I came across this Japanese phrase in a book. What does it mean in English?

tsukamasarenai yoo ni

The word "tsukamasrenai" is not a word in the Japanese language. Most likely it 
is not spelled correctly and possible alternative words are 
either "tsukamarasenai" or "tsukawarasenai". It is more likely to be the 
former, which means "wasn't allowed to be grabbed" or "wasn't allowed to be 
caught". The latter means "wasn't allowed to be used". The phrase "yoo ni" 
means "in order to". So when put together, the two possible alternatives are:

tsukamarasenai means "in order to not be allowed to be caught"
tsukawarasenai means "in order to not be allowed to use"

This information is not based on any web-based translation service, such as 
Alta Vista's Babel Fish, but is the input of a fluent born and raised Japanese 
woman.


Additional information:

Alta Vista's Babel Fish
http://babel.altavista.com/

Japanese Translation/Dictionary/Spell Checker Software
http://www.gy.com/www/ww1/ja_t.htm

Organizations and Individuals Involved in Japanese Translation
http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~jwb/japanese.html#links_translation


Search terms used:

japanese translation
://www.google.com/search?q=japanese+translation

---

Clarification of Answer by researcher-ga on 24 Apr 2002 10:02 PDT

In the Comments below there are other similar translations, including one by 
hisashi-ga denoting the word as Japanese slang. The meaning given there 
is "Don't be decieved!" which is close to "in order to not be allowed to be 
caught".

---

Request for Answer Clarification by juykdhji-ga on 24 Apr 2002 10:23 PDT

Thank you very much for this response.  I should have mentioned that this 
phrase came from a 1944 booklet. The English phrase was "Don't take any wooden 
nickels."  

My friends and I could not imagine how this phrase would be translated with all 
that it implies.

It sounds like the translation is pretty good. I wonder how a Japanese speaker 
would have interpreted this when spoken by a foreigner. 

Thanks again for your response. No follow up needed.

---

Clarification of Answer by researcher-ga on 24 Apr 2002 13:03 PDT

Thank you and good day

My first experience with Google answers. I enjoyed it.

The word "tsukamasarenai" is a Japanese slang.
"Tsukamasu" means cheating of money by selling a imitation.
"--sarenai" means "Don't be --".
SO, "Tsukamasarenai" means "Don't be decieved!"

"Don't be decieved! " sounds to me very reasonable.
If you want to get information about Japam, I think that you sohould go to the 
govenrmetnt authorized websiteds.

Then, go to thier sites.

Sincery,

"tukamasarenai" direct translation could be
"do not be froced to get" 

Google de gaseneta wo tukamasarenai yoo ni ki wo tuke yoo!
= Please pay attention not to obtain duff gen using google.

Regards,

This is not necesarily slang but just a rather unusual compound
grammatical form. This form here means "don't let yourself be allowed
to get caught"

Some helpful background: 

The root verb here is "tsukamu" (to catch or grab)

"sareru" is the suffix that denotes the verb is something that is
being done to the subject.

"Saseru" is a suffix that denotes to force or allow someone to do
something.

"tsukamaseru" means "force someone to catch something or allow someone
to catch something.


Add saseru and sareru together and you get "saserareru" -- this means
"be forced to do something"

Put this with "tsukamu" and we get "tsukamaraseru" or with a bit of
modern shortening, "tsukamasareru". "be forced to get caught"

"nai you ni" means "try not to" or "hope you don't get" 

Add this to the above and we have "tsukamasarenai you ni" which means
"don't allow yourself to get caught" !




The normal form is "tsukamareru" which is "to get caught". 


"tsukamaseru" is a


The slang form seems to be a way to say "don't get deceived", which in
more common speech would be "damasarenai you ni" ("damasu" means "to
deceive" or "to rip off", "damasareru" is "be deceived", "be ripped
off" "taken for a ride" etc.)