Welcome to the Nihongo Lesson feature. We strive to give you useful manga-based Japanese language tips and maybe even a glimpse into the translation process. Professor Jump is back with some new Nihongo terms! This week we'll look at some words relating to taking a test or exam. Our own Urian Brown just took a very difficult Japanese language test. I asked him to write this week's lesson but he didn't want to relive what he described as a "humiliation"...

SHIKEN (しけん)

SHIKEN is a test or exam. Shonen Jump manga is full of tests, and there's a good reason for that. What better way to have characters compete against each other than to throw them into some kind of wacky exam? Naruto had one of the best paper tests in the Chunin Exam arc. Only in the ninja world would you get rewarded for cheating!

GOUKAKU (ごうかく)

GOUKAKU means "to pass." One of my favorite moments in manga is when the main character hears "you passed!" at the end of one of these exam arcs. What usually happens next is the character smiling and passing out because the test was so taxing!

SHIPPAI (しっぱい)

There are numerous words that describe failing a test. Examples are FUGOUKAKU (the negative form of GOUKAKU), OCHITA (to fall) or AKATEN (failing marks). SHIPPAI means "to mess up." It's not exactly the best term to use for failing a test, but it works for a wide range of failures.

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