TOKYO - Phrases like 'Ichome Ichiban,' often used by older generations in the workplace, have become a trending topic in videos.
Supervisor: “This project is our Ichome Ichiban task!” Subordinate: “Ichome Ichiban… Ah, so it’s a map-related task?” Supervisor: “No, that’s not it. ‘Ichome Ichiban’ refers to the most important issue or task that should be prioritized above all else.”
Otsuka Pharmaceutical conducted a survey among 600 working adults in their 20s and over 40, exploring the communication gap across generations. The survey found that workplace jargon, which senior employees have used for years, has become increasingly misunderstood by younger employees, creating “misunderstood workplace lingo.”
Supervisor: “We’ll have to tackle this task with a ‘homemade lunch’ approach.” Subordinate: “Homemade lunch… so, like a hand-made bento box?” Supervisor: “No, that’s not it. ‘Homemade lunch’ means covering one’s own expenses when participating in activities.”
Supervisor: “We need to ‘nigirimasu’ this issue with the head of accounting.” Subordinate: “I’ll get on it right away! Coming right up!” “‘Nigirimasu’ refers to making secret preparations and securing an agreement.”
The survey also revealed other terms like “negoru,” “all-team baseball,” and “teleco” that highlight the communication gap between generations in the workplace. In the survey, 86.0% of those in their 20s reported they did not know these workplace terms, while 75.5% of those over 40 said their younger colleagues did not understand the expressions.
‘Yoshinani’ and ‘Licking the Pencil’
This project was launched to resolve “communication gaps between generations in the workplace.” Kumotoriya Naoki, the person in charge of Otsuka Pharmaceutical’s Oronamin C division, explained: “These words, which we tend to use naturally, aren’t really understood by the younger generation today. But recognizing this gap can help foster conversations and speed up communication, creating a more positive environment at work.”
The phrase with the biggest recognition gap was “Ichome Ichiban,” followed by “Yoshinani” (meaning ‘appropriately or accordingly’) and “licking the pencil” (a metaphor for thinking hard about writing favorable numbers).
Opinions from the public about this workplace lingo gap included:
A man in his 30s working in welfare said, “It’s like a list of fossilized words. ‘Yoshinani’ is exactly that kind of term. People will likely ask, ‘What does that mean?’ I’ve heard it before but don’t use it. ‘Teleco’ also wouldn’t be understood by most.”
A man in his 70s, who is self-employed, commented, “We used to use these words, but nowadays, I try not to. If people don’t understand what you’re saying, it creates a disconnection, which can be a bit of a downside in social interactions.”
Source: ANN
