Language Learning Mistakes: How I Accidentally Asked for Poop in Japan

A long time ago, in a country far, far away (Japan). I had one of the most embarrassing (yet hilarious) language moments that I’ll never forget, and it all happened in 7-Eleven. It started when I wanted to buy daifuku, that iconic Japanese sweet with a chewy rice dough and a sweet filling—usually strawberry or red bean paste (あんこ).

 

 

But in my limited Japanese, I couldn't remember the word for red bean paste. What I could remember was that it was made from beans, so I tried to describe it to the store attendant, thinking I was doing okay. I said:

 

"それは日本のお菓子です。中には___が入っています."

(“It’s a Japanese sweet. It has ___ inside.”)

 

But here's where things went terribly wrong. Instead of saying あんこ (red bean paste), I mistakenly said うんこ (poop). Yep, just one letter difference, but it made all the difference.

 

The attendant's face immediately shifted, and with a look of utter disgust, she replied:

"それを中に含むものを販売していません."

(“We don’t sell anything with that inside.”)

 

 

I was baffled. What? Daifuku is a staple snack in Japan—how could they not have it? I tried to explain further, but all I could think of was how to describe the texture of the filling. So I said:

"温かくて、茶色くて、ねっとりしています."

(“It’s warm, brown, and sticky.”)

 

This only seemed to make the situation worse. Now, I was confused! Back then, we didn’t have Google Translate in our pockets, so I just kept trying to describe it.

"豆から作ったペーストです."

(“It’s a paste made from beans.”)

 

Finally, the attendant’s eyes lit up, and she realized what I meant. She laughed and said:

"うんこじゃなくて、それはあんこです."

(“Not poop, it’s red bean paste.”)

"うんこはプープです."

(“Unko is poop.”)

"うんこ全然食べるべきじゃない."

(“You should never eat poop!”)

 

We both burst into laughter, and I was so relieved. She kindly explained that it wasn’t the season for daifuku, but suggested I try tuna mayo onigiri instead, which turned out to be just as delicious.

 

So, lesson learned: be careful with your pronunciation in Japan! A single letter change can turn your favorite snack into something… well, not so tasty. 😂