The end of every year, publishers and other media organizations love to turn out lists of people, things and words that made the news. Back in 1984, publisher Jiyu Kokumin-sha organized a poll to recognize and award the Ryukogo Taisho (Buzzwords of the Year).
Ryukogo (popular word) is composed of ryu or nagareru (to flow), combined with ko or yuku (to go), which gives us a nuance of "going with the flow," i.e., trendy. Ryuko also has a medical application as in ryukosei meaning contagious or easily spread.
Jiyu Kokumin-sha organized the contest to promote its longselling book, "Gendai Yogo no Kiso Chishiki (Encyclopedia of Contemporary Words)." Now in its 60th year, the huge 1,654-page annual compendium of new words, phrases, slang, jargon and acronyms covers dozens of categories. After screening 60 candidates, the top 10 words were announced with great fanfare on Dec. 3.