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JAPANESE TERMS
Thanks to Amber Nope who helped compile this list.

Alphabetically sorted by Japanese Term
*indicates words not for polite company i.e. curse words & insults

SINGLE WORDS

Aa
yeah

abunai
look out!

*ahou
street talk for idiot/moron/stupid

ai
love

aijin
darling

Aishiteru
I love you

akuma
devil. Along the lines of evil & sinister

Aku. Soku. Zan.
Evil. Kill. Instantly.

Amerikajin
an American (person)

anata
you; Darling/Dear (when used by a woman to address her husband);(Anta is a contraction and less formal)

anata ga baka imasu
you are an fool/idiot

anata ga imasu ka?
is that you?

Anata mo
you too

anata no senzo
your ancestor

anata o meshitsukai imasu
you are the servant

Anou/etto
um...hey...err...well...you know...

Ara
Oh my!

Arigatou
thank you

Arigatou gozeimashita
thank you very, very much

Asoko
Over there

atama
head

atashi
slang for female [exclusively used by females. If a male uses this term it is often thought of as 'weird' or as being queer].

Ato ne
Later!

Ayamatta
wrong

*Baka
dummy/idiot/stupid

baka deishi
stupid pupil

*Baka mitai
It must hurt to be that stupid

*Bakamono
stupid thing

*Baka na
that's stupid

*Bakayarou
asshole

Banzai
Hooray/Yay

betsuni
nothing

bi
beauty

biseinen
literally beautiful young male; usually over 17-18 but no older than mid-twenties

bisento
a long-handled broadsword. A wicked-looking weapon, shaped like the vertical part of Kale's scar

Bishoujo
beautiful girl

Bishounen
beautiful male

bokken
wooden sword

Boku/Boku no
I/My (typically used by guys)

*Che
damn

Chi
strategy/wisdom

chi
blood

Chibi
child/little/mini/small

chigau
different/wrong

*Chikusho
shit

chotto
a little, (as it's used) just a minute

Chotto matte
Now wait just a minute

Chu
loyalty

Da
It is

Dachi (Tachi)
similar to a katana; hung from belt by 2 loops and carried blade downwards

Daijobu
alright/okay

Daijoubu desu ka
are you alright?

Daijiyobu yo/Daijiyobu ja nai yo
It's okay/It's not okay

Daisho
term used to refer to the pair of swords carried by a Samurai: One long (katana) and one short (wakizashi)

Damare
Shut-up

Damarimas
Silence

Dame da
Don't do that

Dare
who

dare da
who's there/who's that?

Dareka ga
Kind of like "um..." or showing you will add something

de gozaru
out-of-style suffix for sentences generally denoting samurai class

Demo
But

demo doshite ka?
but how?

demo, watakushi no musuko...
but, my son...

Den
legend/story

denko
lightning

Doke
Get lost/Go away

doki-doki
the sound of a heart-beat. Usually written in katakana

Doko
where

doko e Anubisu soshite Vesper imasu ka?
where are Anubisu and Vesper?

doko e kodomo imasu ka?
where are the children?

Doko ni...
Where is...?

Doko nimo
nowhere

Doku
poison

doomo
a very informal way to say "thanks"

Doomo arigato gozaimasu
thank you very much

donata desu ka?
who are you?

Doo itashimashite
it's nothing

Doozo
please

Doozo o-hairi Kudasai
Please come in

Douji
kid

doujinshi
usually manga made by people other than the original creators, most often depict yaoi

Doushitano
What's the matter?

Doushite
why

douzo
if you will

*Ecchi
lesser than hentai

ee
an informal way of saying "yes"

Erai
smart

Fukano na
Impossible!

Fuku
clothing/suit/uniform

Gai
foreign

gaijin
foreigner

gaki
slang for 'brat'

ganbarou
do your best!

ganbatte
good luck/go for it

Gen
phantom

genki
energy/energetic/health/healthy

Genpuku
a celebration of attaining manhood

Gi
kimono that men wear

Gi
justice/loyalty/morality

gin-iro kori no komasu
silver icicles slash

Ginzuishou
Silver Imperium Crystal

Go
5

Go-juu
50

Gomen/Gomen ne/Gomen Nasai
Sorry/Sorry/I'm very sorry

gomen kudasai
please excuse (this intrusion)

goshujin (-sama)
polite address to husband

Gou
android/cyborg

Hachi
8

Hachi-juu
80

Hai
yes

haigu-sha
mate

Hai, so da yo
Yes, that's right

Hakama
wide, loose men's pants

Hanashite
Tell me

hanyou
half-demon

Heijin
"sword blade"

Henshin
transform

*Hentai
perverse/pervert

hissashiburi
it's been a while

Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu
Soaring Heavenly Honorable Blade Style

hitokiri
manslayer/master assassin

hi to oni to kaibutsu
fire and demons and monsters

Honto
really

Honto ni
Really?

houshi
"Houshi is a term for a low ranking Buddhist priest, and also often refers to a one who travels around, and has combat training."

Hyaku
Hurry up

hayaku yo
hurry!

hyuu
expression of annoyance

Ichi
1

Iie
no

Ii yo
Good

Ikebana
art of flower arranging

Ikisho/Ikuzo
Let's go

Iku yo
Let's go/We're going

Ima
now

(I)Motochan
younger sister

Inochi
life

inochi no hiseki
jewel of life

*Inu
dog

Irasshai (mase)
Welcome

itadakimasu
literally, the formal verb for "receive", but also used when beginning a meal. Sort of like "let's eat!" or "dig in" or something like that

Itai
ouch

*Ittai dare/Nande ka
What the hell was that?

Itoshii
darling

Itsu
when

itsumo
always

iya
no, nope

Ja matta
See ya latter

Ja ne
Bye (slang)

Jin
humanity/perfect virtue

Jinzouningen
man-made man

Jinzouningyou
artificial doll

Jou-chan
"Missy"

Juu
10

Kaerimashou
Let's go home

Kakkoi
cool

Kami
God

Kami ga megumi o inomasu
May God help (you)

Kami ga megumi o taremasu!
God protect (you)!

Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu
Soul-Devoting Style

kanashige na
dearest/best beloved

Kanji
script based on Chinese system of writing

kare wa kyotyoko imasu
he is strong

Katakana
script used for foreign words that sound almost identical to their English counterparts (e.g. suno-snow)

Kawaii
adorable/cute

kazoku
family

Kazuo
"man of peace"

kehai
indication/sign

Kekko na
excellent

Ken-nii
Ken-brother

Ki
aura/life energy

Kibo
hope

Kierou baka
"Get lost, moron."

kieru
literally means to disappear, or vanish. when said as 'kierou' or 'kiena' to someone it means "get lost"

Kinnosuke no ototo
Kinnosuke's little brother

Ki o tsukete
Take care

Kirei
beautiful

*Kisama
dignified way of saying teme

kitsune
"fox". Foxes were thought to be mischievous spirits

kitto
certainly/I'm sure/surely

Ko
piety

Kodachi
a "compact" sword (longer than a knife, but shorter than a sword)

kodomo
"child"

kodomo o umasu
to bear a child

Koi
love

koibito
boyfriend or girlfriend

koishiteru
I love you; the use of koi denotes an affectionate, rather than passionate, bond is being denoted

kokoro
heart, soul (n)

Konbon wa
Good evening

Konnichi wa
Good day/good afternoon

*Kono ama
bitch

kono mama ja
at this rate

*Kono yarou
stupid bastard

*Kono yogore
piece of shit

Kore wa...
This is...

koto
A Japanese harp that lays on the ground and is played with picks

koujou-sama
highness/princess

Koukou sensei
[high school] principle

Ku
9

kudasai
please (used as a sentence ending when the speaker is asking another person to do something), if you will, if you please

Ku-juu
90

kumi
group; team; also, the group of students who are in the same classroom in school; antiquated, 1) a group of samurai who fight for one lord; thread, 2) braid

*kuso
literally means "feces", used to say "shit"

*Kusottare
son of a bitch, piece of shit

Maa maa
'now, now'/'calm down'

madoshi
often translated as 'sorcerer'

Mahou
magic/magical spell

Makaze
Evil Wind

makenai
won't lose

Manga
Japanese comics

mangaka
a manga artist/story-teller. Also referred to as sensei

Masahiro
"broad-minded"

Masaka
impossible, I don't believe it

Masho
demon general

Mata ne, minna
See you later, guys

mattaku
has the meaning of "damn it, crap, nuts, whatever. Or reference someone as being a goddamned whatever."

matte (matte- chotto)
wait, wait a bit

Matte yo
wait

miko
literally a Shinto priestess who acts as an assistant to a priest within a particular god's shrine

Minna
everyone

Minna-san
a formal "everyone"

Mirai (no)
future

Mite (yo)
Look

Miyuki
"the silence of deep snow"

mochiron
of course

Mochiron yo
Of course

Monosugoi
uncool

Moshi Moshi
hello (on the phone)

Mou
geez

Muten
master

Nana
7

Nana-juu
70

Nanda
What is it?

Nande-koto-wa
What happened?

*Nande kuso
What's this shit?

Nande yo
What the heck was that?

Nani (yo), Nan(i) desu ka? Nan da?
What, What is that?, What's that?

Nani mo
nothing

Naruhodo
I see

Nasai
very

Nan to iu yo!
What!

Naze
why

Naze naraba
because

Ne
okay, huh, right (depends on how it's used)

Neko
cat

Ni
2

nihonjin
a Japanese (person)

nihongo
the Japanese language

Nijizuishou
rainbow crystal

Ni-juu
20

nimru kanryou
mission complete

nimru ryoukai
mission acknowledged

Nin
serenity

ninshin shite imasu
to be pregnant

nise no kami no musuko
son of a false god

Nomiya
sake bar

(O)Baasan
grandmother. For more respect, you can use obasama

(O)Basan
aunt

Obi
sash

Odango atama
dumpling head/meatball head

Ofuda
anti-evil scrolls

ofukuro
a very informal word for "mother"

Ogenki deska
How are you?

Ohaiyo/Ohaiyo gozaiamasu'
Good Morning

Oi
hey

(O)Jiisan
grandfather

(O)Jisan
uncle

ojisama
same, but with more respect

ojochan
babe. Ojosan can mean miss, or woman, but when the suffix "-chan" is used it could mean 'babe'

(O)Kaasan
mother/mom/mommy

okaeri
welcome back

okama
gay, homosexual

Okashira
leader, boss

okusan
polite address to wife

Omae o korosu
I'm going to kill you

Omedetou Gozaimasu
Congratulations

Omoidatta
I remember

oneesan/oneechan
Older sister. -chan ending indicates intimacy while -san ending indicates formality and respect. Also used by children towards older girls who aren't necessarily their sisters, or by girls showing a familiar respect to another girl

onegai
"please." Kind of informal (more formal would be onegai shimasu)

oni
"ogre", "monster", that sort of thing. I don't think it implies evil, but definitely mischief

Onigiri
rice balls/wedges (depending on how you shape 'em)

oniisan/oniichan
Older brother. -chan ending indicates intimacy while -san ending indicates formality and respect

Onna
woman. On its own, onna means "female". Like other Japanese nouns, it can be used in conjunction with other nouns for greater specificity: onna no ko is "girl", onna no sensei is "female teacher", etc.

*Onore
Damn you/jerk/bastard

Ora/ore
slang for 'I" [this is for males. It's very, very rare for a female to use this]

Orai
All right

Osanai ningyou
worthless doll

Ossu
hi

Osuwari!
Sit!

otoko
On it's own, otoko means "male". In conjunction with other nouns it can indicate a more specific idea: otoko no ko is "boy", otoko no sensei is "male teacher", etc.

oto wa doko ni arimasu ka?
where is that sound coming from?

(O)Totchan
dad (slang)

(O)Totochan
younger brother

(O)Tousan
father, dad/daddy

otousan nite imasu, musuko nite imasu
like father, like son

Ougi
succession technique

Ouji
Prince

Oujo
Princess

oukami
wolf

Owari
The end

oyaji
a very informal word for "father"

Oyasumi nasai
Good night

peiji
page

rakuda
camel

Rei
beautiful/courtesy/fine

roba
donkey/ass (play on words: Set had the ears of an ass :p)

Roku
6

Roku-juu
60

Rurouni
wandering swordsman

saiai no
beloved

Sakaba/Sakabatou
reverse blade (katana with the blade on the inside of the curve)

Sakura
cherry

San
3

San-juu
30

Sayonara
Good bye

seishi
a celestial warrior for a particular god; from the anime Fushigi Yuugi in which four celestial gods chose seven special warriors (the seishi) to fight for them and protect the god's miko

seiyuu
voice actor; seiyuus are highly regarded in Japan and are thought to be largely responsible for giving anime characters their personalities. Because of this, many fans avoid dubbed versions of an anime series, insisting instead on subtitled tapes/disks

senpai
a senior member in your school (usually) or work

Sencha
domestic type of tea

Sensei
teacher

sensei
usually means "teacher", but also means "master". Used for artists, as well. Literally means "person who came before", implying that sensei has more experience and wisdom

Seppuku
ritualistic suicide

Shakujo
staff

Shenlong/Shenlon
dragon

Shikashi
however

Shimasen
Don't do this

*Shimatta
Damn; damn it

Shimpai janai
Don't worry about it

Shin
faith/sincerity/trust

shinai
bamboo sword

Shine (Shee-nay)
die

Shinigami
God of Death

shinjirarenai
"I can't believe this"

shinjiru
believe

Shinu
to die

Shiranai yo
I don't know

*Shiribachi
lame butt

shishou
master

shizuka
quiet/silent

Shizuka na
Mind your own business

Shizuka ni
Shut up

shizuka ni shinasai
Please be quiet

shizuka ni shiro!
"Will you be quiet!"/"Will you shut up!"

shitteiru
(I) know

shochou-san
(police) chief, polite address

Shoujo
young girl

*Shoujo ai
girl love (lesser form of yuri)

Shounen
young boy

*Shounen ai
boy love (lesser form of yaoi)

Shouri
victory/victorious

Shuku-Chi
Soujirou's technique of above super speed

Shuriken
throwing dagger

So da yo
That's right

Sore nani
what is it

soshite
and

soshite onna to kodomo
and the women and children

sou (de gozaru)
That's true/that's so

Sou ka
Really? Is that so? I see

Sou na/Sou da
Yeah, basically

Sou ne
Isn't that how it is?

sugureta desu
excellent

Sugoi
cool/weird (depends on how it's used)

Suki da
me too

suki desu
literally I'm fond of you; you're my favourite (person); I love you

sumimasen (deshita)
"I'm sorry (for what I have done)"

suteki da ne
isn't it wonderful?

Tadachi ni yo!
Right!

Tadaima
I'm home

Taikustsu
boring

tako
runt/retard

tankoubon
smaller compilations of several chapters of a manga

Tao
way of

Tatami
reed mat used in homes and dojo

Tei
obedience

*Teemee
cretin

Tenken
Sword of the Heavens

tensai
genius

tenshi
angel/heavenly spirit

Toki o wasure
Forget time

Tomaru
stop

Tondemonai!
Never!

tsumaranai
boring

Un
Yeah

urusai
literally means obnoxious, bothersome or noisy. When shouted at someone it usually means "Shut Up!!"

uso
liar, "no way"

"Uso darou, konna..."
"You've GOT to be kidding me."

*Uso yo
That's a damn lie

Wakateau
Understood

Wakatta
It's understood

Wakarimashita
I understand

wakarimasu
(I) understand

wakizashi
a spare sword, shorter than a regular one.

wani
crocodile/alligator

Wareware ni
us

Warui
bad

watakushi no chikaii Kinnosuke-kun
my dear little Kinnosuke

watakushi no giri no kyodai
brother-in-law

watakushi no midori bara
my green rose

watakushi no shujin imasu
I am your master

watashi/watakushi
one of many ways to say "I" or "me". Watakushi is more formal. Either are used by both genders

Watashi na otetsudai
I'm trapped in here

Watashi no mono
Mine

Watashi-tachi wa doko
Where are we

Watashi wa shinanai
I won't die

Ya
Hi (casual)

Yakusoku
promise

yakyuu
baseball

Yamero
Stop that

yamete
stop

Yami
darkness

*Yaoi
male-male situations (sexual or otherwise)

yappari
kind of informal. Means "I thought so!" or "Ah-ha!"

Yare yare
similar to 'oh well'

Yari
generic term for all spears

Yaro
bastard/rascal

Yatta
I/we/he/she/they did it! Yahoo!

yokatta
grammatically, this is the past tense form of the adjective "good", but is often used with the meaning of "Thank God" or "I'm glad"

youkai
"The word 'Youkai' used here in the Japanese text can be translated as 'monster', 'demon' and so on. However, it is actually a more general term used to describe a creature that has magical and/or spiritual powers, and tends to be evil."

Youma
ghost/monster/demon

Yon
4

Yon-juu
40

Yoroi
mystical armour/armour with magical abilities

yoroshii
okay

yoshi!
Good!/Yes!/Let's do it!/Right, let's go take down those Romefeller bastards and toast 'em like marshmallows on my scythe!

Yukata
kimono used for sleeping

yuki
snow

Yumi
generic term for all bows

*Yuri
female-female situations (sexual or otherwise)

yurushite kudasai
forgive me

Yusho
victory

Zakkenayo
Get the hell out of my face

Zettai/zenzen
Never

Zettai omoidatta
I remember everything

zettai yurusenai
(I will) never forgive (you)

Ziyuu
freedom

SUFFIXES

-chan-
indicates a degree of familiarity. Used by young girls towards each other, by parents to their children (sometimes) or by your significant other

-daijin-
title for ministers (I think... -_-;)

-dono-
a prefix denoting respect (back in the Meiji era - it's no longer used today)

-Gumi-
group/gang

-Jin-
people of

-kun-
used mostly between male friends. Indicates a certain level of familiarity and informality. Can be used by females with reference to males, but not with reference to females. And, can be used with reference to females in certain situations

-Otaku-
obsessed fan

-Ra-
makes a word plural

-sama-
indicates a high degree of formality. Often used in the context of "Lord" or "Lady", but also used by store clerks to address customers

-san-
indicates a degree of formality. Equivalent to "Mr." or "Mrs./Ms.". Used to your superiors, or to those whom you aren't familiar with

-Tachi-
and others/friends

*-Tare-
personification of noun (e.g., Baka-tare-you're stupid)

OTHER

facevault
facial expression of shock/surprise seen in characters; involves the entire jaw dropping open several inches, in a manner that is completely impossible anatomically

falling over
Done by characters to express shock, surprise (pleasant or unpleasant), dismay, elation, severe embarrassment

glomp
to come up to another person and throw yourself onto him/her in a massive bear hug, often putting your cheeks together and hanging on long enough to make the other person irritated

hammerspace
a mythical place from which female anime characters pull large mallets (and sometimes other weapons) when they become angry (the better to smash the male character, who is no doubt responsible for engendering the wrath of the female...)

leopard tail & ears
Parts that appear on anime characters, usually when they are slightly SD, to signify that the character is feeling mischievous or sexually frisky

Nosebleeds
Used generally for men when they are embarrassed by a sexual topic or has seen something related to sex that embarrasses them, usually for a comical effect.

Pocky
a Japanese treat made from long, thin cookies dipped in flavoured fudge such as vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, etc. Go here for pocky! http://www.japanesesnacks.com/

Spandex space
same as hammerspace, only exclusively used by Heero to keep all those guns he hides.

Sweatdrops
used for when someone makes a very stupid comment. can be used for exasperation as well as nervousness

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1998-2005, Copyright �, L. Brookes. All rights reserved. My writing means a lot to me so if you want to borrow anything, have any comments (especially constructive critisism), or queries, please either sign my Guestbook or e-mail me at [email protected].