This might be linked to their focus on politeness and respect. Even then, some relatives still expect proper formal language befitting of their senior status.Īn overall impression of the citizens of Japan is that they’re very shy people, or “hazukashigariya”. You’ll get in big trouble if you use informal language with a person older than you unless they’re family. But in Japan, the older you get, the wiser you are considered and the more respectfully you’re treated. Many Westerners find the concept of being so respectful to their elders a bit outside the norm. With the epidemic of idolization in Japan, it’s also possible to take respect just a bit too far. However, it can sometimes be associated with distance. Even if you have a “haken” (contracted job), it’s still considered rude to leave right on schedule.Īnother tie-in with polite, respectful or “tanin ni taishite keii wo hyo suru” to loosely describe it in Japanese, is a mainly positive word. It’s not uncommon for people to work several more hours after their contractual quitting time and, if you’re not a contract worker, that means that you aren’t paid for that overtime. There is even a word for “death by overwork” in Japanese (“karoshi”). In a culture where your job is supposed to take precedence over even your family at times, it’s unsurprising that foreign nationals would latch on to this particular description. That’s a winning score on anyone’s report card.Ī hard-worker or “hataraki-mono” is definitely a common word that classifies a Japanese mindset. This praiseworthy adjective was the third-most repeated term in the thread. In Japanese, words with similar connotations to the English phrase are “yasashii” or “omoyari no aru,” meaning “thoughtful of others.” One sterling example of this is the custom of bringing a gift (usually food) when you visit another person’s house in Japan. Unlike polite, which can have its downsides, kind is a genuinely positive word. After all, it leaves a very bad impression if you’re late to work. Trains often issue late slips for passengers to take to their employers if their trains get delayed. As such, when there is a delay of even a minute, the whole system gets thrown off. The Japan Railway (JR) and other connecting subways and train systems are well-known for their incredibly punctual schedules. Japan takes its time management very seriously. It’s possible to remain too polite and distant from a person, even if you’ve known them for quite a while. Of course, the term “polite” in and of itself doesn’t only have a positive connotation. To the Western mindset, this style of address already seems much more polite than a simple handshake, high-five, or shoulder clap. Though handshakes are perfectly common in Japan now, they more often than not come with a bow as well (or two or three). Weighing in at number one was polite, or in Japanese “reigi tadashii.” Everyone has heard of the traditional Japanese bow used as a greeting during any given exchange. Here are the most common adjectives that Westerners chose when characterizing the people of Japan. The results on a thread on Madame Riri asking for the “perfect words to describe Japanese people” were surprisingly positive. But not all sweeping generalizations have to be mean and unfounded. All people form opinions about places and their inhabitants based on whatever they can glean from the food, tourism, and art of the culture. There isn’t a country in the world immune from stereotypes.
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