Japanese is often said to be complex. One example of this is the distinction between male and female speech. For example, in the case of “hidoi (terrible),” many men would say something like “hidoi na ,” while many women would say “hidoi wa .” Men have tended to prefer language that conveys roughness and strength. On the other hand, women use expressions that suggest softness and gentleness. When referring to themselves, men use words like “boku” or “ore, ” while women use words like “watashi ” or “atashi .” Many words are used differently depending on gender. For example, men often say “hara ” for the abdomen, while women say “onaka .” It’s said that male and female speech styles developed as a way to clearly distinguish between genders in novels and plays. However, in modern times, language and fashion have become more unisex, and aside from a few terms, the distinction between male and female speech has largely faded. Japanese has a characteristic where the style of expression changes depending on relationships and purpose, including honorifics, written language, colloquial speech, and casual speech referring to “tamego. ” Male and female speech styles are part of this, but language evolves with the times, and in modern Japanese learning, it’s not something to be particularly aware of. (From June issue, 2024 / 2024年6月号より)