スパム
すぱむ
noun
spam
1.
spam (email)
spam; unwanted electronic messages, especially bulk email or messages sent indiscriminately
スパムメールが多くて困る。
I'm troubled by the amount of spam emails.
スパムフィルターを設定した。
I set up a spam filter.
SNSでスパムアカウントをブロックする。
Block spam accounts on social media.
2.
SPAM (food)
SPAM; the canned precooked meat product
沖縄ではスパムがよく食べられている。
SPAM is commonly eaten in Okinawa.
スパムおにぎりが人気だ。
SPAM rice balls are popular.
スパムと卵を炒めた。
I fried SPAM with eggs.
スパム has two distinct meanings in Japanese: unwanted electronic messages (from internet culture) and the canned meat product SPAM (popular in Okinawan cuisine).
DIGITAL USAGE (Sense 1):
- スパムメール (spam email)
- スパム行為 (spamming)
- スパムフィルター (spam filter)
- スパムアカウント (spam account)
- スパムを報告する (to report as spam)
FOOD USAGE (Sense 2):
SPAM became popular in Okinawa during the U.S. military occupation after WWII. It's now integral to Okinawan cuisine.
- スパムおにぎり (SPAM rice ball/musubi)
- スパム丼 (SPAM rice bowl)
- ゴーヤチャンプルー (Okinawan stir-fry often includes SPAM)
ORIGIN:
The term "spam" for unwanted messages comes from a Monty Python sketch about the repetitive nature of SPAM (the food), applied to repetitive unwanted messages.
REGISTER: Neutral. Context determines meaning.