{"id":106093,"date":"2023-09-22T00:05:04","date_gmt":"2023-09-22T04:05:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/learn\/weird-strange-japanese-words\/"},"modified":"2025-02-27T04:19:51","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T09:19:51","slug":"weird-strange-japanese-words","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/japanese\/weird-strange-japanese-words\/","title":{"rendered":"38 Weird Japanese Words You Won’t Find in Textbooks"},"content":{"rendered":"

Have you ever heard of the English word “petrichor,” which means \u201cthe smell of the earth after it rains?\u201d<\/p>\n

What about “backpfeifengesicht”, the weird German word that means “a face badly in need of a fist?”<\/p>\n

Ever since I learned that these words exist, I\u2019ve been fascinated by what other cultures deem necessary to express in a similar fashion.<\/p>\n

The Japanese language is no different. As you’ll see below, it’s rich in words and phrases that are funny, weird or will make you say “what the [expletive]?”<\/p>\n

[fluentu-toc]<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

People<\/h2>\n

\u6559\u80b2\u30de\u30de (\u304d\u3087\u3046\u3044\u304f \u307e\u307e) \u2014 Mother obsessed with her children’s education<\/h3>\n

You could say this is the Japanese equivalent of a “helicopter parent.”<\/p>\n

\u30d0\u30fc\u30b3\u30fc\u30c9\u4eba (\u3070\u30fc\u3053\u30fc\u3069 \u3058\u3093) \u2014 Barcode men<\/h3>\n

\u201cBarcode men\u201d refers to men who have ridiculous comb-overs\u2014likely referring to what these comb-overs often look like.<\/p>\n

KY (a.k.a. \u7a7a\u6c17\u8aad\u3081\u306a\u3044 or \u304f\u3046\u304d \u3088\u3081\u306a\u3044) \u2014 Cannot “read the room”<\/h3>\n

KY is shorthand for k<\/strong>uuki y<\/strong>omenai. <\/em>The phrase literally translates to “cannot read the air\/atmosphere.” It refers to a person who does something wrong and is completely oblivious to it, but everyone else in the room knows about the wrongdoing.<\/p>\n

For example, a guy who happily talks about his new girlfriend in front of a friend who just broke up with his is KY, as is someone who says something insensitive at a party and continues on with their barrage of tactless remarks in front of a silent (and flabbergasted) audience.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u5225\u8179 (\u3079\u3064\u3070\u3089) \u2014 Extra stomach<\/h3>\n

This means having room for dessert despite being full, making it seem like the person in question has more than one stomach.<\/p>\n

\u30ad\u30fc\u30d7\u541b (\u304d\u30fc\u3077\u304f\u3093) \u2014 “Keep-kun”<\/h3>\n

This refers to a boyfriend who is “kept” until someone better shows up. (Poor guy!)<\/p>\n

\u30af\u30ea\u30b9\u30de\u30b9\u30b1\u30fc\u30ad (\u304f\u308a\u3059\u307e\u3059 \u3051\u30fc\u304d) \u2014 Christmas cake<\/h3>\n

No, this isn’t a Christmas dessert unique to Japan. A “Christmas cake” is a woman not yet married by 25, as she is said to lose her value after her 25th year.<\/p>\n

Behavior<\/h2>\n

\u86c7\u8db3 (\u3060\u305d\u304f) \u2014 Snake legs<\/h3>\n

This refers to something unnecessary and probably detrimental like snake legs. After all, snakes can already get by without legs, so why would they need those<\/a>?<\/p>\n

\u6a2a\u98ef (\u3088\u3053\u3081\u3057) \u2014 Horizontal rice<\/h3>\n

If you think this is yet another out-of-this-world Japanese food<\/a> like square watermelons<\/a>, you’ll be sorely disappointed. The meaning is much more mundane\u2014that is, \u6a2a\u98ef simply refers to Western food.<\/p>\n

\u7a4d\u3093\u8aad (\u3064\u3093\u3069\u304f) \u2014 Leaving a book unread after buying it<\/h3>\n

As a bookworm, I’m guilty of this a lot of the time. And judging by the book memes all over social media, I’m not alone!<\/p>\n

\u904e\u52b4\u6b7b (\u304b\u308d\u3046\u3057) \u2014 Death from overworking<\/h3>\n

This is an unfortunate side effect of Japan’s infamously long work hours. You’ll find plenty of think pieces online about how it’s a cautionary tale for companies all over the world, like this one<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u53e3\u5bc2\u3057\u3044 (\u304f\u3061\u3055\u3073\u3057\u3044) \u2014 Lonely mouth<\/h3>\n

This refers to those times when you’re not hungry but you still eat.<\/p>\n

\uff35\u30bf\u30fc\u30f3\u73fe\u8c61 (\u3086\u30fc\u305f\u30fc\u3093\u3052\u3093\u3057\u3087\u3046) \u2014 U-turn phenomenon<\/h3>\n

This is the movement of people who grow up in a rural area, escape to the city for education or work and then return to where they came from.<\/p>\n

\u8fbb\u65ac\u308a (\u3064\u3058\u304e\u308a) \u2014 “Tsujigiri”<\/h3>\n

This refers to the common samurai practice of breaking in a new sword by attacking\u2014and potentially killing\u2014a complete stranger.<\/p>\n

Given that samurai and Japanese swords now only exist in jidaigeki<\/a><\/em> (period dramas), you won’t hear this word bandied about as much these days.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Cat Words<\/h2>\n

\u732b\u820c (\u306d\u3053\u3058\u305f) \u2014 Cat tongue<\/h3>\n

If you’re the type who’s particularly sensitive to hot drinks or spicy food, you’re said to have a \u201ccat tongue.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u732b\u5a18 (\u306d\u3053\u3080\u3059\u3081) \u2014 Cat girl<\/h3>\n

Now this is one of the more straightforward words on this list! As the translation suggests, it refers to a girl who acts like a cat. You’ll often hear this word in anime<\/a> featuring cute girls.<\/p>\n

\u732b\u80cc (\u306d\u3053\u305c) \u2014 Cat back<\/h3>\n

A “cat back” is simply the Japanese term for “hunchback.” (Hey, “The Cat Back of Notre Dame” sounds much better, doesn’t it?)<\/p>\n

\u732b\u306b\u5c0f\u5224 (\u306d\u3053\u306b \u3053\u3070\u3093) \u2014 Gold coins to a cat<\/h3>\n

When you give a gift to someone who is incapable of appreciating it, the incident is likened to giving gold coins to a cat. (To be fair, what would cats even do with gold coins?)<\/p>\n

\u732b\u304b\u3076\u308a (\u306d\u3053\u304b\u3076\u308a) \u2014 Cat veil<\/h3>\n

If English has “wolf in sheep’s clothing,” Japanese has “cat veil.” It usually refers to someone who feigns naivet\u00e9 or pretends to be nicer than they really are.<\/p>\n

\u732b\u7cde (\u306d\u3053\u3070\u3070) \u2014 Cat excrement<\/h3>\n

I have to say: using “cat excrement” to refer to embezzlement, misappropriation or stealing is a creative (and hilarious!) way to drive home just how serious a crime it is.<\/p>\n

Wasei Eigo – False Friends<\/h2>\n

\u30cf\u30a4\u30c6\u30f3\u30b7\u30e7\u30f3 (\u306f\u3044 \u3066\u3093\u3057\u3087\u3093) \u2014 High tension<\/h3>\n

Despite the usual negative connotation of “tension,” this phrase actually means someone who is full of energy and enthusiasm.<\/p>\n

\u30d0\u30a4\u30ad\u30f3\u30b0 (\u3070\u3044\u304d\u3093\u3050) \u2014 Viking<\/h3>\n

“Viking” refers to a restaurant that allows unlimited refills from their buffet tables.<\/p>\n

\u30c9\u30af\u30bf\u30fc\u30b9\u30c8\u30c3\u30d7 (\u3069\u304f\u305f\u30fc \u3059\u3068\u3063\u3077) \u2014 Doctor stop<\/h3>\n

When a physician instructs you to take it easy, that is an example of dokutaa sutoppu<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\u30d1\u30e9\u30b5\u30a4\u30c8\u30b7\u30f3\u30b0\u30eb (\u3071\u3089\u3055\u3044\u3068 \u3057\u3093\u3050\u308b) \u2014 Parasite single<\/h3>\n

This is as unflattering as it sounds. It refers to an adult who is capable of living on their own, but prefers to stay with their parents.<\/p>\n

\u30ce\u30df\u30e5\u30cb\u30b1\u30fc\u30b7\u30e7\u30f3 (\u306e\u307f\u3085\u306b\u3051\u30fc\u3057\u3087\u3093) \u2014 “Nomyunication”<\/h3>\n

This is a portmanteau of the Japanese word for drink (nomu<\/em>) and the English word “communication.” It means talking while drinking\u2014a type of multitasking, basically.<\/p>\n

\u30aa\u30fc\u30d0\u30fc\u30c9\u30af\u30bf\u30fc (\u304a\u30fc\u3070\u30fc \u3069\u304f\u305f\u30fc) \u2014 Over doctor<\/h3>\n

An “over doctor” is someone who has a Ph.D. but remains unemployed. (Imagine how parents feel about adult children who are this and are also “parasite single.”)<\/p>\n

\u30de\u30c3\u30c1\u30dd\u30f3\u30d7 (\u307e\u3063\u3061 \u307d\u3093\u3077) \u2014 “Macchi ponpu”<\/h3>\n

A “macchi ponpu” is someone who starts trouble just to make themselves the hero by trying to fix that same problem. The very negative connotations of this aside, you can’t deny it’s fun to say!<\/p>\n

Beauty<\/h2>\n

\u6728\u6f0f\u308c\u65e5 (\u3053\u3082\u308c\u3073) \u2014 When sunlight filters through the trees<\/h3>\n

Does English have an equivalent for this? I think not.<\/p>\n

\u7269\u306e\u54c0\u308c (\u3082\u306e\u306e\u3042\u308f\u308c) \u2014 “Mono no aware”<\/h3>\n

Mono no aware <\/em>is a phrase that isn’t easy to translate into English. It roughly means the awareness of the impermanence of beauty. You’ll often hear this used in art critiques.<\/p>\n

\u30d0\u30c3\u30af\u30b7\u30e3\u30f3 (\u3070\u3063\u304f\u3057\u3083\u3093) \u2014 “Bakkushan”<\/h3>\n

A bakkushan <\/em>is a woman who is beautiful only when viewed from behind. (I’ll admit, this is a bit more crass than the first two.)<\/p>\n

\u5e7d\u7384 (\u3086\u3046\u3052\u3093) \u2014 “Yuugen”<\/h3>\n

The definition of this term varies depending on the context, but it generally refers to a mysterious sense of the beauty or nature of the universe.<\/p>\n

Not Taken So Literally<\/h2>\n

\u590f\u7089\u51ac\u6247 (\u304b\u308d\u3068\u3046\u305b\u3093) \u2014 Summer heater, winter fan<\/h3>\n

You use this to describe something that is out of season and worthless\u2014like a heater in summer and a fan in winter.<\/p>\n

\u82b1\u9ce5\u98a8\u6708 (\u304b\u3061\u3087\u3046\u3075\u3046\u3052\u3064) \u2014 Flower, bird, wind, moon<\/h3>\n

This is another weird Japanese phrase that has a straightforward meaning. As you might’ve guessed, it’s used to list some aspects of nature.<\/p>\n

\u4e09\u65e5\u574a\u4e3b (\u307f\u3063\u304b\u307c\u3046\u305a) \u2014 Three-day monk<\/h3>\n

A “three-day monk” is someone who gives up prematurely\u2014much like a monk who throws away his holy robes after three days.<\/p>\n

\u5929\u4e0b\u308a (\u3042\u307e\u304f\u3060\u308a) \u2014 Descent from heaven<\/h3>\n

Although this is a dated term in Japanese, it’s all too common in American politics. It refers to politicians who leave office, only to accept offers as high-paying executives in the corporate world.<\/p>\n

\u982d\u5bd2\u8db3\u71b1 (\u305a\u304b\u3093\u305d\u304f\u306d\u3064) \u2014 Cold head, warm feet<\/h3>\n

This term refers to the fact that most Japanese homes are not properly heated in the wintertime, and one of the ways families stay warm is to put their feet by the \u3053\u305f\u3064 (a knee-high table with an electric foot-warmer underneath the board which is used with a coverlet during winter) and leaving their heads out in the cold.<\/p>\n

Untranslatable Phrases<\/h2>\n

\u3042\u308a\u304c\u305f\u8ff7\u60d1 (\u3042\u308a\u304c\u305f\u3081\u3044\u308f\u304f)<\/h3>\n

Okay, brace yourselves: this is going to be a long one.<\/p>\n

Imagine someone offers to do something for you that you don’t want them to do, but they do it anyway. Then, their earnest (if misguided) efforts lead to an entire comedy of errors that cause you a lot of trouble, but you have to thank them anyway<\/a> because it’s the socially acceptable thing to do.<\/p>\n

That, in a (humongous) nutshell, is \u3042\u308a\u304c\u305f\u8ff7\u60d1.<\/p>\n

\u4f98\u5bc2 (\u308f\u3073\u3055\u3073)<\/h3>\n

\u4f98\u5bc2 is a comprehensive Japanese worldview or aesthetic centered on the acceptance of transience. Although that’s a definition of sorts, this word is often considered untranslatable.<\/p>\n

\u7121\u793c\u8b1b (\u3076\u308c\u3044\u3053\u3046)<\/h3>\n

\u7121\u793c\u8b1b refers to a context (usually an informal event like a party or drinking session) where there’s no distinction of status and where one can speak and act freely without pressure from others.<\/p>\n

How to Learn More Weird Japanese Words<\/h2>\n

Language is constantly evolving, especially slang and novel vocabulary in the modern world. In Japanese, katakana words<\/a> borrowed from English or other languages are common.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The best way to pick up Japanese slang<\/a> and other weird words is to watch modern content straight from Japan. When you watch the latest dramas<\/a> or commercials, you can listen to and learn how to use colloquialisms as naturally as the natives do.<\/p>\n

One resource where you can watch native media is FluentU<\/a>.

FluentU<\/strong> takes authentic videos\u2014like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks\u2014and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.<\/p>\r\n

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You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app<\/a> or Android app.<\/a><\/p>\r\n

P.S. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)<\/a><\/i>\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n \"FluentU\r\n

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