Editing Kansai dialect (section)

== Vocabulary ==
[[File:Osaka dialect signboard in Tenjinbashi.JPG|thumb|300px|A signboard utilizing Osakan words; from top left: ''irau'' "to touch", ''sukatan'' "foolish", ''hotaeru'' "to be noisy", ''kotekote'' "thickly", ''gonta'' "mischievous person", ''chokeru'' "to be silly", ''gera'' "merry drinker", ''yatsushi'' "smart dresser", ''anjō'' "well", ''nannato'' "whatever" and ''ikezu'' "spiteful"]]
In some cases, Kansai dialect uses entirely different words. The verb ''hokasu'' corresponds to standard Japanese ''suteru'' "to throw away", and ''metcha'' corresponds to the standard Japanese slang ''chō'' "very". ''Chō,'' in Kansai dialect, means "a little" and is a contracted form of ''chotto.'' Thus the phrase ''chō matte'' "wait a minute" by a Kansai person sounds strange to a Tokyo person.

Some Japanese words gain entirely different meanings or are used in different ways when used in Kansai dialect. One such usage is of the word ''naosu'' (usually used to mean "correct" or "repair" in the standard language) in the sense of "put away" or "put back." For example, ''kono jitensha naoshite'' means "please put back this bicycle" in Kansai, but many standard speakers are bewildered since in standard Japanese it would mean "please repair this bicycle".

Another widely recognized Kansai-specific usage is of ''aho''. Basically equivalent to the standard ''baka'' "idiot, fool", ''aho'' is both a term of reproach and a term of endearment to the Kansai speaker, somewhat like English ''twit'' or ''silly''. ''Baka'', which is used as "idiot" in most regions, becomes "complete moron" and a stronger insult than ''aho''. Where a Tokyo citizen would almost certainly object to being called ''baka'', being called ''aho'' by a Kansai person is not necessarily much of an insult. Being called ''baka'' by a Kansai speaker is however a much more severe criticism than it would be by a Tokyo speaker. Most Kansai speakers cannot stand being called ''baka'' but don't mind being called ''aho''.

=== Well-known words ===
Here are some words and phrases famous as part of the Kansai dialect:

{| class="wikitable" align="center" cellpadding="7" style="clear:both;"
|-align="center"
!Kansai dialect!!accent!!Standard Japanese!!English!!Note!!Example
|-
|'''[[wikt:明かん|akan]]''' or '''akahen'''
|H-H-H, H-L-L-L
|''dame'', ''ikemasen'', ''shimatta''
|wrong, no good, must, oh no!
|abbreviation of "''[[wikt:埒が明く|rachi ga akanu]]''"; '''akimasen''' or '''akimahen''' (H-H-H-H-H) for polite speech; ''-ta(ra) akan'' means "must not ..."; ''-na akan'' and ''-nto akan'' means "must ...".
|''Tabetara akan.'' = "You must not eat." : ''Tabena/Tabento akan'' = "You must eat."
|-
|'''[[wiktionary:阿呆|aho]]''', '''ahō'''
|L-HL, L-H-L
|''baka''
|silly, idiot, fool
|sometimes used friendly with a joke; this accompanies a stereotype that ''baka'' is considered a much more serious insult in Kansai; '''Ahondara''' (L-L-L-H-L) is strong abusive form; '''Ahokusai''' (L-L-H-L-L) and '''Ahorashii'''(L-L-H-L-L) are adjective form; originally ''ahau'' and said to derive from a Chinese word {{lang-zh|c=阿呆|p=ā dāi|labels=no}} in [[Muromachi period]].<ref>Osamu Matsumoto (1993). {{nihongo|全国アホ・バカ分布考―はるかなる言葉の旅路|Zenkoku Aho Baka Bunpu-kō}}. {{ISBN|4872331168}}</ref>
|''Honma aho ya naa.'' = "You are really silly."
|-
|'''[[wikt:別嬪|beppin]]'''
|H-H-H
|''bijin''
|beautiful woman
|Originally written 別品, meaning a product of exceptional quality; extrapolated to apply to women of exceptional beauty, rewritten as 別嬪. Often appended with ''-san''.
|''Beppin-san ya na.'' = "You are a pretty woman."
|-
|'''charinko''', '''chari'''
|
|''jitensha''
|bicycle
|said to derive either from [[onomatopoeia]] of the bell, or corrupted from ''jajeongeo'', a [[Korean language|Korean]] word for "bicycle" used by [[Zainichi Korean|Osaka-born Koreans]]. Has spread out to most of Japan in recent decades.
|''Eki made aruite ikun?'' ''Uun, chari de iku wa.'' ("Are you walking to the station?" "No, I'm going by bike.")
|-
|'''[[wikt:ちゃう|chau]]'''
|H-H
|''chigau'', ''de wa nai'', ''janai''
|that isn't it, that isn't good, nope, wrong
|[[reduplication]] ''chau chau'' is often used for informal negative phrase
|''Are, chauchau chau?'' ''Chau chau, chauchau chau n chau?'' = "It is a [[Chow Chow]], isn't it?" "No, it isn't a Chow Chow, is it?" (a famous pun with Kansai dialect)
|-
|'''dabo'''
|L-HL
|''baka''
|silly, idiot, fool
|used in Kobe and Banshu; harsher than ''aho''
|
|-
|'''donai'''
|H-H-H
|''donna'', ''dō''
| how ([[demonstrative]])
|'''konai''' means ''konna'' (such, like this); '''sonai''' means ''sonna'' (such, like it); '''anai''' means ''anna'' (such, like that)
|''Donai yatta?'' = "How was it?"
|-
|'''do'''
|
|
|excessively ([[prefix]])
|often used with bad meanings; also used in several dialects and recently standard Japanese
|''do-aho'' = "terribly fool" ''do-kechi'' = "terribly miser"
|-
|'''dotsuku'''
|H-H-H
|''naguru''
|to clobber somebody
|''do'' + ''tsuku'' (突く; prick, push); also ''dozuku''
|''Anta, dotsuku de!'' = "Hey, I'll clobber you!"
|-
|'''donkusai'''
|L-L-H-L-L
|''manuke'', ''nibui''
|stupid, clumsy, inefficient, lazy
|literally "slow-smelling" ({{linktext|鈍}}臭い)
|
|-
|'''ee'''
|L-H
|''yoi'', ''ii''
|good, proper, all right
|used only in Plain form; other conjugations are same as ''yoi'' (Perfective form ''yokatta'' generally does not change ''ekatta''); also used in other western Japan and Tohoku
|''Kakko ee de.'' = "You look cool."
|-
|'''egetsunai'''
|H-H-H-L-L
|''akudoi'', ''iyarashii'', ''rokotsu-na''
|indecent, vicious, obnoxious
|
|''Egetsunai yarikata'' = "Indecent way"
|-
|'''erai'''
|H-L-L
|''erai'', ''taihen''
|great, high-status, terrible, terribly
|the usage as meaning "terrible" and "terribly" is more often in Kansai than in Tokyo; also sometimes used as meaning "tired" as ''shindoi'' in Chubu and western Japan
|''Erai kotcha!'' (< ''erai koto ja'') = "It is a terrible/difficult thing/matter!"
|-
|'''gotsui'''
|H-L-L
|''ikatsui'', ''sugoi''
|rough, huge
|a variation of the adjective form ''gottsu'' is used as "very" or "terribly" like ''metcha''
|''[[Downtown no Gottsu Ee Kanji|Gottsu ee kanji]]'' = "feelin' real good"
|-
|'''gyōsan'''
|H-L-L-L or L-L-H-L
|''takusan''
|a lot of, many
|also '''yōsan''', may be a mixture of ''gyōsan'' and ''yōke''; also used in other western Japan; {{linktext|仰}}{{linktext|山}} in kanji
|''Gyōsan tabe ya.'' = "Eat heartily."
|-
|'''hannari'''
|H-L-L-L or L-L-H-L
|''hanayaka'', ''jōhin''
|elegant, splendid, graceful
|mainly used in Kyoto
|''Hannari-shita kimono'' = "Elegant kimono"
|-
|'''hiku'''
|H-H
|''shiku''
|to spread on a flat surface (e.g. bedding, butter)
|A result of the palatalization of "s" occurring elsewhere in the dialect.
|''Futon hiitoite ya.'' = "Lay out the futons, will you?"
|-
|'''hokasu'''
|H-H-H
|''suteru''
|to throw away, to dump
|also '''horu''' (H-H). Note particularly that the phrase "''gomi (o) hottoite''" means "throw out the garbage" in Kansai dialect, but "let the garbage be" in standard Japanese.
|''Sore hokashitoite.'' = "Dump it."
|-
|'''honde'''
|H-H-H
|''sorede''
|and so, so that ([[Grammatical conjunction|conjunction]])
|
|''Honde na, kinō na, watashi na...'' = "And, in yesterday, I..."
|-
|'''honnara''', '''hona'''
|H-H-L-L, H-L
|''(sore)dewa'', ''(sore)ja'', ''(sore)nara''
|then, in that case, if that's true (conjunction)
|often used for informal good-by.
|''Hona mata.'' = "Well then."
|-
|'''[[wikt:ほんま|honma]]'''
|L-L-H, H-H-H
|''hontō''
|true, real
|'''honma-mon''', equivalent to Standard ''honmono'', means "genuine thing"; also used in other western Japan; {{linktext|本}}{{linktext|真}} in kanji
|''Sore honma?'' = "Is that true?"
|-
|'''ikezu'''
|L-H-L
|''ijiwaru''
|spiteful, ill-natured
|
|''Ikezu sentoitee na.'' = "Don't be spiteful to me."
|-
|'''itemau''', '''itekomasu'''
|H-H-H-H, H-H-H-H-H
|''yattsukeru'', ''yatchimau''
|to beat, to finish off
|
|''Itemau do, ware!'' = "I'll finish you off!" (typical fighting words)
|-
|'''kamahen''' or '''kamehen'''
|H-L-L-L
|''kamawanai''
|never mind; it doesn't matter
|abbreviation of "''kamawahen''"
|''Kamahen, kamahen.'' = "It doesn't matter: it's OK."
|-
|'''kanawan'''
|H-H-L-L
|''iya da'', ''tamaranai''
|can't stand it; unpleasant; unwelcome
|also '''kanan''' (H-L-L)
|''Kō atsui to kanawan naa.'' = "I can't stand this hot weather."
|-
|'''kashiwa'''
|L-H-L
|''toriniku''
|[[chicken (food)]]
|compared the colour of plumage of chickens to the colour of leaves of the ''[[Quercus dentata|kashiwa]]''; also used in other western Japan and Nagoya
|''Kashiwa hito-kire chōdai.'' = "Give me a cut of chicken."
|-
|'''kattaa shatsu''', '''kattā'''
|H-H-H L-L, H-L-L
|''wai shatsu'' ("Y-shirt")
|[[dress shirt]]
|[[wasei-eigo]]. originally a brand of [[Mizuno Corp.|Mizuno]], a sportswear company in Osaka. ''kattaa'' is a [[pun]] of "cutter" and "''katta''" (won, beat, overcame).
|
|-
|'''kettai-na'''
|H-L-L-L
|''kimyō-na'', ''hen-na'', ''okashi-na'', ''fushigi-na''
|strange
|
|''Kettai-na fuku ya na.'' = "They are strange clothes."
|-
|'''kettakuso warui'''
|H-H-H-H H-L-L
|''imaimashii'', ''haradatashii''
|damned, stupid, irritating
|''kettai'' + ''kuso'' "shit" + ''warui'' "bad"
|
|-
|'''kii warui'''
|H-H H-L-L
|''kanji ga warui'', ''iyana kanji''
|be not in a good feeling
|''kii'' is a lengthened vowel form of ''ki'' ({{linktext|気}}).
|
|-
|'''kosobai''' or '''koshobai'''
|H-H-L-L
|''kusuguttai''
|ticklish
|shortened form of ''kosobayui''; also used in other western Japan
|
|-
|'''maido'''
|L-H-L
|''dōmo''
| commercial greeting
|the original meaning is "Thank you always". {{linktext|毎}}{{linktext|度}} in kanji.
|''Maido, irasshai!'' = "Hi, may I help you?"
|-
|'''makudo'''
|L-H-L
|''makku''
|[[McDonald's]]
|abbreviation of ''makudonarudo'' (Japanese pronunciation of "McDonald's")
|''Makudo iko.'' = "Let's go to McDonald's."
|-
|'''mebachiko'''
|L-H-L-L
|''monomorai''
|[[stye]]
|'''meibo''' (H-L-L) in Kyoto and Shiga.
|
|-
|'''metcha''' or '''messa''' or '''mutcha'''
|L-H
|''totemo'', ''chō''
|very
|mostly used by younger people. also '''bari''' (L-H) in southern Hyogo, adopted from Chugoku dialect.
|''Metcha omoroi mise shitteru de.'' = "I know a really interesting shop."
|-
|'''nanbo'''
|L-L-H
|''ikura'', ''ikutsu''
|how much, no matter how, how old, how many
|transformation of ''nanihodo'' ({{linktext|何}}{{linktext|程}}); also used in other western Japan, Tohoku and Hokkaido.
|''Sore nanbo de kōta n?'' = "How much did you pay for it?"
|-
|'''nukui'''
|H-L-L
|''atatakai'', ''attakai''
|warm
|also used in other western Japan
|
|-
|'''ochokuru'''
|H-H-H-H
|''karakau'', ''chakasu''
|to make fun of, to tease
|
|''Ore ochokuru no mo eekagen ni see!'' = "That's enough to tease me!"
|-
|'''okan''', '''oton'''
|L-H-L, L-H-L
|''okaasan'', ''otōsan''
|mother, father
|very casual form
|
|-
|'''[[wiktionary:おおきに|ōkini]]'''
|H-L-H-L or L-L-H-L
|''arigatō''
|thanks
|abbreviation of "''ōki ni arigatō''" (thank you very much, ''ōki ni'' means "very much"); of course, ''arigatō'' is also used; sometimes, it is used ironically to mean "No thank you"; also '''ōkeni'''
|''Maido ōkini!'' = "Thanks always!"
|-
|'''otchan'''
|H-H-H
|''ojisan''
|uncle, older man
|a familiar term of address for a middle-aged man; also used as a first personal pronoun; the antonym "aunt, older woman" is ''obachan'' (also used in standard Japanese); also '''ossan''' and '''obahan''', but ruder than ''otchan'' and ''obachan'' 
|''Otchan, takoyaki futatsu!'' ''Aiyo!'' = (conversation with a takoyaki stall man) "Two takoyaki please, mister!" "All right!"
|-
|'''shaanai'''
|H-H-L-L
|''shōganai'', ''shikata ga nai''
|it can't be helped
|also used some other dialects
|
|-
|'''shibaku'''
|H-H-H
|''naguru'', ''tataku''
|to beat somebody (with hands or rods)
|sometimes used as a vulgar word meaning "to go" or "to eat" such as ''Chaa shibakehen?'' "Why don't you go to cafe?"
|''Shibaitaro ka!'' ( < ''shibaite yarō ka'') = "Do you want me to give you a beating?"
|-
|'''shindoi'''
|L-L-H-L
|''tsukareru'', ''tsurai'', ''kurushii''
|tired, exhausted
|change from ''shinrō'' ({{linktext|辛労}}; hardship); ''shindoi'' has come to be used throughout Japan in recent years.
|''Aa shindo.'' = "Ah, I'm tired."
|-
|'''shōmonai'''
|L-L-H-L-L
|''tsumaranai'', ''omoshirokunai'', ''kudaranai''
|dull, unimportant, uninteresting
|change from ''shiyō mo nai'' (仕様も無い, means "There isn't anything"); also used some other dialects
|
|-
|'''sunmasen''' or '''sunmahen'''
|L-L-L-L-H
|''sumimasen'', ''gomen nasai''
|I'm sorry, excuse me, thanks
|'''suman''' (H-L-L) in casual speech; also '''kan'nin''' ({{linktext|堪}}{{linktext|忍}}, L-L-H-L) for informal apology instead of standard ''kanben'' ({{linktext|勘弁}})
|''Erai sunmahen.'' = "I'm so sorry."
|-
|'''[[wiktionary:炊く|taku]]'''
|H-H
|''niru''
|to boil, to simmer
|in standard Japanese, ''taku'' is used only for cooking rice; also used in other western Japan
|''Daikon yō taketa.'' = "The [[daikon]] was boiled well."
|-
|'''waya'''
|H-L
|''mucha-kucha'', ''dainashi'', ''dame''
|going for nothing, fruitless
|also used in other western Japan, Nagoya and Hokkaido
|''Sappari waya ya wa.'' = "It's no good at all."
|-
|'''yaru'''
|H-H
|''yaru'', ''ageru''
|to give (informal)
|used more widely than in standard Japanese towards equals as well as inferiors; when used as helper auxiliaries, -''te yaru'' usually shortened -''taru''
|
|-
|'''yome'''
|H-H
|''tsuma'', ''okusan'', ''kamisan'', ''kanai''
|wife
|originally means "bride" and "daughter-in-law" in standard, but an additional meaning "wife" is spread from Kansai; often used as ''yome-san'' or ''yome-han''
|''anta toko no yome-han'' = "your wife"
|-
|'''yōke'''
|H-L-L
|''takusan''
|a lot of, many
|change from ''yokei'' (余計, means "extra, too many"); a synonymous with ''gyōsan''
|
|}

=== Pronouns and honorifics ===
{{See also|Japanese pronouns|Japanese honorifics}}
Standard first-person pronouns such as ''watashi'', ''boku'' and ''ore'' are also generally used in Kansai, but there are some local pronoun words. ''Watashi'' has many variations: ''watai'', ''wate'' (both gender), ''ate'' (somewhat feminine), and ''wai'' (masculine, casual). These variations are now archaic, but are still widely used in fictitious creations to represent stereotypical Kansai speakers especially ''wate'' and ''wai''. Elderly Kansai men frequently use ''washi'' as well as other western Japan. ''Uchi'' is famous for the typical feminine first-person pronoun of Kansai dialect and it is still popular among Kansai girls.

In Kansai, ''omae'' and ''anta'' are often used for the informal second-person pronoun. ''Anata'' is hardly used. Traditional local second-person pronouns include ''omahan'' (''omae'' + ''-han''), ''anta-han'' and ''ansan'' (both are ''anta'' + ''-san'', but ''anta-han'' is more polite). An archaic first-person pronoun, ''ware'', is used as a hostile and impolite second-person pronoun in Kansai. ''Jibun'' ({{linktext|自分}}) is a Japanese word meaning "oneself" and sometimes "I", but it has an additional usage in Kansai as a casual second-person pronoun.

In traditional Kansai dialect, the honorific suffix ''-san'' is sometimes pronounced -''han'' when -''san'' follows ''a'', ''e'' and ''o''; for example, ''okaasan'' ("mother") becomes ''okaahan'', and ''Satō-san'' ("Mr. Satō") becomes ''Satō-han''. It is also the characteristic of Kansai usage of honorific suffixes that they can be used for some familiar inanimate objects as well, especially in Kyoto. In standard Japanese, the usage is usually considered childish, but in Kansai, ''o-[[Sweet potato|imo]]-san'', ''o-[[Bean|mame]]-san'' and ''[[Candy|ame]]-chan'' are often heard not only in children's speech but also in adults' speech. The suffix ''-san'' is also added to some familiar greeting phrases; for example, ''ohayō-san'' ("good morning") and ''omedetō-san'' ("congratulations").