From cutting-edge fashion trends to elaborate arrays of vending machines with unique snacks, Japan is known as a cultural leader. It’s no wonder the Japanese language itself also contains some truly one-of-a-kind words that can’t be translated exactly into English. Brush up on your Japanese and try adopting one of these sonorous expressions into your everyday lexicon.
Wabi-sabi
Think of this fun rhyming expression as the Japanese equivalent to Robert Frost's poem "Nothing Gold Can Stay." It means accepting imperfection as a natural part of life — including the eventual decay and end of everything. It’s also considered an aesthetic point of view, like admiring a raw wood table for a giant knot in the center instead of discarding it.
Koi No Yokan
If you’ve ever met a stranger who took your breath away, this phrase is for you. It refers to the feeling that you’ll inevitably fall in love with someone upon meeting them.
Tsundoku
Japanese organizational expert Marie Kondo may preach the art of minimalism, but on the opposite end of the spectrum there's tsundoku, which refers to the habit of buying books, never reading them, and then letting your unread pile continually grow. Hey, if it “sparks joy,” it can’t be totally bad, right?
Boketto
In English, we refer to someone as having a far-eyed or glassy-eyed look while gazing vacantly into the distance — almost like daydreaming. The Japanese have a succinct word for that: boketto.
Ozappa
Ozappa is a fun word to say, and its definition is fun too. It refers to a personality type you might attribute to Matthew McConaughey. If you don’t sweat the small stuff and tend to be chill no matter what life throws at you, a Japanese speaker might say you're ozappa.
Ikigai
Has anyone ever asked you, “What gets you out of bed in the morning?” The Japanese would call your life’s (or day’s) purpose this rhythmic word.
Kuidaore
Love splurging on a fancy meal? Hate seeing the impact it has on your finances? There’s a Japanese word for that. Kuidaore means eating yourself into bankruptcy and is linked to the Japanese proverb, “Dress into ruin in Kyoto, eat into ruin in Osaka.”
Kogarashi
The English language has all kinds of nuance for weather words. A breeze is quite different from a gust, for example. A sprinkle won't ruin your day like a downpour will. The Japanese coined the word kogarashi to describe the first cold winds of the season that signal winter is on the way.
Otsukare-sama
This salutation means you’re tired, but it refers to a very specific type of tired. The mention of it acknowledges the hard work someone has put in and shows gratitude at the same time. If someone says this to you, consider it a compliment for your hard work.
Majime
Do you have a friend you know will always be there for you? Call them majime, which suggests that they're hardworking, drama-free, earnest, and reliable.
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