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The Japanese writing system consists of three major components — kanji (sinographs), hiragana (cursive syllabary), and katakana (block syllabary).  I would argue that rōmaji (roman letters) are a fourth component.  We have rehearsed and rehashed their different lexical, morphological, and grammatical functions so often that I don't want to waste time going over them again now.  Since we are focusing on katakana in this post, I will merely mention that their main roles are the following:

• transcription of foreign-language words into Japanese
• the writing of loan words (collectively gairaigo)
• emphasis; to represent onomatopoeia
• for technical and scientific terms
• for names of plants, animals, minerals
• often for the names of Japanese companies

(Wikipedia)

Since the time I began studying Japanese half a century ago, I've always felt that the proportion of katakana has been growing at the expense of kanji (Chinese characters).  I've often written about that phenomenon and usually attribute one of the main reasons for this dramatic scriptal shift to the fact that katakana are far, far easier to master and write than kanji, and you can transcribe the sounds of the words you want to express with katakana (and hiragana) faster than with kanji.  (Many Japanese have openly confessed to me that they themselves have reduced their kanji usage for these reasons, plus sheer kanji amnesia.)  Now, however, Hiroko Yoda points out another reason for the pronounced proliferation of katakana that, in the past, I had only been tacitly aware of:  the vast increase in the number of borrowed words (especially from English) in Japanese.  Her post, moreover, has direct implications for parallel developments in China and Korea.  She also has some profound things to say about  translation versus transcription.

How do you say “woke” in Japanese?
A slight linguistic difference illuminates big cultural ones
Hiroko Yoda, Japan Happiness (11/30/24)

This is a lengthy, insightful post, one not likely to come your way outside of Language Log, so I will quote large chunks of it here:

…

Several months ago, the Asahi Shimbun ran a piece about “woke” and how its meaning shifted in English. I worked for many years as a Japanese translator, so I’m always curious about how American slang is translated. Mostly, we render foreign words into Japanese using katakana. But “woke” is uōku (ウォーク), the same as the commonly used transliteration of “walk,” which can be confusing. Early on, many outlets did use variations of this (such as uōku bunka, “Woke culture”) with a big chunk of explanation, but it’s clunky. You might think a straight translation could work, like mezameta (目覚めた), “awaken.” But this sounds like something a cult leader would exhort you to do. So that’s no good, either.

More recently, some Japanese media outlets, including the Asahi, are attempting to translate the concept as “something like ishikii takai kei*.” This is modern Japanese slang for a “highly conscious-presenting” person. Breaking it down, Ishiki is conscious or aware, and takai is high, which together feel positive. But the addition of the kei subverts things. It implies a sort of pose. So ishiki takai kei has a mocking, even condescending ring to it in Japanese.

[*VHM:  For a syllable by syllable exegesis of ishiki takai kei, see "Keywords" below.]

…

In recent years, the phrase has continued to evolve. Young people have embraced its opposite, ishiki hikui-kei, or “those who act with low consciousness,” as an ironic catchphrase. This evokes similar youth movements abroad – the “lying down” phenomenon in China, or South Korea’s “N-po” (giving-up) generation. Ishiki hikui-kei is about abandoning ambition, expectation, and even hope for society, in favor of living a happy go-lucky life on your own terms. It’s less about personal growth than survival – kind of like playing the game of life on easy mode.

Because of all of this, I don’t think ishiki takai kei is a good translation for “woke.” “Woke” refers to a state of mind about society. But ishiki takai kei is a statement about individuals — essentially, a style. It is far too light of a sentiment to convey the strong emotions “woke” evokes among Americans, whether supporters or detractors. So what to do instead?

The fundamental problem with “woke” is that it isn’t inherently descriptive. It is deliberately vague, which is why it has gained so much traction, for it can mean different things to different people in different contexts. When I worked as a translator, I sometimes encountered words that were so freighted with cultural meaning that rendering them in translation could undermine them. This is why English speakers call samurai samurai, and sushi sushi, for “ancient Japanese warriors” and “raw fish on vinegared rice” don’t really evoke what these things are.

“Woke,” with all of its baggage from the American culture wars, seems to be another case. Tellingly, the Japanese Wikipedia page on the topic leaves “woke” in English, not even bothering to use katakana. And I don’t see this as a cop-out. Quite the contrary. “Woke” is a slippery thing, impossible to pin down without taking sides. Yet that’s exactly what ishiki takai kei does: in being condescending, it sides with the critics of “woke.” But the job of a translation isn’t taking sides. It’s in giving readers the context to make their own decisions.

“Woke” is less a word than a litmus test. Leaving it as-is makes the reader dig deeper and learn more without biasing them one way or the other. Just as it did for me, when I first encountered it myself. Sometimes, no translation is the best translation of all.

And now for the "bottom cartoon", as it were:

“‘Brain storming! Logical thinking! Synergy effect! Initiative! Flexibility!!’ – SO ANNOYING”

Explanation and analysis by Nathan Hopson:

1. 系

In its meaning of "type," 系 conveys also "(proto/stereo)type" and those individuals or groups who conform to a prototype, stereotype, or model. Common examples from pop culture include:

萌え系 = moe

癒し系 = healing

In other words, it expresses the idea of generic-ness. Genres have generic conventions, and 〜系 implies conformity to those conventions.

It's also used for model series in train designations, for example. The Shinkansen started with 0系, went through 100系, and now has H5系, etc. The point is the same, however. This is a "genre" of train with shared characteristics, with one underlying prescriptive model shared by all.

2. "Annoying"

That's ウザイ (also ウザい, うざい, etc.)

It's probably more common in current Japanese to use マジ ("seriously") than まさに ("truly") as the modifier, but this reads normally to me.

The (over)use of katakana to introduce new, foreign concepts — often without explanation, so it feels like you're the idiot if you don't understand — can be quite overwhelming and demoralizing. It's not hard to see why some people find this annoying.

It might be analogous to intellectuals who insist on dropping untranslated French terms from Continental philosophy into everyday conversation. For some listeners, that kind of assertion of cultural capital can be まさにウザイ.

Keywords

• ishiki-takai-kei 意識高い系
• ishiki 意識 ("consciousness; awareness")
• takai 高い ("high [level]; above average [in degree, quality," etc.])​
• kei 系 ("system; lineage; group")

woke (adj.)

Shortened from woken or woke(n) up, or dialectal use of woke (past participle of wake). The sense of being aware of social injustice dates to at least the 1930s. The derogatory use has been most commonly used as of the 2020s.

(dialect, African-American Vernacular or slang) Awake: conscious and not asleep… aware of what is going on, or well-informed, especially in racial and other social justice issues.

Usage notes

Like politically correct and social justice warrior, woke started off as a positive word used by people to describe themselves and their behavior but, in some contexts, gained negative connotations over time. Some derogatory uses of woke refer to people who would self-identify as woke, whose actions are deemed to be overzealous, performative, insincere, or intellectually dishonest.

Furthermore, the widespread negative use of woke, including within mainstream politics, led to its use to sarcastically or ironically lament non-existent restrictions or deride subjects that are objectionable for reasons unrelated to political correctness (most widely in the catchphrase "because of woke") or to refer to rightists who act or believe similarly to those derogatorily called woke (chiefly in the phrase "woke right".)

(Wiktionary)

Selected readings

• "A plethora of katakana?" (1/13/25)
• "More katakana, fewer kanji" (4/4/16)
• "Mix and match Japanese orthography" (4/17/24)
• "A Bit Too Self-Conscious: 意識高い系", Alejandro Wainzinger, Medium (4/4/18)

[Thanks to John Rohsenow]

April 2, 2025 @ 7:34 pm · Filed by Victor Mair under Language and culture, Transcription, Translation, Writing systems

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