脱兎さん

[260z]

I am about to buy some t-shirts from spreadshirt.net/shop.php?sid=197828....

What does the black text above s30 mean? I have Datsun enthusiast friends and would like to get nice x-mas presents. But i don't undrstand so much japanese. I think that I have seen Datsun written in a different manner, if that is what the text is supposed to mean.

Thanks,
260Z

 

[Flaminius]

What does the black text above s30 mean?

The text in question is;
脱兎さん.

This is a parody. Datsun is called dattosan in Japanese. 脱兎 (datto) means a rabbit in flight. A rabbit in flight is a metaphor of something running very fast. さん is a Japanese equivalent of Mr. or Mrs. or Ms. The brand is spelled ダットサン.

It is not an entirely disparaging parody since the pun of a fleeing rabbit was intended by those who created this brand according to a Japanese Wikipedia article.

 

[260z]

Thanks,

So this is some kind of joke? Dattosan ... Fast mr.Rabbit ?? Or something like that?? Is this Dattosan used in japan when discussed about datsun?

So I can safely buy some shirts.. -I just wanted to be sure not to make fool out of me and my friends that are so passionate about these cars.


I did not think that I would get answer so quicly. Thank You very much.

,260z

 

[Flaminius]

Is this Dattosan used in japan when discussed about datsun?

The name of the company (later bought over and became a brand) is ダットサン in Japanese and the letters are pronounced, "dattosan."

The T-shirts you saw on the 'Net (脱兎さん; dattosan) is a parody. It has never been a recognised name of the company, nor the brand.

So I can safely buy some shirts..

Well, everything depends on the context; whether your friend likes this kind of humour for a hobby he is quite passionate about, whether you know it is a parody (which you do by now!) and so on.

Good luck with your Christmas shopping anyway.
Flam

 

[260z]

I don't think that they'll get disappointed.. Datsun z cars are quite fast so the referation to fast rabbit is not insulting by any means..


Thanks a lot,
260z

 

[Hiro Sasaki]

I am about to buy some t-shirts from spreadshirt.net/shop.php?sid=197828....

What does the black text above s30 mean? I have Datsun enthusiast friends and would like to get nice x-mas presents. But i don't undrstand so much japanese. I think that I have seen Datsun written in a different manner, if that is what the text is supposed to mean.

Thanks,
260Z

There is an idiomatic expression : 脱兎の如く（　だっとのごとく）　逃(に）げる
flee and run away rapidly like a rabbit out of a cage.

Hiro Sasaki