Japanese abbreviated and contracted words 2895348 213664114 2008-05-20T08:58:54Z Gyuhi 6940544 /* Longer Romaji abbreviations */ deleted NEET, which is not Japanese vernacular word '''Abbreviated and contracted words''' are a common feature of [[Japanese language|Japanese]]. Long words are often contracted into shorter forms, which then become the predominant forms. For example, the [[University of Tokyo]], in Japanese ''Tōkyō Daigaku'' ({{lang|ja|東京大学}}) becomes {{lang|ja|東大}}, Tōdai, and "remote control", ''rimōto kontorōrā'' (remote controller), becomes ''rimokon''. Names are also contracted in this way. For example Takuya Kimura, in Japanese ''[[Kimura Takuya]]'', an entertainer, is referred to as ''Kimutaku''. The names of some very familiar companies are also contractions. For example, [[Toshiba]] is a contraction of "Tokyo Shibaura", and [[Nissan]] is a contraction of "Nippon Sangyo". The contractions may be commonly used, or they may be specific to a particular group of people. For example the "Kokuritsu Kankyō Kenkyūjo" ({{lang|ja|国立環境研究所}}, [[National Institute for Environmental Sciences of Japan]], NIES) is known as ''Kanken'' ({{lang|ja|環研}}) by its employees, but this terminology is not familiar to most Japanese. ==Patterns of contraction== In contracted kanji words, the most common pattern of contraction is to take the first kanji of each word and put them together as a [[portmanteau]]. There are also instances in which alternative readings of a particular kanji are used in the contraction. For example, Nagoya's main subway station, Nagoya Station, is referred to by locals as "Mei-eki" (名駅), a contraction of "Nagoya-Eki" (名古屋駅), in which the alternative reading of 'Na'(名), the first character in "Nagoya", is used. In loanwords and names, the most common pattern is to take the first two [[mora (linguistics)|mora]]e (or [[kana]]) of each of the two words, and combine them forming a new, single word. For example "family restaurant" or ''famirī resutoran'' becomes ''famiresu''. [[Yōon]] sounds, sounds represented using a kana ending in ''i'' and a small ''ya'', ''yu'' or ''yo'' kana, such as ''kyo'' count as one mora. Japanese [[long vowel]]s count as two morae, and may disappear (the same can be said for the [[sokuon]], or small ''tsu''); Harry Potter, originally ''Harī Pottā'', is contracted to ''Haripota'', or otherwise be altered; actress Kyoko Fukada, ''Fukada Kyōko'', becomes ''Fukakyon''. These abbreviated names are so common in Japan that many companies initiate abbreviations of the names of their own products. For example, the animated series [[Pretty Cure]] marketed itself under the four-character abbreviated name ''purikyua''. ==Long kanji names== {| class="wikitable" | !Contraction !Kanji !Original word !Full kanji !Meaning |- |''Nikkei'' |{{lang|ja|日経}} |''Nihon Keizai Shinbun'' |{{lang|ja|日本経済新聞}} |Japan Economic Times |- |''Nōdai'' |{{lang|ja|農大}} |''Tōkyō Nōgyō Daigaku'' |{{lang|ja|東京農業大学}} |[[Tokyo University of Agriculture|Agricultural University of Tokyo]] |- |''Nyūkan'' |{{lang|ja|入管}} |''Nyūkoku Kanrikyoku'' |{{lang|ja|入国管理局}} |Immigration Office |- |''kōkō'' |{{lang|ja|高校}} |''kōtōgakkō'' |{{lang|ja|高等学校}} |high school |- |''Odakyū'' |{{lang|ja|小田急}} |''Odawara Kyūkō Dentetsu'' |{{lang|ja|小田原急行電鉄}} |''lit.'' Odawara Express Electric Railway (''Odakyū Electric Railway'') |- |''Tochō'' |{{lang|ja|都庁}} |''Tōkyō-to Chōsha'' |{{lang|ja|東京都庁舎}} |Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building |- |''Tōdai'' |{{lang|ja|東大}} |''Tōkyō Daigaku'' |{{lang|ja|東京大学}} |University of Tokyo |- |} ==Loanwords== ===Three and four character loanwords=== <!--Use alphabetical order to add a new entry.--> {| class="wikitable" | !Contraction !Katakana !Original word !Katakana !Meaning |- |''[[anime]]'' |{{lang|ja|アニメ}} |''animēshon'' |{{lang|ja|アニメーション}} |animation |- |''[[depāto]]'' |{{lang|ja|デパート}} |''depātomento sutoa'' |{{lang|ja|デパートメント・ストア}} |department store |- |''eakon'' |{{lang|ja|エアコン}} |''ea kondishonaa'' |{{lang|ja|エアコンディショナー}} |air conditioner |- |''famikon'' |{{lang|ja|ファミコン}} |''famirī konpyūtā'' |{{lang|ja|ファミリーコンピューター}} |family computer ([[Nintendo Entertainment System#History|Nintendo]]) |- |''famiresu'' |{{lang|ja|ファミレス}} |''famirī resutoran'' |{{lang|ja|ファミリーレストラン}} |family restaurant |- |''konbini'' ||{{lang|ja|コンビニ}} |''konbiniensu sutoa'' |{{lang|ja|コンビニエンス・ストア}} |convenience store |- |''nekama'' |{{lang|ja|ネカマ}} |''netto'' ("net"; internet) ''okama'' ("male cross dresser") |{{lang|ja|ネットオカマ}} |a male pretending to be female on the net |- |''rabuho'' |{{lang|ja|ラブホ}} |''rabu hoteru'' |{{lang|ja|ラブホテル}} |[[love hotel]] |- |''rimokon'' |{{lang|ja|リモコン}} |''rimōto kontorōrā'' |{{lang|ja|リモートコントローラー}} |remote control |- |''terebi'' |{{lang|ja|テレビ}} |''terebijon'' |{{lang|ja|テレビジョン}} |TV (television) |- |''toire'' |{{lang|ja|トイレ}} |''toiretto'' |{{lang|ja|トイレット}} |toilet |} ==Abbreviations== {| class="wikitable" | !Abbreviation !Japanese !Original word !Japanese !Meaning |- |''bukatsu'' |{{lang|ja|部活}} |''bukatsudō'' |部活動 |after-school club (extracurricular) activity |- |''shāshin'' |{{lang|ja|シャー芯}} |''shāpupen no shin'' |シャープペンの芯 |(''in colloquial language'') lead of a mechanical pencil |} ==Created words== Many abbreviations, especially four-character words, have been created for particular products or TV shows. {| class="wikitable" ! Contraction ! Japanese ! Origin ! Notes |- |''[[Boktai|Bokutai]] |ボクタイ |''Bokura no Taiyou'' (Our Sun) |The first video game series that use a solar sensor. |- |''[[Pokémon]]'' |ポケモン |''poketto monsutā'' (Pocket Monster[s]) |The well-known video game and animation franchise. |- |''purikyua'' |プリキュア |''Puritī Kyua'' ([[Pretty Cure]]) |A manga/anime series |- |''purikura'' |プリクラ |''purinto kurabu'' ([[Print Club]]) |An automated photograph machine |- |''tatakon'' |タタコン |''tataku kontorōrā'' (controller) |A controller used for the game [[Taiko Drum Master]] by [[Namco]] |- |''mukku'' |ムック |"'''m'''agazine + b'''ook''' |A cross between a magazine and a book |- |''Sukisho'' |好きなものは好きだからしょうがない!! |"''Suki na Mono wa Suki Dakara Shōganai'' |A BL video game series and anime |} ==Contractions of names== {| class="wikitable" !Contraction !Japanese !Name !Japanese !Notes |- |''Burapi'' |{{lang|ja|ブラピ}} |''Buraddo Pitto'' ([[Brad Pitt]]) |{{lang|ja|ブラッド・ピット}} |Hollywood actor. |- |''Dikapuri'' |{{lang|ja|ディカプリ}} |''Reonarudo Dikapurio'' ([[Leonardo DiCaprio]]) |{{lang|ja|レオナルド・ディカプリオ}} |Hollywood actor. |- | ''Fukakyon'' |{{lang|ja|フカキョン}} | ''[[Kyōko Fukada]]'' |{{lang|ja|深田恭子}} |[[Japanese idol]] and actress. |- | ''Hashiryū'' |{{lang|ja|橋龍}} | [[Ryūtarō Hashimoto]] |{{lang|ja|橋本龍太郎}} | politician. |- |''Kimutaku'' |{{lang|ja|キムタク}} |''[[Takuya Kimura]]'' |{{lang|ja|木村拓哉}} |[[SMAP]] star |- | ''Matsuken'' |{{lang|ja|マツケン }} | [[Ken Matsudaira]] |{{lang|ja|松平健}} | [[Jidaigeki]] actor, famous for Matsuken samba. |- | ''Shimuken'' |{{lang|ja|シムケン }} | [[Ken Shimura]] |{{lang|ja|志村けん}} | television performer and actor. |- |''Shuwa-chan'' |{{lang|ja|シュワちゃん}} |''Ānorudo Shuwarutseneggā'' ([[Arnold Schwarzenegger]]) |{{lang|ja|アーノルド・シュワルツェネッガー}} |Hollywood actor. |- | ''Yamataku'' |{{lang|ja|山拓 }} | [[Taku Yamasaki]] |{{lang|ja|山崎拓}} | politician. |} == Highways and railway lines == Many highways and railway lines have names that are contractions of the names of their endpoints. For example, {{lang|ja|東名高速道路}} ([[Tomei Expressway]]) takes one kanji {{lang|ja|東}} (''tō'') from {{lang|ja|東京}} ([[Tokyo]]) and the other {{lang|ja|名}} (''mei'') from {{lang|ja|名古屋}} ([[Nagoya, Aichi|Nagoya]]; its pronunciation changes from the [[kun'yomi]] ''na'' to the [[on'yomi]] ''mei''). {{lang|ja|東急東横線}} ([[Tokyu Toyoko Line]]) links Tokyo and {{lang|ja|横浜}} [[Yokohama, Kanagawa|Yokohama]]), taking part of its name from each city. Other Examples include: {| class="wikitable" !Contraction !Japanese !Origin !Japanese |- |[[Keiyō Line]] |{{lang|ja|京葉線}} |Tokyo + [[Chiba Prefecture|Chiba]] |{{lang|ja|東京+千葉}} |- |[[Saikyo Line|Saikyō Line]] |{{lang|ja|埼京線}} |[[Saitama Prefecture|Saitama]] + Tokyo |{{lang|ja|埼玉+東京}} |- |[[Senzan Line]] |{{lang|ja|仙山線}} |[[Sendai]] + [[Yamagata]] |{{lang|ja|仙台+山形}} |- |[[Hanshin Main Line]] |{{lang|ja|阪神本線}} |[[Osaka]] + [[Kobe]] |{{lang|ja|大阪+神戸}} |- |[[Seikan Tunnel]] |{{lang|ja|青函トンネル}} |[[Aomori, Aomori|Aomori]] + [[Hakodate]] |{{lang|ja|青森+函館}} |} Sometimes names of this type preserve older place names. For instance, the character {{lang|ja|武}} is taken from the word {{lang|ja|武蔵}} (''[[Musashi Province|Musashi]]''), which was once the name of the [[Japanese province]] in which the city of Tokyo was located, can still be seen in the company names {{lang|ja|東武}} ([[Tobu Railway|Tobu]] or "East Musashi"), {{lang|ja|西武}} ([[Seibu Railway|Seibu]] or "West Musashi"), and in the {{lang|ja|南武線}} ([[Nanbu Line]] or "South Musashi Line"). Some other examples: {| class="wikitable" !Contraction !Japanese !Origin !Japanese |- |[[Sobu Main Line|Sōbu Line]] |{{lang|ja|総武線}} |[[Kazusa Province|Kazusa]]/[[Shimousa Province|Shimousa]] + Musashi |{{lang|ja|下総/上総+武蔵}} |- |[[Uchibō Line]] |{{lang|ja|内房線}} |Inner + [[Bōsō Peninsula]] (= [[Awa Province (Chiba)|Awa]] + [[Kazusa Province|Kazusa]]) |{{lang|ja|内+房総(=安房+上総)}} |- |[[Sotobō Line]] |{{lang|ja|外房線}} |Outer + [[Bōsō Peninsula]] (= [[Awa Province (Chiba)|Awa]] + [[Kazusa Province|Kazusa]]) |{{lang|ja|外+房総(=安房+上総)}} |- |[[Jōban Line]] |{{lang|ja|常磐線}} |[[Hitachi Province|Hitachi]] + [[Iwaki Province|Iwaki]] |{{lang|ja|常陸+磐城}} |- |[[Nippo Main Line|Nippō Main Line]] |{{lang|ja|日豊本線}} |[[Hyūga Province|Hyūga]] + [[Buzen Province|Buzen]]/[[Bungo Province|Bungo]] |{{lang|ja|日向+豊前/豊後}} |- |[[Hōhi Main Line]] |{{lang|ja|豊肥本線}} |[[Bungo Province|Bungo]] + [[Higo Province|Higo]] |{{lang|ja|豊後+肥後}} |} == Single letters as abbreviations == Many single letters of the [[Latin alphabet]] have names that resemble the pronunciations of Japanese words or characters. Japanese people use them in contexts such as advertising to catch the reader's attention. Other uses of letters include abbreviations of spellings of words. Here are some examples: *E: {{lang|ja|良い}} (''Ii''; the word for "good" in Japanese). The letter appears in the name of the company ''e-homes''. *J: The first letter of "Japan" as in ''[[J-League]], [[J-Phone]]. *Q: The kanji {{lang|ja|九}} ("nine") have the reading ''kyū''. Japanese "Dial Q2" [[premium-rate telephone number]]s start with 0990. *S, M: used for [[sadism]] and [[masochism]] respectively, often referring to mild personality traits rather than sexual fetishes. "SM" is also used for [[sadomasochism]], instead of "S&M" used in English, in a more sexual context. *W: The English word "double." Japanese people sometimes pronounce the letter "double." For example, ”wデート” (''W deeto'') means "double date(s)"; "WW Burger" from Freshness Burger has double beef and double cheese. == Longer Romaji abbreviations == {| class="wikitable" !Contraction !Japanese spoken form !Origin !Notes |- |CM |シーエム (''shī-emu'') |commercial message |a single commercial or a commercial break |- |GW |ゴールデンウィーク (''gōruden uīku'') |Golden Week |[[Golden Week (Japan)|Golden Week]] is a series of four unrelated holidays within one week at the beginning of May |- |NG |エヌジー (''enu-jī'') |no good |Often used as the opposite of “OK”; a mis-take while filming a scene for film or TV |- |OL |オーエル (''ōeru'') |office lady |[[Office lady|OL]]s are low-level female corporate employees |- |W杯 |ワールドカップ (''wārudokappu'') |World Cup |Used to refer to the [[FIFA World Cup]] for soccer |} [[Category:Japanese vocabulary|Abbreviated and contracted words]]