The Meaning of “Unique
The word “unique” is one of foreign words that are often used in Japan.
ユニークの意味
It is said that “unique” was derived from “unus,” which means “one” in Latin, and it has several meanings such as “individual” or “sole.”
「ユニーク」は日本でよく使われる外来語の一つです。
However, somehow many Japanese misunderstand the meaning of “unique.”
「ユニーク」はラテン語で「1」を表す「unus」が語源だと言われており、「唯一の」や「独特な」といった意味があります。
If we say “he is a unique person (彼はユニークな人だ),” the meaning will become something like “he is a funny person (彼は面白い人だ).”
しかし、何故か日本人の多くは「ユニーク」の意味を勘違いしています。
In my opinion, Japanese confuse the meanings of “unique（ユニーク）” with “humor（ユーモア）.”
「彼はユニークな人だ」と言うと、「彼は面白い人だ」という意味になります。
