In Japanese, as in English, there are a plethora of words that have very specific meanings. This article introduces such words and expressions that are difficult to translate into one English word or phrase!
(When there is another post relevant to the entry word, the link to the post is provided after its definition. You can refer to them for the pronunciation, origin and/or example sentences.)
1. 三日坊主
Definition
三日坊主 (みっかぼうず, mikka bouzu) literally means ‘three-day monk’. It figuratively means that you stop doing something that you started a couple of days ago (e.g., stop quitting alcohol/cigarettes).
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三日坊主 (mikkabouzu) ‘Three-Day Monk’ in Japanese Idiom
2. 逆ギレ
Definition
逆ギレ (ぎゃくぎれ, gyaku gire) indicates that you get angry in an irrational way after someone points out and criticises your fault or mistake. It is 逆 (ぎゃく) meaning “reverse” in a way that people get angry when they are the ones to be blamed.
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逆ギレ (gyakugire): ‘Get Angry in a “Reversed” Way’ in Japanese
3. はしごを外す
Definition
はしごを外す (はしごをはずす, hashigo wo hazusu) literally means “take off the ladder”. Figuratively, it indicates a type of “betrayal”– to encourage someone to do something first (putting a “ladder” for them), and then show disagreement with what they do (take off the “ladder” suddenly), saying like “Wow, I didn’t expect you would actually do that!”.
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はしごを外す (hashigo wo hazusu): Idiom Meaning Unexpected “Betrayal”
4. ありがた迷惑
Definition
ありがた迷惑 (ありがためいわく, arigata meiwaku) means someone’s favour that you find unpleasant and rather annoying.
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ありがた迷惑 (arigatameiwaku): ‘Unpleasant Favour’ in Japanese
5. 大人買い
Definition
大人買い (おとながい, otonagai)’ is an idiomatic phrase that literarily means ‘adult buying’. It indicates that you purchase a large number of items at once; something that people used to long for in their childhood.
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大人買い (otonagai): What does ‘Adult Buying’ mean in Japanese?
6. 食わず嫌い
Definition
食わず嫌い basically means “to hate/dislike some food without ever eating it”. For instance, many non-Japanese people do 食わず嫌い (hate without ever trying) Natto, a traditional Japanese food because of its obnoxious smell and appearance. This word also means “to dislike or avoid something without knowing much about it”, as in 株式投資を食わず嫌いする meaning “hate investment in stocks without never trying it”
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食わず嫌い (kuwazu girai): “Hate What You’ve Never Experienced” in Japanese
7. サバを読む
Definition
サバを読む (さばをよむ, saba wo yomu) indicates the act of fudging a number for one’s benefit. For instance, a lot of people サバを読む (lie) about their age, height and weight.
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サバを読む (sabawoyomu): “Read Mackerels” in Japanese Idiom
8. あさって/しあさって/やのあさって
Definition
All of these words describe a date in the future – あさって (asatte) indicates the day after tomorrow, しあさって (shiasatte) two days after tomorrow and やのあさって (yanoasatte) three days after tomorrow. While やのあさって is rarely used, both あさって and しあさって are commonly used and therefore Japanese people tend to be a bit confused when they try to translate those words in English.
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Ashita, Asatte, Shiasatte, Yanoasatte: Japanese Words Describing Dates
9. 猫舌
Definition
猫舌 (ねこじた, nekojita) literally means ‘cat’s tongue’. Figuratively, it means that you cannot take very hot food and need to cool it off before you eat it, like a cat.
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List of Funny Japanese Idioms Related to ‘Cats’ (猫, neko)
10. 記念受験
Definition
記念受験 (きねんじゅけん, kinen juken) indicates when you take exams for qualifications or admission into school knowing that you’re going to fail. In other words, it is when you take exams just as a 記念 (memory).
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記念受験 (kinen juken): ‘Taking Exams Just as a Memory’ in Japanese
11. 音痴
Definition
音痴 (おんち, onchi) means “a bad singer” or “suck at singing”. This word is often used as an excuse not to go to karaoke. When it’s combined with another word, it means “poor at something” (e.g., 機械音痴 means “be poor at using machine”).
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音痴 (onchi): ‘Bad Singer’ in Japanese
12. 十八番
Definition
十八番 (multiple readings; see below*) describes your favourite songs that you believe you are good at singing. For instance, you can ask your friend at karaoke “(あなたの)十八番はなに？” meaning “What is your best/most confident song to sing?”. Aside from songs, you can actually use this word to indicate your adept skills.
* 十八番 has two completely different readings, “おはこ, ohako” and “じゅうはちばん, jūhachiban”, and both of them are acceptable.
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十八番 (ohako/jūhachiban): ‘Your Best Song to Sing at Karaoke’ in Japanese
13. 天気雨
Definition
天気雨 (てんきあめ, tenki ame) literally means ‘sunny rain’ and describes a rainfall when it’s sunny.
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List of Japanese Words Related to Rain (雨, ame)
14. 相合傘
Definition
相合傘 (あいあいがさ, aiai gasa) means ‘to share one umbrella among two persons (esp. a couple)’. Most Japanese people have probably yearned for doing 相合傘 with their crush in their childhood.
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List of Japanese Words Related to Rain (雨, ame)
15. 帰宅部
Definition
帰宅部 (きたくぶ, kitakubu) literarily means ‘a go-home “club” and indicates that you don’t belong to any club at (junior) high school. People use this term to highlight the fact that they are still a part of the group of people who do not join any club.
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帰宅部 (kitakubu): Japanese Slang ‘Go-Home Club’ at School’
16. 勝負服
Definition
勝負服 (しょうぶふく, shoubu fuku) literarily means ‘fight clothes’ and describes your favourite clothes that you wear on a special occasion, especially on a special date with someone (e.g., on a first date, on a gorgeous dinner date).
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勝負服 (shoubufuku): Your Favourite Clothes for Spacial Occasions
17. ぐうの音も出ない
Definition
ぐうの音も出ない (ぐうのねもでない, guu no nemo denai) indicates a touché moment when someone has got you in an argument and you are too convinced even to say “touché” or any other word.
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ぐうの音も出ない: ‘Touché Moment That Makes You Speechless
18. ゴミ屋敷
Definition
ゴミ屋敷 (ごみやしき, gomi yashiki) literally means “rubbish mansion” and indicates a hoarder’s house which is filled/overflowing with an inordinate amount of rubbish. In Japanese, there is a word for the house but not for the person i.e., “hoarder” unlike in English.
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ゴミ屋敷 (GomiYashiki): A Trash Hoarder’s House in Japanese
19. 爆弾発言
Definition
爆弾発言 (ばくだんはつげん, bakudan hatsugen) literally means “bomb remark” and describes a very shocking remark that astonishes many people.
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爆弾発言 (bakudan hatsugen): ‘Drop a Bomb in a Conversation’ in Japanese
20. 終活
Definition
終活 (Shūkatsu) stands for ‘人生の終わりのための活動’, meaning ‘activities to prepare for the end of one’s life’. That includes writing one’s will and preparing for one’s funeral and tomb.
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婚活 (Konkatsu) and 就活/終活 (Shūkatsu’): Unique “Activities” in Japan
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