# Your Most Misleading Katakana Encounters? **URL:** \ **Category:** Japanese Language\ **Created:** [August 13, 2018, 3:26pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/your-most-misleading-katakana-encounters/32275 "2018-08-13T15:26:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ril0riley](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/ril0riley/32/33481_2.png) [@Ril0riley](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Ril0riley)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 3:26pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/your-most-misleading-katakana-encounters/32275/1 "2018-08-13T15:26:46Z")
The Japanese language is trying its best, you guys, with katakana, but sometimes it’s just not good enough. What have been some of your most confusing or funny encounters with rough katakana translations? My favorite: at a bar, saw an item on the menu that was デッド ポニークラブ I stared at it for quite some time. I sounded it out. I double checked I wasn’t getting it wrong (my katakana can be a little rusty) I asked the proprietor “Deddo Poni Kurabu”? He nodded. “Dead pony crab?” I said with an English pronunciation. He nodded again. I ordered it. Out came my order: a beer from the brewing company “Dead Pony Club” Of course Which is still a weird name, but not as downright dadaist as Dead Pony Crab. ---
**Author:** ![Alolvovan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/alolvovan/32/194273_2.png) [@Alolvovan](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Alolvovan)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 3:30pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/your-most-misleading-katakana-encounters/32275/2 "2018-08-13T15:30:54Z")
For me, it’s gotta be the fact that the power sockets ask for consent lol ![53](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/original/3X/3/3/3318489f7079b8a2a87f9f5170784c277f0069cb.png) ---
**Author:** ![gojarappe](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/gojarappe/32/201940_2.png) [@gojarappe](https://community.wanikani.com/u/gojarappe)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 3:33pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/your-most-misleading-katakana-encounters/32275/3 "2018-08-13T15:33:23Z")
I came here to say that but you beat me to it. LOL Then, you have クレーム for “claim” for a complaint about something. ![Image result for クレームgif](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/original/3X/c/d/cdcae522a38e08a978113f8627a50627c24363f4.gif) ---
**Author:** ![MissMisc](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/missmisc/32/232094_2.png) [@MissMisc](https://community.wanikani.com/u/MissMisc)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 3:34pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/your-most-misleading-katakana-encounters/32275/4 "2018-08-13T15:34:50Z")
You’d think マンション would mean mansion, but no, it refers to condos and apartments \>:o ---
**Author:** ![jprspereira](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/jprspereira/32/389740_2.png) [@jprspereira](https://community.wanikani.com/u/jprspereira)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 3:46pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/your-most-misleading-katakana-encounters/32275/5 "2018-08-13T15:46:28Z")
YO! YOU’RE SO ナイーブ！No, not naive. Sensitive. ---
**Author:** ![DerRittmeister](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/derrittmeister/32/64426_2.png) [@DerRittmeister](https://community.wanikani.com/u/DerRittmeister)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 3:55pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/your-most-misleading-katakana-encounters/32275/6 "2018-08-13T15:55:35Z")
- I just learned シビア（severe) as in 「シビアな現実だ」(the severe truth) - Also リベート (rebate/commission) is quite silly as well Sometimes it just goes overboard. Below is part of an email my colleague got at work. Looks like a different language 😅 私共のコネクティングルームは下記のようになります。 ツインデラックスx ツインプレミアム ツインデラックス x キングプレミアム キングヒルトン x ツインプレミアム ⇒デラックスルーム：3ポイントというユニットバスタイプ プレミアムルーム：4ポイントというシャワーとバスタブが分かれているタイプ キングヒルトン x ツインエグゼクティブ キングヒルトン x キングエグゼクティブ ツインヒルトン x キングシティースイートエグゼクティブ ツインエグゼクティブ x キングシティースイートエグゼクティブ ---
**Author:** ![Ril0riley](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/ril0riley/32/33481_2.png) [@Ril0riley](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Ril0riley)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 3:58pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/your-most-misleading-katakana-encounters/32275/7 "2018-08-13T15:58:48Z")
> [@DerRittmeister](#): > > 私共のコネクティングルームは下記のようになります。 > > ツインデラックスx ツインプレミアム > > ツインデラックス x キングプレミアム > > キングヒルトン x ツインプレミアム > > ⇒デラックスルーム：3ポイントというユニットバスタイプ > > プレミアムルーム：4ポイントというシャワーとバスタブが分かれているタイプ > > キングヒルトン x ツインエグゼクティブ > > キングヒルトン x キングエグゼクティブ > > ツインヒルトン x キングシティースイートエグゼクティブ > > ツインエグゼクティブ x キングシティースイートエグゼクティブ I’m halfway convinced by this that if you just spoke regular English to a Japanese person, but used katakana syllables, they’d understand you perfectly ---
**Author:** ![DerRittmeister](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/derrittmeister/32/64426_2.png) [@DerRittmeister](https://community.wanikani.com/u/DerRittmeister)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 4:02pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/your-most-misleading-katakana-encounters/32275/8 "2018-08-13T16:02:48Z")
> [@Ril0riley](#): > > I’m halfway convinced by this that if you just spoke regular English to a Japanese person, but used katakana syllables, they’d understand you perfectly haha yes, it can take you pretty far actually! ---
**Author:** ![Sharpevil](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/sharpevil/32/194185_2.png) [@Sharpevil](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Sharpevil)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 4:49pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/your-most-misleading-katakana-encounters/32275/9 "2018-08-13T16:49:48Z")
Perhaps it’s not misleading, but I’d have had a hard time figuring out on my own that スマホ is smartphone. ---
**Author:** ![bleh3579](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/bleh3579/32/183333_2.png) [@bleh3579](https://community.wanikani.com/u/bleh3579)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 5:08pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/your-most-misleading-katakana-encounters/32275/10 "2018-08-13T17:08:33Z")
I had an example sentence telling my that i was taking a bus with my friends to 「ベイクウェル」and i had no idea what was happening. Here in England, a [Bakewell](http://www.mortonsrolls.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Bakewell-Tart-21-1024x682.jpg) is a small tarty cake thing with jam and icing and a cherry on top. That is all i have ever know it to be. So the prospect of taking a bus to a tart was very confusing. Apparently it is a small village (where the tart originates from), that made a bit more sense. ---
**Author:** ![Leebo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/leebo/32/439476_2.png) [@Leebo](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Leebo)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 7:56pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/your-most-misleading-katakana-encounters/32275/11 "2018-08-13T19:56:16Z")
I imagine this is more of an issue for Japanese speakers hearing “mansion” in English, since their word never means “huge house”. But English “mansion” can mean apartment building, and that’s presumably where they took it from. ---
**Author:** ![MissMisc](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/missmisc/32/232094_2.png) [@MissMisc](https://community.wanikani.com/u/MissMisc)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 8:02pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/your-most-misleading-katakana-encounters/32275/12 "2018-08-13T20:02:06Z")
I feel like it’s a pretty equal issue both ways though – the primary meaning in English refers to large houses, and though by definition it _can_ mean an apartment building, I don’t think I’ve ever heard it referred to as such in my life 🤔 ---
**Author:** ![Ril0riley](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/ril0riley/32/33481_2.png) [@Ril0riley](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Ril0riley)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 8:07pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/your-most-misleading-katakana-encounters/32275/13 "2018-08-13T20:07:43Z")
Yeah, I’ve never encountered mansion used that way in English, personally. _Maybe_ in terms of an absolutely enormous and fancy unit in Manhattan or something, but even then, I think I’d probably call it a “penthouse” to make that distinction instead. @Leebo maybe it’s regional? Where have you heard it that way? ---
**Author:** ![Leebo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/leebo/32/439476_2.png) [@Leebo](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Leebo)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 8:27pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/your-most-misleading-katakana-encounters/32275/14 "2018-08-13T20:27:25Z")
I haven’t heard it. It’s listed as a British definition if you check a dictionary. ---
**Author:** ![Ril0riley](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/ril0riley/32/33481_2.png) [@Ril0riley](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Ril0riley)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 8:36pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/your-most-misleading-katakana-encounters/32275/15 "2018-08-13T20:36:18Z")
Good intel, thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Pluckabee](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/pluckabee/32/76295_2.png) [@Pluckabee](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Pluckabee)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 9:16pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/your-most-misleading-katakana-encounters/32275/16 "2018-08-13T21:16:54Z")
bakewell is a lovely town! Can recommend going and trying a bakewell pudding (not a bakewell tart!) before a walk in the peaks ---
**Author:** ![Pluckabee](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/pluckabee/32/76295_2.png) [@Pluckabee](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Pluckabee)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 9:18pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/your-most-misleading-katakana-encounters/32275/17 "2018-08-13T21:18:18Z")
Would never ever use mansion to mean apartment here in Britland. Maybe its a french thing? ---
**Author:** ![Belthazar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/belthazar/32/4469_2.png) [@Belthazar](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Belthazar)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 9:58pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/your-most-misleading-katakana-encounters/32275/18 "2018-08-13T21:58:09Z")
I’ve definitely seen it used as such in Britain. [Here](https://www.cbreresidential.com/uk/en-GB/new-developments/the-mansion-marylebone-w1) is a random ten-seconds-of-Googling example, but I know I’ve seen some just wandering the streets too. ---
**Author:** ![Pluckabee](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/pluckabee/32/76295_2.png) [@Pluckabee](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Pluckabee)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 10:05pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/your-most-misleading-katakana-encounters/32275/19 "2018-08-13T22:05:14Z")
Mansion here is being used as a proper noun, the apartments are called ‘The Mansion’ and it is using the connotation of mansions being huge and grand to impart a sense of luxrury. Which kinda wouldn’t work if it just meant bog standard apartment… It might possible mean the big building that houses the apartments but would never be used for an individual apartment. In which case the meaning is still big house. ---
**Author:** ![Whologist](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/whologist/32/381621_2.png) [@Whologist](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Whologist)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 10:08pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/your-most-misleading-katakana-encounters/32275/20 "2018-08-13T22:08:17Z")
I lived in England for about 5 years and I never heard apartments called a mansion either 🙂 My mom is British and she has also never heard that. I think I’ve heard “flats” used, but I could be wrong. [Next page](https://community.wanikani.com/t/your-most-misleading-katakana-encounters/32275.md?page=2)