ダイエット
Meaning: Diet; losing weight through food restriction, exercise, or lifestyle changes.
In Japanese, ダイエット almost exclusively means 'losing weight' or 'going on a diet,' unlike English where 'diet' can neutrally refer to one's regular eating habits. It's one of the most ubiquitous health and beauty terms, appearing constantly in magazines, TV shows, and social media. Japan has a massive diet industry with new trends appearing every season — from specific food diets to exercise methods.
Examples
- 夏までにダイエットしなきゃ、水着着れない。 夏天之前必须减肥,不然穿不了泳衣。Tengo que ponerme a dieta antes del verano, si no, no me pongo el bañador.여름까지 다이어트해야 돼, 수영복 못 입겠어.
- ダイエット中だけど、このケーキだけは食べていい? 在减肥中,但这个蛋糕可以吃一块吗?Estoy a dieta, pero ¿puedo comerme solo este trozo de tarta?다이어트 중인데 이 케이크만 먹어도 돼?
- 今年こそダイエット成功させるって毎年言ってる。 今年一定要减肥成功——每年都这么说。Todos los años digo que este año sí voy a conseguir adelgazar.올해야말로 다이어트 성공하겠다고 매년 말하고 있어.
Pronunciation
/da.i.et.to/
Usage Guide
Context: daily conversation, social media, beauty, health
Tone: casual, determined, sometimes self-deprecating
✓ Do Say
- ダイエット始めたから甘いもの控えてるの。 (I started a diet so I'm cutting back on sweets.)开始减肥了,在控制甜食。Me puse a dieta, así que estoy reduciendo los dulces.다이어트 시작해서 단 거 줄이고 있어. (다이어트 시작했으니까 단 음식을 자제하고 있어.)
- 無理なダイエットは体に悪いよ。 (Extreme diets are bad for your health.)过度减肥对身体不好。Las dietas extremas son malas para la salud.무리한 다이어트는 몸에 안 좋아. (극단적인 다이어트는 건강에 해로워.)
✗ Don't Say
- 痩せてる人に「ダイエットしなよ」は絶対NG — ボディシェイミングになる (Never tell a thin person 'you should diet' — it's body shaming)对瘦的人说'你该减肥了'绝对不行——这属于身材羞辱Nunca le digas «deberías ponerte a dieta» a alguien delgado — es body shaming.마른 사람에게 「다이어트 해」는 절대 안 됨 — 바디 셰이밍이 됨 (마른 사람에게 '다이어트 해'라고 말하는 것은 절대 안 됩니다 — 바디 셰이밍입니다)
Common Mistakes
- Using ダイエット to mean your regular eating habits (like English 'diet') — in Japanese it specifically implies trying to lose weight
Origin & History
From English 'diet,' but narrowed in Japanese to specifically mean weight loss or calorie restriction. Has been a mainstream Japanese word since the 1960s-70s, when Western health and beauty concepts were widely adopted.
Cultural Context
Era: 1960s-70s adoption, universally used since
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. Japan's diet industry is enormous, with new trends appearing seasonally (バナナダイエット, 糖質制限, etc.).
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