ネタ

Japanese

Etymology

Originally a slang word, derived by swapping the syllables of 種(たね) (tane, “seed”).

First attested in the 松屋筆記 (Matsu-no-ya Hikki, “Matsu-no-ya Writings”), a collection of essays by 小山田与清 (Oyamada Tomokiyo, 1783–1847) written over the period of 1818–1845.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) ネタ [nètá] (Heiban – [0])
• IPA^(key): [ne̞ta̠]

Noun

ネタ or ねた • (neta) 

1. [from early—mid 1800s] material or ingredients to make something

   Synonyms: たね (tane), (for sushi) 寿司だね (sushidane)

   寿(す)司(し)ネタ

   sushi neta

   sushi ingredients

   • 1986, Satō Seiichi, Hakata ajidokoro [Taste of Hakata], page 23:

     何(なに)しろシャリが見(み)えないほどのネタの豪(ごう)快(かい)さに驚(おどろ)くばかり。

     Nanishiro shari ga mienai hodo no neta no gōkaisa ni odoroku bakari.

     As you can see, the ingredients on top are so astonishingly generous that the sushi rice is not visible.

2. ideas for storytelling

   ネタに詰(つ)まる

   neta ni tsumaru

   at a loss for ideas

   • 2016, Shikida Kenji, Web raitingu no neta dashi nōto [Notes on material for web writing], page 42:

     テーマ、目(もく)的(てき)、ターゲットの想(そう)定(てい)ができたら、ネタを探(さが)してライティングを始(はじ)めましょう。

     Tēma, mokuteki, tāgetto no sōtei ga dekitara, neta o sagashite raitingu o hajimemashō.

     Once you have your theme, purpose, or target in mind, start brainstorming ideas and writing.

3. an integral part of something, essence
4. [from early—mid 1900s] (slang) evidence (of a crime)
5. motif (of a literary work)
6. topic (of a discussion)

Derived terms

• ガセネタ (gaseneta, “false information”)
• 時(じ)事(じ)ネタ (jiji neta): joke based on recent happenings in society
• 下(しも)ネタ (shimoneta, “dirty joke”)
• ズリネタ (zurineta): wank material
• ネタ切(ぎ)れ (netagire): out of ideas, out of material
• ネタバレ (netabare): spoiler (disclosure of plot points)
• 持(も)ちネタ (mochineta): trademark joke or routine
• 元(もと)ネタ (motoneta): origin of a joke or parody