As you might know words with the same pronunciation but different meaning (Homonym / 同音異義語) are very common in all languages.
The Japanese words "Shabu" and "Shabu shabu" are not exactly the same but their pronunciation do resemble each other (latter is basically repeated twice of the former).
Shabu is a slang term for the drug methamphetamine (Also known as "meth" "speed", or "cold ice" in English) in Japanese. Whereas Shabu shabu is a variant of hot pot dish in Japan.
Now that you know what Shabu and Shabu shabu mean, make sure you repeat "shabu" twice when you ask for a "Shabu shabu"
Find out more about shabu shabu.
Why saying I love you is such a big deal?
Having lived in Japan and came across to many Japanese who live / lived outside Japan, apparently saying I love you is really a big deal for Japanese.
In fact, it is a big deal for people from Asia in general. This is mainly because of the cultural difference and being "conservative" about "opposite sex" is considered a good moral.
For example, segregating male and female in junior high school and high school is very common in Japan. All boys or girls school can be found at ease and most of the prestigious are in fact boys or girls only school (there are exception ofcourse). Even at the mixed sex school, finding a couple who proclaim they are dating could be as difficult as finding Willy (in case you are not familiar with the book, check this out).
On the other hand, the influence of western culture cannot be ignored. According to these posts
younger people in the western Japan are starting to use I love you to each other, and kids in elementary school think "I love you" is basically adult version of "I like you".
As it has been mentioned in the post "How to say "I love you" in Japanese?", the phrase "I like you" has been the "I love you" in Japanese. But as time goes by, who knows, one day I love you might be used in Japan as lightly as the way those Hollywood starts say to each other.
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