Drinking alcoholic beverages, much like in uh, every country, is of utmost importance here. So here are some words to get you through the good times and, if you're like the poor "salary man" (Japanese businessman) above, maybe the bad times! (Can anyone read what the key chain says?)
Nomitomodachi (no-mee-toh-moh-da-chee) = literally "drinking" (nomi) "friends" (tomodachi)- basically means drinking buddies.
e.g. At one of our school enkais (drinking parties for offices- usually kind of formal), I mentioned that two of the (older male) teachers always seem to hang together at work parties. One of the other English teaches said, "Those two are what we call Nomitomodachi!"
Mo ippai onegaishimasu (moe EE-pie oh-ne-guy-shee-mahs) = one more (drink) please; the counting system is crazy here, so the ending for "long, thin, cylindrical items" (like a beer bottle) is "hai" (ippai = one bottle, nihai = two bottles, sanbai= three, yonhai = four, etc.)
Kanzo ga yabai (kahn-zo gah ya-bye) = literally means "[someone's] liver is in danger" Basically, that you drank so much, you're like, totally gonna get cirrhosis! As you may remember, "yabai" means "risky/dangerous" - so to the kiddies, it means "that's (dangerously) cool!"
Nomisuke (noe-mee-skay) = boozer, someone who drinks a lot.
Taikobara (tie-koh-ba-ruh) = pot belly/beer belly- what you get if you drink too much! Comes from "taiko" meaning drum- taiko drumming is a popular hobby here- and "bara" which means stomach.
Futsukayoi (foo-tsoo-ka-yoy) = hangover
e.g. It's funny- at the convenient store, they sell all kinds of drinks that are supposed to help you recover (one of them has a blonde woman wearing a business suit and glasses on it! Hilar.)
Koukai suru (KOH-kye soo-roo) = to feel regret
Honto ni sumimasen/honto ni gomen nasai (hone-toe nee soo-mee-mah-sen/goh-men nuh-sye): I'm REALLY sorry! If you wanna do it properly, make sure to do a quick, deep (I'm talking 45 degree angle here) bow that you keep until you hear your apology accepted!
Now go on, kids, get yourself some salary man friends and head off to E. 7th Street!
4 comments:
Dude, I can't believe I get no love on the blog linking.
Also, Tomio can't make out what your keychain says because the picture is too small.
Stine! Ah, that was me being lame- the funny thing is, I actually read your blog regularly!!!
Yeah, I couldn't read it either- oh well!
i love how the japanese word for hangover has "suk" in the middle. ain't it the truth!
Dear Pam:
I would like to humbly request that you overview basic Japanese insult vocabulary, with an emphasis on what is currently hip with middle school kids to say when they both want to bust balls as well as be genuinely offensive.
I'd also like to learn how to say:
"No, You are" (Also, like that, you are?)
"And so is your face"
"I know you are, but what am I"
"That's what she said"
Many thanks,
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