Japlish dictionary Part Three- E, F and G

Parts One and Two are here and here.

easy open (iiji opun) – easy to open

easy order (iiji oodaa) – semi-tailored suit

echo (eko) – the acoustics of a space (I think it is also used with its English meaning)

ego (pronounced /ego/ as in Latin and German, not iigo like in English) – selfishness

Ege – Aegean

Eisbahn (aisubaan- from German) – icy road

ekisu – extract/ essence

elegy (pron??) – ballad

enamel (enameru) – patent leather or nail varnish

Enerugii (from German)- energy

Enerugisch (enerugishu- from German)- energetic

Engage ring (engaji ringu) – short for engagement ring, and much more used that the longer version or the Japanese equivalent

engine stop (ensuto) – stalling a car/ car breaking down

England/ English (igirisu) – both English and British

enquete (anketto, from French) – (market research) survey

episode (episoodo) – unknown, interesting past event

escape (esukeipu) – to be absent from school or work (apparently)

este (esute- short for the French word « esthetique ») – plastic surgery/ beauty parlour

even (iibun) – a draw

evening (ibuningu) – evening dress

excellent company (ekiserento kampanii) – blue chip company

extra – spare (tyre etc)

fami con (short for “family computer”) – home computer (outdated expression??)

family service (famirii saabisu) – special offer if there are enough people

fashion health (fasshon herusu) – something to do with the sex trade

fastener (fuasuna) – zip (not sure about any differences in the use of this and “chakku”)

father (fazaa) – priest only, not used for “papa”

feet (fiito) – also used for the singular of the measurement (“one feet”), and not used for parts of your body

feminist (feminist) – a gentleman

figure skate (figaa sukeito) – figure skating (this dropping of –ing is quite common)

film (firumu) – film for a camera, not movies

finder (faindaa) – view finder

flooring (furooringu) – wooden flooring

flying start (furaingu sutaato) – false start

follow wind (foroo windo) – following wind, e.g. having the wind behind you

fool (furu) – April fool only

form (sounds more like “home”) – short for “platform”

foundation (faundeishon) – make up only, not building etc.

free (furii) – freelance

free pass (furii pasu) – all day ticket

free size (furii saizu) – one size fits all

free talking (furii tookingu) – an open discussion

freshman (fureshuman) – new recruit

front (furonto) –hotel reception/ front desk

front glass (furonto gurasu) – windscreen

fruit parlour (furutsu paala) – upmarket coffee bar that sells lots of deserts (usually ice cream more than fruit) and is almost exclusively used by women who lunch (quite rare- old-fashioned expression??)

full base – something to do with baseball??

G pan (jii pan, short for “jean pants”) – jeans

gallery – art gallery or spectators

game soft (geimu sofuto) – computer games

gang (gangu) – also used to refer to a single gangster

gasoline stand (gasorin sutando) – petrol station/ gas station

Gerende (from German) – ski slopes

gift card (gifuto kaado) – gift token

gird (gaado) – girder bridge

girl hunt (gaaru hanto) – when men go out to pick up women

glamour (gurama) – attractively buxom woman

go stop (go sutoppu) – traffic signals (apparently, but I’ve only ever heard the Japanese expression “shingo” used)

goal in (gooru in suru) – (finally) achieving something, most often used for getting married

golden hour (goruden awaa) – (TV) prime time

golden week (goruden wiiku) – a week in April or May when there are lots of public holidays

gom (gomu, from Dutch) – rubber and rubber band

good sense (guudo sensu) – good taste

gorgeous (goojasu) – luxurious

Gothic Lolita (goshikku rorita) – a style that combines Victorian frills with Gothic dark colours

gown (gaun) – dressing gown, not a fancy party dress

grade up (gureido appu suru) – upgrade

green car (guriin kaa) – first class carriage

ground (guraundo) – playground

group sounds (guruupu saunzu) – Beatles-style 1960s guitar groups

guara (gyara- short for “guarantee”) – performance fee (apparently)

guard man (gaado man) – security guard

guts pose (gatsu poosu) – putting up one fist to celebrate a good shot etc

gym (jimu) – until recently usually used for a boxing gym rather than a sports centre

gyps (gipsu- from German??) – a plaster cast, and the material used to make it

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