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  • in Diary
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【No. 0822】Close of an Academic Conference

Mar 19, 2017 23:57
Yesterday, an academic conference that was held in Nagoya city was over.

I am very pleased because student's study presentation that contains my name as a co-author earned an encouragement award.

After that, I went sightseeing with students, and stayed overnight at my home, then returned back to Tokyo.

Since today was Sunday, I visited some sightseeing spots in Shizuoka prefecture on my way back from Nagoya to Tokyo.

However, tomorrow is a national holiday, so today was the middle day of three-day weekends.

It is said that sightseeing spots will be the most crowded in the day.

As expected, since I was stuck in major traffic jam, I was very tired.
  • in Essay
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【No. 0821】Ten Teko Mai

Mar 18, 2017 14:40
Today I will talk about the Japanese term "ten teko mai."

"Ten teko mai" means that something is very busy and hurriedly moving.

"Ten teko" of "ten teko mai" is an onomatopoeic word that represents the sound of drumming, and "mai" means to move/dance according to the beats.

Therefore, "ten teko mai" means "to dance hurriedly according to the sound of drumming."

Incidentally, there is another expression "kiri kiri mai," meaning almost the same as "ten teko mai."

"Kiri kiri" is an onomatopoeic word that represents a sound that something is rotating.

Therefore, it is said that "kiri kiri mai" comes from a view of a heavily spinning top.

【No. 0820】Hitsumabushi

Mar 17, 2017 17:12
Yesterday, I ate "hitsumabushi"that is a regional dish of Nagoya city.

I will eat hitsumabushi again tonight.

Hitsumabushi is a dish that is made by dusting rice with finely chopped eels.

This dish is famous for enjoying three different tastes by scooping rice and eels into a bowl three times.

You eat it as normal for the first time, eat it with seasonings such as green onions or wasabi for the second time, and eat it with green tea or soup stock for the third time.

It is said that it came to be known as hitsumabushi because it was made by dusting (called "mabusu" in Japanese) rice in a pot (called "hitsu" in Japanese) with eels.
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【No. 0819】Planetarium

Mar 16, 2017 23:45
Today I went to an academic conference and listened students' presentations.

Sometimes I felt a kind of frightening, but they all somehow finished their presentation, so I was relieved.

After all of today's sessions finished, we went to a museum of science and enjoyed the world's largest planetarium.

Since it was quite beautiful, and I was moved I almost cried.

After that, we ate various local foods like hitsumabushi, tebasaki (chicken wing tips), etc.

They were very delicious.

Hitsumabushi is an eel dish that is mainly eaten in Nagoya city, Aichi prefecture.

Tomorrow, I will write an article about hitsumabushi.

【No. 0818】Kisei

Mar 15, 2017 23:25
An academic conference will be held at a university located in my hometown from tomorrow.

In order to participate in the conference, I went back to my hometown today.

Here, I used the word "帰省 (kisei)" in my sentences of native language version to mean to go back to my hometown.

Currently, it is not a mistake to say something like what I write.

However, '帰 (ki)' of "kisei" means to go back to your hometown, and "省" means to think about your family.

Therefore, thinking based on the original meaning, my sentence would be wrong.

【No. 0817】Heto Heto

Mar 14, 2017 22:56
Today I participated in an academic conference.

Several students that I taught planned to do their poster presentations, and I planned to go the venue as an accompanying person of them.

However, two of them were absent, so I had to do poster presentations on behalf of them.

Since one poster session took one and a half hours, I explained their studies patiently for a total of three hours.

Now I am a state of "heto heto."

"Heto heto" is a term that means an exhausted condition, but the etymology isn't clear.

A theory insists that "heto heto" comes from the last two characters of "i ro ha ni ho he to," which is a traditional Japanese poem called "Iroha Uta."
  • in Essay
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【No. 0816】Moshi Moshi (Hello)

Mar 13, 2017 00:24
Today I would like to talk about the expression "moshi moshi," which is often used on a daily basis.

"Moshi moshi" is used when you want to address someone, especially make a call.

This expression comes from a verb "mousu," which means "to talk from now."

Formerly, "mousu mousu" and "moushimasu moushimasu" were used by repeating "mousu," but now it's called "moshi moshi" for short.

Incidentally, another expression "oi oi" was used when telephones were opened at first in Japan.

However, since "oi oi" was a little rude expression used by men, before long it was no longer in use.

【No. 0815】Watches

Mar 12, 2017 01:32
I bought a wrist watch at an outlet mall yesterday.

It was a little expensive, but I'm quite satisfied because I could bought my favorite design on sale.

According to the British institution YouGov, more than half of people between 16 to 34 use mobile phones as a way of knowing the time.

Also, according to a questionnaire survey by a Japanese company, about one third business people between 20s to 30s go work without wearing watches.

It is thought that the number of young people who don't wear watches has rapidly increased due to the spread of mobile phones.

In fact, I normally didn't wear a watch very much.

However, recently somehow I came to have an urge of wearing good watches.

Someday I would like to buy a more classy watch.
  • in Essay
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【No. 0814】Neko (Cat)

Mar 11, 2017 12:52
Today I will talk about the Japanese word "neko," which means "cat."

There are several etymologies, but widely accepted ones are the following:

・Abbreviation of "nekoma"

It is said that originally neko was called "nekoma," and it became to "neko" for short.

As the reason why it was called nekoma, there are several theories -- one is that "ma," which means "beast" was attached to "neko," which is an abbreviation of "yoku neru ko" (a child who get a good sleep) .

・Deformation of the sound of a cat

Formerly in Japan, we referred to the sound of a cat as "neu neu."

It is also said that by attaching "ko," which is a suffix word that represents familiarity, to the "ne" of "neu neu," the word "neko" was born.
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【No. 0813】Seminar

Mar 10, 2017 22:25
Today I went to the University of Tokyo to give a seminar.

As it happens, today was a day for the announcement of those who passed the university, so there were many students.

I thought that youth and vigorous energy were nice with a feeling of "shinmiri."

"Shinmiri" is a word that represents a deep feeling or a loneliness feeling.

In the seminar, I presented the results of my study to university teachers and companies.

Since I could get various questions and opinions to my study, it was a very nice opportunity for me.

I will do my study more from now on.
  • in Essay
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【No. 0812】Sanbyoshi Sorou

Mar 9, 2017 16:31
Today I will talk about the Japanese term "sanbyoshi sorou."

The literal meanings is "three beats get together," and it means that three or all necessary conditions are equipped.

In Nou music, a traditional Japanese art, three percussion instruments are used -- kozutsumi (small hand drum), ookawa (knee drum), and taiko (stick drum).

When beats by these instruments get together, a good harmonious performance is given, so this term was born.

For example, if you use this term for a baseball player, it will mean that the player has three excellent abilities -- running, batting, and defence.

This word is often used as good meanings, but you can use it to mean bad elements, such as drinking, gambling, and trafficking women.
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【No. 0811】Kechon Kechon

Mar 8, 2017 11:26
Today I will talk about the Japanese phrase "kechon kechon."

"Kechon kechon" means to harm or punish someone thoroughly.

It is said that this word comes from a dialect of Wakayama prefecture "kechoni," meaning "very" or "extremely."

There are several etymologies of "kechoni" -- it comes from "kechi," meaning "stingy," comes from a word of the Genji Monogatari in Heian period, and so on, but the correct derivation has not been cleared yet.

Also, when the dialect "kechoni" spread all over Japan, it came to changed "kechon kechon."

"Kechon kechon" is a little violent expression, but I thinkt the sound is cute.
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【No. 0810】Akkanbe (Cook a Snook)

Mar 7, 2017 07:55
Today I will talk about the Japanese term "akkanbe."

"Akkabe" is used when you want to tease or provoke someone, and it is often accompanied by a physical action.

Specifically, the action is that you pull your lower eyelid down, and put your tongue out.

Originally, it was "akame," which means "red eye," because a red region of your eye is exposed when you pull your eyelid down.

Then it came to change to "akanbe" or "akkanbe."

Note that this expression is basically used by children.

Incidentally, according to my dictionary, "akanbe" is translated into "to cock a snook" :-P
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【No. 0809】Mi mo Futa mo Nai

Mar 6, 2017 08:25
Today I'd like to talk about the Japanese phrase "mi mo futa mo nai."

"Mi mo futa mo nai" means that your expression is brutally honest, and it contain neither connotations nor feelings.

It also means to end talk due to such a frank expression.

"Mi" means "container," "futa" means "lid," so the literal meaning of "mi mo futa mo nai" is "there is neither containers nor lids."

If there is neither container nor lids, the contents will be exposed.

Based on this thought, "mi mo futa mo nai" came to mean that something is too frank or brutally honest.
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【No. 0808】Naruhodo (I see)

Mar 5, 2017 09:52
Today I will talk about the Japanese term "naruhodo."

"Naruhodo" is a helpful phrase that is used when you express your thought of agreeing or satisfying with someone's opinion.

"Naru" of "naruhodo" means "establish," "hodo" means "limit," and "naruhodo" originally meant "as much as possible."

It is thought that this became to mean "obvious," then changed to the meaning of "indeed."

Incidentally, there is an Internet slang phrase (joke) "naruhodo, wakaran," which means "I see, I don't understand."

This phrase is used when you can't understand expositions due to difficult terms/phrases, even if they are explained in detail.
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【No. 0807】Bibiru (To Be Scared)

Mar 4, 2017 09:15
Today I will talk about the Japanese term "bibiru."

"Bibiru" means to be scared or feel intimidated.

We often regard this word as a slang term that is used by young people, but actually this word has been used since the Heian period.

Originally, "bibiru" was "bibiru oto" (bibiru sound), and it referred to chattering sounds arising from armors when numerous army moved.
(The onomatopoeia of the sound was "binbin.")

Also, it is said that an army ran away by considering sounds of birds flying off at once as enemy's "bibiru sound."

From this story, "bibiru" became to be used to mean to be scared.
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【No. 0806】Kubi (Dismissal)

Mar 3, 2017 11:44
Today I will talk about the slang term "クビ (kubi)."

"クビ" is Katakana form of a kanji character "首," which means "neck," and if you write the kanji in Katakana or Hiragana, it often means "dismissal/displacement."

For example:
"Kubi ni natta." (This literal meaning is "I became a neck," and it expressed "I was fired.")

"Kimi wa kubi da." (This literal meaning is "You are a neck," and it expressed "You're fired.")

In the Edo period in Japan, criminals were cut their necks using Japanese swords.

By identifying such executions with displacements, "kubi wo kiru" (to cut a neck) came to mean to dismiss someone.

Furthermore, just "kubi" (neck) came to mean "dismissal."

I think that these terms are similar to "get axed" or "get the ax" in English.
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【No. 0805】Butsu (Stuff)

Mar 2, 2017 21:01
Today I will talk about the slang term "butsu."

"Butsu" is one of pronunciations of "物," which means "things," and it is used as a pronoun to indicate some kind of things literally

When you want to refer to general things, "物" is read as "mono," but if you read it as "butsu" in on-yomi (Chinese readings), it will mean "antisocial things" or "illegal things" in most cases.

For example, there are drugs, stimulants, guns, and etc. as subjects that are called "butsu."

Also, "薬," which means drugs or medicine, is usually read as "kusuri," but if you read it as "yaku" in on-yomi, it will especially mean illicit drugs or stimulants.
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【No. 0804】Rasubosu (Final Boss)

Mar 1, 2017 10:57
Today I will talk about the slang term "rasubosu."

"Rasubosu" is the abbreviation of "last boss," and it means a boss character that comes out on the final stage of computer games.

For example, it is Bowser in Mario series, or Ganondorf in Zelda series.

Since it is very difficult to beat rasubosu down, this word is also used in the meaning of "the last and most difficult hurdle" or "very strong competitor."

For your information, some Internet users refer singer Kobayashi Sachiko as "rasubosu."

This is because she sings at the end of the famous year-end TV program "Kohaku Uta Gassen" wearing very showy (and powerful-looking) clothing.

If you are interested in it, try to search with the keywords "小林幸子 ラスボス" on Google Images.
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【No. 0803】Pochiru (Pressing a Buy Button)

Feb 28, 2017 10:11
Today I will talk about the Japanese Internet slang term "pochiru."

"Pochiru" means to press a buy button on online shopping stores.

Usage example: "Amazon de Kindle wo pochitta." (I bought a Kindle on Amazon.)

In Japanese, there is an onomatopoeic word "pochi," that is used when you press a button or switch.

"Pochiru" was born by attaching "ru" to "pochi," where "ru" is the suffix word which verbalizes substantives.
(Therefore, "pochi" is written in Katakana and "ru" is written in Hiragana, like ポチる.)

According to this origin, "pochiru" should mean to press a button, but in most cases, it refers to buy goods on the Internet.