Hikikomori has been listed in the Oxford Dictionary of English !

[Astroboy]

Vuvuzela Blows Its Own Trumpet
The word that became synonymous with the World Cup finds its way into the Oxford Dictionary of English. Others include cheeseball - lacking taste, style or originality; and hikikomori.

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Used be to Sushi, Sashimi, Karate, Harakiri , but recently Karoshi, Otaku .... and now Hikikomori.

Japanese words have been becoming more popular in the world in a way ! But the time has changed.

 

[Chidoriashi]

The Latest News from the UK and Around the World | Sky News
Used be to Sushi, Sashimi, Karate, Harakiri, but recently Karoshi, Otaku .... and now Hikikomori.
Japanese words have been becoming more popular in the world in a way ! But the time has changed.

Why are people saying Hikikomori? I cannot even imagine how they would use it in a sentence, or how it would have gained popularity in the first place for that matter.

 

[thomas]

...how it would have gained popularity in the first place for that matter.

Probably it's not so much an issue of popularity, but related to the fact that social withdrawal is a growing phenomenon in Japan and elsewhere.

 

[Davey]

Sad that we have to add these kind of words to dictionaries, but what can we do about it.

It does make me wonder about the social withdrawal in other countries....

 

[Lledargo]

I have never heard of hikikomori being used in an English sentence, most people would just say 'hermit'. I hadn't heard the otaku was in the english dictionary though, I can't say I am surprised though with the recent rise of manga and anime in europe and the united states.

 

[Nuala]

I for one support social withdrawal. Coming up next in the Oxford Dictionary of English: moe, tsundere, and futanari.