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So I found a joke that goes like this:

> 私の家はそりゃもう狭かったのよ。どれくらい狭かったかって？ 横に歯磨きができないのよ。

Now, if translated correctly, it should be saying:

> My house is like already very narrow. How narrow? From the sides you can't
> brush your teeth.

Is the joke just lame, did I translate it incorrectly, or is there a double
meaning that I am not seeing?
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2015-11-05T05:54:42.247
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2015-11-06T21:18:53.270
2015-11-05T06:25:09.837
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translation jokes
Japanese joke explanation, brushing teeth in a narrow home
To bring this to a finality, I will answer my own question.

横に歯磨き refers to brushing teeth sideways, and the joke, which is more of a
comical overstatement, is referring to a living space that is so crammed that
he does not have space to brush his teeth. So while there are cramped spaces
in larger cities in Tokyo, it is not necessary a pun or a particular
reference.
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2015-11-06T21:18:53.270
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answer