AboutDreams Expertise I have been teaching myself the language for the past seven years, having consistent practice with Japanese materials. I can help translate things from English to Japanese or vice versa. I can also help you get started if you're planning on taking up the language. =) I'm most familiar with things like anime, manga, J-pop, games and so on.
Experience I began learning the language in 1999. I frequently talk with penpals and natives in Japan, as well as continually keep up practicing with authentic Japanese materials.
Question Hi,
I have this Japanese song title that I need to know what it means...
It starts with this symbol at http://www.kanjisymbol.net/kanji/%E4%BC%9D.html and then followed by "wa i ma su ka".
1. How to pronounce the 1st symbol?
2. What's the word/sentence mean?
3. How to arrange the word/sentence properly?
Thanks.
Answer Hello,
The symbol 伝 can mean "to transmit, convey, tell, pass on, reach down (through family), etc" as a verb. As a noun, it can mean "legend, tradition" (but is usually used in the word 伝説 'densetsu' [legend] in noun form).
As a verb, 伝 can be pronounced 'tsuta.waru', 'tsuta.eru', or 'tsuta.u' - the dots show where the verb ending would appear after the kanji, so that ending part may be in any kind of verb form. As a noun, 伝 is usually pronounced 'DEN'.
It looks like it's being used as a verb here, but the song title should probably be 伝わりますか (tsutawarimasu ka), as nothing else would make sense.
It's hard to give an exact translation in this instance because I can't see the lyrics and there's no subject/object associated with the verb. But with the question particle at the end, the title is asking something like, "Is it transmitted?" "Is it passed on?"
