Namara? Chosu? ? 13 Basic Hokkaido Dialect Phrases Taught by a Hokkaido Native Hokkaido Lab ~A Hokkaido Travel Guide to Enjoy Gourmet Food, Nature, and Culture~

Namara? Chosu? ? 13 Basic Hokkaido Dialect Words Taught by a Hokkaido Native

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: Last updated: September 11, 2018

Table of contents

1. "To soak"

2. "Shakkoi" or "Hyakkoi"

3. "Throwing trash"

4. "It gets cold"

Have you ever actually heard the Hokkaido dialect? It's said that the Hokkaido dialect is quite similar to standard Japanese.

However, if you continue the conversation for a while, you might occasionally hear something that makes you think, "Hmm? What did they just say?" That might be the Hokkaido dialect.

It seems that many people in Hokkaido use Hokkaido dialect without even realizing it. So let's take a look at 13 carefully selected examples from the many Hokkaido dialect words.

Zangi That zangi looks incredibly delicious.

1. "To soak"

"urukasu" = "soaking".

"When you've finished eating the curry, put some water in the pot and let it soak."
"I'll be home in a little while, so please let the pre-washed rice soak."
That's how you use it.

Actually, many people in Hokkaido may not realize that "urukasu" is a Hokkaido dialect word. I feel like people in Hokkaido use it quite often.
tetsuya This is a food that should not be soaked.

2. "Shakkoi" or "Hyakkoi"

"Shakkoi" or "Hyakkoi" = "cold"

Some people pronounce it "shakkoi" and others "hyakkoi." Both are definitely used. In winter, when you touch cold water or snow, you might say "hyakkoi" or "shakkoi."

However, it seems this term is also used throughout the Kanto region.

From the chilly everyday scenery

3. "Throwing trash"

"To throw" = "To discard"

If someone from Hokkaido says "Throw away the trash!", please, whatever you do, don't throw it at them. Many people probably know this one. It's still used quite a bit. This "throwing" might be the most likely Hokkaido dialect word to slip out unconsciously.

4. "It gets cold"

"Shibareru" = "to get cold"

It's used in phrases like, "It's going to be freezing tomorrow morning. Be careful of your water pipes freezing!" This is a fairly common expression in winter, especially among senior citizens.

However, this word seems to be used in Tohoku as well. So, while it can't be definitively called a Hokkaido dialect, it certainly seems like a word that suits the cold climate of Hokkaido very well.
It's freezing, but fun: Sapporo Snow Festival

5. "Scary"

This means "I'm tired."

It's used in phrases like, "I'm scared tonight, so I'm going to bed early." Some people use this expression, and older people, in particular, might use it frequently.

The line, "It was freezing outside, wasn't it?! No need to shovel snow. Scary, right? Today's snow looked heavy..." sounds very Hokkaido-like, doesn't it? The use of "~ssho~!" is also very Hokkaido-like. It sounds very friendly and normal, so it should be easy for beginners to use the Hokkaido dialect.

It's used in phrases like, "Hey, that castella cake is delicious, right?" or "This one's great, isn't it?" Quite a lot, isn't it?!
hokke Atka mackerel is delicious, isn't it?

6. "Gonbohoru"

"Gonbohoru" means "to throw a tantrum."

It's used in phrases like, "My child immediately goes off to dig a burdock root when I just tell him to wait while I go to the convenience store over there. It's such a hassle!" Many younger people might not know this expression, and even fewer might know its exact meaning.

Written in kanji, it's "牛蒡堀る" (gobōhoru). Some people might recognize these kanji. Apparently, digging up burdock root is extremely difficult. That seems to be the origin of the phrase.

7. "Chosu"

"Chosu" = "to pay attention to," "to tease."

It's used in a way like this: "My husband, well, he's so fond of our daughter, he can't help but tease her. And he makes her cry. When he makes her cry, he says, 'I'm the one who has to deal with it,' but..."
Hippos at Maruyama Zoo

8. "Hankakusai"

"Hankakusai" = "Clumsy," "Stupid."

It's used in phrases like, "My son is actually quite clumsy; he trips over nothing..."

I don't hear it much anymore, but I've heard that some senior citizens still use it. I wonder what kids these days think?

9. "Ameru"

"Ameru" = "to rot" or "to spoil".

It's used in phrases like, "It's been really hot lately, so be careful with what you eat. You'll get food poisoning easily. It would be terrible if you got diarrhea from food poisoning." Many people of a certain age have probably heard this phrase, even if they don't use it themselves.
jingisukan Raw lamb will spoil quickly, so please eat it as soon as possible...

10. "Bakuru"

"Bakuru" = "to exchange"

It's used like this: "The T-shirt in my lucky bag was pink, right? You said the T-shirt in your lucky bag was blue, didn't you? You like pink, right? Shall we swap mine? I hate pink!"

This word "bakuru" is a very convenient Hokkaido dialect word. Doesn't "bakutte" sound shorter and easier to use than "exchange"? However, I'm not sure if everyone in Hokkaido uses it.

11. "Azumashii"

"Azumashii" = "comfortable"

It's used in a way like, "The house we just moved into is a little bigger and more cozy, so come over and play sometime when you have some free time~♪"

It seems that it's more often used in the negative form, like in a sentence such as, "The dentist's office was so crowded, the waiting room chairs were crammed full, it wasn't very comfortable."

A peaceful landscape of Hokkaido What a peaceful scene.

12. "Kacchaku"

"Katchaku" = "to scratch"

It's used in a way like, "I know it's itchy, but you shouldn't scratch that hives-like thing too much. It'll only make it itchier!"

13. "Namara"

"Namara" = "very"

This is a familiar and representative expression of the Hokkaido dialect. However, you probably won't have many opportunities to actually hear it. Adult women, in particular, rarely use it in public. Some people may have grown up being told, "Girls shouldn't use words like 'namara'." It feels like a word with a rather strong impact.

However, it might be used when you're with close friends or family. If you hear someone say something like, "This roll cake is so delicious!", you could reply, "It's really good!"

Cute animals The animals of Hokkaido are so incredibly cute!

So, what did you think of our feature on Hokkaido dialect? It seems that some Hokkaido dialects are used or not used depending on the region and age group. Hokkaido is a very large place, after all. Also, as you get younger, there may be many people who live in Hokkaido but don't know much about the Hokkaido dialect.

Even so, when you occasionally hear a few Hokkaido dialect phrases, it somehow sounds comforting and warm, doesn't it? Why not try using some Hokkaido dialect yourself?

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