343literally asks ”are you ”, which asks whether
someone is feeling good about things in general. This is something you do
not ask someone every day, but only when you haven’t seen someone in
a while, or when there is a reason to ask them, such as when someone has
just recovered from an illness. In this last case, the question may also be of
the form , meaning ”are you again already?”.
, people who are not , are typically depressed,
gloomy, glum, down and out, and for all intents and purposes a mood
killer for everyone around them. Asking these people whether they are
is a bit like driving home the point that they aren’t happy with a big
pointy stick, so instead the phrase is typically used,
carefully remarking that they ”do not seem very ”.
- Said when leaving early
Said when leaving earlier than you normally would (namely when every-
one else leaves), literally says ”before [you/everyone else]” and is
short for
. This can be met with two responses, namely
either a set phrase such as
or
, or with sur-
prise at the act of leaving early for no clear reason.
- Said when entering someone’s house
The noun means obstruction or interference, and this sentence is a
particularly good example of Japanese formality: this phrase is used when
one is invited into a house. Courtesy demands that you indicate that even
though you have been invited, you will intrude upon their home life by
accepting this invitation by entering their house.
Because this phrase literally means ”I’ll be intruding”, it can also be
used when one really is intruding, such as breaking up an intimate conver-
sation because you need to talk to one of the conversationalists, or when
barging in on people.