ダジャレ. A form of wordplay which suggests two or more meanings, by exploiting multiple meanings of words, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. Although puns are usually immediately recognizable by a native speaker, they can be very difficult for a learner to understand.
Questions tagged [puns]
51 questions
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Why is ふとんがふとんだ a pun?
I was reading an article about how the humour in the Yakuza games gets translated into English, and in the original Japanese a pun is made.
ふとんがふとんだ
The article says it is a play on words. But I cannot find any explanation online but I do see a…
VictorySaber
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What are the origins of 掘った芋いじるな (hotta imo ijiru na)?
The gag expression 掘った芋いじるな (hotta imo ijiruna) sounds to japanese ears uncannily like "What time is it now?" I'm guessing this is Showa era humour, since English probably sounded more foreign then than now.
Does anyone know the origin of this…
crunchyt
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"Alumi can" and "aru mikan" pun in Space Brothers anime
The subtitles don't explain this pun/joke at all in the episode 87 of Space Brothers anime, but I'd like to figure out how it works.
There's a lot of repeating "arumi can" and "aru mikan" in the pun. The pun is obviously about an aluminum can, and…
user1306322
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Japanese pun to pronounce an English phrase
I have once heard that, during World War II, when the American Troops invaded Okinawa, they wanted the Japanese civilians to surrender, and in order to let the Japanese say the phrase "I surrender", the Americans threw fliers from the air that…
user458
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1 answer
Is Gelbooru a Japanese pun like how Danbooru is Cardboard?
Is Gelbooru (ゲルブール) a Japanese pun like how Danbooru is Cardboard (段ボール)?
I don't think so, especially with that barely attested transliteration, but my only other guess on the name origin is that it's using "Gel" like a Brit, a.k.a a Board of…
Malady
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Where is the pun in 22 and "nyan"?
Can someone please explain the pun? I don't see the relation between 22 and nyan.
猫【ねこ】の鳴【な】き声【ごえ】「ニャン」の語呂合【ごろあ】わせから「猫【ねこ】の日【ひ】」とされる2月【がつ】22日【にち】を前【まえ】に、調査【ちょうさ】結果【けっか】をまとめて公表【こうひょう】した
The survey results were compiled and released in advance of…
Ned Reif
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Is “Hello Kitty” a pun for “I’m excited”?
I was trying to decode this text on my mom’s chopsticks. I think it is はろうきてぃ. Is it a coincidence that it kind of sounds like “Hello Kitty” when I plug it into Google Translate, but translates to, “I’m excited”?
user16323