Just the FAQs, ma'am, just the FAQsThe incomplete, unauthoritative answers to some, but not all, of your questions on life in Japanupdated August 05, 2001 |
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bosozoku -- Young kids that ride around in souped up cars/motorcycles/scooters, breaking traffic laws and creating public disturbances. Often associated with gang-like activity, and are the main recruiting pool of yakuza thugs. [rg]
chapatsu -- cha (brown) + hatsu (hair); someone with black hair who has lightened it to a brownish tint. [rg]
enjokosai -- Compensated dating ("dating for dollars"). Older men pay schoolgirls for companionship and sometimes more. [rg]
freeter -- A young Japanese who bounces from one dead-end (usually part-time) job to another. Often they save enough money for a vacation or purchase, then quit and get a new job when they get back/run out of money. [rg]
oyaji -- Middle-aged man. NB: the definition of "middle-aged" varies widely! [rg]
©YMMV