Japanese Word of the Week

[Toku Warrior]

I figured for those of you who don't knw the Japanese language I'd make a thread about Japanese to English vocabulary. Anyone is allowed to post a Japanese word as long as they write down the definition. There may be websites out there that give definitions for Japanese vocab into English but I figured I'd make it easier for those that constantly visit here to learn a few things they don't usually know.

Also, if there is a word you want to know but can't find the translated meaning of it thn feel free to aks us and we can try and find it for ya. Well, here's this weeks word:

Kaiju

Meaning - "Wierd Beast." Now-a-days it has been known to mean "Monster" because of the many Japanese monster films such as Rodan (pronounced Radon in nihongo-japanese) and Godzilla (pronounced Gojira in nihongo-japanese) that have been brought over to the U.S. market.

[*Jess♥]

great Idea dude!

I want to post a word!

MAHOU

Mahou is a random word that can be shouted out in the classroom when you are eccited just as long as you have a teacher called becky that is 11 years old

alternateively....

mahou basically means magic.

[Guest DekaRed]

My turn, hehe, my word is

Nani?!

Usually used for saying What?, i prefer it to represent WTF?!

[Guest DekaRed]

I also got another favourite

Baka!

Which usually means Idiot!, lol

[durendal]

Ahou

Dumbass. Add a prefix of "Do" and it becomes big dumbass.

[largo]

great Idea dude!

I want to post a word!

MAHOU

Mahou is a random word that can be shouted out in the classroom when you are eccited just as long as you have a teacher called becky that is 11 years old

alternateively....

mahou basically means magic.

So I see that I'm not the only one other then the captain observing Becky.

[ZoneFighter]

Technically a giant monster (like Gojira) is a daikaiju.

I have several japanese terms listed on my web page: http://incolor.inetnebr.com/stuart/henshin/terms.htm

aku - evil

akuma - devil or demon

kaibutsu - creature of abnormal form, wicked creature, monster

kaijin - mysterious person (used in Tokusatsu particularly Kamen Rider to refer to monsters)

kaiju - mysterious creature, goblin, monster

yokai- evil spirit or ghost

[durendal]

TAMASHII 魂 [たましい]

(in case your browser can't read Japanese.

(1) Meaning Soul or Spirit. This is usually associated with passion used in most hot blooded shows. (2) In Super robot Wars Games, a special skill of pilots that will make their attacks deal 2.5 (sometimes 3) times the amount or normal damage.

[Bio-Boosted Dude]

Wow, this is an interesting thread! Thanks for these guys.

Unfourtunately, I don't know enough japanese to contribute.

[Guest Unknown_Guyver]

Omae wa mō shindeiru (おまえはもう死んでいる)

Translation ""You're already dead!

Only one great anime/manga icon says this phrase and that man is Kenshiro! It is a very catchy saying and you always know what happens afterwards.

Ken: Omae wa mo shindeiru...

Bad Guy: Nani?!

Then bad guy go boom! Just classic!

Edited April 26, 2007 by Unknown_Guyver

[Toku Warrior]

That is a classic. Also, BBD, ya don't have too know the Japanese language a great deal. If you only know one or two words then that's fine. I'm actually surprised at how many People have posted so far.

Yaro

Basicaly means - Bastard.

[Bio-Boosted Dude]

CHIKARA

Meaning power, I believe. Shoot me down and laugh if I'm incorect.

[Toku Warrior]

It either means power and/or strength. So yeah you got it.

[largo]

Hentai

Yeah, yeah I know but it's just one of those words but let me start by letting every one know that we got it backwards Hentai just means perverse not animated porn the word for that is Echii which is the sound for the letter h which animated porn is sometimes refered to as Big H this is where I think most People get confused becuase most People believe that Echii is actually just perverted Anime but it's actually the porn. Funny how we get that backwards?

[Toku Warrior]

That's true. It's too bad that Hentai got stuck with that name instead of Echii.....but I think that the Anime porn genre got stuck with the name Hentai because it is probably easier for a person to recognize the word Hentai than the word echii and place it to that genre.

Next Word and it's something that almost all girls like to do.

Kaimono

Meaning - Shopping

[largo]

That's true. It's too bad that Hentai got stuck with that name instead of Echii.....but I think that the Anime porn genre got stuck with the name Hentai because it is probably easier for a person to recognize the word Hentai than the word echii and place it to that genre.

Next Word and it's something that almost all girls like to do.

Kaimono

Meaning - Shopping

True it is quite sad.

Gaijin

Meaning foreigner.

Also one of my personal fav. it's also more a phrase then a single word.

Anta Baka

Meaning "What are you Stupid"

Now then I think that I'll do a little tidbit on honorifics(sp?) these are similar to Mr., Mrs. you get the point I will now list the most commonly used ones.

San- the english equivalent to Mr. or Mrs.

Sama- infuring even greater respect

Dono- meaning absoult respect.

Sensei- Meaning Teacher or Docter or someone of great intellectual or physical prowess.

Chan- A sign of affection for a girl sometimes used for small boys.

Kun- The male equivalent of chan.

Bozu- small kid

Hime- princess

This is just a small list of Honorifics.

Edited April 27, 2007 by largo

[Toku Warrior]

There is also a new honorific I've been shown recently called "Danna." It was usen in a new Anime I've been watching and it was said to mean Master. Very good on the honorifics Largo. Also, chan can be use on teenage boys as well by other if they either have girlish looks to them....or in some instances where a girl will call a guy with the chan honorific due to eithe rthe girlish looks, puns, or if they're good friends.

Of course with honorifics, sometimes the Japanese won't use them on certain People buyt only cuz they are very close....either very good friends or lovers.

Another word is -Jin.

This is used to describe nationality. Example: a Japanese person is called nihonjin (someone from Japan).

[Bio-Boosted Dude]

I heard "Gaijen" was more of a ruder way of calling someone a foreigner?

[Toku Warrior]

I think you're right on thay BBD. I just looked through my Japanese-English dictionary near my computer and it says the actual way to cal someone a foreigner is Gaikokujin.

Here are two more words for the evening.

Chikusho

meaning - well...damn

Yami

meaning - Darkness.

[Guest DekaRed]

Another word is -Jin.

This is used to describe nationality. Example: a Japanese person is called nihonjin (someone from Japan).

Actually Jin is more like person, or man. As in

UchuuJin - literally SpaceMan or as Suzemiya Haruhi would say, Alien (this can also be seen as SeiJin - StarMan)

MiraiJin - literally FutureMan, but Suzemiya Haruhi uses it to say TimeTraveller

JuuJin - BeastMan (this is from Ultraman Nexus)

Intrestingly it can also be used in mecha as in

KyoRyuJin - Giant Dragon Man (original megazord)

Funnily enough a lot of mecha end with Oh which many translate as God (DaiRenOh - Great Thunder God - Thunder Megazord), this is false as Oh actually translates to King, God is translated as Kami-sama.

[durendal]

Firstly, I apologize if I'm going to sound like a Jackass or/and a goddamn "knowitall". But please allow me to give me some of my opinions.

Hentai

Yeah, yeah I know but it's just one of those words but let me start by letting every one know that we got it backwards Hentai just means perverse not animated porn the word for that is Echii which is the sound for the letter h which animated porn is sometimes refered to as Big H this is where I think most People get confused becuase most People believe that Echii is actually just perverted Anime but it's actually the porn. Funny how we get that backwards? biggrin.gif

Hentai is plain pervert. And no, Hentai does not mean porn. However, it is now generally accepted that Hentai is a class of japanese animation, Game or Comics. This is where they coined that term "H" or Ecchi to classify Hentai Anime or Hentai manga. In a way, you can called them perverse Animation and perverse comic. Porn is called "Waihon" (わいほん)

Incidentally, Hentai (変態) also means metamorphosis or transformation.

Anta Baka

Meaning "What are you Stupid"

Although this is correct, this is not a word, but rather a shorthand phrase from "Anata wa baka desu ka" (貴方はバカですか) and is spoken in a specific manner. Much like an equivalent to the enlgish "ya stupid?".

I think you're right on thay BBD. I just looked through my Japanese-English dictionary near my computer and it says the actual way to cal someone a foreigner is Gaikokujin.

Gaikokujin (外国人) is literally translated as person from another country. Gaijin (外人) simply refers to outsider.

Funnily enough a lot of mecha end with Oh which many translate as God (DaiRenOh - Great Thunder God - Thunder Megazord), this is false as Oh actually translates to King, God is translated as Kami-sama.

This is not necessarily false. Ou (王) is generally a ruler or a king. But since People see God as a ruler, they tend to use "Ou" as God. It's just that "Great Thunder God" sounds much more intimidating than "Great Thunder Ruler". And if they are going to use the word "Kami" (神) in a name, they would say it as "Jin", which the early example, "Kyoryujin" can also be translated as Giant Dragon God. Depending on the kanji used. (巨龍人) = Giant Dragon Man (巨龍神) = Giant Dragon God.

[Guest DekaRed]

ok kool....

but that sounds like they are calling man a god, lol

[Toku Warrior]

Incidentally, Hentai (変態) also means metamorphosis or transformation.

Don't you mean Henshin? If Hentai also means that then damn I definently missed something.

[largo]

Don't you mean Henshin? If Hentai also means that then damn I definently missed something.

I thought transform was Henge.

[*Jess♥]

of course there are different words for the same kind of thigns but can be used in different contexts.

it's the same as english where you can have many synonyms suited to different situations.

Toku Warrior, Hentai is indeed used to describe something that is not normal.. hence perverse... but someting that is transformed such as a transgender would be described as hentai.

whereas henshin is more of the kinds of activation transformation.

think of Hurricanger where oboro says 'hashin' think of the similarities of the words.