Languages are heavily influenced by the culture and habits of its indigenous people. Every language has some words and expressions that are unique to it; and have exact translations in very few or sometimes no other languages. Such words exist in those languages since those concepts exist in those cultures. It becomes extremely difficult for translators to express such words. It is also equally difficult to keep the nuances of such expressions unchanged while translating or explaining them.
Japanese also has some words and expressions that do not have English counterparts. These words are difficult to understand unless one has a basic idea of Japanese society and culture. Japanese culture is markedly different from that of Western or other Asian countries. Before getting to know the unique Japanese words, let’s try to learn some unique things about Japanese culture.
Firstly, the Japanese people have a concept of ‘uchi’(内) or ‘inside’ and ‘soto’(外) or ‘outside’. Our family and close friends, irrespective of their age are ‘uchi’, and they are addressed informally. And the people we are less close to, for example, our seniors at workplace or someone we do not know well are ‘soto’, and they are addressed very courteously. Secondly, Japanese people in the ancient and medieval times used to be very fond of nature and would write poems and stories that depicted nature as a living object. Hence there are many Japanese words that are related to nature but do not have exact English translations.
Let us see some of the unique Japanese words: (Although these words are called unique here, it only means that they do not have an exact English word. There can be similar words in other languages.)
1. Honne and Tatemae (本音と建前):
These may be the most famous expressions among foreigners living in Japan. ‘Honne’ means what one actually thinks about something and ‘Tatemae’ means what one shows in public, be it opinions or emotions. This concept comes from the Japanese belief of maintaining peace in the society and avoiding conflicts. Therefore, even if you do not approve of someone’s actions or opinions you are required to do ‘tatemae’ and not show your true feelings. However, it is fine to be ‘honne’ when you are with your family and close friends.
2. Betsubara (別腹):
‘Betsubara’ literally means ‘another stomach’ but it is used mostly to mean ‘having separate appetite for desserts’. So even if you are full, your friends might force you to have desserts as you still have a ‘betsubara’. But in reply to that, here is a smart trick- you can say that you ate so much that your ‘betsubara’ is full too. This would definitely leave them impressed with your quick thinking!
3. Karoushi (過労死):
This word is very much different than the previous two. ‘Karoushi’ means ‘death due to overwork’. The Japanese work culture is extremely exhaustive and it can take a toll on some people. Death due to work-related stress or depression is termed as ‘karoushi’. I wonder if any other language has such a word.
4. Shouganai (しょうがない):
‘Shouganai’ literally means ‘it cannot be helped’ or ‘nothing can be done’. Japanese people use this expression so often that some Western scholars say that the Japanese society itself is ‘shouganai’. It is used when things do not go your way or are completely unfair but you cannot do anything about it. It is also used for people to mean ‘a hopeless person’. So, beware of being called ‘shouganai’ in Japan!
5. Ikigai (生きがい):
‘Ikigai’ literally means ‘the reason for you to live’. You can use this word if you want to say that something (esp. your passion) is the reason you keep living. So, you can impress everyone by saying that starting your own business and becoming a millionaire someday is your ‘ikigai’!
6. Hikikomori (引きこもり):
There are many Japanese people who like to stay indoors, playing video games and using internet and gradually withdraw from society. Such people are called ‘hikikomori’. Such people generally do not have any interest in education or work and usually continue to depend on their parents. ‘Hikikomori’ people are rising in Japan and becoming almost a social problem.
Some other unique Japanese expressions are:
7. Kuidaore (食い倒れ) - to spend so much on food that you become bankrupt
8. Komorebi (木漏れ日) - sunlight filtering through trees
9. Kuchisabishii (literally, kuchi- mouth; sabishii- lonely) (口さびしい) - when you are not hungry but you eat because your mouth is lonely
10. Age otori (上げ劣り) - to look even worse after a haircut
11. Irusu (居留守) - pretending to be out when someone knocks at your door
12. Tsundoku (積読) - leaving a book unread after buying it, typically piling it with other unread books
So, did you enjoy knowing these expressions? Now it makes you want to use them too, right? You can relate to some of them so much that you wish you could use them! Well, you can use them to describe situations or even yourself! As for me, I think ‘tsundoku’ describes my situation the best, since I keep on piling more books on my bookshelf while I can hardly read half of them!
Sanjeevani Deshpande
Visiting Faculty-Japanese Languag