Welcome to the Nihongo Lesson feature. We strive to give you useful manga-based Japanese language tips and maybe even a glimpse into the translation process. This week’s lesson will will feature terms from one of the funniest series in the magazine right now—We Never Learn! What kind of trouble will lovable tutor Nariyuki get into this week?!

DAIJOUBU (だいじょうぶ)

Here’s another common Japanese phrase that can be used in various situations. DAIJOUBU means “I’m okay” or “It’s good.” And it’s so useful that you can say it in the form of a question and turn it into “Are you okay?” Nariyuki sure went through a lot of trouble to try to tell Fumio that her stomach was DAIJOUBU in last week’s chapter.

YABAI (やばい)

We’ve covered YABAI before, but this is a good chance for a review. This phrase means “bad,” but you definitely don’t want to say it after touching a girl’s stomach. That was a seriously YABAI move, Nariyuki!

KIMOI (きもい)

KIMOI is short for “KIMOCHI WARUI,” and it means “gross” or, as translated in We Never Learn, “creepy.” In previous chapters, the girls have frequently called Nariyuki KIMOI. This must have really gotten to him, because he held back what he should have said to Fumio out of fear of being called KIMOI again. Poor Nariyuki seems to be in a no-win situation…

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