1word1day | (no subject)

Slightly late, sorry! Totally unintentional. Extra word for you, too.

Koi No Yokan
(Japanese)
The sense upon first meeting a person that the two of you are going to fall into love.
(and no, I don't think 'love at first sight' is the same. I asked a Japanese guy at work what he thought of the phrase, and he said it's deeper, insofar that it's more when you've met someone, had enough tome to get a sense of them, and then felt you might fall in love, as opposed to just seeing someone and falling in love. Can anyone corroborate or correct this?)

Mamihlapinatapai
(Yaghan language of Tierra del Fuego)
This word captures that special look shared between two people, when both are wishing that the other would do something that they both want, but neither want to do.

Fremdschämen (German); Myötähäpeä (Finnish)
The kindler, gentler cousins of Schadenfreude, both these words mean something akin to “vicarious embarrassment.”

Cafune
(Brazilian Portuguese)
Tenderly running your fingers through your lover’s hair.

Greng-jai
(Thai)
That feeling you get when you don’t want someone to do something for you because it would be a pain for them.

Kaelling
(Danish)
You know that woman who stands on her doorstep (or in line at the supermarket, or at the park, or in a restaurant) cursing at her children? The Danes know her, too.

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Agree with your colleague's explanation about Koi No Yokan. I can imagine a scene when you first meet a nice guy/girl and you secretly talk to yourself, "Koi no yokan~" (I feel like love isn't far away~) and maybe indulge in imagination for a moment.

I agree, too. 'Yokan' literally means 'premonition,' so if there's a smoother way to translate 'premonition of love'... that's koi no yokan. =D

Also, the closest thing to 'love at first sight' in Japanese is 'hitomebore,' I think!

It sounds like Premonition of Love needs to be some kind of 80s power ballad. Or a love song from a Disneyesque movie.

greng-jai is perfect.

Ahahahaha Kaelling??

I thought Schadenfreude meant taking malicious satisfaction in the pain, torment, or downfall of others... or did I hear wrong?

They both mean the time thing, but Fremdschämen is - as described - a kinder version of Schadenfreude. I expect that one is joy in others' downfall/torment/misfortune, whereas the other is joy in others' mild discomfort.

Native German speaker here. Actually, 'Fremdschämen' is the feeling of being embarassed over the behaviour of another person, who often apparently does not feel or show any embarassment themselves. It does not describe any form of joy, and I would not use it as a synonym to 'Schadenfreude'.