SPY X FAMILY Season 1 Episode 5
Will They Pass or Fail? (合否の行方)
This article explains why ‘the sakura blossoms bloom’ means ‘passed the entrance exam’.
When did it start being used?
Around 1950 or so, telegrams began to be used to notify students of their acceptance to Japanese universities.
The word used at that time was ‘サクラサク’.
Incidentally, the culture of using telegrams remains in modern Japan.
Why Katakana?
This was because in the 1950s telegrams could only use Katakana and a few symbols.
If written in kanji, it is ‘桜咲く’.
Why ‘The sakura blossoms’
Why ‘サクラサク(the sakura blossoms bloom)’ instead of ‘ゴウカク(passed)’?
Japanese schools start in April.
In Japan, sakura blossoms are in full bloom in early April.
Passing the entrance exam means that the student will attend a new school from April when the sakura blossoms bloom.
From this, ‘the sakura blossoms bloom (サクラサク)’ means passing the entrance exam.
And it is better to say ‘サクラサク(the sakura blossoms bloom)’ than to simply say ‘ゴウカク(passed)’ because it brings to mind the scene at the time of admission and conveys joy.
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