A lot happened in 2023, you only need to look at the language to get a sense of it.
In sports, the Hanshin Tigers ended their 38-year drought and won the Japan Series; in politics, there was the Israel-Hamas war and Ukraine’s slow counteroffensive against Russia; and in climate news, Japan experienced its hottest summer and autumn on record amid growing concerns over how we treat the planet.
With all this going on, the Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation announced its pick for the annual 今年の漢字 (kotoshi no kanji, kanji of the year). It’s a tradition that started in 1995, and can sometimes give us an indication as to what’s going on in the minds of the Japanese public. Or, at least, the people who vote on the kanji.
The winner was not 虎 (tora, tiger), which ranked fourth. Maybe too few baseball fans voted. And 戦 (sen, war/battle), which won the top spot last year, came in third for 2023 (despite there being arguably more war). The kanji 暑 (sho, heat), as in 猛暑 (mōsho, extreme heat) or 暑い (atsui, it’s hot), only took second place.
No, it seems like what is on the minds of people in Japan just now is 税 (zei, tax), our kanji of the year for 2023.
On its own, 税 can also be read as “sei” or “mitsugi” and you’ll see it used in words such as 税金 (zeikin, tax money), 所得税 (shotokuzei, income tax) and 税率 (zeiritsu, tax rate).
「国民がシビアに税の行方を見ている」 (Kokumin ga shibia ni zei no yukue o mite-iru, The public is severely watching how the tax situation will play out), said chief priest Seihan Mori of Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto, where the annual event takes place.「税に対する意識が非常に強いことを改めて感じた」 (Zei ni taisuru ishiki ga hijō ni tsuyoi koto o aratamete kanjita, I was reminded of how strongly people feel about tax).
Mori added: 「世の中は不穏な空気ばかりだが、来年こそは世界の人々が和むような『和』という字が選ばれることを願っている」 (Yo no naka wa fuon no kūki bakari daga, rainen koso wa sekai no hito-bito ga nagomu yōna “wa” to iu ji ga erabareru koto o negatte-iru, The world is filled with an air of instability, but I hope that next year the character for “harmony” will be chosen so that the people of the world can be at peace.)
Unlike in 2014, when 税 was chosen because of an actual tax hike, onlookers were somewhat critical of the choice this year — there has only been talk of a 減税 (genzei, tax cut) for next year that could lead to a possible tax hike, a course of action that, admittedly, has been on the minds of many. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s unclear policy messaging on this has earned him the nickname 増税メガネ (zōzei megane, four-eyed tax-hiker). Perhaps people are weary of the 値上げ (neage, price hikes) that seem to be affecting daily staples such as food and fuel — maybe that should have warranted a different choice for 2023’s kanji?
Some critics also pointed out the irony of the choice with regard to the temple itself, with X user @escapejapan2023 pointing out, 「今年の漢字「税」を非課税の宗教法人(清水寺)が書いて発表してるのかなり皮肉効いてるな」(Kotoshi no kanji “zei” o hikazei no shūkyō hōjin [Kiyomizu-dera] ga kaite happyō shiteru no kanari hiniku kiiteru-na, It’s really ironic to see the kanji of the year, “tax,” written and presented by a tax-exempt religious corporation [Kiyomizu Temple]).
The buzz around ... that thing
Meanwhile, the 新語・流行語大賞 (Shingo, Ryūkōgo Taisho, New Words and Buzzwords Awards), was once again dominated by baseball, with “アレ” (are, that) crowned as the buzzword of the year.
The term was used by Hanshin Tigers manager Akinobu Okada in an effort to avoid using the word 勝つ (katsu, to win) out loud, possibly jinxing the team during the Central League Championship. The indirect reference to ... アレ ... appears to have worked, with the team going on to win the Japan Series for the first time in nearly four decades.
Other sports-related terms that made the top 10 buzzwords list included the No. 7 pick “ペッパーミルパフォーマンス” (peppā-miru pafōmansu, pepper mill performance), a reference to outfielder Lars Nootbar’s celebrations during the World Baseball Classic, and, at No. 10, “4年ぶり/声出し応援” (yo-nen buri/koedashi ōen, first time in four years, cheering out loud), which represents the fact that sports fans can once again cheer out loud after the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions.
Terms relating to social issues also featured prominently among this year’s buzzwords. The problem of “アーバンベア” (āban bea, urban bears) came in at No. 3, with OSO18 referring to the name of one bear that attacked cattle and eluded authorities in Hokkaido. At No. 9 was “闇バイト” (yami baito), which is the word for “shady part-time jobs” that involve digitally-linked recruitment.
Fifth and sixth place were awarded to “生成AI” (seisei ai, generative AI) and “地球沸騰化” (chikyū futtōka, global boiling), respectively. In fourth place was “蛙化現象” (kaerukagenshō, the “frogification” phenomenon, or “getting the ick”). The term refers to 気持ちが急速に冷めてしまう (kimochi ga kyūsoku ni sameteshimau, quickly losing feelings for someone) after seeing a certain act or habit. The amphibian reference comes from “The Frog Prince” fairy tale.
Rounding out the list were “新しい学校のリーダーズ／首振りダンス” (Atarashii Gakko! no Rīdāzu / Kubi furi dansu, Atarashii Gakko! / head-swinging dance”) in second place, and “観る将” (mirushō, watching shogi) at No. 8, a reference to how shogi player Sota Fujii has captivated audiences on TV.
Does Japan got rizz?
Earlier this month, the Oxford English Dictionary chose “リズ” (rizu, rizz) as its word of the year.
The term is shorthand for カリスマ (karisuma, charisma) and is defined as: 他者を自身のセンスや魅力などで惹きつける力 (tasha o jishin no sensu ya miryoku nado de hikitsukeru chikara, the ability to attract someone with your style and charm).
Japanese slang doesn’t seem to have a proper equivalent to リズ. Instead, you could describe someone who has リズ as 魅力的 (miryoku-teki, attractive/charming) or 素敵 (suteki, attractive/good-looking).
For example, you might say: あの人はとても魅力的だと思う (Ano hito wa totetmo miryokuteki da to omou, I think that person is very charming). Or, to be more straightforward: あの人は素敵だ (Ano hito wa suteki da, That person is lovely/attractive).
“リズ”は相手を誘惑することも意味する (“Rizu” wa aite o yūwaku suru koto mo imi suru, The term “rizz” also conveys the idea of seducing someone).
According to Oxford, use of the term increased drastically in June after the actor Tom Holland was asked about his own リズ in an interview.
「僕にはリズが全くない」 (Boku ni wa rizu ga mattaku nai, I have no rizz), he replied, adding, 「リズは必要ない」 (Rizu wa hitsuyō nai, I don’t have the need for rizz). His reason for the follow-up? Holland is currently happy in a stable relationship with fellow actor Zendaya.
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