How To Say Your Gay In Japanese

Published June 6th, 2022

Pride month is hither! To celebrate LGBT communities around the earth, let'due south acquire some LGBT terms in Japanese.

Start off, the term for sexual orientation is 性的指向 (せいてきしこう, seiteki shikō). The concept of different sexual orientations is somewhat new in Nihon. Therefore, LGBT representation and acknowledgement have only recently come into the spotlight. Younger generations are more vocal about LGBT rights and representation, and then these terms accept simply recently reached the general public. Since sexual orientation is only now making headway in mainstream Japan, many of its LGBT-related terms are loanwords.

For case, the term "coming out" in Japanese is カミングアウト (kamingu auto), a literal translation of the English language phrase.

Homosexuality

The scientific term for homosexuality in Japanese is 同性愛 (どうせいあい, douseiai). Information technology literally translates to "aforementioned sex dear" since 同 (どう) means same, 性 (せい) ways sex or gender, and 愛 (あい), of course, means love! This blueprint volition be seen throughout the orientations we wait at below.

To say "homosexual/gay person" you add together 者 (しゃ), which means person, to create 同性愛者 (どうせいあいしゃ).

The English language loanword ホモセクシュアル (homosekushuaru) is also used. This term is sometimes shortened to ホモ (human being), though this tin be offensive to some.

Gay

The almost common term used for "gay" is likewise a loanword: ゲイ (gei).

Lesbian

The same goes for lesbian: レズビアン (rezubian).

The shortened version, ビアン (bian), is the nigh used version. It can also exist shortened to レズ (rezu).

Bisexual

The official term for bisexuality in Japanese is 両性愛 (りょうせいあい, ryousei ai). This is very similar to the term for homosexuality, nevertheless, in this example, 両 (りょう, ryo) is used, which ways both or two.

The term バイセクシャル (baisekusharu) is too used. Like in English, it is oft abbreviated and written equally バイ (bai) to hateful bi.

Pansexual

The concept of pansexuality is not well-known in Japanese society. Even so, it has an official title: 全性愛 (ぜんせいさい, zenseiai). 全 (ぜん, zen) means "all" and so the term literally translates to "all sexual practice love."

The much more common term for pansexual, withal, is the loanword パンセクシャル (pansekusharu). Information technology is also shortened to just パン (pan) similar in English!

Asexual

Asexuality is a lack of sexual allure. In Japanese, the official term is 無性愛 (むせいあい, museiai), because 無 (む, mu) ways no. Literally "No sex love."

Like the other phrases, the more usually used term is the English loanword: アセクシュアル (asekushuaru).

If a person has no sexual allure simply does feel romantic attraction, we typically use the term "aromantic" in English. In Japanese, this orientation is known every bit ノンセクシュアル (nonsekusharu), literally "non-sexual." Information technology tin can be shortened to ノンセク (nonseku). The official term is 非性愛 (ひせあい, hiseiai).

Heterosexuality

Let's also look at the terms for heterosexuality.

The official term for heterosexuality is 異性愛 (いせいあい, iseiai). 異(い) ways reverse or unlike, so this term translates to "opposite sex love."

A common slang word for straight is ノンケ (nonke). This give-and-take comes from the English prefix "non" and the Japanese word 気 (き), which, in this example, means "feeling." The term originated in the LGBT community, and then information technology is used by and large within the customs, but is withal common knowledge. It generally refers to directly men.

Loanwords are too used: ストレート (sutorēto) ways straight and ヘテロ (hetero) is the same as in English.

Gender

The concept of gender identity is rather new in Japan, and then information technology is non besides-known or as understood as it is in some countries. Due to this, the term for gender identity, 性自認 (せいじにん, seijinin), is not often used.

Transgender

The almost common term for transgender is トランスジェンダー (toransujenda). It can be shortened to トランス (toransu) or トラ (tora).

The terms FtM (Female person to Male) and MtF (Male to Female) are also used the aforementioned as they are in English language. They are not common knowledge in the general public, just are used within the trans community.

Nonbinary

Different most of the other terms, nonbinary does not have an official term or loanword. This is because the concept is much newer in Nippon and awareness is simply just showtime.

The term closest to nonbinary or gender-queer in Japanese is 10-ジェンダー (ekusu jenda) which can also be written as エクスジェンダー.

Reclaimed Terms

おかま

Yous may have heard of sexualities in Japanese being compared to cooking pots. The term おかま (okama) is believed to take originated during the Edo period (1604 and 1867). Its official definition is rice pot. The pot became a euphemism for a person'southward–particularly a male'due south–backside. From that, information technology became a derogatory term used to draw gay men, drag queens, and trans women. This word can be offensive and so information technology should not exist used to refer to a person or grouping. Notwithstanding, some in the LGBT community accept reclaimed the term and employ it to describe themselves. It is especially common amongst drag queens now.

おなべ

The female counterpart to おかま is おなべ (onabe), which means cooking pan. This word is used to describe lesbians, trans men, and even tomboys. Like おかま, information technology is a derogatory term that has been reclaimed by some who desire to utilize it to describe themselves.

おこげ

The last cooking term is not an LGBT word, per se. It is おこげ (okoge), which literally means "burnt rice stuck to the pot." This term refers to women, specially straight women, who love gay men, prefer their visitor, and/or fetishize them. This term is mostly used by the LGBT customs.

Blanket Terms

The loanword クィア (kuia) is the literal translation of the word "queer." In English, queer has become a reclaimed discussion that many in the LGBT community employ to depict themselves. In Japanese, the give-and-take is by and large used in an academic sense. It may be seen in research papers, news manufactures, and similar platforms.

Another term found in news articles in addition to common conversation is "sexual minority." The official term used for this is 性的少数者 (せいたきしょうすうしゃ, seiteki shousuusha). It is also referred to past its loanword 性的マイノリティー (せいてきマイノリティー, seiteki mainoriti), which can be shortened to セクマイ (sekumai). "Sexual minority" is used both inside and outside the LGBT customs. It is an umbrella term for anyone inside the LGBT customs, aka the sexual minority.

Source: https://www.nihongomaster.com/blog/40-japanese-words-for-pride-month

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