Vicky

我慢 (ga-man) “Endure!”

“Gaman” is a zen Buddhist term which loosely translates to “enduring the unbearable with patience and dignity”. In Japan, putting up with a seemingly unbearable situation is seen as a sign of maturity. In the notoriously tough Japanese workplace, employees are expected to “Gaman” as much as possible. You can read more about it here: https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20190319-the-art-of-perseverance-how-gaman-defined-japan

Golden Week

Many of my Japanese students are currently enjoying “Golden Week”, a long period of public holidays occurring every year in May. You can find out about it here: https://japan-guide.com/e/e2282.html

臥薪嘗胆 (ga-shin-sho-tan) “stopping at nothing to achieve one’s goal”

One of my favourite Japanese 4-character idioms. 臥 = to bow 薪 = fuel 嘗 = burn up 胆 = courage