Takashi's Japanese Dictionary

A blog for learning Japanese that introduces Japanese slang words and Idioms!

  • Home
  • Dictionary Tools ▾
    • Furigana and Definition Lookup
    • Japanese Synonym Finder
    • Katakana Word Converter
  • Blog Posts ▾
    • Latest Posts
    • Phrases by Topic
    • Slang
    • Idiom
    • Column
    • Grammar
  • Lesson Slides ▾
    • For Complete Beginners
    • For Intermediate/Advanced Learners
  • Vocab List
  • Social Media
  • About
  • 英語学習サイト
You are here: Home / Slang / ドタキャン (dotakyan) Meaning “Last-Minute Cancellation” in Japanese Slang

ドタキャン (dotakyan) Meaning “Last-Minute Cancellation” in Japanese Slang

October 2, 2018

Table of Contents

  • Definition
  • Antonym: ドタ参 (dotasan)
  • Usage of 土壇場 (dotanba)
  • Example Sentences
  • Related Post
    • 15 Unique Japanese Portmanteau Words with Example Sentences
    • List of Japanese Abbreviated Slang Expressions

Definition

ドタキャン (dotakyan) is a Japanese slang word that means “to cancel something at the last minute”. It is used either as a noun (last-minute cancellation) or a verb (to cancel at the last minute). It is an abbreviation of “土壇場どたんばでキャンセルする”, where 土壇場 (どたんば, dotanba) means “at the last moment/chance” and キャンセルする means “to cancel”.

Antonym: ドタ参 (dotasan)

On the other hand, “ドタ参” (dotasan) means “to join something at the last minute” and it is an abbreviation of “土壇場で参加する”, where 参加(さんか)する means “join”. It is usually used as a noun, as in “ドタ参でもOKです” meaning “dotasan is also OK”, that is “You can still join us”. Compared to ドタキャン, ドタ参 is much less commonly used and sounds more slangy, and therefore some people (esp. elderly people) probably do not understand it.

Usage of 土壇場 (dotanba)

Contrary to ドタキャン and ドタ参, the word “土壇場” is rather formal and often used in sports news articles to describe a game-changing play (either a good or bad one) that has taken place near the end of the game. For example, “彼かれが土壇場で逆転ぎゃくてんホームランを放はなった” means “He hit a home run that led to the come-from-behind win near the end of the game.”

Example Sentences

Ex1
彼女かのじょに映画えいがドタキャンされたから一人ひとりで行いくわ
I was cancelled on by my girlfriend to go see a movie, so I’m going alone.

Ex2

美容院びよういんをドタキャンして申もうし訳わけなく感かんじる
I feel sorry for cancelling my haircut appointment at the last minute.

Related Post

15 Unique Japanese Portmanteau Words with Example Sentences

* Portmanteau Words: words that combine parts of multiple words (e.g. “brunch” in English)

15 Unique Japanese Portmanteau Words with Example Sentences

List of Japanese Abbreviated Slang Expressions

List of Japanese Abbreviated Words and Phrases

 

Filed Under: Slang

Related Posts

  • Funny Japanese Gaming Slang Terms

    Funny Japanese Gaming Slang Terms

  • 11 Bizarre Japanese Slangs Untranslatable Into English

  • 40 Old Japanese Slang Words to Sound Funny (or Weird)

    40 Old Japanese Slang Words to Sound Funny (or Weird)

  • Zagin De Shīsū: Japanese “Back Slang” From 1980s Explained

    Zagin De Shīsū: Japanese “Back Slang” From 1980s Explained

  • Japanese “活 Words”: 婚活 (Konkatsu), 就活/終活 (Shūkatsu)

Featured Posts:

  • Japanese Conversation Practice to Master 気-related Idioms
  • “Gakkī Loss”: Meaning of ロス (“Loss”) in Japanese
  • 30+ Japanese Words for “Very”: Synonyms of とても (totemo)
  • 40 Ways of Saying "Many" in Japanese (Ooi, Ippai, Takusan, and More...)
  • 8 Funny and Cute Japanese Cat Idioms
  • Success Story of Ichiro Suzuki: What He Means to Japanese Baseball Fans

Popular Posts:

  • Why “The moon is beautiful, isn’t it?” Could Mean “I love You”…
  • Meaning of 卍 (manji) and マジ卍 (Maji manji) in Japanese
  • Boku, Ore, Watashi, Atashi: 15 Japanese Person Pronouns
  • Funny Japanese Gaming Slang Terms
  • Japanese Slang 賢者タイム (Kenja Time): Meaning & Example Sentences
  • 4 Meanings of ノリ (Nori) in Japanese Slang
  • Real and Unknown Meanings of “Hentai” in Japanese
  • List of Similar and Confusing Kanji With Different Meanings
  • 凸, 凹, 〆, 卍: Meaning of Weird and Funny Japanese Kanji
  • Meaning of ぼっち (Bocchi) and クリぼっち (Kuri Bocchi) in Japanese Slang
  • 40 Japanese Words Meaning “Many/Much” (Ooi, Ippai, Takusan, …)
  • Meaning and Difference of ガチ (gachi) and マジ (maji) in Japanese
  • 5 Meanings of ペラペラ (pera pera) in Japanese
  • とにかく (Tonikaku) Means MORE Than “Anyway”
  • なんでやねん (nandeyanen): Meaning and Usage
  • Japanese Slang 帰宅部 (kitaku bu) Meaning “Go-Home Club”
  • 闇鍋 (yaminabe): Meaning “Dark Hot Pot” with Random Ingredients
  • Meaning of Kaedama, Menkata and Barikata of Ramen Noodles
  • 40 Old Japanese Slang Words to Sound Funny (or Weird)
  • 9 Essential Kansai Dialect (Kansai-ben) Words and Phrases
  • Japanese Wasei-Eigo List (“Japlish”) and Their Meanings
  • Japanese Words and Phrases About Love
  • 30+ Japanese Words for “Very” and Their Nuances
  • Essential Grammar in Kansai Dialect (関西弁, Kansai ben)
  • Meaning of “Paper Driver” in Japlish (Japanese English)
  • あけおめ (Akeome): Casual Japanese New Year’s Greeting
  • Meaning of あかん (akan), the Essential Kansai-Dialect Word
  • Slang Meaning of 全然 (Zenzen) Without ない (Nai)
  • List of Japanese Abbreviated Words and Phrases
  • Japanese and English Words that Rhyme in Both Languages

Search on Takashionary
(e.g. 'food', 'cat', 'idiom')

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

ブログランキング・にほんブログ村へPVアクセスランキング にほんブログ村

Search on Takashionary
(e.g. 'food', 'cat', 'idiom')

Trending Posts

  • Why “The moon is beautiful, isn’t it?” Could Mean “I love You”…
  • List of Similar and Confusing Kanji With Different Meanings
  • Japanese Slang 賢者タイム (Kenja Time): Meaning & Example Sentences
  • Boku, Ore, Watashi, Atashi: 15 Japanese Person Pronouns
  • Real and Unknown Meanings of “Hentai” in Japanese
  • Meaning of 卍 (manji) and マジ卍 (Maji manji) in Japanese
  • 40 Japanese Words Meaning “Many/Much” (Ooi, Ippai, Takusan, …)
  • 凸, 凹, 〆, 卍: Meaning of Weird and Funny Japanese Kanji
  • Japanese Slang 帰宅部 (kitaku bu) Meaning “Go-Home Club”
  • 9 Essential Kansai Dialect (Kansai-ben) Words and Phrases
  • 4 Meanings of ノリ (Nori) in Japanese Slang
  • 30+ Japanese Words for “Very” and Their Nuances
  • Meaning and Difference of ガチ (gachi) and マジ (maji) in Japanese
  • Japanese Kanji Words with Multiple Meanings and Readings
  • ヤンキー (yankee) Means “(Old-Fashioned) Loutish Youths” in Japanese
  • Meaning of “Death Flag” (死亡フラグ, Shibou Furagu) in Japanese
  • Ashita, Asatte, Shiasatte, Yanoasatte: 13 Japanese Words Describing Dates
  • Meaning of 某 (bou) in Japanese and its Usage
  • 5 Meanings of ペラペラ (pera pera) in Japanese
  • Grammar and Differences Between に (ni) and で (de) in Japanese
  • “Omission of Words” and “Unfinished Sentences” in Japanese
  • Funny Japanese Gaming Slang Terms
  • Meaning of Kaedama, Menkata and Barikata of Ramen Noodles
  • 闇鍋 (yaminabe): Meaning “Dark Hot Pot” with Random Ingredients
  • Meaning of あかん (akan), the Essential Kansai-Dialect Word
  • Meaning of 遠慮 (enryo) and 空気を読む (kuuki wo yomu)
  • 7 Unique Variants of よろしく (Yoroshiku) in Japanese
  • Essential Grammar in Kansai Dialect (関西弁, Kansai ben)
  • 40 Old Japanese Slang Words to Sound Funny (or Weird)
  • Japanese Money-Related Idioms and Slang Words

Popular Posts

  • Why “The moon is beautiful, isn’t it?” Could Mean “I love You” in Japanese
  • Meaning of Kaedama, Menkata and Barikata of Ramen Noodles
  • 9 Essential Kansai Dialect (Kansai-ben) Words and Phrases
  • Boku, Ore, Watashi, Atashi: 15 Japanese Person Pronouns
  • 4 Meanings of ノリ (Nori) in Japanese Slang
  • Japanese Slang 賢者タイム (Kenja Time): Meaning & Example Sentences
  • 40 Old Japanese Slang Words to Sound Funny (or Weird)
  • Meaning and Difference of ガチ (gachi) and マジ (maji) in Japanese
  • Meaning of 卍 (manji) and マジ卍 (Maji manji) in Japanese
  • 30+ Essential Japanese Words to Describe Food

Words by Theme

  • 9 Essential Kansai Dialect (Kansai-ben) Words and Phrases
  • Boku, Ore, Watashi, Atashi: 15 Japanese Person Pronouns
  • 40 Old Japanese Slang Words to Sound Funny (or Weird)

Idiom

  • 十八番 (ohako) Meaning “The Song You Sing Best”
  • How The Japanese Word 神 (Kami, ‘God’) Is Used Metaphorically
  • Japanese Money-Related Idioms and Slang Words

Japlish

  • 深夜テンション (shinya tension) Meaning “Midnight High” in Japanese Slang
  • Japanese Wasei-Eigo List (“Japlish”) and Their Meanings
  • Meaning of “Paper Driver” in Japlish (Japanese English)

Slang

  • 女たらし (onna tarashi) Meaning ‘Lady’s Man’ in Japanese
  • 5 Meanings of ペラペラ (pera pera) in Japanese
  • オワコン (Owakon) Meaning ‘Old-Fashioned’ in Japanese Slang

Column

  • Why “The moon is beautiful, isn’t it?” Could Mean “I love You” in Japanese
  • イチロー (Ichiro): What He Means to Japanese Baseball Fans
  • Meaning of 遠慮 (enryo) and 空気を読む (kuuki wo yomu)

Grammar

  • Essential Grammar in Kansai Dialect (関西弁, Kansai ben)
  • Slang Meaning of 全然 (Zenzen) Without ない (Nai)
  • Ageru, Kureru, and Morau: Meaning, Grammar and Difference

日本語記事

  • 「遠慮のかたまり」と「遠慮する」を英語で説明
  • 「背水の陣」のように決死の覚悟で挑む状況を英語で
  • 「猫を被る」を英語に訳す
  • 「一理ある」を英語に訳す

Categories

Copyright © 2023 · All Rights Reserved