Among the many English loanwords used in Japan that can create confusion, especially among Americans, is "yankii," derived from "Yankee."
In Japanese usage, it does not mean a resident of the Northeast United States. Nor does it refer to a member of a certain New York baseball team that generates both adoration and loathing. Rather, the term is used to describe a certain type of person.
Depending on who is speaking, a yankii is, variously, a rebel, an outcast, an anti-intellectual, a gangster, a trailblazer, a paternalist or a sentimental traditionalist.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.