As an engineer working in Japan, you might have to face a lot of language-specific hurdles that you might have to overcome regularly in your workplace. While knowing Japanese is the best way way to overcome these hurdles, it can also prove challenging on an everyday basis and might just hinder your ability to work effectively. Since my journey as an engineer in Japan began, I have come across some neat ways to overcome these hurdles, and also constantly improve my Japanese ability I go along this journey.
Raikaikun – A Chrome extension
Rikaikun is a chrome extension that helps you look up the readings and definitions of a word just by hovering your cursor over them. This not only helps you understand quickly what you are reading, but also can be used as a study tool, quickly look up unfamiliar kanjis and words and can help you avoid the pit falls of depending on a translation service like Google translate too much. It is free in the Chrome Store and can be installed on Chrome, or any other browser based on Chromium, such as Arc, Brave and more.
For those using Firefox or Safari, Yomitan and Safarikai are great alternatives!
Mac Look up
For those that use a Mac, a nifty built in function called Look Up can be accessed from almost anywhere in the OS and can be used for quick dictionary look ups. To enable this, head to Settings, Trackpad and set Look up & data detectors to your preferred gesture. I personally use Force Click with One Finger as it is extremely easy to remember and use with the built in trackpad. If you are using this feature for the first time, you can set up your preferred dictionaries in the settings prompt or the build in Mac Dictionary app.
Dictionary Apps
A dictionary app can make or break your motivation to learn a new language. A good one needs to be quick, informative enough and be accessible as it is (ideally) the primary source of reference. I have listed a few dictionary apps below (some platform specific).
- Japanese (iOS, Mac M1 and above): This is a great free dictionary app that provides all the basics, while also adding in nifty features like Lists, Flashcards, and more, which can help you get familiarised with new words and phrases.
- Kanji Study (Android): One of the best Japanese dictionary apps with Flashcards, detailed breakdowns and more. Android only, and the free version is a bit limited, but the asking price is every bit worth it.
- Takoboto (Web): A free dictionary that can be accessed from any browser, also has a Windows App available.
DeepL
Yeah, I know I already said we’d avoid using translation services… But this feature in DeepL is quite hard to pass when you are in a pinch and want to quickly grasp the contents of a wall of text. The default DeepL shortcut of Cmd (or Ctrl on Windows) + C + C can quickly translate selected text to your preferred language in a pinch.
Closing thoughts
While it’s important not to rely too heavily on translation software, these tools can serve as valuable aids in quickly researching and learning unfamiliar Japanese words and vocabulary. They enable us to work more efficiently, helping us overcome language barriers and avoid potential pitfalls.
I hope this is helpful for anyone trying to get used to working in a Japanese work environment, while also coming to grips learning a new language!