Nekobaba

Nov 21, 2016 21:36
Today, I'd like to talk about the Japanese word "nekobaba."

"Nekobaba" means that someone steals something from others sneakily.

"Neko" means "cat", and "baba" ("糞" in kanji) is an infant word in Edo period that means "feces".

It is said that this word comes from cats' behavior that they hide their feces by putting sands.

Also, "baba" can be written as "婆" in kanji, and it means "an old woman."

There is another theory about "nekobaba", and it insists that the word comes from a story that an old woman.who likes cats didn't return her debt.
ねこばば

今日は「ねこばば」という日本語を紹介します。

「ねこばば」は「他人のものをこっそりと自分のものにすること」を意味します。

「ばば」は漢字で「糞」であり、大便など汚いものさす江戸時代の幼児語です。

この言葉は、猫が糞をした後に足で砂をかけて隠す行動に由来すると言われています。

また、「ばば」は漢字で「婆」と書くこともでき、この場合は「老婆」を意味します。

猫好きの老婆が借金を返さなかったことに由来するという説も存在します。
No. 1 Timmy's correction
  • "Neko" means "cat", and "baba" ("糞" in kanji) is an infant word in Edo period that means "feces".
  • "Neko" means "cat", and "baba" ("糞" in kanji) is an infant (or: childish) word in Edo period that means "feces".
  • It is said that this word comes from cats' behavior that they hide their feces by putting sands.
  • It is said that this word comes from cats' habit of hiding (or: burying) their feces by covering it with sand.
Interesting! As far as I know the word "baba" also appears in some Middle Eastern languages.
Toru
Thank you so much for correcting my post!
And thank you for letting me know the information :)
I didn't know that, but according to the following site, "baba" seems to appear in many languages.
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/baba
Timmy
You're welcome^_^

>I didn't know that, but according to the following site, "baba" seems to appear in many >languages.

Thanks for the link^_^
No. 2 magnolia8's correction
  • Today, I'd like to talk about the Japanese word "nekobaba."
  • Today, I'd like to talk about the Japanese word "nekobaba."
     http://theeditorsblog.net/2015/08/27/introduce-me-with-a-comma/

    CTRL+F "today".
  • "Nekobaba" means that someone steals something from others sneakily.
  • This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
  • Also, "baba" can be written as "婆" in kanji, and it means "an old woman."
  • This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
  • There is another theory about "nekobaba", and it insists that the word comes from a story that an old woman.
  • There is another theory about "nekobaba", and it insists that the word comes from a story of an old woman who likes her cats but does not pay back her debt.
     I don't understand the relationship between cats and debt, but maybe it is because I do not know the story.
Toru
Thank you so much for correcting my post!
I learned something new :)

> I don't understand the relationship between cats and debt, but maybe it is because I do not know the story.
Actually, I also don't understand the relationship. It might be a meaningless story.
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