The XQ Sumimasen Podcast

One of the things I enjoy most about learning Japanese is realizing that familiar English words don't always carry familiar meanings. Even after you've learned hundreds of loanwords, you'll still occasionally hear one that completely changes the conversation because it means something entirely different in Japanese. In this episode, guest co-host Scoey and I continued our series on Japanese-English words by looking at more examples of wasei eigo and how these expressions have developed their own meanings over time. Watch the Full Episode Listen on: Spotify Apple YouTube Familiar Words, Unexpected Meanings One reason Japanese-English words can be confusing is that they often begin with recognizable English but gradually evolve into something uniquely Japanese. We talked about examples suc...

After living in Japan for a while, you start realizing that understanding Japanese isn't always enough. Everyday conversations are filled with abbreviations that often make perfect sense to locals but leave foreigners wondering what was actually said. In this episode, guest co-host Scoey and I continued our look at Japanese abbreviations, exploring some of the expressions that confused us when we first heard them and the cultural habits they reveal. Watch the Full Episode Listen on: Spotify Apple YouTube Everyday Abbreviations You Won't Find in a Textbook Japanese has a habit of shortening words and phrases until they become entirely new expressions. We talked about examples such as poteto , which usually refers to French fries rather than potatoes in general, gēsen for game center, and KY...

Japanese abbreviations can make familiar English words feel completely unfamiliar. Even after you recognize where a word came from, the shortened version may sound so different that it takes a while to understand what people are actually saying. In this episode, guest co-host Scoey and I looked at some of the Japanese abbreviations that confused us after moving here, along with the cultural references and personal stories connected to them. Watch the Full Episode Listen on: Spotify Apple YouTube Why Japanese Shortens So Many Words English loanwords often become much longer when adapted to Japanese pronunciation. Shortening them makes them easier and faster to use in everyday conversation. That is how names such as Staba for Starbucks and Makku or Makudo for McDonald's became part of everyday...

One of the biggest surprises for many Japanese learners is discovering that not every katakana word comes from English. While English has had a huge influence on modern Japanese, many everyday words actually came from Portuguese, Dutch, German, French, Russian, and other languages before becoming part of everyday life in Japan. In this episode, guest co-host Scoey and I explored some of the Japanese words that originated outside both Japanese and English, along with the history behind how they found their way into the language. Watch the Full Episode Listen on: Spotify Apple YouTube Japanese Has Borrowed Words From Around the World It's easy to assume that every katakana word has English roots, but Japan has been borrowing vocabulary from other countries for centuries. We talked about familiar words ...

One of the easiest ways to see how cultures influence one another is through language. Words travel across borders through trade, food, technology, entertainment, and everyday life, often becoming so familiar that we forget they originally came from somewhere else. In this episode, guest co-host Devin and I explored some of the Japanese words that have become part of everyday English and discussed the stories behind how they made that journey. Watch the Full Episode Listen on: Spotify Apple YouTube Japanese Words We Use Without Thinking Many Japanese loanwords have become so common in English that most people never stop to consider where they came from. Words such as sushi , karaoke , emoji , tsunami , and futon are now used around the world. While their meanings have sometimes shifted over time, ...

Borrowed English words continue to evolve in Japanese, often taking on meanings that surprise native English speakers. By the time you've lived in Japan for a while, you start realizing that understanding the English word itself isn't always enough—you also have to understand how that word is used within Japanese culture. In this episode, guest co-host Scoey and I continued our discussion about Japanese-English vocabulary by looking at more everyday expressions that regularly confuse foreigners living in Japan and the stories behind them. Watch the Full Episode Listen on: Spotify Apple YouTube Familiar Words With New Meanings One of the recurring themes throughout our conversation was how familiar English words can develop completely different meanings after becoming part of Japanese. We talk...

Borrowed English words are everywhere in Japan, but many of them don't mean exactly what native English speakers expect. Some have been shortened, others have developed completely new meanings, and a few can lead to some genuinely confusing conversations. In this episode, guest co-host Scoey and I continued our discussion about Japanese-English vocabulary by looking at more examples of words that surprised us after moving to Japan and the stories behind how they came to be used. Watch the Full Episode Listen on: Spotify Apple YouTube Familiar Words With Unexpected Meanings One of the first words we discussed was Hotchkiss , the Japanese word for a stapler. To someone hearing it for the first time, it sounds completely unrelated to office supplies. Like many borrowed words in Japanese, however, it...

Living in Japan quickly teaches you that recognizing an English word doesn't always mean you'll understand what someone means. Over time, many borrowed English words have developed meanings that are unique to Japanese, while others have been shortened or used in ways that surprise native English speakers. In this episode, guest co-host Scoey and I shared some of the Japanese-English expressions that confused us the most after moving to Japan, along with the stories that helped us understand what people were actually trying to say. Watch the Full Episode Listen on: Spotify Apple YouTube When English Words Develop New Meanings One of the first examples we discussed was the Japanese use of the word tension . For many native English speakers, "tension" suggests stress or nervousness. In...