Tone, context, and endings shape the meaning.

it’s a multipurpose cushion phrase: agreement, backchannel, buying time, soft disagreement, topic shift, or hedging.

Tone and context matter a lot.

If you use “iie” exactly like “no,” it can sometimes sound too cold or unnatural.

What is the origin of Japanese hiragana?

Katakana also originated from kanji, just like hiragana.

this phrase is also used in some surprising situations.

“hai” has a much wider range of meanings and uses.

Did you know that Japanese has many ambiguous expressions?

speaking too politely can make people feel distant or formal.

For learners of Japanese, this can be truly chaotic!

Understanding onomatopoeia will make your experience of Japanese much more colorful and vivid.

Your choice of first-person pronoun can dramatically change the impression you give and the overall mood of your conversation.