ゴキブリ
Japanese[edit]
| Alternative spelling |
|---|
| 蜚蠊 |
Alternative forms[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From 御器噛り (gokikaburi), a compound of 御器 (goki, “dish”) + 齧り (kaburi, the 連用形 (ren'yōkei, “stem or continuative form”) of classical verb 齧る (kaburu), “to bite, nibble”). This original form persisted up until the Meiji period.
Due to typographical errors, the か (ka) was omitted, while its original form still exists today in certain dialects. Variations of the word across dialects exist as well. (Can this(+) etymology be sourced?)
The "Sony fanboy" sense originates from "GK", an initialism of "Gate Keeper", a proxy server used by Sony and its various companies. Overzealous Sony fans were thus referred to as "GK-buri", or "GK-esque", which was ultimately corrupted into "gokiburi".[1]
Pronunciation[edit]
Noun[edit]
ゴキブリ or ごきぶり • (gokiburi) (counter 匹)
- a cockroach
- Synonyms: 油虫 (aburamushi, archaic or Kansai dialect), G (jī, slang)
- (slang, derogatory, video games) a Sony fanboy, Sony pony
Usage notes[edit]
As with many terms that name organisms, this term is often spelled in katakana, especially in biological contexts (where katakana is customary), as ゴキブリ.
See also[edit]
- コックローチ (kokkurōchi)
- 芥虫 (akutamushi)
- 角虫 (tsunomushi)
References[edit]
- ^ Brian Ashcraft (2013 June 25) “Why Sony Fans Are Called "Cockroaches" in Japan”, in Kotaku[1], retrieved July 6, 2021
- ^ Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 (in Japanese), Third edition, Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
- ^ NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute, editor (1998), NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 [NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: NHK Publishing, →ISBN