Heiki

[Jericho Desu]

I'm quite interested in knowing more about this other meaning of 平気 (I don't know if these are the right kanji) my language partner told me about. It was hard for her to explain, but she said it's something Japanese people describe foreigners as sometimes, that they are people who do something offense but don't know that they did that? Anyone know what this is about?

Thanks

 

[nekojita]

It probably is just 平気. Sometimes it has negative connotations. Like doing something you shouldn't but appearing not to care.

e.g. (example sentence nabbed from ALC):
平気でうそをつく人

So it might be used to refer to a foreigner who does or says something which makes them appear to be rude (because they don't realise that you don't do that/don't say that/don't ask that in Japan).

You get this even, say, going between the UK and the US - there are some personal questions which are okay in some parts of the world but not in others. Or what might be a normal greeting in one part of the world constitutes an invasion of personal space in another. You can even do it generationally - as I found out once when I attempted to give my partner's grandfather a goodbye hug at Christmas as we were leaving. I got my hand shook instead.

 

[Toritoribe]

Probably she used it as same meaning as 大丈夫/気にしていない(It's OK/I don't mind it at all).

 

[Jericho Desu]

Hmm...maybe, I guess as long as I learn Japanese manners I won't have to hear any of that coming my way

Oh and thank you both