野暮

Yabo

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Meaning

unrefined, tactless

Insensitive to the finer points of human feeling, and lacking tact. Also said of words, actions, or taste that lack polish.

Example

いい雰囲気のところで終電の時間を聞くのは野暮というものだ。

Asking when the last train leaves just as the mood is getting good is tactless.

Origin

The origin is unknown, and 野暮 is ateji. One theory says it changed from yabu (野夫), another links it to the yabu of yabu-isha (quack doctor). In the Edo period iki (粋) and tsū (通) were held up as ideals, and yabo was their opposite. It was also held, however, that a yabo person could become tsū through practice.

Sources

コトバンクkotobank.jp