Where Did the Words Hunky-Dory and Honcho Originate and What Do They Mean?

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Karen Hill

If everything is great then it’s hunky-dory, while a honcho is a big shot, and both words come from Japan.

During the First World War, American sailors on leave discovered a Yokohama street named Huncho-dori that provided all the facilities for carnal pleasure.

They brought home the name and the good feeling as hunky-dory.

The word “honcho” came out of the Second World War and is Japanese for “squad leader.”

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