Chiizu gyudon (Japanese: チーズ牛丼, Hepburn: Chīzu gyūdon, lit. 'Cheese beef bowl'), or simply Chigyu (Japanese: チー牛, Hepburn: Chī gyū) is a Japanese internet slang term used to refer to so-called "otaku", and "uncool", "introverted" and "gloomy" people.[1][2][3][4] It is always regarded as a taunt and term of abuse.[5]
Character
editA chigyu is described as "a somewhat disgusting otaku" or "a gloomy character with little sense of presence".[6] The slang mainly refers to gloomy males, but is sometimes also used to refer to females with similar personalities.[7][8]
The characteristics of a chigyu include wearing glasses, having a "childish hairstyle", "not a domineering face", childlike appearance, spiritually childish, "although active online, appears gloomy in reality".[3][9] Besides, the chigyu has also been used to refer to the appearance similar to individuals with developmental disabilities or enlarged adenoids.[3][8][10]
The Paper analyzed how the "childishness" of chigyu "violates the ideal definition of adult male's 'masculinity' in society", and how the image of chigyu shows a gloomy person in a lower social class who lacks socialization. It described chigyu as a discriminatory term towards gender, body, and class.[11]
History
editOrigin
edit
In 2008, the doujinshi artist "ibiryo" drew a self portrait as a high school student and uploaded it to his blog, which later became the generic appearance of chigyu.[3][12]
On 9 July 2018, a user on 5channel's "Nandemo Jikkyo J" board said:[10]
The interesting thing about employment support services is that young male customers all look the same
The gloomy face
Wearing glasses
Black hair
Childish hairstyles
Not a domineering face
Childlike appearance (in a negative way)
It's really creepy that they look like a high school student despite being an adult
8 out of 10 grow like this
https://i.imgur.com/akAJmjk.jpg
Can tell from a person's face
Later adding:[3]
Although only retard use employment support services, all customers really look the same
80% of young men look like this
Although many people say that retard cannot be identified with the eyes
This is just because those people who always talk about discrimination are too annoying, and there is no one to reveal the truth
You know...
The user used a negative perspective to describe "chigyu face" and associated it with otaku, so there are also criticisms that he is a lookist.[13]
Popularity
editThe post has received a lot of responses, with most responders claim that "there are indeed people around who look like this", and other discussion boards have also shown related discussions. In April 2019, a summary website reprinted a related discussion thread, making the term chigyu more widely spread.[1] In June 2019, three different styles of chigyu illustrations (samurai, juvenile delinquent, and ikemen) were shared online. On C97, a male cosplayed as a chigyu.[14]
In April 2020, there were an average of 500-1000 tweets per day mentioning the term "Chiizu Gyudon", while there were an average of 100 tweets mentioning "Chigyu" per day. By June, the average number of tweets mentioning "Chigyu" per day had reached 10000.[14]
Reception
editGyūdon chain stores
editIn June 2020, Japanese news website J-CAST News interviewed Zensho Holdings, which runs Sukiya, about this slang. The company's publicity department responded "Of course we know what chigyu is. That's our top popular product No.1, 'Gyudon with 3 Cheeses'. We hope our customers will continue to enjoy our products in the future. We will launch a new product, 'Cheese Beef Rib Gyudon', and welcome everyone to try it out in person."[1] Disability information collection website shohgaisha.com pointed J-CAST News' report did not mention the relationship between 'chigyu' and individuals with developmental disabilities, instead introducing it as just a meme that mocks dull men to avoid stirring up controversy. The website also thought Sukiya actually knew the meaning of "chigyu", but due to fear of online debates, it shifted the focus to new products.[3]
Buzzword award
editThe term Chiizu Gyudon was nominated for the Internet Buzzword Award 2020,[15] and won third place at the Instagram Buzzword Award 2020.[16]
Application
editHong Kong activist Joshua Wong was known by Japanese netizens as the "chigyu around Agnes Chow" due to his resemblance to the generic appearance of chigyu. Wong responded positively to this, and fellow activist Chow said that Wong was "very happy about it and didn't take it to heart at all". Wong later collaborated with a restaurant selling cheese beef bowls which were named after him.[17][4]
On 28 July 2020, during the live broadcast of the Puyo Puyo Championships, Toshihiro Nagoshi commented on the entrants, saying that they "look like they like to eat chiizu gyudon," sparking controversy. Sega deleted the live playback on YouTube and re-uploaded it after removing the "unpleasant parts". Host Ayana Tsubaki apologized on Twitter.[5][18]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c "あの「チー牛」について、すき家に聞いてみた ネットでなぜか流行語化". J-CASTニュース (in Japanese). 2020-06-18. Retrieved 2020-09-14.
- ^ "チー牛（ちーぎゅう）". エキサイトニュース. 2020-07-18. Retrieved 2020-10-28.
- ^ a b c d e f "「チー牛（チーズ牛丼顔）」と就労移行支援のいびつな関係 - 成年者向けコラム". 障害者ドットコム (in Japanese). 株式会社エースタイル. Retrieved 2020-11-24.
- ^ a b "「周庭の隣にいるチー牛」と煽られた民主活動家・黄之鋒さん、公式チーズ牛丼が発売される". ハフポスト (in Japanese). 2020-09-02. Retrieved 2020-09-07.
- ^ a b セガ取締役「チーズ牛丼食ってそう」 ぷよぷよゲーマーの外見揶揄かと物議→謝罪. J-CASTニュース (in Japanese). 2020-07-30. Archived from the original on 2021-04-12. Retrieved 2020-07-30.
- ^ セガ取締役「チーズ牛丼食ってそう」発言に見る、ゲーム業界に根強く残る「自虐性」. 現代ビジネス. Kodansha. 2020-08-20. Archived from the original on 2021-04-12. Retrieved 2020-09-14.
- ^ チー牛（ちーぎゅう）. エキサイトニュース. エキサイト. Archived from the original on 2021-04-12. Retrieved 2020-11-25.
- ^ a b チー牛の意味とは？チー牛顔の特徴！元ネタは？陰キャ・イケメン？. スピコミ. 株式会社UOCC. 2020-08-08. Archived from the original on 2021-04-12. Retrieved 2020-11-25.
- ^ 日本から「チー牛」認定された香港民主化リーダー、器のデカさを見せつける. まぐまぐニュース. まぐまぐ. 2020-08-14. Archived from the original on 2021-03-08. Retrieved 2020-09-14.
- ^ a b 一般社会では使用厳禁!? ネットスラング「チー牛」流布の意外な弊害とは？. Asagei Biz-アサ芸ビズ (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2021-04-12. Retrieved 2020-11-24.
- ^ "牛丼的诞生与发展：日本"国民快餐"背后的社会文化变迁". The Paper (in Chinese (China)). 2021-06-29.
- ^ セガ取締役「チーズ牛丼食ってそう」発言に見る、ゲーム業界に根強く残る「自虐性」. 現代ビジネス. 2020-08-20. Archived from the original on 2021-04-12. Retrieved 2020-09-14.
- ^ ネットスラングとルッキズム モバプリの知っ得！［116］. 琉球新報Style. Ryūkyū Shimpō. 2020-08-09. Archived from the original on 2021-04-12. Retrieved 2020-09-14.
- ^ a b あの「チー牛」について、すき家に聞いてみた ネットでなぜか流行語化（J-CASTニュース） - Yahoo!ニュース. archive.vn. 2020-06-18. Archived from the original on 2020-06-18. Retrieved 2020-11-28.
- ^ 『ガジェット通信 ネット流行語・アニメ流行語大賞2020上半期』ノミネートワードを大募集！ ｜ ガジェット通信 GetNews. ガジェット通信 GetNews (in Japanese). 2020-06-04. Archived from the original on 2021-04-12. Retrieved 2020-11-24.
- ^ 【2020年インスタ流行語大賞】をPetrelが発表！「やりらふぃー」「ぎゃきゅん」など流行先取りメディアが捉える2020年のトレンドとは. FNNプライムオンライン. Archived from the original on 2021-04-12. Retrieved 2020-11-24.
- ^ "日本網民驚訝周庭身旁出現「芝士牛丼」 黃之鋒爆笑自嘲回應了". HK01 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). 2020-08-14. Archived from the original on 2021-04-13. Retrieved 2021-04-13.
- ^ "セガCCO、ぷよぷよプレイヤーに「チーズ牛丼食ってそう」発言で物議 動画の発言削除で謝罪も波紋". リアルライブ (in Japanese). 2020-07-30.