When life gets tough, it’s natural for people to think about escaping their problems. In extreme cases, starting over in a new town may seem like the only choice. In Japan, jōhatsu—a term that means “evaporation” in Japanese—refers to people who purposely vanish without a trace, as if they disappeared into thin air. There are many reasons someone might want to disappear. In Japan, common reasons include too much stress at work, domestic abuse, or huge debts. These problems often carry deep shame in Japanese society.
当生活变得艰难时，人们自然会想要逃避问题。在极端的情况下，在一个新的城镇重新开始似乎是唯一的选择。在日本，jōhatsu（该词在日文中意为「蒸发」）指的是那些故意消失得无影无踪的人，仿佛他们凭空消失了一样。一个人可能会想要消失的原因有很多。在日本，常见的原因包括工作压力太大、家暴或巨额债务。这些问题在日本社会中往往伴随著深深的羞耻感。
生活必备字词：
start over 重新开始；从头做起
vanish without a trace 消失得无影无踪
= disappear without a trace
disappear into thin air 凭空消失
= vanish into thin air
shame n. 羞耻，羞愧
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本文节录自《常春藤生活英语》杂志，完整内容请见十月号。
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