Nice Style!
So I wanted to just mention a little about this phrase that I hear from students. They say someone has 'nice style' and they even say it in English, so it sounds like ナイス・スタイル (naisu sutairu).
When I first heard it, I figured it was referring to a person's fashion choice, as I typically think 'style' means your fashion style. But then I heard the students say it again in a different setting and I wasn't so sure.
So I finally asked a group of students and said "What does Nice Style mean?" They looked at me a bit puzzled, as in it's one of those things that you just understand, no definition needed. But as a foreigner, obviously I don't know those things that you're just supposed to know. And, after some hushed discussion, the students were kind enough to explain, with the use of pictures.
This 'style' has nothing to do with your fashion sense and everything to do with your body shape. If you have 'nice style' it means you're tall and thin, with long legs and arms. I came to understand this through pictures, as first the students drew a short chubby person and drew an X near it, then drew a tall thin person and put a O near it.
And now you know! If you're in Japan and someone says you have 'nice style', they're talking about you being tall and thin, not about how well you pull off that new jacket.
When I first heard it, I figured it was referring to a person's fashion choice, as I typically think 'style' means your fashion style. But then I heard the students say it again in a different setting and I wasn't so sure.
So I finally asked a group of students and said "What does Nice Style mean?" They looked at me a bit puzzled, as in it's one of those things that you just understand, no definition needed. But as a foreigner, obviously I don't know those things that you're just supposed to know. And, after some hushed discussion, the students were kind enough to explain, with the use of pictures.
This 'style' has nothing to do with your fashion sense and everything to do with your body shape. If you have 'nice style' it means you're tall and thin, with long legs and arms. I came to understand this through pictures, as first the students drew a short chubby person and drew an X near it, then drew a tall thin person and put a O near it.
And now you know! If you're in Japan and someone says you have 'nice style', they're talking about you being tall and thin, not about how well you pull off that new jacket.
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