38 Bizarre Japanese Phrases You Received’t Consider Exist

Have you ever ever heard of the English phrase “petrichor,” which suggests “the scent of the earth after it rains?”

What about “backpfeifengesicht”, the bizarre German phrase meaning “a face badly in want of a fist?”

Ever since I discovered that these phrases exist, I’ve been fascinated by what different cultures deem vital to specific in a similar way.

The Japanese language isn’t any totally different. As you’ll see under, it’s wealthy in phrases and phrases which are humorous, bizarre or will make you say “what the [expletive]?”

Contents

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Individuals

教育ママ ( きょういく まま
) — Mom obsessed along with her kids’s training

You would say that is the Japanese equal of a “helicopter dad or mum.”

バーコード人 ( ばーこーど じん
) — Barcode males

“Barcode males” refers to males who’ve ridiculous comb-overs—seemingly referring to what these comb-overs usually seem like.

KY (a.okay.a. 空気読めない or くうき よめない
) — Can’t “learn the room”

KY is shorthand for okayuuki yomenai. The phrase actually interprets to “can not learn the air/ambiance.” It refers to an individual who does one thing flawed and is totally oblivious to it, however everybody else within the room is aware of in regards to the wrongdoing.

For instance, a man who fortunately talks about his new girlfriend in entrance of a pal who simply broke up along with his is KY, as is somebody who says one thing insensitive at a celebration and continues on with their barrage of tactless remarks in entrance of a silent (and flabbergasted) viewers. 

別腹 ( べつばら
) — Further abdomen

This implies having room for dessert regardless of being full, making it look like the particular person in query has a couple of abdomen.

キープ君 ( きーぷくん
) — “Maintain-kun”

This refers to a boyfriend who’s “saved” till somebody higher exhibits up. (Poor man!)

クリスマスケーキ
(くりすます けーき) — Christmas cake

No, this isn’t a Christmas dessert distinctive to Japan. A “Christmas cake” is a lady not but married by 25, as she is claimed to lose her worth after her twenty fifth 12 months.

Conduct

蛇足 ( だそく
) — Snake legs

This refers to one thing pointless and doubtless detrimental like snake legs. In any case, snakes can already get by with out legs, so why would they want these?

横飯 ( よこめし
) — Horizontal rice

In the event you suppose that is one more out-of-this-world Japanese meals like sq. watermelons, you’ll be sorely disillusioned. The that means is far more mundane—that’s, 横飯 merely refers to Western meals.

積ん読 ( つんどく
) — Leaving a guide unread after shopping for it

As a bookworm, I’m responsible of this a variety of the time. And judging by the guide memes throughout social media, I’m not alone!

過労死 ( かろうし
) — Demise from overworking

That is an unlucky aspect impact of Japan’s infamously lengthy work hours. You’ll discover loads of suppose items on-line about the way it’s a cautionary story for corporations all around the world, like this one.

口寂しい ( くちさびしい
) — Lonely mouth

This refers to these occasions if you’re not hungry however you continue to eat.

Ｕターン現象 ( ゆーたーんげんしょう
) — U-turn phenomenon

That is the motion of people that develop up in a rural space, escape to town for training or work after which return to the place they got here from.

辻斬り ( つじぎり
) — “Tsujigiri”

This refers back to the frequent samurai observe of breaking in a brand new sword by attacking—and doubtlessly killing—an entire stranger.

On condition that samurai and Japanese swords now solely exist in jidaigeki (interval dramas), you received’t hear this phrase bandied about as a lot lately. 

Cat Phrases

猫舌 ( ねこじた
) — Cat tongue

In the event you’re the kind who’s significantly delicate to sizzling drinks or spicy meals, you’re mentioned to have a “cat tongue.”

猫娘 ( ねこむすめ
) — Cat lady

Now this is among the extra simple phrases on this listing! As the interpretation suggests, it refers to a lady who acts like a cat. You’ll usually hear this phrase in anime that includes cute ladies.

猫背 ( ねこぜ
) — Cat again

A “cat again” is just the Japanese time period for “hunchback.” (Hey, “The Cat Again of Notre Dame” sounds significantly better, doesn’t it?)

猫に小判 ( ねこに こばん
) — Gold cash to a cat

While you give a present to somebody who’s incapable of appreciating it, the incident is likened to giving gold cash to a cat. (To be honest, what would cats even do with gold cash?)

猫かぶり ( ねこかぶり
) — Cat veil

If English has “wolf in sheep’s clothes,” Japanese has “cat veil.” It often refers to somebody who feigns naiveté or pretends to be nicer than they are surely.

猫糞 ( ねこばば
) — Cat excrement

I’ve to say: utilizing “cat excrement” to consult with embezzlement, misappropriation or stealing is a inventive (and hilarious!) approach to drive residence simply how severe a criminal offense it’s.

Wasei Eigo – False Buddies

ハイテンション
(はい てんしょん) — Excessive stress

Regardless of the same old destructive connotation of “stress,” this phrase truly means somebody who is filled with vitality and enthusiasm.

バイキング
(ばいきんぐ) — Viking

“Viking” refers to a restaurant that permits limitless refills from their buffet tables.

ドクターストップ
(どくたー すとっぷ) — Physician cease

When a doctor instructs you to take it straightforward, that’s an instance of dokutaa sutoppu.

パラサイトシングル
(ぱらさいと しんぐる) — Parasite single

That is as unflattering because it sounds. It refers to an grownup who’s able to residing on their very own, however prefers to stick with their dad and mom.

ノミュニケーション
(のみゅにけーしょん) — “Nomyunication”

This can be a portmanteau of the Japanese phrase for drink (nomu) and the English phrase “communication.” It means speaking whereas consuming—a kind of multitasking, principally.

オーバードクター
(おーばー どくたー) — Over physician

An “over physician” is somebody who has a Ph.D. however stays unemployed. (Think about how dad and mom really feel about grownup kids who’re this and are additionally “parasite single.”)

マッチポンプ
(まっち ぽんぷ) — “Macchi ponpu”

A “macchi ponpu” is somebody who begins bother simply to make themselves the hero by making an attempt to repair that very same downside. The very destructive connotations of this apart, you possibly can’t deny it’s enjoyable to say!

Magnificence

木漏れ日 ( こもれび
) — When daylight filters via the timber

Does English have an equal for this? I feel not.

物の哀れ ( もののあわれ
) — “Mono no conscious”

Mono no conscious is a phrase that isn’t straightforward to translate into English. It roughly means the notice of the impermanence of magnificence. You’ll usually hear this utilized in artwork critiques.

バックシャン
(ばっくしゃん) — “Bakkushan”

A bakkushan is a lady who is gorgeous solely when seen from behind. (I’ll admit, this is a little more crass than the primary two.)

幽玄 ( ゆうげん
) — “Yuugen”

The definition of this time period varies relying on the context, however it typically refers to a mysterious sense of the sweetness or nature of the universe.

Not Taken So Actually

夏炉冬扇
(かろとうせん) — Summer season heater, winter fan

You employ this to explain one thing that’s out of season and nugatory—like a heater in summer season and a fan in winter.

花鳥風月 ( かちょうふうげつ
) — Flower, fowl, wind, moon

That is one other bizarre Japanese phrase that has a simple that means. As you may’ve guessed, it’s used to listing some features of nature.

三日坊主 ( みっかぼうず
) — Three-day monk

A “three-day monk” is somebody who offers up prematurely—very like a monk who throws away his holy robes after three days.

天下り ( あまくだり
) — Descent from heaven

Though this can be a dated time period in Japanese, it’s all too frequent in American politics. It refers to politicians who depart workplace, solely to simply accept presents as high-paying executives within the company world.

頭寒足熱 ( ずかんそくねつ
) — Chilly head, heat toes

This time period refers to the truth that most Japanese houses will not be correctly heated within the wintertime, and one of many methods households keep heat is to place their toes by the こたつ
(a knee-high desk with an electrical foot-warmer beneath the board which is used with a coverlet throughout winter) and leaving their heads out within the chilly.

Untranslatable Phrases

ありがた迷惑 ( ありがためいわく
)

Okay, brace yourselves: that is going to be a protracted one.

Think about somebody presents to do one thing for you that you just don’t need them to do, however they do it anyway. Then, their earnest (if misguided) efforts result in a whole comedy of errors that trigger you a variety of bother, however it’s important to thank them anyway as a result of it’s the socially acceptable factor to do.

That, in a (humongous) nutshell, is ありがた迷惑.

侘寂 ( わびさび
)

侘寂 is a complete Japanese worldview or aesthetic centered on the acceptance of transience. Though that’s a definition of kinds, this phrase is commonly thought-about untranslatable.

無礼講 ( ぶれいこう
)

無礼講 refers to a context (often a casual occasion like a celebration or consuming session) the place there’s no distinction of standing and the place one can converse and act freely with out strain from others.

Be taught Extra Bizarre Japanese Phrases

Language is continually evolving, particularly slang and novel vocabulary within the trendy world. In Japanese, katakana phrases borrowed from English or different languages are frequent. 

The easiest way to select up Japanese slang and different bizarre phrases is to observe trendy content material straight from Japan. While you watch the newest dramas or commercials, you possibly can hearken to and discover ways to use colloquialisms as naturally because the natives do.

One useful resource the place you possibly can watch native media is FluentU.

The platform not solely means that you can observe new Japanese phrases via movies, however study well-liked tradition as effectively. 

 

So, what are you ready for? It’s time to start out growing an unbelievable Japanese vocabulary!

Obtain:
This weblog submit is accessible as a handy and transportable PDF that you just
can take anyplace.
Click on right here to get a replica. (Obtain)