The Meaning of Sumimasen (すみません) | Sorry - Excuse Me - Thank You

Описание: 🎌 The one Japanese word that means "sorry," "thank you," "excuse me," AND "hello"... sometimes all at once.

If you've ever been confused by "sumimasen," you're not alone — even Japanese people can't fully explain it. Today we decode Japan's most mysterious word and the "ambiguous language" culture behind it.

📌 TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Why "sumimasen" breaks Google Translate
1:45 The 4 situations where "sorry" means "thank you"
4:20 "Chotto" and "iidesu" — words that mean YES and NO
7:10 The hidden rule: Why Japanese never say "no" directly
10:35 "Honne" vs "Tatemae" — the two faces of Japanese communication
14:00 How to "read the air" (and why it matters)

🎯 WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:
→ Why Japanese apologize to convenience store workers
→ The real reason "excuse me" and "I'm sorry" are the same word
→ How to survive business meetings without saying "no"
→ The cultural DNA behind Japan's "ambiguous" communication style

💬 QUESTION FOR YOU: Does your language have words that change meaning completely? Tell us in the comments!

📚 BLOG & FULL TRANSCRIPT: japanesedailypodcast.blogspot.com

👋 HOSTS: Yui & Haruki from Japanese Daily Podcast
🎧 New episodes every week for Japanese learners worldwide

#JapaneseLanguage #LearnJapanese #Sumimasen #JapaneseCulture #Nihongo

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→ Why Japanese Valentine's Day Is Backwards
→ The Kanji Study Method That Actually Works
→ Why Convenience Stores Are Japan's Greatest Invention