# Every No. 1 "salaryman senryu" in Japan (1991–2024)

Since 1986 the insurer Dai-ichi Life has run a contest of senryū, humorous 5-7-5 poems about office life, voted for by the public. These are the winning poems from 1991 to 2024, from "When I leave he's still asleep" to "I ask AI how to use AI", with their meaning.

- 53 votes · 33 items
- Sep 3, 2024 · retro_nara
- https://even.best/en/l/5293/every-no-1-salaryman-senryu-in-japan-1991-2024

## Top 33

1. **まだ寝てる 帰ってみれば もう寝てる** (5 · ▲5 ▼0) — No. 1 in 1991, by "遠くの我家". Meaning: When I leave he's still asleep; when I come home he's already asleep (about the kids).
2. **『ゴハンよ』と 呼ばれて行けば タマだった** (5 · ▲5 ▼0) — No. 1 in 1995, by "窓際亭主". Meaning: Called with "Dinner's ready!", I came, but she was calling Tama (the cat).
3. **いい家内 10年経ったら おっ家内** (4 · ▲4 ▼0) — No. 1 in 1992, by "自宅拒否症". Meaning: A nice wife (ii kanai); ten years later, "oh, kanai!" (a pun on "scary").
4. **コストダウン さけぶあんたが コスト高** (4 · ▲4 ▼0) — No. 1 in 1998, by "四万十川 信彦". Meaning: You shout "cut costs", but you are the high cost.
5. **オレオレに 亭主と知りつつ 電話切る** (3 · ▲4 ▼1) — No. 1 in 2004, by "反抗妻". Meaning: A "me, me" scam call: she knows it's her husband and hangs up anyway.
6. **うちの嫁 後ろ姿は フナッシー** (2 · ▲3 ▼1) — No. 1 in 2013, by "段三っつ". Meaning: My wife, seen from behind, is Funassyi (the mascot).
7. **プロポーズ あの日にかえって ことわりたい** (2 · ▲2 ▼0) — No. 1 in 1999, by "恐妻男". Meaning: The proposal: I'd like to go back to that day and say no.
8. **「空気読め！！」 それより部下の 気持ち読め！！** (2 · ▲2 ▼0) — No. 1 in 2007, by "のりちゃん". Meaning: "Read the room!!" Better read your staff's feelings!!
9. **退職金 もらった瞬間 妻ドローン** (2 · ▲2 ▼0) — No. 1 in 2015, by "元自衛官". Meaning: The moment I got my severance pay, my wife "droned" off.
10. **ゆとりでしょ？ そう言うあなたは バブルでしょ？** (2 · ▲2 ▼0) — No. 1 in 2016, by "なおまる御前". Meaning: "You're the relaxed-education generation, right?" And you're the bubble generation, right?
11. **デジカメの エサはなんだと 孫に聞く** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — No. 1 in 2001, by "浦島太郎". Meaning: I ask my grandson what a digital camera eats.
12. **タバコより 体に悪い 妻のグチ** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — No. 1 in 2002, by "小心亭主". Meaning: Worse for your health than tobacco: my wife's complaints.
13. **「課長いる？」 返ったこたえは 「いりません！」** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — No. 1 in 2003, by "ごもっとも". Meaning: "Is the section chief in (iru)?" The answer: "We don't need him (irimasen)!"
14. **昼食は 妻がセレブで 俺セルフ** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — No. 1 in 2005, by "一夢庵". Meaning: For lunch my wife goes celeb, I go self-service.
15. **しゅうち心 なくした妻は ポーニョポニョ** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — No. 1 in 2008, by "オーマイガット". Meaning: My wife has lost her shame and gone "Ponyo ponyo" (flabby).
16. **８時だよ！！ 昔は集合 今閉店** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — No. 1 in 2021, by "山のパン屋". Meaning: "It's eight o'clock!!" It used to mean getting together; now it's closing time.
17. **「早くやれ」 そう言うことは 早く言え** (0 · ▲1 ▼1) — No. 1 in 1996, by "新舞い". Meaning: "Do it quickly!" If that's what you want, say it quickly.
18. **わが家では 子供ポケモン パパノケモン** (0 · ▲1 ▼1) — No. 1 in 1997, by "万年若様". Meaning: In our house the child is Pokémon, Dad is a "nokemon" (outcast).
19. **ドットコム どこが混むのと 聞く上司** (0 · ▲1 ▼1) — No. 1 in 2000, by "ネット不安". Meaning: "Dot-com? Where is it crowded (doko ga komu)?" asks the boss.
20. **久しぶり～ 名が出ないまま じゃあまたね～** (0 · ▲1 ▼1) — No. 1 in 2010, by "シーゲ". Meaning: "Long time no see!" Without remembering the name: "See you then!"
21. **やせてやる！！ コレ食べてから やせてやる！！** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — No. 1 in 1994, by "栗饅頭之命". Meaning: I'll lose weight!! After I eat this, I'll lose weight!!
22. **脳年齢 年金すでに もらえます** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — No. 1 in 2006, by "満33歳". Meaning: My brain age is already old enough to draw a pension.
23. **仕分け人 妻に比べりゃ まだ甘い** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — No. 1 in 2009, by "北の揺人". Meaning: The budget cutters are soft compared with my wife.
24. **皮下脂肪 資源にできれば ノーベル賞** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — No. 1 in 2014, by "イソノ家". Meaning: If subcutaneous fat could be a resource, a Nobel Prize.
25. **五時過ぎた カモンベイビー USA(うさ)ばらし** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — No. 1 in 2018, by "盆踊り". Meaning: After five: come on baby, "USA" (usa-barashi, letting off steam).
26. **我が家では 最強スクラム 妻・娘** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — No. 1 in 2019, by "コラプシング". Meaning: In our house the strongest scrum: wife and daughter.
27. **会社へは 来るなと上司 行けと妻** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — No. 1 in 2020, by "なかじ". Meaning: My boss says "don't come in", my wife says "go to work".
28. **増えるのは 税と贅肉 減る贅沢** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — No. 1 in 2023, by "ミファ". Meaning: What grows: taxes and flab; what shrinks: luxuries.
29. **AIの 使い方聞く AIに** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — No. 1 in 2024, by "七夕するめ". Meaning: I ask AI how to use AI.
30. **「宝くじ 当たれば辞める」が 合言葉** (-1 · ▲0 ▼1) — No. 1 in 2011, by "事務員A". Meaning: "I'll quit if I win the lottery" is our password.
31. **いい夫婦 今じゃどうでも いい夫婦** (-1 · ▲0 ▼1) — No. 1 in 2012, by "マッチ売りの老女". Meaning: A "good couple" (ii fūfu); now we couldn't care less (dō demo ii fūfu).
32. **スポーツジム 車で行って チャリをこぐ** (-1 · ▲0 ▼1) — No. 1 in 2017, by "あたまで健康追求男". Meaning: I drive to the gym to pedal a bike.
33. **また値上げ 節約生活 もう音上げ** (-1 · ▲0 ▼1) — No. 1 in 2022, by "健康奉仕". Meaning: Prices up again; living frugally, I'm crying uncle.

How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.