スパム

すぱむ

noun

spam

technology food

1. spam (email)

spam; unwanted electronic messages, especially bulk email or messages sent indiscriminately

スパムメールが多(おお)くて困(こま)る。

I'm troubled by the amount of spam emails.

スパムフィルターを設定(せってい)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(おきなわ)ではスパムがよく食(た)べられている。

SPAM is commonly eaten in Okinawa.

スパムおにぎりが人気(にんき)だ。

SPAM rice balls are popular.

スパムと卵(たまご)を炒(いた)めた。

I fried SPAM with eggs.

Usage

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).

COMPOUNDS (sense 1):

スパムメール (spam email)
スパム行為(こうい) (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(ほうこく)する (to report as spam)

CULTURAL NOTE (sense 2, Okinawa):
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(どん) (SPAM rice bowl)
ゴーヤチャンプルー (Okinawan stir-fry often includes SPAM)

Etymology

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.

general

Added 2026.1.21 15:48 · Revised 2026.10.12 4:11

07500/07829_supamu