Meaning & Usage
โจ Basic Meaning
“The way of doing,” “how to,” or “method.”
๐ฏ Primary Function
To nominalize a verb, changing it from an action into a noun representing the technique, method, or procedure of that action.
๐ Grammar Structure
V-masu stem + ๆน (ใใ)
N/A (This pattern is specific to verbs.)
N/A (This pattern is specific to verbs.)
V-masu stem + ๆน (ใใ) ใ ใใใใพใใ (I don’t know how to…)
๐ญ Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Used when asking for instructions from a superior or in a business context, often paired with polite language like ใใใ ใใพใใ.
Informal Situations
Commonly used in daily conversations to ask or explain how to do simple tasks.
Written Language
Appears frequently in instructional manuals, textbooks, and reports.
Spoken Language
Very common in everyday spoken Japanese.
๐ก Common Applications
Teaching or explaining a skill.
Used when demonstrating or explaining the technique or procedure for an action.
Example: ๆฅๆฌ่ชใฎๅๅผทใฎไปๆน (Nihongo no benkyล no shikata – The way to study Japanese)
Asking for instructions.
The pattern is frequently paired with “ๆใใฆใใ ใใ” (please tell/teach).
Example: ใใฎๆฉๆขฐใฎๆไฝใฎไปๆนใๆใใฆใใ ใใใ (Kono kikai no sลsa no shikata o oshiete kudasai. – Please tell me the way to operate this machine.)
Describing a person’s mannerism or style.
Used to describe the characteristic style of someone’s action (e.g., walking, talking, thinking).
Example: ๅฝผใฎ็ฌใๆนใๅฅฝใใงใใ(Kare no waraikata ga suki desu. – I like the way he laughs.)
Frequency
High
Difficulty
JLPT N5 / N4 Bridge
Tag:
Example Sentences
Example #1
ใใฎใซใกใฉใฎไฝฟใ้ใใใใใฆใใใ ใใพใใใใ
Furigana: ใใฎใซใกใฉใฎใคใใใใใใใใใฆใใใ ใใพใใใใ
Romaji: Kono kamera no tsukaikata o oshiete itadakemasen ka.
English: Could you please teach me the way to use this camera?
Example #2
ใใฎๆผขๅญใฎ่ชญใฟๆนใใใใใพใใใ
Furigana: ใใฎใใใใฎใใฟใใใใใใใพใใใ
Romaji: Kono kanji no yomikata ga wakarimasen.
English: I don’t know how to read this kanji.
Example #3
ๅ
็ใฎใ่ฉฑใๆนใฏใจใฆใไธๅฏงใงใใ
Furigana: ใใใใใฎใใฏใชใใใใฏใจใฆใใฆใใญใใงใใ
Romaji: Sensei no, hanashikata wa totemo teinei desu.
English: The way that professor speaks is very formal.
Example #4
ใใฎใฑใผใญใฎไฝใๆนใฏใ้ฉใใปใฉ็ฐกๅใงใใ
Furigana: ใใฎใฑใผใญใฎใคใใใใใฏใใใฉใใใปใฉใใใใใงใใ
Romaji: Kono kฤki no tsukurikata wa, odoroku hodo kantan desu.
English: The way to make this cake is surprisingly simple.
Example #5
ๆจๆฅใใใผใซใงๆณณใๆนใ็ทด็ฟใใพใใใ
Furigana: ใใฎใใใใผใซใงใใใใใใใใใใ
ใใใพใใใ
Romaji: Kinล, pลซru de oyogikata o renshลซ shimashita.
English: I practiced the way to swim in the pool yesterday.
Example #6
ใใใใๆฑไบฌ้ง
ใพใงใฎใไธ็ชใใ่กใๆนใฏไฝใงใใใ
Furigana: ใใใใใจใใใใใใใพใงใฎใใใกใฐใใใใใใใใฏใชใใงใใใ
Romaji: Koko kara Tลkyล-eki made no, ichiban ii ikikata wa nan desu ka.
English: What is the best way to get to Tokyo Station from here?
Example #7
ใฒใใใชใฎใๆธใๆนใๅพฉ็ฟใใชใใใฐใชใใพใใใ
Furigana: ใฒใใใชใฎใใใใใใใตใใใ
ใใใชใใใฐใชใใพใใใ
Romaji: Hiragana no, kakikata o fukushลซ shinakereba narimasen.
English: I need to review the way to write hiragana.
Example #8
ๆญฃใใใ็ฎธใฎใๆใกๆนใ่ฆใใฆใใ ใใใ
Furigana: ใใ ใใใฏใใฎใใใกใใใใฟใใฆใใ ใใใ
Romaji: Tadashii ohashi no, mochikata o misete kudasai.
English: Please show me the proper way to hold chopsticks.
Example #9
ใใฎ่ใๆนใฏใๅฐใๅคใซ่ฆใใพใใ
Furigana: ใใฎใใใใใใใฏใใใใใธใใซใฟใใพใใ
Romaji: Kono kangaekata wa, sukoshi hen ni miemasu.
English: This way of thinking seems a little strange.
Example #10
ไผ็คพใฏใไปไบใฎใใๆนใๅคใใฆใใพใใ
Furigana: ใใใใใฏใใใใจใฎใใใใใใใใฆใใพใใ
Romaji: Kaisha wa, shigoto no yarikata o kaete imasu.
English: The company is changing its way of doing business.
Notes & Nuances
๐ Important Points
V-ๆน acts as a noun.
The resulting V-ๆน phrase functions as a regular noun, meaning it can be modified by adjectives (e.g., ้ฃใใๆธใๆน – muzukashii kakikata, a difficult method of writing) and followed by particles (e.g., ใใใใใซ).
Example: ๆธใๆน (kakikata) – The way of writing.
ๆน (kata) has a separate meaning as a polite noun.
ๆน (ใใ) is also a key piece of N5/N4 vocabulary, serving as the highly polite equivalent of ไบบ (ใฒใจ, person). Do not confuse the usage.
Example: ใใฎไบบ (ano hito) โ ใใฎๆน (ano kata)
โ ๏ธ Common Mistakes
โ ้ฃในใๆนใ (taberu hล ga) instead of ้ฃในๆน (tabekata)
โ
V-dictionary form + ๆน (ใปใใ)
The structure V-masu stem + ๆน (ใใ) means “method.” The structure V-dictionary form + ๆน (ใปใใ) means “it is better to…” or “this side is better,” and is grammatically distinct.
โ ไฝใใใฎ (tsukuri mono) instead of ไฝใๆน (tsukurikata)
โ
V-masu stem + ใใฎ
V-masu stem + ใใฎ refers to the “thing” or “tool” used for the action, or the general “act of doing.” ๆน specifically refers to the method or manner.
๐๏ธ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: Neutral/Polite. Although the grammar point itself is neutral, using V-ๆน when requesting information often necessitates using humble or honorific language around it (e.g., ๆใใฆใใใ ใใพใใ).
Social Situations: Essential for teaching, learning, or inquiring about skills (e.g., cooking, using machines, language).
Regional Variations: Standard across all regions of Japan.
๐ Subtle Differences
V-ๆน (V-kata) vs. V-ใ ใฎ (V-ru no)
V-ๆน emphasizes the *method* or *technique* used to perform the action. V-ใ ใฎ (or V-ใ ใใจ) nominalizes the *act* itself.
When to use: Use V-ๆน when you are interested in the skill or procedure. Use V-ใ ใฎ when referring to the action as a fact or experience. (e.g., ๆณณใๆนใ็ฅใฃใฆใใพใ vs. ๆณณใใฎใๅฅฝใใงใ)
๐ Conjugation Notes
Always use the pre-masu stem (the root) of the verb. For example, ้ฃในใพใ (tabemasu) becomes ้ฃใน (tabe) + ๆน (kata) = ้ฃในๆน (tabekata). Do not use the dictionary form or the te-form.
๐ Pronunciation Tips
When used as the “way of doing,” the accent for V-ๆน is usually on the first syllable of ๆน, but the exact pitch pattern depends on the base verb (e.g., ้ฃในๆน [H-L-H-L], ่ชญใฟๆน [L-H-L-L]).
๐ง Memory Tips
Think of the masu-stem as the foundation of the action, and ๆน (kata) as the direction or ‘path’ taken from that foundation. “The foundation of the action + the path = the method.”
Other Grammar
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