和製英語 英英辞典

1. Capsule hotel: Tube hotel

English Jargon Tube hotel

When a Japanese businessman misses the last train after drink and Karaoke, he can stay overnight at an economy hotel with small cell,rather than taking taxi to home. This is a “Sleeping module”, but the Japanese call “Capsule Hotel”. It really looks like honeycomb.


2. Diving spot: Dive site

English Jargon Dive site

The best place where divers can observe beautiful coral and tropical fishes is called “Diving spot”. You can use your Wi-Fi gadgets at “Hot spot”, and Many daddies like the “Night spot”


3. Book cover : Book wrapper

English Jargon Book wrapper

Japanese“Book cover” is a paper or cloth to protect cover sheet of a book. Japanese bookstores usually ask customers “Do you wish us to cover the book ?” when you pay at the cashier. If you say yes, a well-trained salesperson rapidly wraps the book by the paper with bookstore's logo mark. This is free of charge.


4. Boston bag: Overnight bag / Traveling bag

English Jargon Overnight bag

A small traveling bag for 1-2 nights trip. This bag was very popular among the students of Boston University (Massachusetts, USA), and a Japanese company commenced to sell this type of bag in Japan a century ago(1917). The name of the “Boston Bag” is still very popular in Japan.


5. Cassette konro: Portable gas stove

English Jargon Portable gas stove

A portable gas stove is a combination of the light weight of a small gas canister and the heat output to cook a meal at any time and place. Iwatani Corporation (Osaka,1930〜) is Japan's No.1 manufacturer,and its products are well known in overseas countries specially by a handy cooking stove in times of natural disaster.

Konro: Brazier/Cooking stove


6. Coming out: Come out of the closet / Come out publicly as (gay)

English Jargon Come out of the closet

A surprising confession or profession such as “To tell the truth, I am a gay” or “I had plastic surgery”or“I can't ride on a bicycle”...


7. Magic inki: Permanent marker

English Jargon Permanent marker

“Magic inki” is a brand name of a Japanese trading company called Uchida Yoko (Tokyo,1941〜). It can write on papers, clothes, glass, iron, ceramic...any kind of materials. “Magic marker” is also a brand-name of an American company.

Inki : Ink


8. Handle: Steering wheel

English Jargon Steering wheel

A Knob is attached to a door, an Ear is attached to a water pitcher, a Grip is to a tennis racket, a Handlebar is to a bicycle. And a steering wheel of a car is called “Handle” in Japan. Horn is “Klaxon”.


9. Morning service: Breakfast special

English Jargon Breakfast special

When you stayed at a hotel in Japan, they may offer “Morning service” every day, but it is not a morning service at the church, it is just a set of the breakfast. Japanese “Morning service” started at the coffee shops in Aichi prefecture where Toyota Motor Company was born and it's HQ is located. It is normally served with bread, egg, salad, and coffee or tea. But only in Aichi, a toast with sweet red bean jelly is added.


10. Type-miss: Typographical error / Typo

English Jargon Typo

Facebook → Faceboob, Terrorist → Erorrist, Public affairs → Pubic affairs, Angus beef burger → Anus peep burglar...

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