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敵性語 (てきせいご) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

敵てき性せい語ご

Meanings

1

noun

language of the enemy; enemy language

Historical term used in Japan during WWII, especially for English. Now a historical reference; not used in modern everyday language.

戦せん時じ中ちゅう、英えい語ごは敵てき性せい語ごとして排はい斥せきされた。
During the war, English was rejected as the language of the enemy.

Kanji

敵enemy, foe, opponent
性sex, gender, nature
語word, speech, language

Etymology

Compound of 敵性 (tekisei, 'enemy nature') + 語 (go, 'language'). The term was coined during WWII to refer to the languages of enemy nations, particularly English.