Start Learning Japanese in the next 30 Seconds with
a Free Lifetime Account

Or sign up using Facebook

Meaning of 相談

Moderators: Moderator Team, Admin Team

Dariat
Been Around a Bit
Posts: 37
Joined: June 17th, 2009 9:13 pm

Meaning of 相談

Postby Dariat » March 1st, 2014 9:54 am

Hello.

I was hoping that someone could clarify the meaning of 相談(そうだん) to me. I was reading this article: http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/easy/k100154 ... 21000.html , and I'm a little vague on what exactly I may imagine when they say 相談.

The dictionary tells me that it means consultation; discussion. But if that's what it means I can't really make sense of this part 「…約520の相談が県や市などに来ました」. It seems weird to me that they would have statistics on how many discussions have "come to prefectures and cities". What does that even mean? This made me think that perhaps 相談 means something like "reports", as in a "reports from consumers". Am I wrong?

Someone please help me clear my confusion! :?

community.japanese
Expert on Something
Posts: 2704
Joined: November 16th, 2012 8:54 am

Re: Meaning of 相談

Postby community.japanese » March 2nd, 2014 3:43 am

Hello Dariat san,
相談 means “a person has a problem or concern and the person ask someone to give advice to solve the problem”.
In this case 520 people had problems with smart phones and didn’t know the cause or how to solve the issues. Then they contact public servant advisers.
Yuki 由紀
Team JapanesePod101.com

Get 45% OFF
Dariat
Been Around a Bit
Posts: 37
Joined: June 17th, 2009 9:13 pm

Re: Meaning of 相談

Postby Dariat » March 2nd, 2014 5:57 am

Thank you very much. I understand much better now. :)

community.japanese
Expert on Something
Posts: 2704
Joined: November 16th, 2012 8:54 am

Re: Meaning of 相談

Postby community.japanese » March 3rd, 2014 7:12 am

Dariat san,
Douitashimashite.
Yuki  由紀
Team JapanesePod101.com

thegooseking
Expert on Something
Posts: 216
Joined: October 17th, 2008 8:24 pm

Re: Meaning of 相談

Postby thegooseking » March 3rd, 2014 11:19 am

Dariatさん, 由紀先生、

Having cleared up the meaning of 相談 in this excerpt, I'm still concerned about what 県や市など means. I would translate it as "things like prefectures and cities", but it seems awfully imprecise for any news site, and doesn't really "fit" with the more precise (though still a little imprecise) figure of "around 520". Is this a set phrase or idiomatic in Japanese? Perhaps taken to mean something more like, "throughout the country"?

小狼

Dariat
Been Around a Bit
Posts: 37
Joined: June 17th, 2009 9:13 pm

Re: Meaning of 相談

Postby Dariat » March 3rd, 2014 11:46 am

I can't really comment on your question itself, but please keep in mind that this is from a section on NHK's site specifically designed for children and beginners of Japanese.

community.japanese
Expert on Something
Posts: 2704
Joined: November 16th, 2012 8:54 am

Re: Meaning of 相談

Postby community.japanese » March 4th, 2014 2:35 am

Hello 小狼さん、
県や市 means public consultation (advice) service which prefectural offices and city halls have.
520 people come to the prefectural offices or city halls or called them to solve the problems.
Yuki 由紀
Team JapanesePod101.com

thegooseking
Expert on Something
Posts: 216
Joined: October 17th, 2008 8:24 pm

Re: Meaning of 相談

Postby thegooseking » March 4th, 2014 12:54 pm

なるほど。ありがとうございます。

I guess it's similar to the Citizens Advice Bureau we have in the UK (or at least fills a similar purpose). Now I see where 相談 is coming from!

小狼

Dariat
Been Around a Bit
Posts: 37
Joined: June 17th, 2009 9:13 pm

Re: Meaning of 相談

Postby Dariat » March 4th, 2014 1:44 pm

Thank you, Yuki, for that additional explanation. Now that other part makes much more sense, too. :)

community.japanese
Expert on Something
Posts: 2704
Joined: November 16th, 2012 8:54 am

Re: Meaning of 相談

Postby community.japanese » March 5th, 2014 1:41 am

小狼さん、Dariat san,
どういたしまして。
Yuki 由紀
Team JapanesePod101.com

Return to “Learn All About Japanese”