t it be freaking awesome to be able to watch it without all the subtitles? And sometimes subtitles can be inaccurate (if only slightly); you can watch with the accurate storyline!

-Read a book that has something to do with the language. Is there a character that speaks the language? Does it take place in the city/country where the language is spoken? Just…soak it all in; it’s cool right?

-Take a break from grammar and the usually stuff and do something fun with it (whatever that may be). Look up some pretty vocab, some aesthetic posts, random idioms, etc.

-Listen to someone speak the language. Sounds beautiful, right? Wouldn’t you like to be able to do that and converse like that? Wouldn’t it just be the most amazing experience to go somewhere where people speak that language and you can speak it right back?!

Point is: Everyone gets language slumps; it’s completely normal. But I promise your work has not been for nothing. It will (and already is) paying off

#taking a break isn’t the end of the world #sometimes you just need to step back for a bit #inspo

[benkyoutobentou]

Samurai-Class Woman’s Purse (hakoseko) with Carp in Swirling Water, 19th century

#art

[benkyoutobentou]

しとしと

石山寺

January 2024

#aesthetic

[benkyoutobentou]

Ohara Koson: Golden Carp

#art

[benkyoutobentou]

87/100 days of productivity

16/2/24: Friday

taught a chinese class

made dalgona coffee

I haven't done anything during the last three days except write. I finished about 110 pages on my wip???? This always happens when I write a new story then I lose interest and move onto another. I'm writing only for me so it's fine!

#study

[benkyoutobentou]

Reblog if youre any active studyblr in 2024

Reblog so i can find my people!!

#the studyblr/langblr communities are alive and well! #I study Japanese Mandarin and German!

[benkyoutobentou]

Kimono Info Dump:

#culture

[benkyoutobentou]

New to Tumblr...but a short version of why I am here

Hello everyone. I am 40 yrs old, married for 10 yrs, and the dad to two boys on the Autism spectrum ( LVL 1 & LVL 3). I am an avid Redditor and Medium writer/blogger and also have been practicing witchcraft since '96. I have ALWAYS LOVED History and have spent COUNTLESS hours, days, weeks, and years deep-diving into different cultures.

As of this post, a few months ago I have taken a high interest in Japanese history and am here for the like. Just last week I have also began my journey into learning Japanese (and am still struggling to get through the Haragana lol).

What you will find here is posts about my journey as I learn Japanese, articles I have written on Japanese history, and some random JAPMetal and Anime posts.

#welcome to langblr!

[benkyoutobentou]

hello there! i would like to ask if you know any sites where i can practice reading japanese? like news sites, manga sites, or sites that offer free e-books that are in japanese. and are there any japanese podcasts that i can listen to? thank you in advance for answering this question. it'd mean a whole to me!

Hey there! There are actually quite a few recommended sites for Japanese learners, so I’ll link them right now :)

Japanese IO – I’ve used this site quite a few times and I love the interface! The design is really sleek and “to the point,” so there’s no distractions from what you’re trying to do, which is practice reading Japanese. It also has a great library and look-up feature.

朝日学生新聞社 – This is the “kid’s version” of the more adult 朝日新聞社. If you don’t feel that you’re quite up for the adult version, test out the version geared towards kids. They have fewer articles, but there’s plenty for a learner to pick through.

NHK NEWS EASY – I’m almost positive this is one of the most famous ones for learners. It’s similar to Asahi’s kid newspaper – articles are condensed with easier kanji and vocabulary, and it’s geared towards children, so learners can spend some time combing through updated articles and testing their skills.

Yahoo! Kids – More short news articles geared towards easier-to-understand Japanese.

MATCHA – A fun magazine similar in style to NHK EZ.

Watanoc – Another magazine-type site with a variety of articles.

Traditional Japanese Stories – Get your hands on some easily printed Japanese stories that are told to children. Great for language skills and culture! Similar to English pop culture stories (like Cinderella and so on), Japan has its own fairytales that are occasionally referenced.

Fuku Musume’s Fairy Tale Collection – More stories!

World of チョコチョコ – These are beginner stories, but as you progress you can read other stories on this website.

EhonNavi – Read hundreds of Japanese picture books for free!

If you’re looking for more advanced content…

NHK – Japan’s national broadcaster. You can read articles as well as stream audio and video (may be blocked depending on location).

毎日新聞 – Moderate/left-leaning national newspaper

朝日新聞 – Left-leaning national newspaper

読売新聞 – Conservative national newspaper

東洋経済オンライン – A well-known business and finance magazine.

Project Gutenberg (Japanese) – Get access to a ton of out-of-print and classical books for free.

小説家になろう – A site where authors can publish their works online in exchange for reviews.

青空文庫 – Another site where you can get older and out-of-print novels.

University of Virginia Japanese Text Initiative – Another place to access novels in Japanese for free (with the option to read them with furigana).

ComicWalker – Free manga from the publisher Kadokawa. There’s an app too!

最前線 – You can read some manga online for free.

コミコ – More free Japanese manga available here!

キナリノ – A woman’s lifestyle blog which covers fashion, cooking, decor, and more!

Magazine Lib – You can read PDFs of Japanese magazines.

1000文字小説 – A place where users can submit 1000 characters or less stories. 

I also highly recommend starting a Twitter (if you don’t already have one) and following Japanese accounts. I follow a lot of feminist and political accounts so that I’m learning words relevant to my interests, as well as interacting with people that are discussing topics of interest to me (i.e. women and their place in Japanese society).

If you’re curious, you can find me on Twitter at @sydney0313 :)

I hope this list proves useful to you! (And others.)

頑張ってください！

#languages

[benkyoutobentou]

First Post

Hello! I have been studying Japanese for 15 years. I want to use this blog to share resources, tactics and progress as I continue my learning!

If anybody wants to connect, or chat in Japanese, that would be awesome!

#welcome to langblr!

[benkyoutobentou]

Thank you so much for the tag!

Last Song I Listened To: 月暮らしが治るまで by まちがいさがし

Currently Watching: I just started watching The Longest Day in Chang'An today! I'm also actually watching way more currently airing anime than usual so get ready for a long list: 花野井くんと恋の病、声優ラジオのウラオモテ、ささやくように恋を唄う、and the new season of Black Butler

Sweet/Savoury/Spicy?: I don't really have any strong feelings toward spiciness either way, but when it comes to sweet and savory, I am absolutely a creature of balance (that's also why I love Japanese food so much, I love how it balances sweet and savory). I can't choose which I prefer because I need to have them together. Typically, I eat a small candy after a savory meal and I'll typically eat a small savory something after I eat a lot of sweet.

Relationship status: Single

Current Obsession: Sleeping Dead by Asada Nemui! I just finished reading it about a week ago and it has totally overtaken my thoughts. I'm still sending my poor friends essays about this series and everything is "that reminds me of that one scene in Sleeping Dead where..."

If you want to participate, feel free to say I tagged you! <3

Nine People I'd Like To know Better

i was tagged by @tokidokitokyo!! thank you tokiさん!

Last Song I Listened To: ascension from sea of stars (fantastic ost!)

Currently Watching: black sails and shogun (slowly but surely...i'm watching them with three other ppl so it takes coordination to get us all in the same room for at least an hour lol)

Sweet/Savoury/Spicy?: sweet and spicy especially! sweet fruits are amazing and also spicy miso.

Relationship Status: long-term relationship :)

Current Obsession: i played ffvii for the first time recently and it did take over my life lol

i don't know if i know nine people who haven't already been tagged 😭 but i'll tag: @aro-langblr @corvid-language-library @seherstudies @jpn-langblr @tokyoproxy (sorry for spamming you guys lol 🙇🏻‍♀️)

[benkyoutobentou]

2024/02/14

happy valentine’s day! i’m spending mine drinking bubble tea and speed running my foreign policy paper

#study

[benkyoutobentou]

#japanese Chinese sweeeeeeeeep #memes

[benkyoutobentou]

Nikko, Japan

#aesthetic