Pecha Kucha
noun

- a way of presenting new ideas or products in which each person shows and talks about 20 images for 20 seconds each

MacMillan Dictionary

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PHRASE ORIGIN

"Pecha Kucha" is a Japanese phrase, meaning chit-chat (tratschen, plaudern, schwatzen). It describes a presentation format in which multiple speakers narrate 20 slides for 20 seconds each (6 minutes and 40 seconds in total). This keeps presentations concise and fast-paced.

PechaKucha Nights (PKNs) were devised in February 2003 by Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham as a way to attract people to Super Deluxe, their experimental event space in Roppongi (Japan), and to allow young designers to meet, show their work, and exchange ideas.

In 2004, a few cities in Europe began holding PKNs, the first of several hundred cities that have since launched similar events around the world. As of October 2024, PKNs were held in over 1,300 cities worldwide.

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20 JAPANESE WORDS

That Have Found Their Way Into English

1. Bento = Japanese-style packed meal in a box-like container (1616)

2. Sake = Japanese alcoholic drink made from fermented rice (1687)

3. Samurai = Japanese warrior class member (1727)

4. Zen = School of Mahayana Buddhism emphasizing meditation (1727)

5. Tycoon = From 'taikun', meaning powerful business leader (1857)

6. Futon = Japanese-style bedding that can be folded and stored (1876)

7. Kimono = Traditional Japanese robe-like garment (1886)

8. Sushi = Japanese dish of cold rice wrapped in seaweed with various fillings (1893)

9. Haiku = Japanese poem of seventeen syllables, in three lines of five, seven, and five (1899)

10. Wasabi = Japanese horseradish paste used as condiment (1903)

11. Dojo = A school or training facility for martial arts (1942)

12. Origami = Japanese art of paper folding (1948)

13. Bonsai = Art of growing and training miniature trees in containers (1950)

14. Manga = Japanese style of comic books and graphic novels (1951)

15. Ramen = Japanese noodle soup (1962)

16. Ninja = Japanese warrior-spy skilled in the martial arts (1964)

17. Karaoke = Entertainment system providing recorded accompaniment to people singing popular songs (1979)

18. Umami = Fifth basic taste sensation, savory or meaty (1979)

19. Anime = Japanese style of animation featuring colorful graphics and fantastic themes (1988)

20. Emoji = Small digital images used to express emotions or ideas in electronic communication (2001)

Notable trends:
- Food terms dominate the list
- Many entered during post-WWII cultural exchange
- Some of the oldest entries (like bento) date to early trading relationships
- Recent entries often relate to popular culture (anime, emoji)

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SYNONYMS

abbreviated pitch, attention-span theater, bite-sized briefing, briefing, chatter chop, concise countdown, creative format, data blitz, elevator pitch (on steroids), engaging presentation, express expo, fast-forward forum, flash focus (talk), idea ignition, information sprint, lightning lecture (talk), micro-presentation, minimalist message, PECHA KUCHA, pitch perfect, power presentation, precision performance, rapid reel, rapid-fire presentation (revelation), short-form presentation, show and speed, slideshow sprint, snap speech, speed feed (geeking, presentation), sprint speak, succinct presentation, swift sharing, talking telegraph, time crunch theater, time-boxed telling, turbo talk, twenty-twenty, visual storytelling, warp-speed wisdom, zen zap

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