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脱亜入欧 (だつあにゅうおう) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Meanings 1
expression
out of Asia and into Europe ; leave Asia, join the West
historical term
Meiji-period slogan advocating that Japan modernize by breaking away from Asian traditions and aligning with Western powers. Used as a historical term.
Fukuzawa Yukichi's 'Datsu-A Ron' expresses the idea of leaving Asia and entering Europe.
Kanji 脱 undress, removing, escape from 亜 Asia, rank next, come after Similar words 和わ 魂こん 洋よう 才さい A contrasting Meiji-era slogan meaning 'Japanese spirit, Western learning,' which advocated adopting Western technology while preserving Japanese values, unlike 脱亜入欧's more radical break with Asia.
脱だつ 亜あ 論ろん Fukuzawa Yukichi's essay 'Datsu-A Ron' (On Leaving Asia) that articulated the 脱亜入欧 philosophy.
Etymology A compound of 脱 (datsu, 'escape from'), 亜 (a, abbreviation for 亜細亜 'Asia'), 入 (nyū, 'enter'), and 欧 (ō, abbreviation for 欧羅巴 'Europe'). Coined during the Meiji period as a political and cultural slogan.