TOKYO - A nationwide ranking of Japanese dialect expressions whose usage can be difficult to understand has been released, highlighting regional words with meanings that often surprise people unfamiliar with local speech, including the Yamanashi dialect word "waniwani," which asks the question: would you know what it means?
According to a ranking compiled by lifestyle website Seikatsu Guide.com, the word refers to "messing around" or "fooling around." For example, someone might say "waniwani shichoshi," meaning "Don’t fool around."
Masatoshi Nanba, a news presenter from Tokyo, introduced the ranking during a broadcast, noting how some regional phrases can be confusing even for native Japanese speakers.
The list of the five most puzzling dialect expressions included:
The No. 1 entry was "jira," used in Yamaguchi Prefecture to mean "selfishness." A typical phrase is "jira o kuru," meaning to behave selfishly.
Second place went to "sunkujira" from Kagoshima Prefecture, meaning "a corner." In conversation it may appear in a sentence such as "Don’t stay in such a corner."
Third place was Yamanashi’s "waniwani," meaning to fool around.
Fourth was "chunchun" from Fukui Prefecture, meaning "hot."
Fifth place was "otsukai desu" from Nagano Prefecture, which surprisingly means "good evening."
Former Foresight international affairs magazine editor-in-chief Shinsuke Tsutsumi, who is from Kumamoto, explained another dialect phrase from his home region: "ucchokinasai," which means "leave it alone."
The expression can be used in a variety of situations. For instance, if someone offers to carry your luggage, replying "ucchokinasai" can mean "It’s heavy, but I’m fine." It can also be used when advising someone not to intervene with a misbehaving child, essentially meaning "Just leave that kid alone."
Nanba noted that linguist Yukari Tanaka, a professor at Nihon University’s College of Humanities and Sciences, describes dialects as "free regional resources."
Using local dialect can highlight a region’s unique character and attract attention from outsiders.
In Imizu, Toyama Prefecture, officials created promotional posters featuring a local dialect phrase in order to raise awareness of the city, which was formed through municipal mergers.
The phrase used in the campaign was "daite yaru," which in the local dialect means "I’ll treat you."
A sample conversation might go: "Daite yaccha" meaning "I’ll treat you," followed by the response "Kinodokuna," meaning "Thank you."
Because dialect expressions often spark curiosity and conversation, they can become a powerful and entertaining way for regions to promote themselves.
Source: TBS
