the japan kanji proficiency examination association has announced the 2008 kanji of the year: 変, meaning ‘strange’, ‘change’ and ‘rebellion’. runners up included 金 (money), 落 (fall), and 株 (stock), for obvious international reasons; 毒 (poison) and 食 (food), reflecting ongoing popular anxiety over food safety; and 不 (un-), which is straight-up nihilism –  those who selected it invoke compounds like 不安 (uncertainty), 不幸 (misfortune), and even 不気味 (creepy). 2007’s 偽  kanji’s meaning was fake. read more on neojaponisme. you can also see a compilation of japan’s top 60 popular words that define 2008.

publishing company jiyu kokuminsha has released its annual list of expressions that highlight the trends and facts people caught with particular attention in the japanese mass media in 2008. TOP 1 of 10 winning word is ‘gu-!’ (good). female comedienne edo harumi usually delivers an over-emphasized guu sound with an exaggerated thumbs-up gesture.