Non-English Terms

Egg-laying wool milk sow.

French term ("staircase wit") describing the feeling one has when thinking of the perfect reply — but a moment too late when one is already headed away from the moment.

Swedish term that connotes a coffee break.

Translated from Dutch as "coziness" — it connotes a relaxed and warm situation and can be applied to places, people, activities, or events.

The work draws on the Wiradjuri concept of giran which describes the winds, change, as well as feelings of fear and apprehension. — [

Hawaiian practice of forgiveness.

Danish concept that refers to a feeling of coziness, warmth, and contentment, often achieved through simple pleasures and social interactions, and emphasizing a sense of comfort, security, and togetherness.

The Japanese concept of taking power naps at work, on the subway, and in other public places, where the practice is seen not as a sign of laziness, but of diligence — that one is working themselves to exhaustion.

Icelandic term for 'intuition', but can also mean 'the sea within' and more generally conveys a sense of inner awareness and ability to empathize with others from within one's own self.

A non-conventional solution or hack to a problem — often both frugal in nature and demonstrating a degree of creativity.

A classical Japanese dance-drama known for the stylization of its drama and for the elaborate makeup worn by some of its performers.

Japanese term that refers to the practice of continuous improvement and incremental change, emphasizing the importance of small and frequent adjustments to increase efficiency, productivity, and quality.

A Finnish expression for "getting drunk in one's underpants at home, usually alone."

From the Hopi language for, "unbalanced life", a term that has become popularly intertwined by the US film of the same name which shows a slow-motion and time-lapse vision of society and its relationship to technology.

Swedish philosophy of moderation.

Scandinavian social code that emphasizes humility, conformity, and egalitarianism, and discourages individualism and self-promotion.

A state of extreme funk/irritability after waking up — i.e. getting up on the wrong side of the bed.

Malagasy expression, literally “it exists but it’s empty,” which is colloquially ‘out of stock,’ but also serves as a more philosophical notion of having the capacity and expectation to have something, but to not currently be in possession of that thing.

Dutch term for "to do nothing", but is more specifically "doing something without purpose" such as staring out a window or socializing.

Japanese concept of hospitality that brings ones whole self to the satisfaction of the guests.

Japanese term used to describe a style of hospitality that emphasizes anticipating and fulfilling the needs of guests with a warm and attentive attitude.

Danish term for a cultural concept of cultivating a healthy mindset towards stress by injecting a pause, reflection, and reset of one's current mental state and attitude.

In Western Kenya, it means "to spread", and refers to marketing slogans for mobile connectivity, as well as to refer to the way money slips away, drip by drip, as friends and family ask for favors.

Portuguese term that describes a deep emotional state of nostalgia or melancholic longing for something or someone that is absent or unreachable.

Literally ‘single-minded sitting.’ The term doesn’t refer to meditation or to a state of enlightenment — it’s simply sitting without striving.

A Finnish concept described as stoic determination, tenacity of purpose, grit, bravery, resilience, and hardiness.

German compound word translated as "gate-close-panic", describing a fear that time is running out to do major life things.

Japanese folklore term that refers to household objects that have acquired a spirit or life force after being used for a long time, often portrayed as mischievous or vengeful.

Putting the community above the individual.

The term is usually translated as "self-centered word" and represents an organism's model of the world.

Japanese term that refers to a clever or unconventional solution or hack that solves a problem in a simple and efficient way, often using everyday items or resources.

A public debate within a country on a problematic period of its recent history. Most often associated with World War II and the Holocaust.

Translated as “the suffering of change”. It's the kind of unpleasantness that comes from losing things that make us feel comfortable or seen.  It's the kind of unpleasantness that comes from losing things that make us feel comfortable or seen. It’s the feeling that hits us when we move to a new place and lose access to our favorite grocery store, or when a teenager moves out to college, or when the hours of the gym change, forcing us to change our routine. It’s odd because even “positive” change can make us feel this way. Buddhism teaches that this kind of suffering comes from a failure to perceive one of the “marks of existence”, namely impermanence (anicca or anitya), which reminds us that everything, good and bad, is temporary.

The Japanese concept of a worldview centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection.