What is Mottainai?
A keyword for global environment issues, meaning “Don’t waste what is valuable.” According to the prestigious Japanese dictionary Kojien, the word mottainai (pronounced moat-tie-nigh) is most commonly used to express a feeling of regret when something is put to waste without deriving its value.
What a waste Japanese phrase?
Mottainai is a Japanese term conveying a sense of regret concerning waste. The expression “Mottainai!” can be uttered as an exclamation when something useful, such as food or even our time, is wasted, meaning roughly “what a waste!”
How to use mottainai?
‘What a Waste’ Finally, mottainai can also be used to describe another situation: when something or someone is too good for you. It’s essentially another way to say, “What a waste!” Let’s hope you never hear your partner say you’re mottainai for them!
What is Mondainai?
no problem is a problem.
How is Mottainai used in Japan today?
In contemporary Japanese, mottainai is most commonly used to indicate that something is being discarded needlessly, or to express regret at such a fact.
What is the meaning of alarming ‘?
: causing people to feel danger or alarm or to be worried or frightened alarming news The statistics revealed an alarming increase in childhood obesity.
What do Japanese people say when you walk in?
Upon entering a restaurant, customers are greeted with the expression “irasshaimase” meaning “welcome, please come in”. The waiter or waitress will ask you how many people are in your party and then lead you to your table.
What is the theme of Mottainai?
The idea of mottainai emphasizes the appreciation toward food and the understanding of its finiteness. The idea of mottainai seemed to guide the participants’ behavior in various everyday situations and facilitated precision in consuming ingredients fully.
What is the theme of mottainai?
How does the word mottainai inspire people to live their lives?
The term in Japanese conveys a sense of regret over waste; the exclamation “mottainai!” can translate as “What a waste!” Japanese environmentalists have used the term to encourage people to “reduce, reuse and recycle”, and Kenyan environmentalist Wangari Maathai used the term at the United Nations as a slogan to …
What does the word mottainai mean in Japanese?
We often use the word, “mottainai” to let people know that “It’s a waste!” However, that is not the only meaning we associate in Japanese. Sometimes, we use Mottainai, meaning “too much”, or “too good” for ourselves. When you use “Mottainai” in this context, you are putting yourself lower than the person you are speaking to.
Which is an example of the modern spirit of mottainai?
Please try again later. Rice, the staple of Japan, is probably the quintessential example of the modern spirit of mottainai. Children are warned not to leave a single grain of rice in their bowls at the dinner table—such wastefulness is mottainai!
What was the purpose of the Mottainai campaign?
The “Mottainai Campaign” to protect the environment continues to this day. It was said that the word held a special place in the lives of the people of Edo during the Edo Period (1603-1868).