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Counting to ten turns into a comedy class as Michelle and Michael riff on 謙遜 (kenson: humble deflection), why shisometimes becomes yon, the “seven ate nine” joke, and the fine line between おごる (to boast / to treat). We wander through Niigata せんべい, “shrimp media,” and a fairy tale where Yuki-hime literally melts from too much politeness—then land on real phrases you can use without sounding… rusty.

What you’ll learn & laugh about

• 謙遜 (kenson): why Japanese compliments often get the humble “no, no, no”
• 錆びている (rusty): when English metaphors don’t quite port to Japanese
• Numbers in Japanese: zero–ten, teens, and counting by tens without traps
• Pronunciation pitfalls: 病院 (びょういん) vs. 美容院 (びよういん)
• おごる two ways: to boast vs. to treat someone to a meal (and how to say it)
• Culture corner: Yuki-hime, politeness, and speaking up before you… melt

Try these phrases

• 「すごいですね。」→ 「いえいえ、まだまだです。」(kenson in action)
• 「今日はご飯を奢ります。」(I’ll treat you to dinner today)
• 「ちょっと熱いです。」(It’s a bit hot) — polite and self-preserving!

Got a question or a clip for us to unpack?
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🎙️ Nihongo To English No Show — a bilingual comedy podcast by Michelle MaliZaki and Michael Allen (GoatVsFish).
💌 Got a language or culture question? Email us at [email protected]

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