The Japan Times’ Well Said column has probably been the best resource available for advanced Japanese language learners. The two columnists, Akemi Tanahashi and Yayoi Oshima, discussed a number of Japanese idiomatic expressions that are not translatable into English.

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2021/01/15/language/japanese-language-learning-tips-from-well-said/

The column articles are still available on the Japan Times’ website:

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/column/well-said/

Here is the list of the Well Said columns in the past 10 years.

• For 25 years, this pair of Japanese teachers said it well
• Learning how to use ‘ira-ira’ without getting frustrated
• Dare to take action in Japanese with ‘isso’ and ‘omoikitte’
• Certainly, ‘tashika ni’ is a Japanese term you’ll want to know
• Study ‘mushiro’ and ‘kaette’ rather than falling behind on your Japanese
• A verb tense for when you’ve been the subject of someone else’s machinations
• We won’t force you to learn ‘yogi naku,’ but you can’t help doing so anyway
• You should know there’s nothing better than ‘ni koshita koto wa nai’
• Learn how to use ‘uchi ni’ while you’re still in Japan
• Learning the causative form will let you speak Japanese with ease
• The possibilities only ‘naradewa’ can offer
• Apart from ‘bestu ni shite,’ the ‘tomokaku’ structure is useful for making exceptions
• The more you study ‘ba … hodo,’ the better you’ll be at Japanese
• See to it that your Japanese gets better with yo ni suru
• Onomatopoeic terms like ‘niko-niko’ get us smiling
• You ought to know how ‘beki’ can help your Japanese
• You’d be surprised how far ‘naka-naka’ can take you in Japanese
• Learning how to use ‘ni suginai’ is nothing more than essential
• Whether or not you’ll succeed in Japanese is up to ‘ka doka’
• When it comes to Japanese, ‘mamire’ and ‘darake’ have you covered
• Take the time to study ‘narubeku’ and ‘dekiru dake’ if possible
• Have you heard? ‘Rashii’ can help you with your office gossip
• It looks like your Japanese is improving with ‘so da’
• Since you’re studying, why not study ‘gatera’ while you’re at it?
• And before you know it, you’ll be using ‘itsu no ma ni ka’
• Use ‘tame’ in order to show intent in Japanese
• Try using the ‘miru’ verb stem when attempting something improbable
• Don’t get panicked when learning how to use ‘oro-oro’
• Pointing out things that run counter to a situation with ‘X-ta tokoro de’
• Whether it’s ‘ni shite mo’ or ‘ni shiro,’ this structure has you covered
• Look on with awe at the versatility of the ‘mono da’ structure
• Totally express yourself in Japanese with ‘shimau’
• Tell people your hopes and wishes using ‘kana’
• It would be great if you could master ‘to ii’
• The adjective ‘hoshii’ is something you’ll want to remember
• We can’t say you don’t have to learn ‘nakute mo ii’
• ‘Nashi ni’ and ‘nuki de’ will help you do without
• You can count on ‘zutsu’ to help with dividing up your Japanese study tasks
• Expressing a sense of degree with ‘kurai’
• What to do when a Japanese word shows signs of needing ‘meku’ attached to it
• The ‘ni ataranai’ structure is actually a grammar point that’s worth learning
• Pointing out the family with ‘ni ataru’
• Celebrating special occasions with ‘ni atatte’ and ‘ni saishite’
• ‘Masaka,’ it’s good to know this expression in a pinch
• Talking about other people in Japanese using the ‘garu’ structure
• Endowed with the talent for understanding the Japanese structures using ‘nagara ni’
• People won’t throw you under the bus if you’re able to use ‘kuse ni’ correctly
• As long as you learn ‘sae … areba,’ communication in Japanese will get easier
• If you study just one thing this week, make it ‘bakari’
• Despite the fact ‘noni’ is difficult for some, it’s still a particle you should learn early
• Uh, if you want to speak Japanese like a local, you’ll, er, need to master ‘eeto’ and ‘ano’
• You’ve got nothing to lose if you start studying the meanings of ‘motomoto’
• The structure ‘to itta’ is a great example of the ways Japanese give examples
• The grammar point known as ‘to iu’
• Add a touch of sparkle to your Japanese holiday vocabulary
• Work toward mastery of ‘ni mukete’ and ‘o mezashite’
• Get some experience using ‘keiken’ and ‘taiken’
• Expressing what you’ve been thinking about doing with ‘to omotte-iru’ and ‘-tai to omotte iru’
• Speak Japanese with certainty by using ‘zettai’
• Figuring out how to count objects in Japanese? There are numerous ways
• Vary your way of emphasis with ‘totemo’ and its cousins
• Just once I’d like to use ‘ichido’ correctly
• Learning how to use the volitional form of a verb in Japanese
• Learning how to express speed, haste and simply being in a rush
• A great way to describe exceptions and surprising happenings
• Don’t sweat phrases that use the word ‘ase’
• Learning how to use ‘ureshii’ and ‘tanoshii’ is an enjoyable experience
• Joining Japanese sentences is easy if you learn the difference between ‘sore de’ and ‘soko de’
• With some luck you’ll master the Japanese words for good fortune
• The Japanese verb ‘kuru’ comes in many forms
• ‘Kireru’ is a cut above other Japanese verbs
• The ugly truth behind using ‘mittomonai’ and ‘kakkowarui’
• Speak Japanese smoothly by mastering the difference between ‘sara-sara’ and ‘zara-zara’
• Finding amazing ways to use the word ‘sugoi’
• Don’t forget to use ‘sokonau’ to mark your failings in Japanese
• Speaking of that, ‘sore’ and ‘kore’ can come in very handy
• What’s that we were talking about? Ah yes, the many uses of ‘are’
• You’d be considerably well off in Japanese by learning to differentiate between ‘daibu’ and ‘kekko’
• Raising your voice can convey a different meaning, ‘desho’?
• Wondering aloud in Japanese about our Heisei Era memories
• ‘Uchi’ is where the heart is
• There’s nothing more important than learning how to distinguish between ‘taisetsu’ and ‘juyo’
• Take your Japanese to the point where you can even use ‘sae’ and ‘made’ correctly
• Whether something smells like rotten cheese or is just plain cheesy, ‘kusai’ is your go-to adjective
• Hay fever can make life hard enough to use the adjective ‘tsurai’
• How to carefully express carelessness in Japanese
• Use ‘ijo’ to go beyond the usual boundaries in Japanese
• Understanding ‘choshi’ is a condition you should strive for
• After learning how to use ‘irai’ properly, you’ll be able to look back with confidence
• The ‘-ppanashi’ structure is so useful that you’ll want to keep using it over and over and over
• Throw out idioms left and right using … the Japanese words for left and right!
• Using ‘kaneru’ incorrectly is something we simply cannot do
• Know the circumstances of using ‘shidai’
• Redoing things with the help of naosu and kaesu
• Finding the best way to chill out with the verb ‘ochitsuku’
• Watch what you say when offering your boss a coffee
• Coming up with exceptions in Japanese can be tricky, but helpful
• Two words that seem completely similar to one another — how do you tell the difference?
• To totally understand ‘zenbu,’ you have to learn all of its usages
• A grammar point you won’t need to be told twice
• Impress with your powers of prediction in Japanese by using ‘yappari’
• Know your spicy from your sweet in Japanese with ‘karai’ and ‘amai’
• Living and working — choosing the right verb in Japanese
• Chilling in Japanese with ‘hieru,’ ‘hiyasu,’ ‘sameru’ and ‘samasu’
• In Japanese, turn to ‘omoi’ when something weighs on your shoulders or mind
• Using ‘zenzen’ in Japanese is no problem at all
• A little Japanese primer on using ‘chotto’ in Japanese
• The good, the bad and the ‘by all means’ of ‘zehi’ in Japanese
• In Japanese, ‘sorosoro’ shows what’s coming slowly and carefully, or what’s coming up
• Much ado about ‘nothing but’ in Japanese with ‘shika nai’
• There’s quite a lot you can do in Japanese with ‘nakanaka’
• ‘Beki,’ the little Japanese word that’s ‘should’
• Take care in Japanese when using ‘sewa’ or you could offend
• Joining up contradictory conditions in Japanese with ‘ippo’
• More than one way to use ‘ippo’ in Japanese
• Managing great (and not so great) expectations with ‘dake atte’ and ‘dake ni’
• Getting things done with just ‘dake de’ alone
• Getting things out there in Japanese with ‘dasu’
• When thinking of using ‘omou,’ remember the subject dictates the form
• Put some extra nuance into your verbs with ‘komu’
• Know your impressed ‘kanshin’ from your interested ‘kanshin’
• Finally, after all, know the difference between ‘yatto’ and ‘kekkyoku’
• Terms related to New Year’s celebrations
• Knowing the difference between ‘shinpai’ and ‘fuan’
• The difference between ‘-? ga ii’ and ‘-? de ii’
• Introducing the use of -kiru, as in ‘nomikiru,’ ‘tabekiru’ and ‘tsukarekiru’
• Introducing the phrase ‘iru’
• Introducing adverbs ‘atarimae’ and ‘tozen’
• At last! Figuring out the difference between `iyoiyo’ and `toto’
• Taking yourself out of the equation with ‘koto ni naru,’ and showing change with ‘yo ni naru’
• Introducing the adjective ‘sawayaka’
• Introducing the adverb ‘mattaku’
• Introducing the set phrase ‘ni kakete’
• Introducing the adverb ‘sappari’
• Introducing the usage of the adverbs ichio and toriaezu
• Introducing yoku, the adverbial form of yoi5 and i5i5
• Introducing the meaning and usage of the transitive verb ¥(yabu)ru
• Introducing the adverb ‘hotondo’
• Introducing the pattern Xburi
• Introducing the phrase Xgati
• Introducing two auxiliary verbs ‘kureru’ and ‘morau’
• Introducing the term ‘shikkari’
• Introducing ‘ikura sagashite-mo’ and ‘nani-o tabete-mo’
• Introducing ‘konna’ ‘anna’ ‘sonna’
• Introducing ‘to-iuto’ and ‘to-ieba’
• Introducing the verb ‘kamau’
• Introducing two adverbs: ‘dozo’ and ‘do ka’
• Responding unexpectedly with ‘sorega’ and ‘sorenanoni’.
• Introducing ‘ni kakawarazu’ and ‘o towazu’
• Newcomers’ traits: ‘sunao’ and ‘otonashi’
• Showing purpose with ‘yo-ni’ and ‘yo-ni-suru’
• Showing you’re sure in Japanese with ‘kitto’ and ‘kanarazu’
• To write, draw, scratch or lack?: some homonyms of ‘kaku’
• Want the cat to lend a paw?: handy Japanese phrases with ‘te’
• Old, past it, over the hill: expressing aging and old stuff in Japanese
• Falling in line and expressing change with ‘shitagatte’
• Be careful not to mix up your ‘hagemu’ with your ‘hageru’
• Adding ‘ao,’ the blue that can also be green, to your Japanese linguistic palette
• Do the whole shebang and take it to the limit with ‘kiru’
• Showing things are tough or a breeze using ‘nikui,’ katai’ and ‘yasui’
• Better to be read than end up misled about the uses of ‘mashi’
• Do not disturb: Mind your ‘jamas’ and ‘shitsureis’ as you come and go in Japan
• Play down the hype with a so-so phrase
• Start your year off with the right Japanese greeting
• If it’s time for a change, it’s time for ‘kawari ni’ or ‘kawatte’
• Getting your thoughts together and settling things with ‘matomeru’ and ‘matomaru’
• Coming to a logical conclusion with ‘wake da’
• In denial with ‘wake ga nai’ and ‘hazu ga nai’
• Be inspiring, break the news gently or just buy some time with versatile ‘saa’
• Taking things to the wire with ‘girigiri’ and ‘suresure’
• With ‘bun,’ get your share in Japanese — or as much as you put in
• Articulating the unknown, unreliable or just plain dodgy with ‘ayashii’
• Using ‘kiri’ in Japanese to leave it at that
• Getting quite a lot across with ‘kanari’ and ‘daibu’
• Leaving some things left unsaid with ‘no ni’ and ‘kedo’
• Setting up contrary clauses with ‘no ni,’ ‘te mo’ and ‘de mo’
• A lesson on not only ‘bakari ka’ for emphasis but also ‘bakari ni’ for concern
• Make a point about too much of a bad thing with ‘bakari’
• How you use ‘dake’ can mean the difference between ‘giving it a try’ and ‘trying your best’
• Say it like it sounds in Japanese with onomatopoeic verbs
• ‘Kakeru’ and ‘kakaru’: two very useful Japanese verbs worth hanging on to
• Beyond the long and short of ‘nagai’ and ‘mijikai’
• Learn how to treat others in Japanese and let them treat you with ‘ogori’ and ‘mochi’
• Living it large with ‘oki’ and ‘hiroi’
• It’ll be all good once you learn how to use ‘ii desu’ the correct way
• Going from A to Z with ‘no ho ga’ and ‘made’
• Getting things just right in Japanese with ‘kagen’
• Adding that little bit more with conjunctions ‘sore ni’ and ‘sore de’
• The generally positive influence of ‘koso’
• Divining the difference between ‘tama ni’ and ‘tamatama’
• Just say ‘no’ to top off informal questions, answers and requests in Japanese
• Making suggestions without being pushy using ‘demo’ and ‘ka nani ka’
• Compounding the good or the bad with ‘ue ni’ and, on top of that, ‘sono ue’
• Doing it your own sweet way with ‘nari ni’
• Two of a kind: complementary compliments ‘yasashii’ and ‘shinsetsu’
• Getting on the receiving end of the wide world of ‘ukeru’
• Getting abstract in Japanese with ‘koto’ clauses
• Using the ‘no’ clause in Japanese to add layers to your language
• Overdoing it and feeling the effects with ‘amari’
• Emphasizing not very much with ‘amari’ and ‘taishite’
• Minding your manners and judging others’ with ‘shitsurei’
• Learning the ins and outs of even-ifs using ‘ni shiro’
• A certain ratio: the relative strengths of wariai, wari to and wari ni
• Breathing a sigh of relief with tokoro datta
• Don’t miss an opportunity when kikkake comes knocking
• Ramming home the point with dokoro ka
• Seeing the other side and defying expectations with ‘han shite’
• Since we’ve come this far, it’s time for ‘kara ni wa’
• Living up to great expectations with ‘dake atte’
• Taking a stand and speaking from it with ‘to shite’
• Just passing through the domains of ‘tori’ and ‘dori’
• Loving you for a long time with ‘zutto’
• Kakawarazu: a word worth knowing, whatever your level
• When it really means a lot, say it with ‘sekkaku’
• Unraveling ‘so,’ a versatile word that can express agreement or a ‘Eureka!’ moment
• It’s time to hit the books and study ‘benkyo’
• Going places or staying put with particles ‘ni’ and ‘de’
• Ramming home the point with dokoro ka
• Seeing the other side and defying expectations with ‘han shite’
• Since we’ve come this far, it’s time for ‘kara ni wa’
• Living up to great expectations with ‘dake atte’
• Taking a stand and speaking from it with ‘to shite’
• Just passing through the domains of ‘tori’ and ‘dori’
• Loving you for a long time with ‘zutto’
• Kakawarazu: a word worth knowing, whatever your level
• When it really means a lot, say it with ‘sekkaku’
• Unraveling ‘so,’ a versatile word that can express agreement or a ‘Eureka!’ moment
• It’s time to hit the books and study ‘benkyo’
• Going places or staying put with particles ‘ni’ and ‘de’
• Keep on keepin’ on with the help of ‘mama’
• Don’t confuse the homonyms of ‘aki’ (autumn)
• Make it a rule to use ‘koto’ for scheduled events and personal habits
• How hot is it?: Let me count the ways to say it in Japanese
• The eyes have it: Japanese expressions that start with your peepers
• No student should be without the Japanese double-negative
• Just because you think you know itte-mo, you shouldn’t rest on your laurels
• Tarry awhile to learn sakki and, after that, ato
• Coming to terms with ‘kuru’
• Life gets more beautiful when you know how to use ‘kirei’
• Sitting on the fence in Japanese depends on these sentence patterns
• Let your green-eyed monster loose with ‘urayamashii’
• Use -tara to herald the expected and the unexpected
• Though you may think you don’t need to know mono-no, you do
• Zuibun is more useful than you could have possibly imagined
• Courteous keigo is about showing respect to the listener
• When it comes to you and your group, keep your verbs humble
• Polish up your honorific verbs and show some respect
• Introducing goto, the go-to suffix for each and every time
• So many “you” and “I” words, but best used sparingly
• Whether or not to use ka-do-ka
• Getting in the mood with kibun
• Make it ‘narubeku’ short and ‘dekirudake’ snappy
• Hang on, did you say ‘kakeru’?
• Don’t go easy on ‘assari’
• Learn ‘nantoka’ any way you can
• If you’re going to do it, do it wazawaza
• Get things done faster with ‘mo’
• It’s time to learn how to use ‘mada’
• The magical word that means ‘hello’ and ‘sorry’ and ‘thank you’
• Teach yourself to master the word ‘sensei’
• Understanding the survival of the fittest with tsuyoi and yowai
• Thanks to okage, it’s easier to explain yourself
• Explaining the cause of the problem with sei
• If the au fits, wear it
• 20 years of learning Japanese with Well Said!
• Feeling good about using kimochi
• Express yo-self with this one essential particle
• There’s still more to know about ne, after all
• The greatest of all Japanese particles is ne, isn’t it?
• Would you rather flunk out of Japanese than learn kurai-nara?
• Getting your words just right with pittari
• Koto and kedo are useful, but only if you know what to do with them
• Without kara-de-nai-to, you could be in trouble
• Say it with a bang using mo and mattaku
• Masho-ka: Let’s do this thing
• Kuyashii: a useful word for those of us who frequently fail miserably
• Controlling the sensation of time with ‘buri’
• Powering through space, time and bad jokes with ‘bakari’
• Kyatchiboru-ni tekito-na basho-wa nai-ka-na
• Natsuyasumi-chu, hitotsu-mo jiko-ga nakatta
• Saifu-ni sen-en shika nai
• ii-yo!
• Sonna-ni kataku naranaide-kudasai
• Zenzen yoku-nai.
• Boku-ga kocho-dattara
• Genki-wo dashite!
• Nani-ga sonnani okashii-no-kashira?
• Mata kutsushita-ga nugippanashi!
• Otoko-rashi hito-ga taipu-na-no-ne.
• Kodomo-tachi-ga kono eiga-wo mitagatte-iru-no
• Naruhodo
• Kono-mise-no nedan-wa yasuku-nai-to omou-na
• Watashi-wa Gray-san-no an-ga ii-to omoimasu
• Kenko-no tame-ni jogingu-wo yatte-ita-n-da-kedo, kaette hiza-ga itaku-natchatte-ne
• Kurarinetto-toka furuto-toka naratte-mitai-to omotte-iru-n-da
• Kino, Aria-to-iu resutoran-ni itta-n-da.
• Rifomu-suru rashii-no-yo. It seems they are having their house remodeled
• Seikatsu-shukan-byo-ni naru-nowa, chukonen-towakagiranai- so-yo
• Shimekiri-ni maniau yo-ni, minna-de ganbarimasho
• Futari-wa do-yatte shiri-atta-no?
• A, kawaii neko!
• Natsukashikute, chotto yotte-mita-n-desu.
• Chotto, koen-wo sanpo-shite-kimasu
• Iyoiyo raigetsu-kara shohizei-ga agarimasu-ne
• Asoko-no kado-wo migi-ni magaru-to arimasu-yo
• Sakki-kara damarikonde-shimatte
• Nante kanshin-na ojosan-nano!
• Honto-ni yoku nite-iru
• Ku ki-ga warui!
• Tenkin-de kite, sonomama sumitsuite-shimau hito-mo ooi-so-desu
• Suteru-no-wa mottainai-kara, bazaa-ni daso-kana
• U, mazui!
• Kono ryokan-no shokuji-wa umai-na
• Shinagawa-san-wa dokoka-ni iku-n-desu-ka?
• Ima, denwa-wo shite-iru hito-ga Tian-san-desu
• Ja, haite-mimasu
• Jitsu-wa, kacho-ni chui-sarechatta-n-da
• Genchi-no horitsu-ni motozuite susumenakerebanarimasen.
• Kokosei-wa nete-iru furi-wo shite-ita-noyo
• Kore, hon-ni kaite-aru toori-ni tsukutta-n-da-kedo
• Saikin-no shinnyu-shain-wa amaete-imasu-ne
• Taicho, daijobu na-no?
• How to say what you really want someone to do
• Ki: more than a feeling
• Geragera waratte, urusai-yo