Translator’s Notes

Welcome back to another edition of Weird Trivia. I’m Zihan, the translator for Reincarnated as the Piggy Duke! I’d like to share some background about some of the more obscure terms we had to localize, so let’s jump right into it!

Prologue: Our Past, Our Future

To wear/put on a pig

When Professor Loco Moco talked about how Slowe had put on an act, Loco Moco described Slowe by saying buta wo kaburu (“to put on a pig”), which is a play on the expression neko wo kaburu (“to put on a cat”). This phrase in Japanese means someone or something hiding their true nature behind an innocent or obedient facade.

This comparison to a cat is said to have stemmed from the fact that cats look cute, lazy and calm on the outside, when in reality, they have razor-sharp claws and can be vicious when hunting down prey. This phrase best translates to the English expression “a wolf in sheep’s clothing,” as it’s used in a similar (but not exactly the same) context.

There is another theory (albeit a slightly less popular one) that this saying came from a shortened version of nekoza wo kaburu (“to put on a woven straw blanket”). In this case, it refers to wearing a nekoza (the woven straw blanket) over your head to hide your identity.

Chapter 1: A Gift from the Cardinal

Kusatte mo tai (“Even the rotten apple doesn’t fall far from the tree”)

The original Japanese text used a paraphrase of the idiom, kusatte mo tai (“even if it’s rotten, it’s still sea bream”). Slowe says that even if he’s rotten, he’s still a Denning. The original phrase was used to describe how something with value still retained some value even when in bad condition or in unfavorable circumstances.

Back in ye olde days, mimicking the practices of China, Japan used to consider carp the highest grade of fish. However, starting from the Edo period (1603-1867), the sea bream took its place due to its beautiful color and delightful taste. It was commonly used in celebratory meals, and grilled sea bream were used as decorations called the kakedai during New Year’s for luck.

The phrase kusatte mo tai actually originates from the kakedai. The grilled sea bream would be taken down after New Year’s for use in soups and stews. Sea bream is still edible even if it’s a little stale, and on the surface, the grilled fish doesn’t change much even after being hung for a few days. It still very much retains its value, and thus, this idiom was born.

Chiyahoya (“fawning over/making a fuss over”)

Shuya taunts Valjean that he was pretty popular with the commoners lately using the word chiyahoya (“fawning over/making a fuss over”). This word derives from the saying chou yo hana yo (“like butterflies and flowers”), which means to bring up one’s child like a princess, making sure they are happy at all times. It is often used with girls, though it can be used for all children. The child is compared to butterflies and flowers; they are beautiful and delicate things that must be treated with lots of care and love.

The original phrase was a quote from Empress Consort Teishi in The Pillow Book by Sei Shonagon. Everyone in court turned their attention from Teishi towards Empress Fujiwara no Shoshi when she entered the harem, and Teishi compares Empress Shoshi to hana ya cho ya (“flowers and butterflies”). It illustrated how Sei was the only one who knew her true feelings, while everyone else gathered around whoever was the most influential at the time, fussing over Empress Shoshi to gain her attention and favor.

The quote slowly changed over time to chou ya hana ya in the Edo period, which was later shortened to chiyahoya. Chou ya hana ya then became chou yo hana yo in the Meiji period, and is still used today.

Seibai (“to pay for their actions”)

Slowe cautions Alicia against going to Yoram, and he rhetorically asks her whether she really thinks a girl like her could make the bandits pay. The word used here is seibai, which derives from the Goseibai Shikimoku (“Formulary of Adjudications”), the legal code for the Kamakura shogunate.

After the Kamakura shogunate was established in 1185, eastern Japan mostly fell under the rule of the shogunate, while western Japan was mostly ruled by the Imperial Court. After the Jokyu War, however, most of Japan fell under the Kamakura shogunate’s rule, and the power of the Imperial Court was greatly restricted.

At the time, the Kamukura shogunate didn’t have statutory law, and they mostly passed judgment in trials based on the precedents and morals of the samurai. However, this expansion of territory caused more and more problems due to the differing local laws and customs. Thus, the Goseibai Shikimoku was born as a set of legal codes for the military government, which became the primary ruling political power in Japan after the establishment of the Kamakura shogunate.

The word seibai in this document meant “to do good and to defeat evil”; in modern times, it is used to refer to someone or something punishing evil-doers.

Chapter 2: The Insurmountable Wall Between the Formerly Betrothed

NG word

When Slowe talks to Alicia, he accidentally uses a trigger word for her. In Japanese, this is called an NG word; NG literally stands for “no good”, and in this case, is referring to a bad word. NG itself is used specifically in the media and can refer to a variety of things.

One such meaning is when words should be avoided for the sake of political correctness, as Alicia demonstrates here. On sites like niconico, there is actually an NG filter function that mutes comments that have certain words in them, so that you don’t have to read anything offensive.

Another usage of NG is when referring to deleted scenes in movies, or bloopers—scenes that didn’t make the cut. When used in reference to live television, however, it’s generally used in the negative sense where there’s a technical problem or incident that can’t be edited out since it’s live footage.

Chapter 3: The Small Resolution of a Girl Who Falls Short

Hanninmae (“one who falls short”)

This word was used to describe Charlotte in the title of chapter three. Literally meaning, “half a man’s worth,” this word is used in two ways: first, when you order half of a portion that serves one person; and second, when describing someone lacking the skills, usually technical skills, to be called a fully fledged professional of some sort, and are therefore only worth “half” a professional in their occupation.

Afterword

Retiring from show business for religion

Rhythm Aida mentions someone retiring from show business in the afterword. Considering the time the book was published, this is very likely referring to the case of Fumika Shimizu, a Japanese actress, gravure idol, and model. She announced her temporary retirement for religious purposes around February 2017. The religious group she was associated with is classified as a cult. She later returned to the entertainment world under a company founded by the cult she belongs to.

There is a specific word used in Japanese media when referring to people who seclude themselves from the mundane world for religion. This word, shukke, literally translates to “leaving your home.” It usually refers to a Buddhist rite known as Pabbajjā, where a person goes to live among a community of ordained monks. (It’s difficult to say whether the cult is exactly Buddhist or not. Whether this word truly applies in this case we can only speculate, but that’s the word the cult and the media used.)