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Sometimes I hear Japanese people say ういた in conversation when describing
something (usually someone) unpleasant. I asked my coworker once "what is this
word", but I got a very poor explanation (not her fault, it just seems very
much like a "sense" thing).

The only impression I have of it is a word that describes someone (or their
actions) that everyone else is thinking, "uhm, OK?" in sort of a dumbfounded
way. Am I close?

Does anyone have a good example of this usage so I can get my head around it?
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2011-06-06T07:01:55.607
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2011-06-06T13:16:26.863
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question
slang
How do I use うく as casual slang (as in ういた)?
Basically 浮く (うく) means to float, but has many other meanings.

When used for a person or an action of a person, 浮く can mean “being out of
place,” “not belonging to the place he/she is,” “being the odd one out,” and
“not being able to interact with others well.” For example:

  * 田中さんは会社で浮いている。 (たなかさんはかいしゃでういている。) Mr. (Ms.) Tanaka is out of place in his (her) office. / Mr. (Ms.) Tanaka does not really belong to his (her) office. / Mr. (Ms.) Tanaka is the odd one out in his (her) office.

We can also say 田中さんの行動は会社で浮いている (たなかさんのこうどうはかいしゃでういている), talking about what
Mr. (Ms.) Tanaka does instead of the person him/herself.

I believe that this meaning arises from the basic meaning “to float” by
considering figuratively that everyone else in the office is deep “inside” the
office but Mr. (Ms.) Tanaka is “floating” on the surface of the office.

From
[Daijisen](http://dic.yahoo.co.jp/dsearch?enc=UTF-8&p=%E3%81%86%E3%81%8F&dtype=0&dname=0na&stype=0&index=01841301420100&pagenum=1):

> ４ ある集団の中で仲間との接触が薄くなる。遊離する。「仲間から―・いた存在」

From
[Daijirin](http://dic.yahoo.co.jp/dsearch?enc=UTF-8&p=%E3%81%86%E3%81%8F&dtype=0&dname=0ss&stype=0&index=101512100000&pagenum=1):

> ［5] 基盤を失って、遊離した存在となる。
>

>> 大衆から―・いた存在

From the [Eijiro on the
Web](http://eow.alc.co.jp/%E6%B5%AE%E3%81%84%E3%81%A6%E3%81%84%E3%82%8B/UTF-8/):

> 他の子どもたちの中で浮いている can't interact with the other children
>
> 学級で浮いている be the odd one out in one's class
>
> 彼はちょっと浮いている。 He just doesn't belong.
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2011-06-06T12:19:26.623
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2011-06-06T13:16:26.863
2020-06-17T08:18:27.500
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answer