Kancho

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Kancho (カンチョー kanchō?) is an act often played out in Japan; it is performed by clasping the hands together so the index fingers are pointing out and attempting to insert them sharply into someone's anal region when the victim is not looking. It is similar to the wedgie or a goosing, although the latter acts do not involve direct physical contact.

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[edit] Etymology

The word is a slang adoption of the Japanese word for enema (浣腸 kanchō?). In accordance with widespread practice, the word is generally written in katakana when used in its slang sense, and in kanji when used of enemas in the medical sense.

[edit] Scope

The prank is pervasive in Japan. There are children's cartoons glorifying this act (such as the anime Naruto, where it has been called the Thousand Years of Death). In Japan, there is even a TV gameshow where a celebrity routinely kanchōs random people.

It is also known in South Korea as "ttong chim" (also Romanized as "dong chim" or "ddong chim" and roughly translating to "poop needle") and in the Philippines as "bembong" or "pidyok", from the Filipino word "tumbong" for tailbone.

In certain countries, the act of kancho may be illegal and considered sexual harassment, or even sexual assault, although children are given more leniency. While the practice is known in South Korea, there have been cases where adults performing it have been arrested. However, in Japan it is considered a childish prank rather than a criminal act.[citation needed]

In the West, professional wrestler John Layfield performs (outside of kayfabe) "kanchoing" on rookie wrestlers. Japanese people have also hazed English people who have recently come to Japan in reference to kanchos.

The word is sometimes used by English speakers in Japan who have some knowledge of Japanese language in a prank as a light form of hazing aimed at people who have recently come to Japan. When asking for the bill at a restaurant in Japan (one way of asking for the bill in Japanese is "kanjo kudasai" or "Please give me the bill") the victim is told to say, "Kancho kudasai!" or "Please give me a kancho!"

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

  • Kancho.jp - A site devoted to Kancho.
  • Gaijin Smash - A series of editorials written by an American language teacher living in Kyoto, Japan, including many thwarted multiple-kancho attempts (formerly Outpostnine - I am a Japanese School Teacher)
  • Kirainet - Blog post with lots of information about Kancho.
  • [1] - Photoblog with a photo of a Korean statue immortalizing the act of kancho.