Jōhatsu (蒸発 - Evaporation/Missing)

Mar 17, 2021 23:43
Jōhatsu

Some people around me sometimes do 'jōhatsu' (蒸発).

'Jōhatsu' means "evaporation," and it usually refers to the process that a liquid changes into the gas phase.

When the subject of "evaporation/evaporate" is a person, such as 'kare wa jōhatsu shita' (彼は蒸発した - literally means "he evaporated"), it actually means "he went missing."

This expression says that just as an evaporated liquid is invisible, so is an evaporated person.

Incidentally, the process that a substance directly from the solid to the gas state is called 'shōka' (昇華 - "sublimation"), but 'shōka' is rarely used with a person as the subject.

When using it like 'kare wa shōka shita' (彼は昇華した - literally means "he sublimated"), it means something like "he became a higher state (existence) than before".
蒸発

私の周りで「蒸発」する人がまれにいます。

「蒸発」は "evaporation" を意味し、通常は液体が気体の状態になる過程のことを表します。

「蒸発」の主語を人にして、「彼は蒸発した」のように使うと、「彼は行方不明(音信不通)になった」といった意味になります。

液体が気体になると見えなくなるように、「蒸発した人」も見えないというわけです。

ちなみに、個体から気体になることは「昇華」と言いますが、人を主語にして使うことはほとんどありません。

仮に「彼は昇華した」のように使った場合、「彼は一段階高度な状態(存在)になった」のような意味になります。
No. 1 spontaneouspotato's correction
Interesting! In English, sometimes we'd (jokingly) say 'He has ascended to a different plane of existence'.
Toru
Thank you for letting me know the interesting phrase! :)

I've heard that it's relatively easy to vanish in Japan because your nation has very strict laws concerning privacy. Actually, I'm feeling rather intrigued about the people you knew who vanished into thin air/vanished without a trace...
Toru
Yes, unfortunately, there are many missing people in Japan. The disappearance is often not reported to the police, so it often ends with unknown details.

  • Some people around me sometimes do 'jōhatsu' (蒸発).
  • This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
  • 'Jōhatsu' means "evaporation," and it usually refers to the process that a liquid changes into the gas phase.
  • 'Jōhatsu' means "evaporation," and it usually refers to the process of that a liquid changing to a gas changes into the gas phase.
     makes no sense to use "that" here
  • When the subject of "evaporation/evaporate" is a person, such as 'kare wa jōhatsu shita' (彼は蒸発した - literally means "he evaporated"), it actually means "he went missing."
  • This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
  • This expression says that just as an evaporated liquid is invisible, so is an evaporated person.
  • This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
  • Incidentally, the process that a substance directly from the solid to the gas state is called 'shōka' (昇華 - "sublimation"), but 'shōka' is rarely used with a person as the subject.
  • Incidentally, the process that of a substance changing directly from the solid to the gas state a solid to a gas is called 'shōka' (昇華 - "sublimation"), but 'shōka' is rarely used with a person as the subject.
     incorrect use of articles/relative pronouns
  • When using it like 'kare wa shōka shita' (彼は昇華した - literally means "he sublimated"), it means something like "he became a higher state (existence) than before".
  • When using it like 'kare wa shōka shita' (彼は昇華した - literally meaning "he sublimated"), it means something like "he reached became a higher state (existence) than before".
     we don't say "become a state"
You can use "evaporate" the same way in English as well (eg. He evaporated.) but it's probably not as common as in Japanese.

I had never heard the word "sublimate." Maybe it's because I never really studied science seriously haha.
Toru
Thank you for the correction and explanation! I learned something new.
I think that about 2-30% of Japanese people understand the meaning of the term 昇華. :)

  • Jōhatsu (蒸発 - Evaporation/Missing)
  • This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
  • Some people around me sometimes do 'jōhatsu' (蒸発).
  • This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
  • 'Jōhatsu' means "evaporation," and it usually refers to the process that a liquid changes into the gas phase.
  • This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
  • When the subject of "evaporation/evaporate" is a person, such as 'kare wa jōhatsu shita' (彼は蒸発した - literally means "he evaporated"), it actually means "he went missing."
  • This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
  • This expression says that just as an evaporated liquid is invisible, so is an evaporated person.
  • This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
  • Incidentally, the process that a substance directly from the solid to the gas state is called 'shōka' (昇華 - "sublimation"), but 'shōka' is rarely used with a person as the subject.
  • This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
  • When using it like 'kare wa shōka shita' (彼は昇華した - literally means "he sublimated"), it means something like "he became a higher state (existence) than before".
  • When using it in a phrase like 'kare wa shōka shita' (彼は昇華した - literally means "he sublimated"), it means something like "he became a higher state (existence) than bhe was before".
Toru
Thank you for correcting my post! :)
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