# Why is onani written in katakana?



## 森人さん

I know that the term means masturbation, but why is it written in katakana?


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## frequency

Because it is called 外来語.


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## 森人さん

There must be a specific meaning to the word besides masturbation.


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## frequency

Not particularly. I don't know why but we call masturbation onanie. It seems to be a German word. The word "masturbation" is well known among us too, but it sounds like a serious technical term because of "-tion".


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## SoLaTiDoberman

In informal settings, we might say マスをかく(掻く）.
マス is the abbreviation of マスターベーション, and the without-"tion" version may be welcomed more easily. 
I think マスをかく usually refers to the masterbation done by men, not by women.


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## ktdd

Any descent dictionary will tell you オナニー is from _Onanie_, the German word for 'onanism'.

Its etymology being Genesis 38:9 (KJV):
And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother.

The Merriam-Webster's defines 'onanism' as:
1. MASTURBATION
2. COITUS INTERRUPTUS
3. SELF-GRATIFICATION


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## 810senior

SoLaTiDoberman said:


> In informal settings, we might say マスをかく(掻く）.
> マス is the abbreviation of マスターベーション, and the without-"tion" version may be welcomed more easily.
> I think マスをかく usually refers to the masterbation done by men, not by women.


Never guessed it. I have by far gotten it through my skull that it was like 升をかく that would be roughly translated to _scratch a square_ or _write[fill in] a square..._


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## frequency

森人さん said:


> There must be a specific meaning to the word besides masturbation.


You can use "onanie" as a metaphor when you want to say "self-satisfaction" or as ktdd said,


ktdd said:


> 3. SELF-GRATIFICATION


Sorry!


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## 森人さん

３９！


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