Abbreviation quiz: things you might not actually know? From everyday terms to youth slang

air conditioner

It’s a word formed by combining “air,” meaning “atmosphere,” and “conditioner,” meaning “something that regulates.” Nowadays everyone says “air-con,” but in the past we used to say “cooler.” The dual heating-and-cooling type appeared in 1960; until then, they only had a cooling function, which is probably why they were called “coolers.”

Subscription

“Subscri” is short for “subscription,” referring to content or services you use by paying a recurring fee monthly or annually. In our everyday lives, the way we listen to music has shifted from records to CDs, and then from downloads to subscriptions. While the sound quality of records is being appreciated again, subscription services that let you freely enjoy a wide range of genres are probably great for young people too.

Reschedule

It’s a term used in business settings to mean rescheduling or reworking plans. Because it’s an abbreviation and feels casual, it’s mainly used in conversations with colleagues or subordinates. It’s most often used when pushing a schedule back.

supermarket

It is said to be a term that originated in the United States, combining “market,” meaning a place of commerce, with “super,” meaning “to surpass,” resulting in the idea of a “store that goes beyond a market.” This retail format pursues selling a wide range of products—from groceries to daily necessities—at low prices through self-service. In Japan, the first supermarket is said to have been Kinokuniya, a self-service produce shop that opened in Aoyama, Tokyo, in 1953.

Time performance

It’s a term that expresses satisfaction with the time spent. Examples of time-efficiency-conscious behavior include watching videos at double speed or doing two things at once. It’s also said to be derived from “kosupa,” a shorthand for “cost performance,” which refers to satisfaction relative to cost and has been used since before this term.