＜prologue＞
I started a blog called “The Baby Boomer Generation’s Miscellaneous Blog”（Dankai-sedai no garakutatyou:団塊世代の我楽多（がらくた）帳） in July 2018, about a year before I fully retired. More than six years have passed since then, and the number of articles has increased considerably.
So, in order to make them accessible to people who don’t understand Japanese, I decided to translate my past articles into English and publish them.
It may sound a bit exaggerated, but I would like to make this my life’s work.
It should be noted that haiku and waka （Japanese short fixed form poems） are quite difficult to translate into English, so some parts are written in Japanese.
If you are interested in haiku or waka and would like to know more, please read introductory or specialized books on haiku or waka written in English.
I also write many articles about the Japanese language. I would be happy if these inspire more people to want to learn Japanese.
my blog’s URL:団塊世代の我楽多（がらくた）帳 | 団塊世代が雑学や面白い話を発信しています
my X’s URL:団塊世代の我楽多帳（@historia49) on X
(Reference) Original article in Japanese
・日本語の面白い語源・由来（その６）シカト、阿吽、あわよくば、板につくなど
Continuing from last time, I’d like to introduce some interesting etymologies and origins of Japanese words.
1. Shikato（シカト）
You often hear the word “shikato” (ignored) in the context of bullying, so some people might mistakenly think it’s a slang term coined by high school girls, but it’s actually a legitimate Japanese word. Furthermore, it originally comes from yakuza terminology and originates from Hanafuda gambling.
The deer picture (worth 10 points) on the Hanafuda cards is facing away, hence “shikato” (deer 10) became “shikato.”
2. Aun (阿吽)
The “A-Un” Kongo Rikishi statues (Nio statues) on either side of the South Gate of Todai-ji Temple (A-gyo and Un-gyo statues) are famous. The guardian lion-dogs (Komainu) at Shinto shrines and the Shisa of Okinawa also have the “A-gyo” and “Un-gyo” forms.
“A-gyo” refers to the rhythm of exhaling (A) and inhaling (Un), the harmony of actions performed in unison. It’s used in phrases like “A-un breathing” or “A-un relationship.” This describes a state where two people understand each other without words, acting in perfect harmony.
Originally, it’s a Buddhist mantra. It refers to the first (open) and last (closed) sounds of the Siddham script (Sanskrit). In Esoteric Buddhism, these two characters represent the beginning and end (ultimate) of the universe.
It’s similar to the “a” and “n” in the Japanese alphabet order, isn’t it?
3. Awayokuba（あわよくば）
This means “If things go well; if the timing is right.”
It’s the imperfective form of the adjective “awayoi” with the conjunctive particle “ba.” The “awa” in “awayokuba” is an archaic word meaning “space,” “gap,” or “interval,” and was originally used to mean “if there’s an opportunity” or “if it’s convenient.”
Later, it came to mean “if there’s a good opportunity” or “if luck is on my side.”
4. Ita ni tsuku（板につく）
This refers to “a state where actions and attitudes are natural and perfectly suited to a person’s position or profession,” or “a state where attitudes and manners become appropriate as a result of accumulated experience.”
This expression originated from the idea that “an experienced actor’s feet become firmly planted on a wooden stage, allowing for stable performance.”
5. Aonisai（青二才）
This is a derogatory term used to insult a young and inexperienced man.
It’s a combination of “ao” (青), meaning immature or inexperienced, as in “ao-kusai” (青臭い）”ao-zamurai”（青侍）, and “nisai” (二才), meaning young, originally referring to the second year of life.
In historical dramas depicting Saigo Takamori, terms like “nise-ko” (二才組) and “nise-gashira” (二才頭) appear; these refer to the “wakashu-gumi” (若衆組), a group of young men from around 15 years old until they married.
6. Saba o yomiu（鯖を読む）
This means “to falsify numbers to one’s advantage, especially to falsify one’s age.”
This term originated from the fact that mackerel (saba) spoils easily and were sold in large quantities, so they were counted quickly to sell them as soon as possible. Later recounts often didn’t match the actual number.
Another theory suggests it comes from counting “sashi-saba” (刺さば), where two fish were counted as one “sashi” (刺し).
7. Otenba（お転婆）
This refers to “a young girl or woman acting boisterously and without restraint; also, a woman who acts this way.”
The “tenba” in “otenba” (tomboy) is an ateji (phonetic equivalent), and while there are several theories about its etymology, the most likely theory is that it comes from the Dutch word “ontembear,” meaning “untamable.”
Another theory suggests that the characters for “gotenma（御伝馬）” (poster horse) were used, likening the spirited “gotenma” to a lively young woman.
8. Udatsu ga agaranai（梲が上がらない）
This means “never being able to advance in one’s career; remaining in a low social position; not improving one’s life.”
There are two main theories regarding the origin of the “udatsu（梲）” in “udatsu ga agaranai.”
One theory suggests that the name comes from the “udatsu,” a type of covered firewall found between old Japanese merchant houses. During the Edo period, the “udatsu” on the roof served a decorative purpose and was a symbol of wealthy merchants.
In Mino City, Gifu Prefecture, famous for its Mino washi paper, there is a place known as “Udatsu-no-agaru-machinami（うだつの上がる町並み）” (Udatsu-lined townscape), where merchant houses with udatsu are lined up.
Another theory suggests that the expression originates from the term “udatsu,” referring to the short pillars erected between the “munagi（棟木）” (ridge beam), the highest point of the roof, and the “hari（梁）” (horizontal beams supporting the roof above the pillars). Because these short pillars, the “udatsu,” appear to be pressed down by the roof, the expression came to mean “never rising in status; one’s life never improving.”
9. Nibe mo nai / Nibe mo naku（にべもない/にべもなく）
This means “unfriendly, cold, or aloof.”
“Nibe（「鮸膠（にべ）」）” refers to the name of a marine fish belonging to the Sciaenidae family of the Perciformes order. The swim bladder（「浮嚢（うきぶくろ）」） of the Nibe fish is extremely adhesive, and is therefore used as a raw material for animal glue.
It is said that in the past, this “Nibe glue” was used to glue together split bamboo to make bows, suggesting it was a powerful adhesive in the past.
From the meaning of “strong adhesiveness,” “Nibe” came to mean intimacy and friendliness, and the lack of these qualities gave rise to the meaning of “cold” or “unfriendly.”
10. Gorioshi（ごり押し）
This means “to force or aggressively push things forward,” but the origin of the word “gori” is the name of a river fish.
The small goby fish known as “gori” (Rhinogobius flumineus) is also called “ishifushi（「石伏」）” (stone-clinging fish). As its name suggests, it often remains still, clinging to stones on the riverbed. To catch them, anglers reportedly use a bundle of straw, pushing it forward like a rag to drive the fish into a net.
This is called “gori-oshi fishing,” and the Japanese word “gori-oshi” (meaning “pushing” or “forcing”) originated from this method.