NIHONGO ON THE GO: Spring 2020 edition

TEXT: Will Morgan, Dan Cohen

Spring, the season of change in Japan, is here. Known for new beginnings, cherry blossoms, and Golden Week, this is a great time to travel and see the sights. This year, however, the hearts and minds of everyone in Japan (and around the world) are gripped by something even more novel. From news programs to water cooler convos, 新型コロナウイルス (shingata korona uirusu - Coronavirus / COVID-t19) is the only thing people are talking about. Let us help you stay in the conversation.

First, here are some words you may see or hear regarding the spread of the virus.

感染者 (kansensha) - a person diagnosed with any virus. Add 数 (sū - the kanji for number) to the end to get the word for the number of infected people.

感染状況 (kansen jōkyō) - the situation regarding the spread of the virus. 拡大 (kakudai) - to grow or spread, often used to refer to the spread of the virus.

検査 (kensa) - exam or test. In this context, it means testing for the virus. クラスター (kurasutā) - cluster. A newly popular loanword referring to groups of people with the virus.

Closures are becoming more common by the day. In Japanese, the word “closure” can depend on the noun to which it’s referring. Heisa (閉鎖) is the generic term for “closure,” but you’re much more likely to see these formations:

休校 (kyūkō) - school closure.

休園 (kyūen) - park closure, like Disneyland or kindergarten

(幼稚園 - yōchien) 休業 (kyūgyō) - business closure.

休館 (kyūkan) - museum, library, or embassy closure.

Did you notice the pattern? 休 (kyū), meaning “to rest” is followed by the defining character of what’s closing. 校 is the crux of school, 園 for park, and so on. 2

We hope these words will be useful to you in conversations and watching the news. Until this global crisis passes, be prepared for repeated 延期 (enki - delays), 中止 (chūshi - cancellations), and possibly even テレワーク (terewāku - telework). Remember to 手を洗って (te wo aratte - wash your hands), and 顔を触るな！ (kao wo sawaru na! - Don’touch your face!)