from big to small

Today I would like to simply explain about one basic Japanese concept, from big to small. It is easier to understand this with examples, so let’s have a look at them.

When we say a date in Japanese, it would be

“2024nen 9gatsu 3kka kayoubi” (2024, September 3, Tuesday).

The order goes like this. “year→month→day→day of the week”. The concept of big to small is here. If you would like to go even smaller, you could say

“2024nen 9gatsu 3kka kayoubi gogo 8ji 30pun” (2024, September 3, Tuesday, 8:30pm).

Also, when we say an address, it would be

“Tokyo-to Minato-ku Azabu 1choume, 1ban 1gou”.

The order goes from “prefecture→city/ward→town→small area→house number” following the rule of big to small.

When you introduce yourself, you would say,

“watashi wa ABC kaisha no eigyou-bu no Yamada desu.” (kaisha: company, eigyou-bu: sales department).

So, it starts from company→department→your name. We think of a company as the biggest thing and I am a small thing inside it. And, you can link each one with the particle “no”. You can use as many “no” particles as you like.

How would you translate next English sentences?

1. I went to a restaurant in Shibuya.

わたしは　しぶやに　レストランに　いきました。 (watashi wa shibuya ni restaurant ni ikimashita.)（？？）

This translation is not correct. The restaurant is located in a town called Shibuya. So, we consider Shibuya as a bigger thing and a restaurant as a smaller thing. Therefore, the next sentence is correct.

わたしは　しぶやの　レストランに　いきました (watashi wa shibuya no restaurant ni ikimashita.)

2. I had a drink at the bar in that restaurant.

わたしは　そのレストランの　バーで　のみました。(watashi wa sono restaurant no bar de nomimashita.)

3.  Let’s meet at a café in front of the station.

えきの　まえの カフェで　あいましょう。　(eki no mae no cafe de aimashou.)

 The biggest thing is the station. The second biggest is the area in front of the station. And, the café is the smallest thing because it is in this area.

4. The cheesecake at that café is good.

あのカフェの　チーズケーキは　おいしいです。(ano cafe no cheese cake wa oishii desu.)

The cheesecake belongs to that café.

It is not always necessary to translate “in” or “at” to “ni” or “de”. Put “from big to small ” in your mind and use it as a clue when you make Japanese sentences.