Hilarious Japanese-English Word Gaffes23

Bathing

If you're feeling a bit dirty, just head to a sentō for a nice hot bath. Just don't expect to get it by asking for a "bath" in Japanese... because that would be a furō. Even more confusingly, the Japanese word for "bathroom" is toire (also known as benjo), so you'll need to be specific if you need to use the facilities.

Porn

Oops, you just asked for a "porn" when you meant to ask for a "pornstar." Whoops! In Japanese, "porn" actually means "adult movie," so be careful not to make that mistake again.

Pine

Don't get a pine tree mixed up with a paipin, or you might end up with a Japanese cedar instead. Who knew?

Menstruation

Japanese has a very specific word for "menstruation" (gesukei), so if you're expecting your period soon, you might want to brush up on the correct terminology.

Parking

If you're looking for a place to park, you'll need to look for a chuushajo, not a "paking." And if you're driving a big car, you'll need to take a dakkai (definitely not a "duckie").

Pen

In Japanese, a "pen" is a pen, not a "peni." So if you're looking for something to write with, make sure you ask for the right thing, otherwise you might get a chuckle instead.

Body

If you're feeling a little under the weather, you might need to see a dokuta (doctor), but don't go asking for a "body." That word has a very specific meaning in Japanese that you probably don't want to know.

Make Up

Don't try to "make up" with someone in Japanese, or you might end up in a fight instead. The Japanese word for "make up" is meiku, which is specifically used for cosmetics.

Slipper

When you come home, you might want to put on a pair of suppa (slippers), but don't ask for a "slipper" or you'll probably get a puzzled look.

Car

If you're looking for a ride, you'll need to ask for a kuruma (car), not a "ca." And if you're looking for a specific type of car, you'll need to be more specific, such as a sedan (sedan) or a sports car (supotsuka).

Cucumber

Don't ask for a "cucumber" at the grocery store, or you'll get a strange look. In Japanese, a "cucumber" is called a kyūri.

Pants

If you need a new pair of pants, you'll need to ask for a zubon, not a "pants." And if you're looking for a specific type of pants, you'll need to be more specific, such as jeans (jīnzu) or cargo pants (kāgopantsu).

Toilet

If you need to use the "toilet," you'll need to ask for a toire (or benjo), not a "toilet." And if you're looking for a specific type of toilet, you'll need to be more specific, such as a Western-style toilet (yōshiki toire) or a Japanese-style toilet (washitsu toire).

Button

If you need to fasten a button, you'll need to ask for a botan, not a "button." And if you're looking for a specific type of button, you'll need to be more specific, such as a snap button (pachin botansu) or a toggle button (toguru botansu).

2025-02-02

Previous：Korean Gone Mad: A Journey into the Depths of Hangul

Next：German Words Beginning with W