I often read an English blog about pop culture called "Pink Tentacle." This week, it had an interesting post (投稿）about the 2008 Yukan list of 60 New and Popular Words (2008年ユーキャン新語・流行語大賞の候補語60語).
Here's the English blog post:
http://www.pinktentacle.com/2008/11/top-60-popular-japanese-words-phrases-of-2008/
Here's the original Japanese:
http://singo.jiyu.co.jp/
Here are some of the interesting words and how to say them in English
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日本語 英語
ゲリラ豪雨 Guerrilla rainstorm
おバカキャラ Dumb characters
オワンクラゲ Crystal Jellyfish
婚活 Marriage hunting
言うよね You say?
カレセン A taste for middle-aged men
蟹工船 The Crab Cannery Ship
源氏物語千年紀 Millennial Anniversary of the
Tale of Genji
あなたとは違うんです I'm different from you.
名ばかり管理職 Manager in name only
後期高齢者 Late stage elderly
汚染米／事故米 Tainted rice
毒入りギョーザ Poison gyoza
ゲリラ豪雨 Guerrilla rainstorm
姫電 Princess phones
私もあなたの作品の一つです I am one of your works
これでいいのだ It's all good.
おなごの道は一本道 A woman's life is like walking
にございます。 on along, one-way path.
屁の突っ張りでもないですから It was nothing.
再発防止検討委員会 Recurrence prevention
committee
霞ヶ関埋蔵金 Kasumigaseki's buried treasure
ねじれ国会 Diet gridlock
暫定税率 Temporary tax
燃料サーチャージ Fuel surcharge
一斉休漁 Fisherman strikes
ささやき女将 Whispering matron
糖質ゼロ Zero carbohydrates
ゆとり世代 Relaxed generation
脱ゆとり教育 Unrelaxed education
