• feedum_sneedson@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    I think it’s how you refer to yourself, but it’s been a while since I learned. Like there’s three or four versions of “I”, watashi, watakushi (very polite), and I forget the other two but one is extremely informal and possibly makes you sound like a delinquent.

    Edit: ore and boku, can’t remember which is the informal one, somebody who knows more step in and add some extra context please.

      • feedum_sneedson@lemmy.world
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        3 months ago

        Probably that then! I study Chinese (Mandarin) now, so that’s a very unusual character to me. Apparently it has a similar meaning but it’s only used in regional dialects.

        • fernlike3923@sh.itjust.works
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          3 months ago

          Sorry, I wrote it in kanji because I thought you were still studying Japanese. (the character is ore)

          Why did you decide on switching to learning Mandarin?

          • feedum_sneedson@lemmy.world
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            3 months ago

            Availability of native speakers local to me, and the fact I was initially attracted to Japanese by the characters and ended up essentially studying Chinese when researching their history. I may return to Japanese later, there’s certainly plenty of study materials.

    • MindTraveller
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      3 months ago

      Watashi is for adults and girls. Boku is for boys. Ore is for manly macho men.