J-girl Nihongo watch Pt.2

Continuing what may or may not be an ongoing series.

The latest report from my reliable source on all things cool and female in Japan is that the new word on the street is ARASA .

It used to be that single Japanese women in their late 20s were called "Christmas Cakes". In other words they were pretty much useless after the 25th! But these days an increasing number of woman are choosing to marry much later, or not at all. According to Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, the average age of women who got married in 2006 was 28.2 years (up from 27 years in 2000 and 25.9 in 1990.) What that means is there are a lot of women choosing to reject the kind of traditional life their mothers had. This may be because they'd rather have fun than settle down, or it may be they don't want to marry a guy like their father - who only had time for the office. Whatever the reason, rather than get married, quit work and have kids, they are choosing to do things their way.

And when asked how old they are they say (in that wonderful way the Japanese have for shortening English words): "A-ra-sa"

Around 30.

J-Girl Nihongo Watch

GIZA = a new slang prefix that basically means "very, very...!"

Commonly used by high school girls with such words as "kakkoi" (cool) or "oishii" (delicious).

My source tells me it comes from "giga" as in gigabyte but the first person to attempt to use the word mistakenly said "giza" instead of giga and it stuck.

Whether that's true or not... it's giza-cool!

Byouki

OK. I know it 's been a month, and that could be considered, by some (hi Sara) to be procrastination, but seriously... I'm in the middle of exams right now so have been insanely busy! Lately I have also been rather ill, and (to paraphrase Agent Smith in The Matrix ) I'd like to share a revelation that I've had during my time here.

Kanji is a virus.

I'm sure that's why nose is always blocked. The only way to remember the little buggers is to keep writing them over and over and over again. So they multiply until your entire mind is consumed, then attack your immune system, tickling your throat with their spiky little edges. The ones with more than 12 strokes are the worst, they really get stuck in, like those burs that get stuck in your socks, only these little barbs each carry a certain meaning, and if you happen to get the Kanji for "byouki" caught in your throat like I did, watch out!