Meaning & Usage
โจ Basic Meaning
“and,” “and also,” “because (among other reasons),” “what’s more”
๐ฏ Primary Function
To connect two or more clauses, often to list reasons, facts, or parallel states/actions that support a conclusion or simply exist together. It implies that the listed items are just some of the relevant points.
๐ Grammar Structure
Connects to the plain form of verbs, i-adjectives, na-adjectives, and nouns. * **Verb (Plain form) + ใ**
่กใ (iku) -> ่กใใ (iku shi)
่กใฃใ (itta) -> ่กใฃใใ (itta shi)
่กใใชใ (ikanai) -> ่กใใชใใ (ikanai shi)
่กใใชใใฃใ (ikanakatta) -> ่กใใชใใฃใใ (ikanakatta shi) * **ใ-adjective (Plain form) + ใ**
้ซใ (takai) -> ้ซใใ (takai shi)
้ซใใชใ (takakunai) -> ้ซใใชใใ (takakunai shi)
้ซใใฃใ (takakatta) -> ้ซใใฃใใ (takakatta shi)
้ซใใชใใฃใ (takakunakatta) -> ้ซใใชใใฃใใ (takakunakatta shi) * **ใช-adjective + ใ + ใ**
ใใใ (kirei) -> ใใใใ ใ (kirei da shi)
ใใใใใใชใ (kirei janai) -> ใใใใใใชใใ (kirei janai shi)
ใใใใ ใฃใ (kirei datta) -> ใใใใ ใฃใใ (kirei datta shi)
ใใใใใใชใใฃใ (kirei janakatta) -> ใใใใใใชใใฃใใ (kirei janakatta shi)
*Note: In casual speech, ใ can sometimes be dropped, becoming ใใใใ ใ.* * **Noun + ใ + ใ**
ๅญฆ็ (gakusei) -> ๅญฆ็ใ ใ (gakusei da shi)
ๅญฆ็ใใใชใ (gakusei janai) -> ๅญฆ็ใใใชใใ (gakusei janai shi)
ๅญฆ็ใ ใฃใ (gakusei datta) -> ๅญฆ็ใ ใฃใใ (gakusei datta shi)
ๅญฆ็ใใใชใใฃใ (gakusei janakatta) -> ๅญฆ็ใใใชใใฃใใ (gakusei janakatta shi)
*Note: In polite form, you can connect ใงใใ (desu shi) directly to nouns/na-adjectives:* ๅป่
ใงใใ (isha desu shi), ้ใใงใใ (shizuka desu shi).
๐ญ Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Can be used, especially when providing reasons or justifications in a polite context (e.g., combined with ใงใ/ใพใ form at the end).
Informal Situations
Very common in casual conversation for listing reasons or things.
Written Language
Used in various written forms, from essays to informal notes.
Spoken Language
Extremely common in spoken Japanese.
๐ก Common Applications
Listing multiple reasons for a situation or decision.
ใ is perfect for giving several reasons without having to prioritize them or imply a strict cause-and-effect for each one individually.
Example: ใใฎใฌในใใฉใณใฏๅฎใใใ็พๅณใใใใใตใผใในใใใใงใใ(Kono resutoran wa yasui shi, oishii shi, sฤbisu mo ii desu.) – This restaurant is cheap, it’s delicious, AND the service is good (these are all reasons why I like it or recommend it).
Listing parallel facts or states.
Used to connect multiple points about a topic or person, even if they aren’t direct reasons for something specific.
Example: ๅฝผใฏในใใผใใๅฅฝใใ ใใ้ณๆฅฝใ่ใใพใใ(Kare wa supลtsu ga suki da shi, ongaku mo kikimasu.) – He likes sports, and he also listens to music.
Providing supporting points for a suggestion or conclusion (often implied).
The final clause can be a request, suggestion, or judgment based on the points listed with ใ.
Example: ้จใ้ใฃใฆใใใใ้ใๆททใใงใใใใใใฟใฏใทใผใง่กใใพใใใใ(Ame mo futte iru shi, michi mo konde iru kara, takushฤซ de ikimashล.) – It’s raining, and the road is also crowded, so let’s go by taxi.
Frequency
Very common in everyday Japanese.
Difficulty
N4
Example Sentences
ไปๆฅใฏ็ฒใใฆใใใใๆฉใๅฏใใใงใใ
I’m tired today, and also (because of that), I want to sleep early.
ใใฎๆฌใฏ้ข็ฝใใใๅๅผทใซใชใใใใใใใใงใใ
This book is interesting, it’s also educational, and I recommend it.
ๅฝผใฏๆฅๆฌ่ชใไธๆใ ใใๆฅๆฌใฎๆๅใใใ็ฅใฃใฆใใพใใ
His Japanese is good, and he also knows a lot about Japanese culture.
Notes & Nuances
๐ Important Points
Lists reasons/facts (not just sequential actions).
Unlike the ใฆ form which often indicates a sequence or simultaneous action, ใ lists reasons or parallel attributes/actions.
Example: ้จใ้ใฃใฆใใใใๅฏใใงใใ(Ame ga futte iru shi, samui desu.) – It’s raining, and it’s cold. (Listing two existing conditions) ้จใ้ใฃใฆใๅฏใใชใใพใใใ(Ame ga futte, samuku narimashita.) – It rained, and it became cold. (Sequence/Result)
Implies “among other reasons”.
Using ใ often suggests that the reasons listed are not exhaustive, and there might be other contributing factors.
Example: ใใฎใใฝใณใณใฏ้ซใใ… (Kono pasokon wa takai shi…) – This computer is expensive, and… (Implies there are other reasons why I might not buy it or why it’s a problem).
โ ๏ธ Common Mistakes
โ Using it like a simple “and” for sequential actions.
โ
Use ใฆ form or other conjunctions for sequential actions.
ใ is for listing reasons/facts, not for saying “did this, then did that”.
โ Incorrect conjugation before ใ, especially with na-adjectives and nouns.
โ
Remember to use ใ before ใ for plain form na-adjectives/nouns (ใใใใ ใ, ๅญฆ็ใ ใ) or ใงใใ for polite form (ใใใใงใใ, ๅญฆ็ใงใใ).
Omitting ใ /ใงใ leads to incorrect grammar.
๐๏ธ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: Inherently neutral; politeness is determined by the final verb/copula in the sentence.
Social Situations: Used widely. Giving reasons with ใ can sound less assertive than just stating a single reason with ใใ/ใฎใง, making it suitable for softer explanations or suggestions.
Regional Variations: Standard across Japan.
๐ Subtle Differences
ใ vs. ใฆ (te)
ใ lists reasons/facts; ใฆ connects sequential actions, simultaneous states, or states of being.
When to use: Use ใ when listing multiple supporting points or reasons. Use ใฆ when describing a sequence of events or how something is.
ใ vs. ใใ (kara) / ใฎใง (node)
ใ lists *multiple* reasons (or just facts) and often implies there are more. ใใ/ใฎใง typically state *a* reason for a result, often with a stronger cause-effect link. ใใ is more direct/assertive, ใฎใง is softer.
When to use: Use ใ when you have several reasons to give or want to list facts. Use ใใ/ใฎใง when stating the cause of a single result.
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๐ Conjugation Notes
Always attach ใ to the *plain form* (present/past, affirmative/negative) of verbs and i-adjectives. For na-adjectives and nouns in plain form, attach ใ ใ. For polite form, ใงใใ can be used directly.
๐ Pronunciation Tips
Pronounced “shi”, just like the number four (ๅ). The “ใ” is attached to the preceding word without a significant pause.
๐ง Memory Tips
Imagine a list with bullet points. Each point is connected by “ใ”. Reason 1 ใ, Reason 2 ใ, Reason 3, so RESULT.
Practice Exercises
Choose the correct form to connect using ใ: ใใฎๆ ็ปใฏ๏ผ้ข็ฝใ๏ผใ้ณๆฅฝใใใใงใใ
้ข็ฝใใฆใ
้ข็ฝใใ
้ข็ฝใใฃใใ
้ข็ฝใใฃใใใฆใ
Choose the correct form to connect using ใ: ๅฝผใฏ๏ผๆฅๆฌไบบ๏ผใๆฅๆฌใฎๆๅใใใ็ฅใฃใฆใใพใใ
ๆฅๆฌไบบใฎใ
ๆฅๆฌไบบใ ใ
ๆฅๆฌไบบใซใ
ๆฅๆฌไบบใงใ
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Iโm a software engineer based in Japan, with experience in developing web and mobile applications. Iโm passionate about technology, especially in DevOps, AI, and app development using platforms like AWS, Flutter, and Node.js. My goal is to build a website that shares knowledge about the Japanese language and IT, helping everyone learn and grow more easily in the digital era.