Japanese words you should know (part 2)

Sergio
2019.08.23
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Today we come back to our series about common Japanese words that might come in handy to people from abroad. Here we’re going to list some words that are used on a daily basis in Japan, and some that have no direct translation to English or are very hard to define for those who don’t speak the language. In this article we’re going to focus on words that are used to describe things or people.

この記事きじでは、日本にほんでふつうに使つかわれている「物もの」や「人ひと」を表あらわす言葉ことばで、英語えいごに言いいかえできず、理解りかいがとてもむずかしい言葉ことばの　説明せつめいです。

Kawaii

Kawaii. 「かわいい」

This is just the word for “cute”. However, a lot of things are kawaii in Japan and you’ll especially hear young Japanese girls use this word when out and about, especially when shopping. Being kawaii is a very desirable trait, that’s why every prefecture has a kawaii mascot and you’ll see plenty of kawaii products in shops.

Kakkoii

Kakkoii.　「かっこいい」

Similar to kawaii, this is used describe a ton of things, and means “cool”. If you’re a foreign man, you might get called kakkoii for no particular reason, as being non-Japanese is enough to score some kakkoii points! If you’re quiet, mysterious, or dreamy, you’re even more likely to be described as kakkoii.

Charai

Charai.　「ちゃらい」

A very hard to define word, but this is something you normally don’t want to get called. If you are charai, it means you’re overly talkative, shallow, goofy, or flirtatious, and not serious enough. Being too extroverted can be considered a negative in Japanese culture, so whereas quiet people are kakkoii, smooth talkers are charai.

Majime

Majime.　「まじめ」

A perfect word for the business world, majime can be translated to something akin to earnest, diligent, or hard working. Needless to say, this is a really good trait for a coworker to have and a strong compliment for anyone, including friends. While diligence is not the first thing we would compliment someone about in English, it’s very common in Japanese.

Genki

Genki.　「元気げんき」

This word translates to something like “full of energy”, but also “fine”. You can use it in a question to ask “how are you?” (元気げんきですか genki desu ka), or you can use it to say you’re fine (元気げんきです, genki desu). It’s also used for kids or pets that are full of energy, or people who are chipper, without being charai.

Next time you have to describe someone to a friend in Japan, give these a try!

Hi, I’m Sergio.
I’m from Spain, lived in the UK for seven years and came to Japan in 2012.
I majored in journalism in London and have been teaching English in Tokyo.
I like traveling, cycling, photography, movies, and spending time with friends.
I wrote articles about life in Japan as a foreigner and anything that I might find interesting.
My email is ” sergio.dom.jpn@gmail.com “, by all means contact me about anything!