JAPANESE LANGUAGE
In Aichi, This Japanese “Dirty” Word Means Something Different
Dialects are fun. But in the case of this one word from Aichi Prefecture, they can also lead to some hilarious misunderstandings...
language
Page 6
JAPANESE LANGUAGE
CULTURE
The Myth of Japanese Indirectness and “Subtlety”
Stereotypes of Japan as a land of vague meaning and blunted expression are just straight up Orientalism that obscure a complex reality.
JAPANESE LANGUAGE
New App Promises Greater Convenience in Reading Old Japanese Cursive
Kuzushiji, the “crushed letters” found in historical Japanese documents, have long been the bane of scholars. A new app may change all…
JAPANESE LANGUAGE
How Nihon Became Japan: The Etymology of Japan in English
Most languages use a variation of the name Japan - except for Japan itself! Learn the etymology of Japan, and the reason…
SOCIETY
Acceptance for “Kira Kira” Names? How Japan’s Koseki Rules May Change
The rise of Japanese "kira kira" names with unexpected kanji readings has sparked controversy over the past few decades. Will altering the…
JAPANESE LANGUAGE
Yabai (やばい) Meaning: 24 Ways It’s Actually Used in Japanese
There's no word quite like "yabai" in Japanese - an extremely popular slang term that can mean anything from "awful" to "risky"…
HISTORY
Saboru: The Strange Origins of “Cutting Class” in Japanese
Mass strikes, the creation of the 8-hour workday, and an early 20th-century vogue for foreign words - all led to the most…
JAPANESE LANGUAGE
What Japan’s Hot New Buzzwords of 2021 Tell Us
A hot YouTube song, gender equality, and the head of the International Olympic Committee all made 2021's list of Japanese buzzwords. Which…