Skip to content

Article archives

  • in Diary
  • 2 min read

【No. 0782】International Conference Day 1

Feb 8, 2017 01:34
Today I participated in a conference that has been held in Belgium.

Since my presentation is Day 2, I prepared my talk while watching other presenters' talk.

Sadly, I couldn't understand most of the contents of many presentations.

In particular, since people speak quickly in question and answer parts, I became very nervous.

I can't imagine that I survive the question and answer part.

Now I really want to throw out my presentation and run away to somewhere.

However, today I was able to be talk with other Japanese participants for a short time, so I felt a little relieved.
  • in Diary
  • 3 min read

【No. 0781】Checking in Without Accident

Feb 6, 2017 23:57
Today I was moving almost all day.

It took about twenty-one hours from Tokyo to Brussels via Dubai.

I ate airplane food four times in total.

And now, I finally arrived at Leuven, then checked into a hotel with no accident.

I am very very tired but really relieved.

Unfortunately, I couldn't prepare my presentation in the airplane very much, I have to finish it in this hotel from now.

I walked this town only from the station to the hotel, but I felt Leuven was very beautiful location.

I'd like to go sightseeing slowly after the conference is over.
  • in Diary
  • 6 min read

【No. 0780】The First Oversea Business Trip by Myself

Feb 5, 2017 19:13
Today I prepared my luggage from the morning and departed for Narita Airport by limousine bus around noon.

After I arrived at Narita Airport around the evening, changed some Japanese yen to euro, then ate seafood rice bowl.

Although here is Japan, it is an airport, so I hear foreign languages from various places.

When I heard a fluent English conversation, I thought that it is impossible for me, then I felt uneasy.

I am nervous whether or not my clumsy English would convey the meaning in Belgium.

By the way, I am now making my presentation material at the airport lounge because there was a lot of time till check-in time of my flight.
  • in Diary
  • 1 min read

【No. 0779】The First Graduation Research Presentation

Feb 4, 2017 23:21
Today the first graduation research presentations since I became a teacher at a university were held.

The seniors presented their graduation research with all their strength.

It was a very fulfilling day.

At that time, I was feeling a bit happy and a bit sad -- it was complicated.

After the research presentation, we had a job-well-done party.

Actually, I will leave Japan tomorrow in order to participate in an international conference that will held in Belgium.

However, since I haven't finished making my presentation material yet, maybe I shouldn't have joined the party.

The airplane will be a battlefield for me.
  • in Essay
  • 2 min read

【No. 0778】Hebi-geiko

Feb 3, 2017 20:41
Today I will talk about the Japanese term "hebi-geiko."

The literal meaning of "hebi" is "snake," "geiko" means "enrichment lesson," and "hebi-geiko" means that someone quits enrichment lessons soon.

Usage example: Don't do hebi-geiko (Don't quit something easily).

Snakes are a creature that hibernates during autumn and winter, and starts activities in spring.

We thought that a person who started something in spring and ends in autumn was similar to the snake, then the term "hebi-geiko" was born.

Incidentally, there is another idiom called "mikka bozu, " which has the almost similar meaning of "hebi-geiko."

You can see the etymology in the following article.

http://lang-8.com/kanotown/journals/146010804523318607706596508768806929454
  • in Essay
  • 2 min read

【No. 0777】Otoko-mae (Manly Look/Attitude)

Feb 2, 2017 23:32
Yesterday I talked about the Japanese word "iro-otoko," which mean a good-looking man or a ladies' man.

Today I'd like to talk about the word "otoko-mae," which means a manly look or attitude.

"Otoko" in "otoko-mae" means a man and "mae" means "front."

Here, "mae" can make a noun that expresses a function or state of something by attaching after another noun.

For example, there is "ude-mae" (ude means an arm and ude-mae means skill.)

Originally, "otoko-mae" means something like the role of a man.

However, now it usually means that someone is nice as a man, that is, someone has a manly look or attitude.
  • in Essay
  • 2 min read

【No. 0776】Iro-otoko (A Good-looking Man)

Feb 1, 2017 22:31
Today I will talk about the Japanese word "iro-otoko."

"Iro-otoko" means a good-looking man, a lascivious man or a man who is popular with women.

Since "iro" means "lascivious" (also means "color") and "otoko" means "man," "iro-otoko" originally meant only a womanizer.

During the Edo period, it came to mean a good-looking man and a popular man.

It is thought that such a change of meanings is derived from Kabuki.

In Kabuki, an actor who played a love scene as a role of a beautiful man (called "nuregotoshi") had his face painted white.

From this fact, "nuregotoshi" came to be called "iro-otoko," then came to have the above meanings.
  • in Essay
  • 2 min read

【No. 0775】Suppin (Unpainted Face)

Jan 31, 2017 22:33
Yesterday I talked about the Japanese word "beppin," which means a beautiful woman.

Today I'm going to talk about the word "suppin," which was derived from "beppin."

"Suppin" means a person (mainly a woman) who wearing no makeup at all.

This originally meant that a woman is beautiful even if she doesn't makeup.

However, it has been used for meaning to appear on stage without wearing makeup in the Kabuki world.

Recently the meaning has spread publicly from the Kabuki.

"Suppin" is also used as a word that expresses a state of no job in Final Fantasy and a state of no ability in Kirby Super Star.
  • in Essay
  • 3 min read

【No. 0774】Beppin (A Beautiful Woman)

Jan 30, 2017 00:07
Today I will talk about the Japanese word "beppin," which means a beautiful woman.

It is said that this word comes from a signboard of an eel restaurant in Aichi Prefecture.

During the Edo period, eel dishes came to be popular, and the restaurant hung out a sign that was written as "sukoburu beppin," which means "very different item."

(Here "beppin" is an abbreviation for "betsu no shina," which means "other item.")

This changed to just "beppin," and came to be used to mean an outstanding person.

And now it is used as a word that means only a beautiful woman.
  • in Essay
  • 4 min read

【No. 0773】If you cut your nails at night...

Jan 29, 2017 10:19
Today I will talk about a Japanese superstition.

"Yoru ni tsume wo kiru to oya no shinime ni aenai" (If you cut your nails at night, you won't be with your parents when they pass away).

Like this, it is thought that to cut your nails at night is something bad in Japan.

I will introduce two theories that are thought of as the derivation.

【Because it was dangerous】
Formerly in Japan, people cut their nails using a small knife. Furthermore, since there were no light bulbs, it was very dark at night. As a result, some cut their hands wrongly and some were dead because of the mistakes.

【Because it could bring bad luck】
By omitting "yoru ni tsume wo kiru" (to cut your nails at night), it becomes "夜爪 (yozume)," (night nails). This is associated with "世詰め (yozume)," which means "short-lived."
  • in Essay
  • 2 min read

【No. 0772】Nureginu (Innocent Sins)

Jan 28, 2017 21:44
Today I will talk about the Japanese term "nureginu."

The literal meaning is "wet clothes," and it means "innocent sins" or "unfounded rumors."

When you want to mean "to accuse someone of falsely," you can say "nureginu wo kiseru" by using the verb "kiru," which means "to wear."

Originally, "nureginu" meant "clothes wetted by water."

There are some theories about the etymology, and one of them comes from the following old story:

A stepmother envied the beauty of husband's daughter by a previous marriage, and she put a wet cloth of a fisherman who lived nearby in the daughter's room.

The daughter's father looked the cloth, and he was misled into thinking that she stole the fisherman's cloth, then he killed his daughter.
  • in Essay
  • 2 min read

【No. 0771】Abura ga Noru (Putting on Fat)

Jan 27, 2017 11:01
Today I will talk about the Japanese idiom "abura ga noru."

The literal meaning is "to put on fat," and it means that someone gets into the full swing of his/her work, or someone is in the prime as a man/woman.

Usage example: Recently his work has put on fat (he has gotten into the full swing of his work). It is said that men put on fat (men are in the prime of manhood) at around age 35.

Originally, this idiom has been used for fish or birds.

The amount of fat included in fish and birds increases depending on the season, then the taste improves.

From this fact, "abura ga noru" (to put on fat) came to mean that something/someone gets better.
  • in Essay
  • 2 min read

【No. 0770】Andesu Melon

Jan 26, 2017 21:16
Andesu melons (アンデスメロン) are sold in Japanese markets.

You might think that this melon is related to Andes Mountains or Andean something from this name.

However, the andesu melon is a kind of melon that was developed by a Japanese company, and it is not related to Andes mountains at all.

Since this melon is easy to grow and you can feel relieved, it was originally planned to be sold as "Anshindesu melon" ("anshin" means "to feel relieved").

However, it lacked a sense of humor.

Also, since you would remove a melon core (that is called "しん (shin)" in Japanese) before eating it, "anshindesu melon" seemed to become "andesu melon" by removing "shin."
  • in Essay
  • 2 min read

【No. 0769】Decchiage (To Make Up a Story )

Jan 25, 2017 10:28
Today I will talk about the term "decchiage."

"Decchiage" means to make up a story as if it were actually happened.

Usage example: Kare no hanashi wa subete decchiage da (All his stories are hoaxes). Buyuden wo decchiageru (I cook my heroic story up).

This term comes from the Han reading of "捏" in "捏造 (netsuzo)," which has the same meaning of "decchiage."

The Han reading of "捏" is "detsu," and it came to be verbalized as "decchiageru," then it came to also be used as the noun form "decchiage."

By the way, the Hiragana form of "でつ (detsu)" looks like Snoopy.
  • in Essay
  • 3 min read

【No. 0768】Obenchara (Empty Flattery)

Jan 24, 2017 00:06
Today I would like to talk about the Japanese term "obenchara."

"Obenchara" means to say empty flattery for buttering up to someone, or means such a person.

Usage example: "Don't say obenchara (empty flattery)." "You are an obenchara (polisher)."

The "o" in "obenchara" is a prefix word, "ben" means "speech" and "chara" means "joke" or "gibberish."

I like the sound of "obenchara," but I don't like "obenchara" very much.

There is another word called "obekka," which means almost the same meaning of "obenchara."

It is said that "obekka" comes from the word "obenko," which means that someone is good at flattery.
  • in Essay
  • 3 min read

【No. 0767】Plus Driver and Minus Driver

Jan 23, 2017 00:10
There are "plus driver" and "minus driver" as screwdrivers in Japan.

Many Japanese people think that "driver" (screwdriver), "plus driver" and "minus driver" make sense.

However, in order to convey the meaning, first we have to use "screwdriver" instead of "driver."

Also, Japanese people often call "plus driver (screwdriver)" or "minus driver (screwdriver)" depending on the shape of the groove, but they might not make sense.

We have to use "Phillips screwdriver" or "Frearson screwdriver" instead of "plus driver," and have to use "slotted screwdriver" or "flat head screwdriver" instead of "minus driver."

Incidentally, "minus screw" (slotted screw) is often used in places where it is prone to become tainted.
  • in Essay
  • 3 min read

【No. 0766】Hitode (Starfish)

Jan 22, 2017 11:20
"Hitode" is a star-shaped creature, and it is said that star marks that are now commonly used comes from "hitode."

"Hitode" is "starfish" or "sea star" in English, "étoile de mer" (sea star) in French, "Seestern" (sea star) in German, and "海星" (sea star) in Chinese.

As just described, many countries has named after stars.

On the other hand, the literal meaning of "hitode" is "human's hand."

Since starfish's arms looked like human's hand, Japanese fishermen began calling like that.

Previously in a Japanese TV show, an interesting information related to starfish was introduced -- "Starfish can escape even if their bodies are all tied up with ropes."

You can see the validation video in the following link:

ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDbcajhnLoA
  • in Essay
  • 2 min read

【No. 0765】Ashimoto o Miru (To Take Unfair Advantage of Someone)

Jan 21, 2017 14:34
Today I will talk about the Japanese idom "ashimoto o miru."

The literal meaning is "to look at feet," and it means to take unfair advantage of someone.

Former in Japan, on highway streets or lodgings, palanquin bearers and packhorse drivers observed traveler's feet.

They determined the traveler's tiredness and offered a ridiculous fee only for tired people.

Even if the fee was too expensive, the tired customer would pay it with half a heart.

From this reason, "ashimoto o miru" has become to mean "to take unfair advantage of someone."

It seems that idiom can be translated as "to find the length of someone's foot."
  • in Diary
  • 2 min read

【No. 0764】Deadline for Graduation Thesis

Jan 20, 2017 20:53
At the university where I work, today was a deadline for graduation thesis.

Students have been writing their theses all over creation for the last couple of days.

Yesterday, I had to help students' studies until late at night.

It was hell in many ways and I was exhausted.

Since the entrance gate closes during the midnight, I could not go home and I had to stay the night at my university.

Next, students will prepare for the graduation research presentation, which will be held in two weeks.

I sincerely want students to prepare for the presentation as early as possible.
  • in Essay
  • 3 min read

【No. 0763】You will become a cow if you lie down soon after eating.

Jan 19, 2017 10:14
There is a famous superstition in Japan as the following:

"You will become a cow if you lie down soon after eating."

In fact, I was also taught like that.

I have no idea why it is a cow, but I think that it says "you will get fat like a cow."

Lying down soon after eating is regarded as a bad manner in Japan.

Therefore, in order to admonish such behavior, this superstition was born.

However, according to a medical study, lying down for about 30 minutes soon after eating is good for your health -- it will play a role in the digestive process.