Black History, Cat Tongue: Intriguing Japanese Compound Words

This article introduces interesting Japanese compound words (i.e. expressions composed of multiple words, e.g. firework, teaspoon in Enlgish).

1. 黒歴史 (くろ れきし)

黒 (くろ) “black” + 歴史 (れきし) “history”

黒歴史 is a Japanese slang word that means your “dark history” i.e. embarrassing memories you want to hide from others and forget.

(e.g.)

高校生(こうこうせい)の時、かなり太(ふと)っていたのは私の黒歴史だ

It is my “dark history” that I was very fat when I was a high school student.

2. 猫舌 (ねこ じた)

猫 (ねこ) “cat” + 舌 (じた) “tongue”

(* 舌 is usually read “した” when used by itself)

猫舌 is a standard Japanese word that means “cannot take hot food/drink”, like a cat. It is often used like an adjective, as in 猫舌{な/の}人 meaning “a person who cannot take hot drink/food”.

(e.g)

私は猫舌だからラーメンを食たべるのが遅おそい
Because I am a cat-tongue person, I eat ramen slowly.

3. 猫背 (ねこ ぜ)

猫 (ねこ) “cat” + 背 (ぜ) “posture”

(* 背 is usually read “せ” when used by itself)

猫背 is a standard Japanese word that means “have a rounded back/posture”, like a cat. It is often used like an adj, as in 猫背{な/の}人 meaning “a person who has a rounded posture”.

(e.g)

猫背になると、健康けんこうに悪わるい
If you have a cat-posture, it’s bad for your health

4. ありがた迷惑 (ありがた めいわく)

ありがた（い）”precious/evoking gratitude” ＋ 迷惑(めいわく) “nuisance”

ありがた迷惑 is a standard Japanese word that literally means “precious nuisance”, that is,  “unwelcome favour”. If someone does you a favour, but you find it unpleasant and rather annoying, that’s ありがた迷惑.

(e.g)

母親が沢山(たくさん)お菓子(かし)を送(おく)ってきたけれど、あまりお菓子好(す)きじゃないから正直 (しょうじき)ありがた迷惑だなー。
My mom has sent me lots of snacks, but to be honest, that is an unwelcome favour because I don‘t like snacks very much.

5. {運動/機械/方向/味}音痴

There are many compound words that contain 音痴 (おんち)

• 運動(うんどう)音痴 “Exercise Onchi” = be bad at sports
• 機械(きかい)音痴 “Machine Onchi” = be bad at using machine
• 方向(ほうこう)音痴 “Direction Onchi” = have a bad sense of direction
• 味(あじ)音痴  ”Taste Onchi” = have a bad sense of taste

On the other hand, 音痴 itself means

• be bad at singing (adj)
• inability to sing well (noun)

(e.g)

味音痴だから、安いワインと高いワインの違（ちが）いがわからない

Because I am 味音痴, I cannot tell the differences between cheap and expensive wine

私は音痴だからカラオケに行きたくない

Because I’m bad at singing, I don’t wanna go to karaoke

音痴を治(なお)す方法（ほうほう）を教（おし）えて？

Can you tell me how to fix (my) bad singing?

6. 三日坊主 (みっか ぼうず)

三日 (みっか) “three days” + 坊主 (ぼうず) “Japanese monk”

三日坊主 is a Japanese idiomatic expression that means “start something new and quit it very soon (e.g. within there days)”. Literally, 三日坊主 describes a half-hearted person who aims to become a Japanese monk and gives it up within three days.

(e.g)

ロックダウン中に日本語の勉強を始めたけど、三日坊主だった
I started learning Japanese during the lockdown, but I was 三日坊主

7. ブラック企業 (ぶらっく きぎょう)

ブラック “black” + 企業 (きぎょう) “company”

ブラック企業 is a Japanese word (it used to be slang but is now used widely) that means “a company where people work very hard until midnight (and receive low salaries)” It’s 闇 (やみ, “the black/dark side”) of the Japanese society and the cause of “過労死 (karōshi)”, i.e. death by overwork. On the other hand, ホワイト企業 (white company) means a good company where
you can finish working on time (e.g. 5 pm) and have good salaries.

(e.g)

もし、何なにかの間違まちがいでブラック企業に入社にゅうしゃしてしまったら、躊躇ちゅうちょせずにすぐ辞やめよう。
If you mistakenly join an evil company, don’t hesitate to leave the company soon.

More explanations at:

Meanings of “Black/White Kigyou (Company)” in Japanese

8. 大人買い (おとな がい)

大人 (おとな) “adult” + 買い (がい) “buying”

大人買い is a standard Japanese word that means “buy a large number of items at once” In particular, it is often used when you buy many series of manga/DVDs at once.

(e.g)

ワンピース全巻(ぜんかん)を大人買いした
I bought all volumes of ‘One Piece’.

9. 五月病 (ごがつ びょう)

五月 (ごがつ) “May” +病 (びょう) “disease”

五月病 is a standard Japanese word that literally means “May disease”, which actually indicates a feeling of dullness or lack of motivation in May. May disease is ubiquitous in Japan due to Japan’s fiscal/academic calendar;  in Japan, schools and companies start in April, meaning many people are full of hope for their new lives in April, and that is often in May that they confront the stark reality and their hopes are dashed. Other people simply have difficulty adjusting to the new environment and start feeling tired in May.

(e.g)

最近、学校に行きたくない。完全に五月病だなぁ

I don’t feel like going to school these days. This is absolutely “May disease”.

10. 食わず嫌い (くわず ぎらい)

食 (く) わず “without eating” + 嫌（きら）い “dislike”

食わず嫌い is a standard Japanese word that means “dislike food without ever having tried it”. Figuratively, it also means “dislike or avoid something without knowing much about it”.

(e.g)

納豆（なっとう）を食わず嫌いする人は多い
Many people hate Natto without ever having tried it.

ラブストーリーが苦手(にがて)な人(ひと)も、食わず嫌いしないでこの映画(えいが)を観(み)ることをお勧(すす)めします！
Even if you do not like a love story, I recommend you watch this movie without disliking it before you watch it.