From Japanese otaku to Taiwanese zhainan: Understanding transcultural masculinity through a cultural term in Taiwan

ABSTRACT

A borrowed neologism can serve as a cultural term to understand personhood, communication, and relationship in a given speech community. For example, loaned from the Japanese term otaku, the Mandarin term zhainan not only carries the original Japanese meanings, but also generates localized meanings about masculinity among Taiwan Mandarin speakers. Over 4000 entries containing the term zhainan in an online news database were analyzed, and seven types of masculine identities emerged, with three contradictory representations: criminal vs. victim, solitary vs. group, and real-life vs. parasocial relationships. Findings highlight the transcultural connections between Taiwan and other East Asian cultures.