公開処刑 (Koukaishokei): “Mental Public Execution” in Japanese Slang

Pronunciation

Preamble

That feeling when you’re tagged in a photo where you look very fat surrounded by slender people…

Definition

Officially, the definition of 公開処刑 (こうかいしょけい, koukaisyokei) is ‘public execution’, which is not used very often because this form of punishment no longer exists in Japan. Nowadays, the word is more rather used as slang to illustrate a humiliating situation – when flaws or undesired features of one’s appearance are amplified and emphasised in a photo or video in contrast to the other people around him/her. For instance, the most common ‘public execution‘  is when a short person is surrounded by very tall people in a photo or video. When such a picture or video is shared on the internet, the person in the limelight would feel as if  he or she is mentally ‘executed’ in public. This word is particularly used when a celebrity is ‘mentally executed’ by better-looking people on TV.

This word is also used to describe when one feels mortified and dies of embarrassment in front of many people. For instance, it is a very typical 公開処刑 when you are severely reprimanded by your boss in front of your colleagues in the office, or when you or your team are thrashed by the opponent in a match in front of a large audience.

Examples of 公開処刑

公開処刑 in a Photo or Video

• short male or female idols standing next to very tall fashion models or athletes
• ugly comedians standing next to good-looking celebrities
• fat people standing next to slender and tall fashion models
• bikini models with short legs standing next to those with long ones

公開処刑 When One Feels Humiliated

• an ignorant commentator being lambasted by critics on TV for making illogical and fallacious statements

Word Structure

The word structure of 公開処刑 is as follows:

• 公開こうかい処刑しょけい consists of two words: 公開 (koukai; public) and 処刑 (shokei; execution)
• 公開こうかい (koukai) consists of two kanji characters: 公こう (kou; public) + 開かい (kai; open)
• 処刑しょけい (shokei) consists of two kanji characters: 処しょ (sho; deal with) +  刑けい (kei; punishment)

Example Sentences

Ex1

イケメン俳優はいゆうが高こう身しん長ちょうのスポーツ選手せんしゅ達たちにテレビで公開処刑された

The good-looking actor was “mentally-executed in public” by very tall athletes on TV.

= The good-looking actor looked very short on TV because he had to stand next to very tall athletes.

Ex2

あのコメンテーターがテレビで非ひ論ろん理り的てきな発言はつげんを激はげしく批ひ判はんされたのは完全かんぜんに公開処刑だった。

It was a complete “mental public execution” when the commentator was crucified on a TV show for his illogical remarks.