Jigyaku-teki (自虐的, じぎゃくてき)is the word for self-deprecating, an essential part of Japanese culture. As the friend who taught this to me texted, "Japanese people really like to be Jigyakuteki."
I You Tubed 自虐的 and looked through a couple dozen videos, but none of them conveyed (to me) the meaning of this term. The video that made me most uncomfortable was (according to the description) someone trying to "fix" his belly button using a belt and key holder. I don't mean anything judgmental, but I don't know what that's about...I don't really want to put the visual on this blog, but if anyone wants to see it (and can understand it), the url is
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgE_sAdZsRI
Anyway, may 2016 bring us all some great and blessed things!
あけおめ!ことよろ!
For beginner to perhaps intermediate-level students, Japanese words, phrases, and expressions, as learned by an American living in Tokyo. . Some of it I absorbed from my surroundings--slang, abbreviated terms, or new katakana-ized words that have recently entered the Japanese language. Some words are straight-up conventional vocabulary that I've found helpful to know, either in the classroom (where I taught English) or in everyday life, and some words just make me smile.
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おつかれやま!!! (In romaji, "Otsukareyama!!!" In kanji, お疲れ山?)
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2 comments:
Such a nice piece of information for all Japanese people. I appreciate your skills.
Learn Japanese Online
Thank you, Yomu zoku :)
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