Learn about The interesting and popular belief that blood type and personality are related
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| INTRODUCTION |
| Peter: Stop by our website japanesepod101.com for all the latest and greatest features, line by line audio, iPod on the go plus much more. Stop by and see what’s going on at japanesepod101.com |
| Sakura: おはよう、東京。第七回日本文化レッスンでございます。さくらです。 |
| Hatsumi: はつみです。 |
| Peter: Peter here and we are back with another addition of Japanese culture class. As always, we are brought to you by Erklaren, the translation and interpretation specialists. Now, we have another great culture class for you and today, it’s very, very interesting for many, many reasons but before we get into that, let’s introduce the newest member of japanesepod101.com |
| Hatsumi: こんにちは。河野はつみです。 My name is Hatsumi Kawano. I am from Tokushima. よろしくお願いします。 |
| Sakura: 可愛い！ |
| Peter: Yes very cute. |
| Sakura: Yes. |
| Peter: And Tokushima, wow! Very elegant. |
| Sakura: そうですか。 |
| Peter: Yes I think she has a bit of Kansai dialect. |
| Sakura: Umm… |
| Peter: Sakura, what’s Kansai accent? |
| Sakura: Like accent used in Osaka and Kyoto in general. Like they are different specifically according to cities, but the area is called Kansai region. |
| Peter: Yeah. |
| Sakura: The west part of Japan. |
| Peter: Yeah. Of course, there are many dialects. |
| Sakura: Yes. |
| Peter: Osaka has a dialect and… |
| Sakura: Yes. |
| Peter: Since Osaka is kind of the most well known, I think when someone says Kansai, it’s automatically assumed that it’s in Osaka dialect but in reality, there are many. |
| Sakura: Yes very different. |
| Peter: Say よろしくお願いします one more time please Hatsumi. |
| Hatsumi: よろしくお願いします。 |
| Sakura: I don’t really realize in the Kansai accent. |
| Peter: Thank you Sakura. You always know just the right thing. |
| Sakura: Okay. |
Lesson focus |
|---|
| Peter: Okay. So Sakura, what’s the topic for today’s Japanese culture class? |
| Sakura: I want to stop by asking you a question. |
| Peter: Okay anything, shoot! |
| Sakura: Okay what’s your type? |
| Peter: I don’t know, long hair. Long hair is very nice. Umm… |
| Sakura: Okay not that type. I am talking about different type. |
| Peter: There is a different type? |
| Sakura: Yes. |
| Peter: Well any type is okay for me. |
| Sakura: I am talking about blood type. |
| Peter: Ah blood type. |
| Sakura: Yes. |
| Peter: Now I got it. Yes, this rings a bell because in Japan, I have been asked this question many, many times. And my answer is always I don’t know. |
| Sakura: Umm Japanese people usually know their blood type. |
| Peter: Yes. |
| Sakura: Yes. See its general belief that people with certain blood type has specific characteristics. |
| Peter: I got it. Yes this is why whenever I get the question |
| Sakura: あなたの血液型は何型ですか？ |
| Peter: And what does this mean? |
| Sakura: And what’s your blood type? |
| Peter: I say I don’t know and the reaction is |
| Hatsumi: え～！ |
| Sakura: え～！ |
| Peter: Well I feel like this is the real thing because every time I get the question, I believe that I just don’t know and I’ve had some blood taken and I always forget to ask, can you check out what blood type I am. Yes in Japan, this is a very big topic. |
| Sakura: Yes. |
| Peter: You know, back in the states, I remember we had what’s your sign. |
| Sakura: Ah ホロスコープ. |
| Peter: Yes and this is like a pickup line. Oh we have the same sign. |
| Sakura: Ah.. |
| Peter: You know, in Japan, can it be used this way? |
| Sakura: Yes, yes. そうそうそうそう…. |
| Peter: A little bit funny to think about. So what’s your blood type? |
| Sakura: うん、そう。 and when there are many people gathering and you bring out this topic, it gets you know – people get really excited. It’s a fun topic to talk about. You know, you must be blood type something, yeah. |
| Peter: Okay. |
| Sakura: You must be B. I understand your age like this. |
| Peter: Oh yes and I always feel so left out because I don’t know. When we have that type of party, I am like the next day, I am going to the hospital. I am going to get my blood tested. I am going to find out what I am because I always want to participate but needles scare me. |
| Sakura: Yeah but I want to just mention that you know, there is a – it’s a controversial topic as well like… |
| Peter: Really? |
| Sakura: Yes because recently I think this blood type thing has caused a social issue なのね。 |
| Peter: Really? |
| Sakura: Yes to put it in a exaggerated way like your blood type something, so we are not going to include you in our team or… |
| Peter: Really? |
| Sakura: Yes but I think that’s just you know, that doesn’t happen very often but it became a social issue as well but generally we love talking about you know, blood types. |
| Peter: Yeah I think this is the key thing and these characteristics kind of got stereotyped. So you will find out what we are talking about in a minute but let’s just jump back to the original question because this is the question that if you are in Japan a while or you have some Japanese friends and I think this is not unique to Japan. Some other Asian countries also follow this kind of blood type. So let’s just jump back to the question quick to get you familiar with it because you just might hear it one day okay? |
| Sakura: Yes. |
| Peter: Give us the question one more time. |
| Sakura: あなたの血液型は何型ですか。 |
| Peter: Okay. Now break it down nice and slow. |
| Sakura: あなたのけつえきがたは、なにがたですか。 |
| Peter: Okay very long. Now there is a word in there that appears twice 型 |
| Sakura: Yes. |
| Peter: What’s that? |
| Sakura: Type. |
| Peter: Type. Okay now if you find this word on its own, it’s sometimes かた |
| Sakura: Yes. |
| Peter: But when – since it’s attached to the end of this word, it changes a bit to がた |
| Sakura: That’s right yeah. |
| Peter: Okay and what’s the first part of blood type. Now we have the word for type, what about the first part, blood |
| Sakura: 血液 |
| Peter: Break it down. |
| Sakura: けつえき |
| Peter: And one time fast |
| Sakura: 血液 |
| Peter: Okay so blood. |
| Sakura: Yes. |
| Peter: Okay. Now for the rest of the question, you could find details about that in the PDF. Okay we are going to get moving on now. |
| Sakura: Yes. |
| Peter: Now why don’t we have Hatsumi ask you what your blood type is? That will be good. |
| Hatsumi: 血液型は何型ですか？ |
| Sakura: Ａ型です。 |
| Peter: One more time, nice and slow. |
| Sakura: えいがたです。 |
| Peter: And what is that? |
| Sakura: Blood type A. |
| Peter: Yeah. Okay you heard, the answer is very, very similar. One more time Japanese please. |
| Sakura: Ａ型です。 |
| Peter: Now the English. |
| Sakura: Blood type A. |
| Peter: Yep okay. The A just gets pronounced Japanese style. |
| Sakura: Umm えい |
| Peter: えい。 instead of a, it’s えい... |
| Sakura: Yes. |
| Peter: Okay so what are some characteristics associated with |
| Sakura: Ａ型 |
| Peter: Ａ型 Well besides great voice. |
| Sakura: Okay Ａ型 people are considered disciplined. |
| Peter: You are. |
| Sakura: Diligent! |
| Peter: Oh you are! |
| Sakura: I am not. And want to keep peace with others. |
| Peter: Wow! It really sounds like you. |
| Sakura: I don’t think so. |
| Peter: Well, it’s a show. You know, we have to act a little bit. |
| Sakura: Okay, okay. |
| Peter: A little revenge for you for last week. I still haven’t forgotten the hill incident last week. |
| Sakura: Well that’s blood type A. |
| Peter: Okay let’s ask Hatsumi. |
| Sakura: Okay はつみちゃん、血液型は何型ですか？ |
| Hatsumi: Ａ型。 |
| Sakura: Same. |
| Peter: Same. |
| Sakura: Yes gentle and considerate, keeping peace with others and diligent. |
| Peter: Wow! Okay we got the As down, what else do we have? |
| Sakura: Okay there is also Ｂ型 |
| Peter: Ｂ型 which is |
| Sakura: Blood type B. |
| Peter: B. Say the Japanese once more. |
| Sakura: Ｂ型 |
| Peter: And then the English. |
| Sakura: Blood type B. |
| Peter: Give us the two Bs back to back. Japanese English. |
| Sakura: びー。 |
| Peter: And |
| Sakura: B |
| Peter: Okay. So what’s B? |
| Sakura: Blood type B is flexible and my pace. |
| Peter: At my pace. |
| Sakura: Yes, yes, yes, yes. |
| Peter: Doing things. I think we can even say doing things by own way. |
| Sakura: That’s right. |
| Peter: Yeah. |
| Sakura: Yes, yes. |
| Peter: Can you give us the Japanese of that one more time. |
| Sakura: マイペース |
| Peter: Break it down. |
| Sakura: マイペース |
| Peter: Yep and one time fast. |
| Sakura: マイペース |
| Peter: Yeah so doing things my own way at my own pace. |
| Sakura: Yes so you can say ピーターはマイペースです。 |
| Peter: Peter does things his own way. |
| Sakura: Yes. |
| Peter: And you can also say さくらはすごくマイペースです。 |
| Sakura: Yes. |
| Peter: So I think you are B now. Can I change my answer? |
| Sakura: But when we are talking about blood type at office, everybody said, Peter must be B. Everybody, so and other characteristics えっと… has lots of friends. |
| Peter: Lots of friends. |
| Sakura: And blood type B is also considered sensitive to trend. |
| Peter: Sensitive to trends? |
| Sakura: Yes and also good at business, doing business. |
| Peter: Huh that sounds good too but I am going to wait till I hear all of them to make my decision with type mine. |
| Sakura: Okay two more. |
| Peter: Two more. |
| Sakura: Yes. |
| Peter: So tell us something good about blood type AB. |
| Sakura: Okay AB 型 is considered competent. |
| Peter: Competent. |
| Sakura: Yes and can do work very efficiently. |
| Peter: Uh that sounds like a possibility. |
| Sakura: And notices little things. |
| Peter: Ah attention to detail. |
| Sakura: Yes that’s a good way of putting this, that’s right. |
| Peter: I don’t know. AB is slipping away from me. |
| Sakura: And sociable. |
| Peter: Sociable. |
| Sakura: And also considered to have to size and character. |
| Peter: Ah Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. |
| Sakura: Not that much but… |
| Peter: Not that much… |
| Sakura: Not that extreme but you know, two different characters inside. |
| Peter: Ah so like maybe when they go out, they are one way but then back at home, they are a different way. |
| Sakura: Umm maybe yeah it changes sometimes. |
| Peter: Yeah. Ah hence the AB. |
| Sakura: Yes. |
| Peter: Got it. Okay now what’s the last one we have? |
| Sakura: Okay last one is Ｏ型 |
| Peter: And this is? |
| Sakura: O. |
| Peter: Okay. Tell us something interesting about O? |
| Sakura: Ｏ型 is considered energetic, passionate and active and likes to tackle challenges. |
| Peter: Yes always taking on new challenges. |
| Sakura: Okay and also Ｏ型 has big heart. |
| Peter: Okay. So Sakura, apparently, the office thinks I am a type B. |
| Sakura: Yes. |
| Peter: What do you think? |
| Sakura: I think you are type B. |
| Hatsumi: Me too. |
| Sakura: C. |
| Peter: C. Okay, now Sakura, is there one type that’s kind of popular now? |
| Sakura: Maybe O is rather popular. |
| Peter: And why is this? |
| Sakura: Because O people are considered easy to get along with and like friendly. |
| Peter: Yes TV makes it kind of seem like O is the type to B. |
| Sakura: Yes. That’s right. So that’s why it became a social issue but general conversation when we talk about blood types is kind of you know making fun of each other, you know because you are like this, you must be type something. So it’s not really you know good or bad. It is just the type you want to say what kind of person you think Peter is like. |
| Peter: You know what, we have the same thing with the horoscope. |
| Sakura: Yeah. |
| Peter: Actually I have a best friend and he is born on the same day as me and our personalities are identical. |
| Sakura: Really? |
| Peter: So I really think that there is something to the horoscopes and there are people who don’t pay any attention to horoscopes. So it’s kind of same thing here. There are people who support this industry of books and material on blood types. |
| Sakura: Yes. |
| Peter: Same kind of issue. |
| Sakura: Yes. |
| Peter: There is people who believe it and people who don’t. |
| Sakura: That’s right. |
| Peter: And it all comes from personal experience. |
| Sakura: Yes. So we have 相性占い as well which is about like which blood type gets along with which blood type. |
| Peter: Really? |
| Sakura: Yes |
| Peter: Which blood types get along? |
| Sakura: Okay. I will just tell you the best one. Type B female and type O male. |
| Peter: It is the best. |
| Sakura: Yes. |
| Peter: BO, OB. |
| Sakura: Yes in one data. |
| Peter: From yeah… |
| Sakura: In this specific data, yes. |
| Peter: Probably a sample of five people. So female B and male O, male O, female B is the best match. |
| Sakura: Yes the interesting thing is just like horoscope, we have blood type 占い in like morning news show or on TV programs. |
| Peter: Now you said this word 占い |
| Sakura: 占い |
| Peter: What is this? |
| Sakura: Fortune telling. |
| Peter: Fortune telling. |
| Sakura: Yes. Morning news show. |
| Peter: The morning news show. |
| Sakura: Yes like not really serious ones but you know casual ones. They have that. |
| Peter: What are you watching Sakura? |
| Sakura: Because my friends, they watch that blood type and also horoscope 占い before they leave their house. |
| Peter: Really? |
| Sakura: And you know, they don’t really believe it so much but you know, it’s kind of fun to think that you know, oh it’s my lucky day today or my lucky color today is pink you know. |
| Peter: Have you seen it recently, be honest. |
| Sakura: Not recently because I have been seeing Olympics, yes. |
| Peter: Ah.. |
| Sakura: And it’s at midnight in Japan. So… |
| Peter: That’s right with the time difference. |
| Sakura: Yes. |
Outro |
| Peter: Okay well, we are trying to get some supplementary material up on the net about this. Okay so that’s going to do it for this episode of JCC. |
| Sakura: Right また明日ね。 |
| Hatsumi: また明日。 |
| Peter: See you tomorrow. Be sure to stop by japanesepod101.com and check out the premium learning center. Inside we have material to bring everything you learned in the lesson together, flashcards quizzes really consolidate what you learned in today’s lesson. Stop by, say hi and be sure to leave us a post. |
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