Cultural In-Jokes collection

Cultural In-Jokes

文化的な内輪ネタ

The unspoken rules, the inside jokes, the things you can't learn from a textbook. If you've lived in Japan, you'll get it. If you haven't, now you know what you're missing.

1 Products

Literal: 'East wind in a horse's ear.' / Natural: 'Utter indifference; to pay no heed to what others say; in one ear and out the other.'

bajitoufuu

馬耳東風

Literal: 'East wind in a horse's ear.' / Natural: 'Utter indifference; to pay no heed to what others say; in one ear and out the other.'

Literal: Stupidly serious / Natural: Honest to a fault; absurdly diligent.

bakamajime

バカ真面目

Literal: Stupidly serious / Natural: Honest to a fault; absurdly diligent.

Literal: The stake that sticks out gets hammered down. / Natural: Those who stand out or excel above others will face criticism or social pressure to conform.

deru kui wa utareru

出る杭は打たれる

Literal: The stake that sticks out gets hammered down. / Natural: Those who stand out or excel above others will face criticism or social pressure to conform.

Literal: Reality is harsh. / Natural: Life is tough.

genjitsu wa kibishii

現実は厳しい

Literal: Reality is harsh. / Natural: Life is tough.

Literal: Monday is close. / Natural: Monday is approaching (The Monday Blues).

getsuyou ga chikai yo

月曜が近いよ

Literal: Monday is close. / Natural: Monday is approaching (The Monday Blues).

Literal: Hysterical Syntax / Natural: The Hysterical Sentence Structure

hisu koubun

ヒス構文

Literal: Hysterical Syntax / Natural: The Hysterical Sentence Structure

Literal: Truly Money. Idiomatic: For real, money / Real money (A pun on 'Honma ni', the Kansai dialect for 'Really').

honmanee

ほんmoney

Literal: Truly Money. Idiomatic: For real, money / Real money (A pun on 'Honma ni', the Kansai dialect for 'Really').

Literal: True sound and built-in front. Natural: One's true feelings and public facade.

honnetotatemae

本音と建前

Literal: True sound and built-in front. Natural: One's true feelings and public facade.

Literal: 'If I can go, I will go.' / Natural: 'I’ll be there if I can (but I probably won't).'

iketara iku

行けたら行く

Literal: 'If I can go, I will go.' / Natural: 'I’ll be there if I can (but I probably won't).'

Literal: 'Please come in.' | Natural: 'Welcome to the establishment.'

irasshaimase

いらっしゃいませ

Literal: 'Please come in.' | Natural: 'Welcome to the establishment.'

Literal: Self-responsibility. Natural: Personal accountability / Taking responsibility for one's own actions.

jikosekinin

自己責任

Literal: Self-responsibility. Natural: Personal accountability / Taking responsibility for one's own actions.

Literal: "Because this is Japan." | Natural: "This is how we do things in Japan (referring to the standard of etiquette and order)."

koko wa nihon desu kara

ここは日本ですから

Literal: "Because this is Japan." | Natural: "This is how we do things in Japan (referring to the standard of etiquette and order)."