Aomori Entrance Japanese key terms

An essay or article that explains facts, ideas, or causes and effects rather than telling a story. Questions ask about paragraph roles, logical connections, and the writer's claim.

A fictional or personal narrative such as a short story, novel excerpt, or poem. Questions focus on characters' feelings, scene changes, and figurative language rather than on argument.

Japanese writing from roughly the Heian through Edo periods, written in classical grammar and vocabulary. Candidates read short passages from works such as the Tsurezuregusa or the Kokinshū.

Classical Chinese texts read in Japanese by adding reading marks (返り点 and 送り仮名). Candidates restore the reading order and interpret short passages from Chinese classics.

In Japanese, the subject or object is often left unstated when context makes it clear. Readers must infer who acts or feels from particles, honorifics, and the flow of the sentence.

Words like こ・そ・あ・ど (これ, その, あれ, どれ) that point to something mentioned before or after. Finding the referent is a common question type in both explanatory and literary texts.

Words such as しかし, したがって, つまり that show the logical relation between sentences. They signal contrast, cause, example, or summary and are keys to following an argument.

The function a paragraph serves in a text, such as introducing the topic, giving an example, offering a counterargument, or concluding. Identifying it helps locate the central claim.

The central claim or main point that the whole text supports. A correct answer must cover the entire passage, not just one striking sentence or example.

A structure that sets two things side by side to show their differences, often marked by 一方 or に対して. Recognizing contrast helps separate the writer's own view from the view being criticized.

The movement between concrete examples and general statements. Explanatory texts often give a specific case first, then draw a general principle, or the reverse; questions ask which is which.

Inferring a character's feelings from actions, dialogue, and narration rather than from direct statements. Answers should cite textual clues and avoid feelings the passage does not support.

Description of scenery, weather, or objects used to reflect mood or foreshadow events. A dark sky or a silent room often mirrors a character's inner state.

Figurative expression such as simile (〜のようだ) or metaphor that describes one thing in terms of another. It conveys impression and emotion that literal wording would not.

Words that imitate sounds (ざあざあ, どきどき) or describe states and manners (しっとり, きらきら). In literary texts they add sensory texture and hint at mood.

Quoted speech inside a narrative, usually marked by 「 」 or a dash. How a character speaks - word choice, honorifics, silence - reveals personality and relationships.

The shift from one scene, time, or place to another within a story. Noticing markers such as time words or paragraph breaks helps track what changed and why.

The pre-1946 spelling system used in classical texts, where けふ is read きょう and ゐ is read い. Candidates must convert it to modern pronunciation when reading aloud or answering.

Vocabulary used in classical Japanese that differs in meaning or form from modern words, such as あはれ or をかし. Meanings must be learned as a separate list.

A classical rule in which a particle such as ぞ, なむ, や, or か changes the ending of the sentence, often to the 連体形. It marks emphasis or question and affects translation.

Small marks placed beside Chinese characters to show the order in which they are read in Japanese, such as レ or 一二点. They tell the reader to jump backward or forward.

A Chinese text rewritten in Japanese reading order with kana added, keeping the original kanji. It shows how the passage is read as Japanese.

Reading a Chinese text in Japanese by supplying readings, particles, and word order according to the reading marks. It is the standard way classical Chinese is studied in Japan.

Chinese characters such as 而 or 於 that are kept in the original text but not read aloud in Japanese reading. Knowing them prevents misreading the structure.

The two ways of reading kanji: the Sino-Japanese reading (音) borrowed from Chinese, and the native Japanese reading (訓). Choosing the right one depends on the word.

How a two-kanji compound is built, for example main word plus modifier, similar meanings, opposite meanings, or verb plus object. Classifying the pattern helps infer meaning.

Different words that share the same pronunciation but differ in kanji and meaning, such as 機関 and 期間. Context decides which kanji is correct.

A fixed four-kanji expression with an established meaning, such as 一期一会 or 試行錯誤. Questions test both the reading and the appropriate use in a sentence.

A fixed phrase whose meaning cannot be guessed from its parts, such as 油を売る or 耳が痛い. Candidates match the phrase to its figurative meaning.

A traditional saying that states a piece of folk wisdom, such as 急がば回れ. Questions ask for the meaning or for the saying that fits a described situation.

The polite language system of 尊敬語 (respectful), 謙譲語 (humble), and 丁寧語 (polite). Questions test correct choice and use according to who acts and who is addressed.

Errors such as mismatched particles, wrong verb forms, or faulty parallel structure. Candidates find the incorrect sentence or the correct rewrite among options.

A short composition written to a prompt, judged on whether it answers the question, is organized, and uses accurate wording. Clear structure matters as much as length.

A brief outline made before writing that lists the main claim and the order of supporting points. It prevents digression and keeps the composition within the time limit.

A writing task with stated conditions, such as a word count, a required topic sentence, or a specified viewpoint. Missing a condition loses marks even if the prose is good.

Rules for manuscript paper: one character per box, indenting the first line of a paragraph, and placing punctuation correctly. Format errors are penalized in composition scoring.

The consistent style of writing, such as だ・である体 or です・ます体. A composition should keep one style throughout rather than mixing them.