Welcome to Episode 63 of Real Japanese Talk with Haruka & Saki! 🗼🐙

🍟 "Makudo or Makku - which one is correct?" Saki's foreign friend stumbled straight into one of Japan's most beloved regional debates. In Tokyo, McDonald's is "Makku"; in Kansai, it's "Makudo" - and each side finds the other version distinctly weird. Today Haruka (Team Makku) and Saki (Team Makudo) settle in for a friendly East-West showdown. 🎯

You'll learn three words:

• 略す (ryakusu) - to abbreviate / shorten (Japanese loves this: Sutaba, konbini...)

• 違和感 (iwakan) - a sense that something is off or doesn't sit right

• 呼び方 (yobikata) - the way you call something, which varies by region

💡 Inside: why Japanese shortens everything, how Tokyo and Kansai cut the SAME word differently, why the version you grew up with feels "right" and the other feels off, and the real mystery - why Mister Donut (Misudo) and KFC (Kenta) are the same everywhere, but ONLY McDonald's splits.

Perfect for N3-N2 learners who want living, regional Japanese. Tokyo & Kansai dialogue, fully shadowable. Full transcript & study notes on Patreon. 🎧

【Today's Vocabulary / 今日の言葉】

・略す (りゃくす) - To abbreviate, shorten, or omit part of a long word or name. Equivalent to English "to abbreviate" or "to shorten." Japanese loves this: スターバックス→スタバ (Sutaba), コンビニエンスストア→コンビニ (konbini), and of course マクドナルド→マクド/マック. Used like 「名前を略す」 (shorten a name). The noun is 「略語」 (ryakugo, an abbreviation) and 「省略」 (shoryaku, omission). Related verb: 「縮める」 (chijimeru, to shrink/shorten).

・違和感 (いわかん) - A sense that something is off, doesn't fit, or feels strange - a subtle discomfort. Equivalent to English "a sense of incongruity" or "something feeling off." Used like 「違和感がある」 (something feels off) or 「違和感を覚える」 (to feel that something's not right). In this episode, hearing the unfamiliar regional abbreviation creates 違和感. It can be physical too (「喉に違和感がある」, my throat feels off). Related words: 「しっくりこない」 (doesn't sit right) and 「不自然」 (fushizen, unnatural).

・呼び方 (よびかた) - The way of calling or naming something or someone; what you call a thing. Equivalent to English "the way you call/refer to something" or "a name/term for." Used like 「呼び方が違う」 (the name for it differs) or 「丁寧な呼び方」 (a polite way of addressing). In this episode, the same restaurant has different 呼び方 by region (Makudo vs Makku). Built from 「呼ぶ」 (yobu, to call) + 「方」 (kata, way/method). Related words: 「呼び名」 (yobina, a name/nickname) and 「言い方」 (iikata, way of saying).

📄 Get the Full Transcript with Furigana & Study Guide on our Patreon!シャドーイングに便利な「ふりがな付き台本」はこちら：👉 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/posts/155837588⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Transparency Disclosure: To maximize your learning experience, this podcast is produced using Google's generative AI technology for precise scriptwriting and clear, high-quality audio generation.