temple

A temple is a religious building. This word is usually used in Buddhism and other ancient religions.

This is SANJUSANGENDO, a 700-year-old temple in Kyoto.

shrine

'shrine' is a religious building or object.
This word is usually used in the Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and Shinto religions.
It is sometimes used in other religions.
This word is also used to describe a place that is dedicated to someone who was very famous and admired. For example: John F. Kennedy's grave is a shrine to the memory of his Presidency.

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This is Hirano Shrine in Kyoto, Japan.
It was built to honor one of the early Emperors.

boot

'boot' means to turn on a computer.
're-boot' means to turn a computer off-and-on.
This comes from the expression: "Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps."
and from the computer term: bootstrap program.

peanuts

peanuts means: this food in the picture. It is also slang for a small amount of money. For example: They work for peanuts. or: It cost peanuts. The opposite would be: It cost an arm and a leg.

Ground Zero

'Ground Zero' means the place where an atomic bomb explodes.

It also means: the place where the World Trade Center collapsed.

It also means: the centre of a hurricane.

In general, it means the centre of some disaster.

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This is a photo that I took of the A-Bomb Dome at Ground Zero in Hiroshima.

The cat's got your tongue.

... This is an expression that means: You aren't talking.

redhead

a redhead is a person with red hair, especially female.

This is a red bird called a cardinal.

auntie

... 'auntie' is kid slang for 'aunt'. It can also mean a close female friend of the family.

quake

There was a Richter 5 earthquake on the east coast of the U.S. today (very unusual), but I didn't feel anything here :)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3dgEHOrpAI&feature=feedu

"Blood is thicker than water."

This is an English expression which means: A person will choose family over friends.

rust

rust (noun) = SABI, example: There is rust on the car.

rust (verb) = SABIRU, example: The car is rusting; the car has rusted (out).

Remains found in Niagara River identified as Japanese student

Aug 19, 2011 17:18:43 PM
NIAGARA FALL - Police say the human remains recovered from the U.S. side of the Niagara River yesterday have been identified as the 19-year-old student from Japan.






The body was spotted Thursday morning by an employee at Cave of the Winds on the New York State side of the river.

The 19-year-old woman was a student at the Hansa Language Centre in Toronto. Classmates identify the woman as Ayano Tokumasu.

Niagara Parks police say she straddled the safety fence to pose for a photo on August 14 when she lost her balance, fell into the water and was swept over the Horseshoe Falls.

Surveillance footage from a visitors' centre showed Tokumasu climbing over a safety railing to pose for a photo. When she tried to climb back up, she slipped and fell over.

NUKE

'NUKE' is slang for 'nuclear weapon'; for example: the U.S. has more nukes than any other country.

It is also slang for microwave; for example: Nuke the coffee, it's cold.

bunch

A group of fruits or vegetables that is attached together is sometimes called a 'bunch'. For example: a bunch of green onions, or a bunch of tomatoes.

But if they are not attached or touching, they are not called a 'bunch'. We would say: some green onions, or some tomatoes.

ZZZ

... "ZZZ" is the noise that people make when they're sleeping in cartoons.

"Making Z's " (making 'Zees') is slang for sleeping.

For example: He's making Z's.

harsh

'harsh' is slang for: too mean, too rude

For example:

"That's harsh!" means: You're being too mean to me.

dogfight

... 'DOGFIGHT' means: a fight between 2 dogs, or a fight between 2 airplanes in war,

or a fight that is very violent.

in the doghouse

... "in the doghouse" means: somebody did something wrong, so now they are being punished.

This expression comes from: If a man has an argument with his wife, then he has to sleep in the doghouse.

For example:

The goalie had a bad game, so now he's in the doghouse. (He's being replaced by another goalie.)

dog-tired

I'm dog-tired. ... means:

I'm very tired, like a dog who just lies on the ground.

security blanket

... "security blanket" means: something that makes you feel safe.

This expression comes from the cartoon.

go / go by

to 'go' means that you stop at the place.

to 'go by' means: to pass

for example:

I go to school every day.

I go by the mailbox every day.

another expression:

to have something on your mind

or

to have a lot on your mind

means

to be worried about something

flabby

'flab' is a slang noun meaning: a lot of fat

'flabby' is the adjective meaning: very fat, having little muscle

How come?

"How come ...?" is slang or informal language for "Why?"

BUT

The word order in the sentence is different for "How come".

"Why ...?" uses the interrogative (question) word order.

For example:

Why were you at the hospital?

Why did the stock markets go down?

"How come ...?" uses the normal word order.

For example:

How come you were at the hospital?

How come the stock markets went down?

chill

'chill' is slang for 'relax'

for example: He's chillin'

Man's best friend is his dog.

... is a common expression.

into

expression: to be into something

I'm into golf. = I like golf, I play golf.

I'm not into golf. I'm not into that. = I don't like golf. I don't want to play golf.

downgrade

This is an amulet お守り that I bought at Ise-jingu.

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... The ratings agency "Standard & Poor's" downgraded U.S. debts.

That means that this company lowered the rating of U.S. bonds from AAA to AA+.

The best rating is AAA (Triple A).

The second best rating is AA (Double A).

The third best is A.

Anything lower than A could be called B, but it is really junk.

And the stock markets are going down.

garbage truck

Other words for 'garbage' are: junk, trash, refuse.

'refuse', the noun meaning 'garbage' has a different pronunciation from 'to refuse', the verb.

'refuse'/garbage - has a short 'e' sound

'to refuse' - has a long 'e' sound

spam

Spam is a type of canned meat. It is an abbreviation of "spiced ham".

During World War 2, there was a shortage of meat, so people ate spam, spam, spam every day.

Now 'spam' is slang for garbage email, because it comes every day.

FYI

'FYI' is another expression often used in business;

it means 'For Your Information'.

For example:

FYI the office is closed tomorrow.

ASAP

'asap' or 'ASAP' means: "as soon as possible".

This expression is often used in business.

It can be pronounced 'A sap' or "A-S-A-P".

debt ceiling

... 'ceiling' means: a limit on how high you can go.

'debt ceiling' is the limit on how much the U.S. can borrow.

The U.S. government is raising the debt ceiling today.