Words May 2025 Week 1

In 1989, Showa Day, April 29, was changed to Greenery Day. (In 2007, Greenery Day moved to May 4, and April 29 was changed back to Showa Day.)

I got a letter telling me to renew my “My Number” card. (You must renew the card every ten years and change the PIN (personal identification number) every five years.)

I scanned the QR code. (These codes can hold a ton of information.)

The food was served on a bed of rice. (When I cook stir-fry, I usually serve it on a bed of rice.)

I broiled the steak. (When broiling, we use very high heat from above the food being broiled.)

I don’t know how to preheat the oven. (We must heat up the oven to the desired temperature before baking.)

He was persuaded to eat it. (He was convinced to do it.)

The tea has five types of medicinal herbs. (It is both tasty and healthy.)

“He talked my ear off” is figurative but “He talked too much” is literal. (Most idioms are figurative.)

Roman numerical system: I = 1, V = 5, X = 10, L = 50, C = 100, D = 500, M = 1,000.

In this system, a letter placed after another of greater value adds (thus XVI or xvi is 16).

A letter placed before another of greater value subtracts (thus XC or xc is 90). (Here is some Roman numeral trivia. I =1, II = 2, III = 3, IV = 4, but on the face of a clock, IIII = 4.)

I went to a chiropractor’s clinic. (She visited a bone doctor.)

I got some medicine for osteoporosis. (This disease causes a decrease in bone density.)

The store celebrated its one hundredth anniversary. (The shop was established 100 years ago.)

Here is some English trivia: in Middle English, "nice" meant "foolish or ignorant". (In modern English it has a positive meaning.)

The opposite of “lax” is “strict.” (I prefer to be a little easy going than to hard on people.)

I compost my veggie scraps. (I bury the unused part of the vegetable in my garden.)

My garden has many earthworms. (This means that the soil is very healthy.)

The salmon meal came with several side dishes. (The side dishes are usually soup, salad, vegetables, etc.)

My body is not very flexible. (My body is stiff.)