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Oct 25, 2026

Japanese words we use at home instead of their English equivalents

I was thinking today about how in my household, there are quite a few Japanese words that we've adopted even when speaking English, because the word fits the situation better.

Japanese words we use at home instead of their English equivalents photo

One of the main ones is shouganai, which is best translated into English as "it can't be helped". Shouganai just feels like it captures the sentiment better!


Another is natsukashii, that nostalgic feeling that comes with more of a sense of fondness than any sadness or longing. 


One more that might be a bit random is the word mikan. Even when we're talking about grocery lists in English, we don't say mandarins, mikan just feels more natural!


Are there any Japanese words you use even when speaking English, because they "fit" better?

genkidesu

genkidesu

Love to travel, interested in J-beauty products and consider myself a convenience store snack aficionado. Navigating the ever-present challenges of expat life, particularly about my TCK's (third culture kids).


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