{"id":63010,"date":"2015-09-11T14:25:19","date_gmt":"2015-09-11T05:25:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cotoacademy.com\/otsubone\/"},"modified":"2026-01-19T12:16:01","modified_gmt":"2026-01-19T03:16:01","slug":"otsubone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cotoacademy.com\/ja\/otsubone\/","title":{"rendered":"Japanese slang: Otsubone"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

During you learning, knowing some Japanese slangs is a nice and fun\u00a0way to\u00a0deepen your\u00a0vocabulary. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not only will you speak more fluently but you will\u00a0sound more like a\u00a0native speaker. Moreover, slang gives you an interesting point of view on society. Let\u2019s learn more\u00a0about Japanese slang with the word “otsubone”.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The working place is not always kind to female workers. Particularly in\u00a0Japan, it is proven to be difficult for a woman<\/strong> to have a career. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Indeed, traditionnally, a woman is expected to get married and have a family and this point of view is still strong. For many Japanese, after her marriage, an office lady\u00a0will – should – quit her job to become a housewife.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But in those last decades, Japanese women are more and more willing to keep working<\/strong>, despite the few chances to get a promotion, and do not<\/strong> get married<\/strong>. In Japanese slang<\/strong>, they are called “otsubone<\/strong>“.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Otsubone is an archaism. Historically, the word was a title of honour given to a woman of high ranking, serving the Imperial Houshold or the Imperial Court. To tell the truth, an otsubone was a respected capable woman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The word was diverted from its original meaning in the 90s, and became a Japanese slang word. Nowadays,\u00a0an “otsubone” is an office lady\u00a0over a certain age<\/strong> and level of seniority<\/strong> in a Japanese company\u00a0who is often single<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although she\u00a0has worked in the office for a long time in the same division, she commands others. She is not interested in promotion or pay-raise, but she became influential from behind in the office.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She is perceived as intimidating and her coworkers feel she is frequently complaining. Even though she is a regular employee, coworkers will treat her with respect, just like they would with the head of the division. Not sure to get the idea yet? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let’s see a conversation example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A\uff1a\u3000\u6628\u65e5\u3001\u304a\u3064\u307c\u306d\u306b\u7d50\u5a5a\u306e\u5831\u544a\u3092\u3057\u305f\u3089\u3001\u4e88\u60f3\u901a\u308a\u5acc\u5473\u3092\u8a00\u308f\u308c\u305f\u306e\u3002
B\uff1a\u3000\u3084\u3063\u3071\u308a\u306d\u30fc\u3002\u672c\u5f53\u3001\u3042\u306e\u4eba\u82e6\u624b\u3002\u3002\u3002\u3002<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A: Kin\u014d, otsu bone ni kekkon no h\u014dkoku o shitara, yos\u014d-d\u014dri iyami o iwa reta no.
B: Yappari nee. Hont\u014d, ano hito nigate…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A: Yesterday, when I informed that Ms. Bossy Pants about my marriage she said something rude, just as I expected she would.
B: That’s not surprising. I really can’t stand that woman …<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another example…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\uff21\uff1a\u96ea\u56fd\u80b2\u3061\u304a\u3064\u307c\u306d\u306e\u5f71\u97ff\u306b\u3088\u308a\u3001\u307e\u3060\u6696\u623f\u3092\u3064\u3051\u308b\u3053\u3068\u304c\u3067\u304d\u307e\u305b\u3093\u3002
\u5168\u54e1\u306f\u9707\u3048\u306a\u304c\u3089\u4ed5\u4e8b\u3092\u3057\u3066\u3044\u307e\u3059\u30fb\u30fb\u30fb
B\uff1a\u30a6\u30ef\u30fc\u3001\u5927\u5909\u3067\u3059\u306d\uff01<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A: Yukiguni sodachi otsu bone no eiky\u014d ni yori, mada danb\u014d o tsukeru koto ga dekimasen.
Zen’in wa furuenagara shigoto o shite imasu…
B: Uwaa, taihen desu ne!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A: Because Ms bossy pants got raised in a cold place, we cannot start the heater yet.
Everyone has to work while shivering…
B: Uhr, must be hard!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Translation of otsubone is not quite easy, but it would be\u00a0close to “straw boss” or “Ms. Bossy Pants<\/strong>” in English. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The word ostubone has a negative<\/strong> image and is often used when gossiping behind someone’s back.\u00a0It\u00a0connotes spitefulness<\/strong> and a tendency to nag.\u00a0You shall not used it\u00a0for your senior coworkers that you look up to with respect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Click this link to read about Japanese Slang : Deki-Kon \u3067\u304d\u5a5a<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Credit CC BY 2.0: Nestor Lacle
Title: West Shinjuku Silhouettes
source: Flickr <\/a><\/em><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
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