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Jiro – Vocabulary Lesson

Hi, this is Kristin Dodds, one of the directors for Learn Real English. Welcome to this month’s vocabulary lesson for the conversation Jiro. I have the text here of the conversation and I’ll be explaining some words that I thought were maybe difficult for you to understand and I’ll be giving you the meanings as they are used in this conversation. So they could have meanings in different conversations but I’ll give you the meanings as they’re used in this conversation.

And I want to talk about two, three things actually before we start. Many times in our conversations you’ll see y…you’ll see one word, y’know. So this is pronounced y’know. And y’know is actually two words combined together so when native English speakers are speaking sometimes quickly or fast, instead of saying you know they’ll say y’know. So that’s why you’ll see that one word, which is actually two words, that’s why you’ll see that in many conversations.

Also, you’ll see like used a lot. And one meaning of like, or I should say no meaning, is that it’s a filler word. Like can be a filler word so it has no meaning. It’s mainly a filler word if it’s used at the beginning of a sentence or at the beginning of a thought or an idea. So that’s like.

And I wanted to mention one other thing. In this conversation you’ll see yeah and yep. So yeah and yep are both slang words for yes. Alright, so let’s begin with this conversation, this vocabulary lesson for this conversation Jiro.

Now Jiro, this is the name of a Japanese man who is the main person in a film that we talk about in this conversation. Jiro: the name of a Japanese man.

Alright, at the very beginning of the conversation I say, “We finally watched that movie you recommended, Jiro Dreams of Sushi.” So I say movie. Jiro Dreams of Sushi is actually a documentary. A documentary is…what this means is it’s a real movie so the people, the places that you see in this movie, they’re all real. The people are not actors. Everything is real.

Okay, sushi, Jiro Dreams of Sushi, so that’s the name of this documentary, Jiro Dreams of Sushi. Sushi: this is a type of Japanese food and it consists of or it’s made of cooked rice, raw fish and vegetables. It’s usually what is in sushi.

Okay, then I say, “I had no expectations.” So expectations: this is a set of ideas or beliefs. Expectations, set of ideas or beliefs.

Then AJ says, “I’m always inspired.” Inspired means positively affected. I’m always inspired. I’m always positively affected.

And then AJ says, “Perhaps the top sushi chef in the world.” So perhaps means possibly. And top means best. So possibly the best sushi chef in the world, or perhaps the top sushi chef in the world.

Then AJ says, “He’s still a master.” So a master is someone who has perfected a skill. Master, someone who has perfected a skill.

And then Joe says, “We watched an episode of Anthony Bourdain.” So an episode: an episode means one show. An episode, one show. Anthony Bourdain: this is the name of an American man. He has a TV show that’s…it’s a travel show actually. And it’s based on food, different kinds of food around the world. So that’s Anthony Bourdain.

And then Joe says, “He was profiling someone.” So profiling means presenting information. He was presenting information on someone. He was profiling someone.

Then I say, “I found it fascinating.” Fascinating means very interesting. Fascinating, very interesting.

And then I say, “Someone having a vision, a drive, a focus so clear as his.” So vision: a vision is an idea for doing something. Vision, an idea for doing something. A drive: drive means here the motivation to follow through with the idea. Drive is the motivation to follow through with the idea. And focus: focus is the concentration to follow through with the idea.

And then I say, “You mentioned him being a master.” Mentioned: this means talked about. Mentioned, talked about.

And then I say, “He didn’t consider.” Consider means think of. He didn’t think of. He didn’t consider.

Then AJ says, “Yeah, still trying to improve.” Improve means do a better job. Improve: this means do a better job.

Then AJ says, “Another fascinating thing for me along the same lines.” Along the same lines: this means in a similar way. Along the same lines, in a similar way.

And AJ says, “It’s not super complex in terms of the number of ingredients.” Super complex: he’s saying it’s not super complex. It’s not very complicated. There aren’t many parts to it. It’s not super complex.

And in terms of the number of ingredients: in terms means in regard to. In terms of the number of ingredients. In regard to the number of ingredients.

And then AJ says, “It’s kind of a Zen/Taoist approach.” So Zen and Taoist: Taoist and Zen Buddhism are spiritual traditions.

Okay, and then AJ says, “It’s really unique.” Unique means different. It’s really different. It’s really unique.

And then Joe says, “I also liked the fact that his sons, at least two of them, were following in his footsteps.” Following in his footsteps: this is an idiom, an idiomatic phrase which means his two sons were doing the same thing as him. So they were sushi chefs like him. They were following in his footsteps. They were doing the same thing that their father was doing.

And then Joe says, “If you recall.” Recall: this means remember. If you recall. If you remember.

And then Joe says, “I guess he will inherit that restaurant.” So inherit means be given. He’ll be given that restaurant. He’ll inherit that restaurant.

And then Joe says, “When his father passes away.” So passes away: this means dies. When his father dies. When his father passes away.

And then AJ says, “He’s at a time where some people start thinking about retirement. So retirement: this is a…this is the time when people stop working. In the United States anyway, people stop working, I think the age is about 66 but I was reading that it is soon going to go to 67. So people stop working and if they’ve been working for a big company, the company has been taking money out to…so that when they stop working they get this money back. They’ll get money each month. So that’s retirement. It’s a time when people stop working.

Then AJ says, “It must be tough.” Tough: this means difficult. It must be tough. It must be difficult.

And then AJ says, “You’re always in his shadow.” Shadow here means being compared to. You’re always in his shadow. You’re always being compared to. So in this example, the father, the master sushi chef.

And then I say, “An ex-employee was interviewed.” Interviewed: this means asked questions.

And then I say, “He’ll never match up to his dad.” Match up: this means be as good as his dad. He’ll never match up to his dad. He’ll never be as good as his dad.

And then I say, “People will come in there, even when his dad is gone, and they won’t think his sushi is as good.” So people will come in there. People will go into Jiro’s restaurant. Even when his dad is gone.

So even when Jiro has passed away or died. And they won’t think his sushi is as good. So I’m saying they won’t think the son’s sushi, the son of Jiro, they won’t think his sushi is as good as Jiro’s sushi.

And then I say, “They won’t mentally, they won’t think that.” So mentally here means having to do with thoughts or thinking. Mentally, it has to do with thoughts or thinking.

And then I say, “They won’t acknowledge that.” So acknowledge: this means they won’t admit his sushi is as good as his dad’s even if it really is. They won’t admit that. They won’t acknowledge that.

Then AJ says, “I think that’s a tough path for a kid.” So tough path: this means a difficult course of life.

Tough path, difficult course of life.

And then AJ says, “To really carve out your own identity.” So carve out your own identity: this means make your own self well-known separate from a famous parent. To make your own self well-known completely separate from a famous parent, carve out your own identity.

And then Joe says, “Think about John Lennon’s son, Julian.” So John Lennon was a very, very famous musician but if you don’t know who he was, he’s no longer alive, he was a British musician. He was in the very popular band, The Beatles, for many years and then he had his own solo career.

And then Joe says, “How could anyone live up to that sort of scrutiny.” So live up to means compare.

How could anyone compare. How could anyone live up to that sort of scrutiny. Scrutiny means critical observation. Scrutiny, critical observation.

And then Joe says, “He had reached a peak.” So peak means a high point. A high point in his career.

He had reached a peak. He had reached a high point in his career.

And then Joe says, “So he’s actually able to carve out his own little niche.” Sometimes that word is pronounced “neesh”, neesh, niche. So he’s actually able to carve out his own little niche. And what that means to carve out his own little niche, it means to make his own following of fans or admirers of his sushi. To make his own following of fans of his sushi.

And then Joe says, “It was probably put forth to his older son.” Put forth: this means told. It was probably told to his older son. It was probably put forth.

And then I say, “On the flip side of being so committed and so driven.” So on the flip side: flip side means on the other side, looking at it from a different perspective or a different way. On the flip side. And then committed, being so committed: this means faithful or devoted. And driven, so driven: driven means motivated. Driven, motivated.

And then I say, “His dad really wasn’t around much.” So when I say he really wasn’t around much, he was busy working.

And then I say, “He was really stern when he was around.” So stern: this means strict or not flexible, stern.

And then I say, “Aung San Suu Kyi, the political, I guess you’d call her activist, of Burma, Myanmar.” So I say she’s a political activist now that she’s no longer on house arrest, meaning now that she’s no longer being kept at her house, that she can’t go out. Her house for many years was like her prison. She was kept there by the Burmese government. Now that she’s no longer kept on house arrest she’s actually become a politician. And I say Burma and then Myanmar. Burma is the old name of the country and Myanmar is the newer name.

Then Joe says, “I’m a big fan of Frank Zappa.” Frank Zappa was an American musician. He is no longer alive.

And then AJ says, “There’s a point where it’s not worth it.” So when he says there’s a point, he’s saying there comes a time when it’s not worth it. There’s a point when it’s not worth it.

And then AJ says, “All the main areas of humanity, of relationships and health.” So when he says all the main areas of humanity he’s saying all the main areas of society.

And then AJ says, “Sometimes the people who are the very best at things they just completely obsess.” So obsess: this means to think all the time about what it is you’re trying to perfect. Obsess, to think all the time about what you’re trying to perfect. So if you’re trying to perfect, let’s say, a sport like soccer or football, as it’s called in many other countries, then you’re thinking…you’re obsessing about it, you think about it all the time. You’re trying to perfect your…your soccer playing or your football playing.

And then AJ says, “They become great at it which is fantastic and we all admire that.” So fantastic means great. Fantastic means great. And admire: admire means appreciate. Admire means appreciate.

And then AJ says, “But at the same time they sacrifice a lot.” So sacrifice: this means give up. They sacrifice a lot. They give up a lot.

And then AJ says, “Everyone makes that decision themselves.” So decision means choice. They make that choice themselves. They make that decision themselves.

And then Joe says, “I guess that’s really the conundrum then.” So conundrum: good word. Conundrum means a confusing or difficult problem, conundrum.

And then Joe says, “To be a family man or pursue whatever type of interest you have outside of that.” So pursue means to go after. Pursue whatever type of interest you have. Go after whatever type of interest you have.

Alright, thank you so much. This is the end of the vocabulary lesson for the conversation Jiro and I’ll be right back with the commentary.