Comments on: Buddhist vocab in Japanese everyday use, part 2

By: Rory

Rory — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 02:59:33 +0000

I didn’t know ketchup was Chinese, just the Malaysian version, which is delicious, it is that mix Doug.

As regards Ojo, does anyone even really pay attention to the meaning of Christmas? I doubt it, those of us outside of Japan are fortunate in that regard as the word isn’t degraded. But then I’ve seen people wearing ‘lucky beads’ (a wrist mala) in Ireland who had no clue..*sigh*

By: Doug

Doug — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 17:34:28 +0000

Wow, I had no idea. How brine of pickled fish became tomato sauce is beyond me, though I could see how some intermediary step they two could be mixed. I think an Indonesian friend of mine once showed me Malay-style ketchup which was a mix of tomato sauce and maybe soy sauce. Can’t recall.

I know 一心不乱, but wasn’t aware of its Buddhist connotations! Ha ha ha. I’ll update a certain blog post coming up, as it’s worth calling out. Thanks!

By: Stephen

Stephen — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 11:35:00 +0000

Reading from my dictionary – ketchup app. from Chinese ke-tsiap brine of pickled fish, so I think the Chinese would be equally surprised at what we call ketchup (or what I call tomato sauce).
Still there are phrases which have made it into everyday use without loss of meaning. Example
一心不乱
isshinfuran
With one mind and without confusion
Straight out of the Amida Sutra.
Stephen

By: Doug

Doug — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 04:10:33 +0000

Ketchup is from Chinese language? That’s a new one to me. :p

The corruption of religious terms is unfortunate in a way, but the same could be said by folks of other religions too. I guess it’s just the natural change of things.

By: Stephen

Stephen — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 09:53:38 +0000

The problem is (I know I have mentioned it before), but the term looses it’s original meaning and then gains different meanings which go against the original term. My Japanese dictionary gives this common usage of ojo
列車が雪で立往生する
ressha ga yuki de tachi ojo suru
Meaning that the train stopped between stations because of snow.
Ojo which used to have a positive meaning in the Buddhist term and the example you give above now has a negative meaning.
Still I don’t pretend I can stop the evolution of language, I mean how many people know Ketchup is from Chinese???

By: Doug

Doug — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 03:26:46 +0000

Yeah, I believe you’re right. It’s clearly a euphemism, just as in English we say “pass away”, not “die” out of respect. There’s various other Christian-based euphemisms in English too for this. Interesting though how religion and culture can mix like that on such important aspects of life (and death).

By: Morris

Morris — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 19:24:09 +0000

In Taiwan, ‘ojo’ has become known as the alternate way to term ‘death’. I think it is something to do with euphemism, and the influence from Buddhism.