10/08/2025

ON SUNDAY August 10, 2025 theSunday Special VII

Boketto: Gazing into the distance without thinking Ever found yourself staring out the win GRZ H\HV ¿[HG RQ VRPHWKLQJ IDU DZD\ your mind blissfully blank? That gentle, aimless drifting is “boketto” (ぼけっと). It’s the act of gazing vacantly without thinking,

often a subconscious way to rest or process thoughts. In a world obsessed with pro ductivity, boketto feels almost rebellious. But it’s also deeply human. We need these moments of mental stillness. They help us reset, reconnect and sometimes, rediscover a sense of calm in the chaos.

Mono no aware: The bittersweet beauty of things One of the most deeply philosophi cal Japanese expressions, “mono no aware” (物の哀れ) , refers to the gentle, melancholic awareness of the imperma nence of things. It’s the feeling you get watching cherry blossoms fall, knowing they’ll be gone tomorrow. Mono no aware encourages mind fulness and emotional depth. It teaches that life’s beauty often lies in its fragil ity. Rather than resist change, we are XUJHG WR DFFHSW LW HYHQ ¿QG JUDFH LQ it. This concept resonates strongly in a world of constant updates and short lived trends. It’s a powerful reminder to cherish the moment. Yugen: A profound, mysterious sense of beauty “Yugen” (幽玄) refers to a profound and mysterious sense of the beauty of the uni verse and the sadness that comes with it. ,W¶V QRW DOZD\V YLVLEOH RU GH¿QDEOH ± PRUH often it’s felt in moments that stir the soul,

like a haunting melody or a moonlit night. Yugen suggests that the most powerful emotions and experiences are often the ones that words can’t fully capture. It’s the beauty that lies beneath the surface, subtle and eternal. Perfect for anyone who ¿QGV ZRQGHU LQ WKH LQWDQJLEOH

Ma: Beauty in moments of silence A direct translation of “ma” (間) can be “gap,” “space,” “pause” or “interval”. However, as a concept, it goes much deeper than that. Ma is the time and space that life needs to breathe, to feel and to connect. It speaks of silence as opposed to sound, of stillness as op posed to motion. If you’re a fan of Studio

Ghibli movies (the Ghibli AI image trend has blown up recently on social media), you’ll notice they often have plenty of moments of ma . For example, when the character Chihiro is silently riding a train in ‘Spirited Away’ or when the central characters of ‘My Neighbour Totoro’ are standing in the rain at the bus stop. Or when a character is having a boketto moment, gazing into the sky.

Wabi-Sabi: Beauty in imperfection

“Wabi-sabi” (侘寂) LV WKH DUW RI ¿QGLQJ beauty in imperfection, impermanence and incompleteness. Cracked pottery, weathered wood, a faded photograph ± DOO FDQ HPERG\ wabi-sabi . In a culture often obsessed with per IHFWLRQ DQG ¿OWHUV wabi-sabi is a breath of fresh air. It teaches us to embrace RXU ÀDZV DQG YDOXH DXWKHQWLFLW\ RYHU polish. It reminds us that life is messy and that’s where its real charm lies.

Why do these words matter? Japanese words like these are more than linguistic curiosities. They offer new perspectives on the world and ourselves. They articulate what English or even Malay sometimes cannot. They tap into universal emotions and experiences with a precision that surprises and delights. For us Malaysians, who navigate urban FRPSOH[LW\ ± IURP FDUHHU SUHVVXUHV WR SHUVRQDO DVSLUDWLRQV ± WKHVH ZRUGV FDQ serve as touchstones for our lives. They remind us to slow down, to observe, to feel. They show that language isn’t just about expression but about perception, too. So maybe the Japanese don’t have a word for everything. But they do have a word for many things we never thought needed naming and that’s something worth appreciating.

Ikigai: Your reason for being If you’ve ever felt stuck in a job or ques tioned your purpose, then “ikigai” (生き がい) is the word you didn’t know you needed. A combination of “iki” (life) and “gai” (worth), ikigai refers to that sweet spot where your passions, talents, values and the world’s needs intersect. It’s what motivates you to get out of bed every morning. Unlike the Western pursuit of passion or career goals, ikigai is broader and more holistic. It could be your job, but it could also be raising children, cooking, creating art or helping others. It doesn’t have to be grand. It just has to be meaningful to you. In a work-hard, hustle-harder culture, the idea of ikigai LQYLWHV UHÀHFWLRQ DQG balance.