Words October 2025 Week 2

A gnu is a large African antelope and is also called wildebeest. (They migrate about 3,000 km annually from northern to southern Serengeti National Park.)

We rode in a 15-passenger van. (A van carries more passengers than a car.)

I went to Shiofune shrine to view the spider lilies. (Spider lilies are poisonous so you shouldn’t grow them in your garden if you have small children or pets.)

An icebreaker is a fun event before a meeting so the participants can get to know each other. (They usually ask questions about your personality in a fun way or tell jokes.)

After climbing the mountain, I was out of breath. (The “th” in “breath” sounds like the “th” in “with.”)

It is difficult to breathe at high altitudes. (The “th” in “breathe” sounds like the “th” in “this.”)

Orange pulp is like the “meat” of an orange. (Usually, the pulp is removed from orange juice, but I prefer my OJ with the pulp.)

He made a toast to his grandmother. (A toast is a short speech to honor someone at a ceremony such as a wedding or funeral.)

People who attend funerals area called “mourners” or simply “attendees.” (Simple is best.)

She tore her Achilles tendon. (It was not her rice bowl.)

The flower has a dark pink color. (You can also say that it has a deep pink color.)

I planted some flower bulbs. (The word bulb comes from ancient Greek meaning a rounded, underground plant stem. Onions used to be called bulbs.)

Both sides of the street are lined with ginkgo trees. (The trees were planted along the street.)

Kinmokusei is called sweet osmanthus, fragrant olive, or tea olive in English. (When its flowers are in bloom, it is a sign that autumn has arrived.)

He got the ignoble prize for painting black cows with white stripes. (The white lines greatly reduced the number of flies that bothered the cows.)

They were mischievous boys. (The boys were being naughty.)

She waits until the last minute to do things. (She procrastinates.)

Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today. (Don’t procrastinate.)

A trail circled the park. (They were afraid to walk around the trail because there are bears in that area.)

She asked me where I want to visit before I die. (She asked me what places are on my bucket list.)

We had a retiree reunion. (Japanese call retirees “OBs.”)

I felt tired from standing so long. (There were long speeches and discussions.)

The LDP doesn’t have a majority. (They may lose power in the Diet.)

The music hall has good acoustics. (The room is designed for listening to music.)

The buildings in the town looked like they were from the medieval times. (This town is near Boppard, Germany.)

Most of the herring roe is imported from Canada and Alaska. (“Roe” means “fish eggs so this would be kazunoko nishin.)

She walks with a cane. (“Walking stick” is ok, but we usually say “cane.”)

She will have a mammogram. (She will have a breast cancer exam.)