Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Closed Doors ❯ Japanese Glossary ( Chapter 11 )

Japanese Glossary

Aa - 'yes", less formal than hai.

Aishiteru - 'I love you'

Anata- Normally means "you"; from wife to husband takes the meaning "darling"

Ano: a placeholder, something like 'um'.

Arigatou gozaimasu - Thank you very much

Baka: a commonly used non-obscene insult. Literally, 'stupid'.

Busu- Ugly/Hag

Chikusho- an exclamation of frustration, equivalent to "Damn!" or "Shit!" Comparable exclamations are kuso (literally "shit") and shimatta.

-chan / -kun- Honorifics attached to names if they are family members or close friends. Chan for girls and Kun for boys usually.

Daijoubu - all right

Daijoubu?- Are you all right?

Daijoubu ka? - Are you alright?

Dame- bad, no good; no can do. One very common usage is dame desu/dame da, uttered when refusing permission or indicating that something is a bad idea.

Dame da - Its no good

De gozaru- Kenshin's way of saying "desu" or "gozaimasu".

Demo: 'but'

Douka shita no? - what's wrong?

Doushitano? - What's wrong?

Doushite de gozaru ka? - "why?" Kenshin style

Futon: a Japanese bed, a thin mattress sitting on the floor.

Ganbatte - Good luck / Cheer up

Gi: The short robe tied with a sash worn as a shirt. Kenshin's is pink.

Gomen nasai: polite form of 'I'm sorry.'

Hakama: The wide-legged flowing pants Kenshin wears.

Hai - yes

Iie - no

Jou-chan- Sano's nickname for Kaoru; literally means "little missy".

Kami- God, gods. This term can also be applied to any supernatural being with a specific domain/charge/sphere.

Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu: the school of martial arts founded by Kaoru's father.

Kaoru-dono- Kenshin's way of saying "Kaoru-san", which means "Miss Kaoru".

Kawaii- cute. More than a mere adjective, kawaii qualifies as an aesthetic and an obsession in Japan. A less common, secondary meaning is "cherished, beloved." Note: kawai sou means "How sad" or "How pitiful." Use caution before calling someone pitiful-looking, as Kawai is not etymologically related to Kawaii.

Kenshin no hentai- Kenshin you pervert

Kiena! - Get lost!

Kitsune-onna - Fox lady

Konnichiwa - Hello

Konbanwa - Good evening

Kora! - Hey!

Kusou - Damn

Masaka- Can it be?; It can't be!, No!

Matsu- to wait. The shouted command "Wait" is "Matte (kudasai)!" or "Machinasai!" Mate! is an abbreviated form of Matte!

Mochiron- of course, without a doubt.

Mou- already. As an exclamation of frustration, it means "Enough!" or "Geez!". Kaoru's habitual expression of annoyance.

Musume- young woman. As an epithet, ko musume is stronger than a literal translation of "little girl" would suggest. When used in this sense, "girlie" or "bitch" come closer to capturing the meaning.

Nan demo nai - nothing

Nani/Nanda: 'what?'

Naze - why

Ohayou- abbreviated form of ohayou gozaimasu, "good morning." Men have the option of using the reduced form ossu in casual speech.

Ohayou gozaimasu - Good morning

Oi- Hey

Onegai- truncated form of onegai shimasu, "I beg of you," "Please" or "Pretty please." Without the o- prefix, it means "wish."

Oro- Kenshin's signature comment. Usually used when Kenshin's confused.

Oyasumi nasai - Goodnight

Rurouni- No such word exists. Nobuhiro Watsuki created this word by playing around with the word "ronin" meaning samurai with no master. Roughly translates as "wanderer".

Sayonara - Goodbye

Sessha - I, Kenshin style - lit. "this unworthy one"

Shihondai: A dojo student advanced enough to teach others. Kaoru's rank in the Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu.

Shoji- Japanese sliding door

Sou da ne?: 'Is that so?'

Sou ka - 'maybe'

Suki da - I love you / I like you

Sumanu - I'm sorry

Tanuki- Raccoon

Tori-atama- Rooster Head

Uso! - No way!(Iie!)

Yappari - I thought so

Yurushite kudasai, meaning "Forgive me!"