Glossary of Novelization Japanese

Throughout the summaries, you will find I've retained the original Japanese terms as they are said in the anime. Sometimes the phrase or word just sounds better in its original form, and I feel that retaining Japanse words and phrases helps preserve Fushigi Yuugi as it first appeared in the beloved manga, and then in the incredible anime.

The Japanese terms left untranslated are words I have found to be commonly used in anime. I have not had any official schooling in Japanse, what I know I've learned from library books, watching hours of subtitled anime, and translating songs and manga. If you know I have defined a word incorrectly, or can shed some light on a particular phrase or facet of FY, don't hesitate to let me know! Hontou-yo!! You can reach me, Sailor Two Moons, at slr2moons@hotmail.com!

Gateway glossary words N-Z (for words A-M, click here.)

Na: This little word can mean a variety of things, depending on the situation. In proper grammar, it is used in the place of "no" for adjectives when the object being described is said to be something non-concrete, like "pretty". IE: kirei na kanojou (pretty girl). In slang, the word can be a more masculine version of "ne". Those men just have to be different every way they can possibly think of. <:P

Naka: Inside, within. This word almost always follows "no", which implies belonging to. So (place) no Naka means the place's inside. ^^ Pronounced "Nah-kah"

Nan da: "Nan" means "what", and "da" is an informal version of "desu", thusly, "Nanda" means "What is it?" Pronounced "Nah-n-dah"

Nan demo nai: Ohhh, nothing!  This is a fairly common expression, and one you hear all the time in anime.  Pronounced "Nah-n Deh-Moe Nigh"

Nani: "What". It is used just as we use "what", hence, "nani" can be a question, as in "What was that you said?" or a statement of disbelief or anger, like "WHAT WAS THAT AGAIN???" Sometimes "o" is added to the end.  This does not change the meaning, "o" is a post-position for the direct object.   Too confusing??  Then just look at the definition of "nani" and leave it at that.  ^^ Pronounced "Na-nee" or "Na-nee oh"

Nani kore?: If you've been reading the novelizations since Chapter 1, you should be very familiar with "Nani" by now!  Now, "kore" means "this." Put the two together and you've got, "What is this?" *laughs* Sugoi, ne??   A longer version of the same line is "Nani o kore"  Pronounced "Nah-nee Koh-reh"

Nanka: And so forth, and so on, the likes of. In other words, a more classy way to say "etc"! Pronouned "Nah-n-kah"

Ne: This is another word with no direct traslation into English. It is used like we use "Eh," as an attention-getter, or at the end of rehtorical question. Pronounced "Neh"

Ni: This word is the post-position/particle for location. Hence, the word directly in front of "ni" is the location for whatever is happening in the sentence. IE: "Neko wa koko ni iru". Cat wa here located is. The cat is here. Foreign languages are aboslutely facinating...

Ningen: Human being, person, man. Pronounced "Nee-n-ghe-n

No: This word implies ownership or belongong to. It is also used to make adjectives. Pronounced just like it's spelled.

[Someome's name] no baka!!: The "no" implies ownership or belonging to. And "baka" you already know. You figure it out. It's not that hard! ^^  Pronounced just as it's spelled, with the addition of the unfortunate subject's name, of course.  :P

...no sei de. "Because of (subject_), it's (subject's) fault." This can be either positive or negative in meaning, and can be used with or without the final de. Pronounced "No Seh-ee"

O: This little word has two possible meanings. The first one is the most common: as a particle/post position. Like "wa", "ni", etc, "o" is grammatical. It immediately follows the direct object of the verb. In other words, it marks whatever the verb is acting upon. Take this English example. "I threw the ball." "The ball" is the direct object, becuase that is what the verb (threw) is affecting--in this case--throwing. So if were were to use Japanese grammatical style in that sentence, it would go "I wa ball o threw". ^^ The other meaning is an honorific. Placing "o" in front of a noun makes it very formal. This is not an everyday practice, except in those cases where the speaking is being very formal (such as an employee to a customer in a store) or when it has become more or less permanently attatched to the noun through commong usage, like "ocha", for "tea". ^^ In both cases, the word is pronounce "oh", although in the first definition, you'll sometimes find it prounounced as "woh", but it's not too common.<:P

Oi: Hey! Pronounced just as it's spelled

Oji-san: Uncle. As with onee-san/obaa-san, kids are taught to call strange men either onii-san (older brother) or oji-san. If Japanese men dread graduating from onii-san to oji-san in the eyes of children, it's much less emphasized than the version for women. Again, the O in front is honorific. Pronounced "Oh-jee San"

Okaa-san: Mother. The "O" at the front is an honorific, so just saying "kaa-san" would make the definition more like "Mom", especially if the "san" is replaced with the less formal "chan". I find it very interesting that Miaka refers to her mother as Okaa-san, instead of something more familiar. Pronounced "Oh-kah-sahn"

Okairi: "Welcome home." ^^ You also hear this in anime all the time. ^^  Pronounced "Oh-kah-ee-ree"

Omae: An informal way of saying "You." You would never use this word in polite conversation with strangers.  However, if you know the person pretty well, "Omae" is fine.   Taiitsu-kun is walking a fine line with this word, IMO.  She does speak rather shortly, but then, considering her age and power, I guess she has the right.  ^^   Pronounced "Oh-mah-eh"

Onegai: "Favor". This is actually an abbreviated form of "Hitotsu onegai ga aru n desu,"  which means, "I have one favor to ask." If that's a bit much, think of it as simply saying "Please" d:) It can sometimes be as translated as strongly as "beg". Pronounced "Oh-neh-gah-ee"

Onee-chan: Older sister. Japanese children are also taught to referr to unfamiliar older girls as this.   When the unfamilair girl appears middle-aged to the child, the generic "miss" term changes to "Obaa-san", or "Auntie".   Japanese women dread the day they are considered "Obaa-san" by a kid.   ^^  Now, onee-chan can be shortened to just "-nee-chan" for short.   The O in front is an honorific thing, so removing it makes the word more informal.  Pronounced "Oh-neh Chan"

Onii-chan: Older brother. The 'chan can also be replaced with the suffix "san", making the term more formal than onii-chan. For more info on the meaning of suffixes, visit the Honorifics Explained page. "Onii-" is also often used by girls when referring in a friendly manner to a guy older than them, but not yet in the middle-aged range. The beginning O can be dropped to make it less formal. Pronounced "Oh-nee Chan"

Oyaji: Dad, Pops, Old Man, etc.  This is an informal term for someone's father.  Come to think of it, I've only heard it actually said by sons, never by daughters.  Hmmmm.   Pronounced "Oh-ya-jee"

Ore: I, me! This word is a very informal, abrupt manner of referring to yourself. It's used almost exclusively by boys and men. Women CAN use the term, but it would imply that they are cocky, blunt, impolite, and not afraid of trouble. Remember, Japanese is a very polite language, where normally you are humble about yourself, and respectful to everyone around you. Speaking informally is done only amongst friends, or in a situation where the speaker is not afraid of any possible bad reactions to acting like an impolite prick of a punk. ^^ Prounounced "Or-eh"

Otoko: Man, male. Pronounced "Oh-toe-koh"

Otou: Father. When used with -san, it is quite formal. ^^ The O at the front makes it more formal, it can be shorted to just "tou". Pronounced "Oh-toe"

Oyomesan: Bride. Pronounced "Oh-yo-meh-sahn"

Saa: This slang word is a bit tricky to define, you just have to get a feel for it. It can be used as an "ummm" when someone is thinking about what to say, like a vocal pause in what you are saying. In this same vein, it can mean, "I dunno", or "Whatever", similar to a spoken shrug. It can be a concluding particle, said just before a conversation ends, like "Well then...". It can also be a sound of encouragement that is said to someone else, like "Come on, try." Pronounced "Sah"

Sayonara: Good-bye! This word is actually somewhat formal in usage. If you were stepping out of the house to do errands or go to school, you wouldn't use "sayonara". But if you expected to go a signifigant distance and/or be gone for quite some time, then you would use it. ^^ It's similar to the inflection between "Good-bye" and just plain "Bye!" in English. ^^ Pronounced "Sah-yo-nah-rah"

...Sei de: Because of ___, it's ___ fault. The person or act in question is either stated in the sentence, "Atashi no sei de", or is obvious in the course of the conversation. You know, the whole omitted subject of the sentence thing, which is prevalent in Japanese. ^^ Pronounced "Seh-ee Deh", though it usually sounds more like "Seh Deh"

Seifuku: Uniform! Pronounced "Seh-ee-foo-koo"

Sekai: World. Pronounced "seh-kah-ee"

Sensei: Commonly defined as "Teacher", this word is also used for "Master", "Doctor" and as a respectful way to refer to someone who is highly skilled. To read more about "sensei's" use as an honorific suffix, visit the Honorifics Explained page. Pronounced "Seh-n-seh"

Shichiseishi: In FY, the word is commonly used to refer to the seven individuals who bear the kanji of their representative constellations upon their bodies. It is made uo of two words, "shichi" (seven) and "seishuku" (constellation).  As far as I can tell, "seishi" is a shortened form of "shuku".  Pronounced "She-chee-say-shee"

Shijintenchisho: This is the actual Japanese title of "The Four Gods' Sky and Earth", which can also be translated as "Universe of the Four Gods". Pronunciation is interesting.  A literal one is "She-jee-n-te-n-chee-show", but the seiyuu tend to slur the last two syllables together, to form something that sounds like "She-jeen-ten-ch'show".  Ghaaa!

Shikashi: However, but. Pronounced "She-kah-shee", or you can drop the final I for "She-kash"

Shikkari shite: "Be steady! Hang on!" The literal meaning of the first word, "shikkari", is "firmly" , "tightly", or "steady". The second word, "shite", makes the first part a verb and literally means "do", and is a command form. This phrase is used when someone finds a comrade has been hurt. Think of it as a way of expression concern for the injured party, and urging them not to give into the wound at the same time. Another form is "Shikkari shiro". Pronounced Shee-khar-ee-shteh" and "Shee-khar-ee-sheerow"

Shimatta: Damn! Crap! Oh shit! This expression is usually a reaction to something bad has happened. Pronounced "She-mah-tah"

Shite iru: To know. :) Pronounced "She-teh Ee-roo", but ususally slurred together into "Sh'teh-roo"

Shitsurei: Rude, discourtesy, impoliteness. The word can also be used to excuse or pardon yourself, such as if you have to leave a conversation before it is finished, as in "please excuse me for being rude by leaving..." The "How rude!" usage can be shortened to just "tsurei!" Pronounced "She-tsoo-reh-ee"

Sonna: Such, like that, sort of. It's usually an expression of dismay. Pronounced "So-nah"

Sore: That. It is also commonly used to refer to something just mentioned. For more info, click here. Pronounced "So-reh"

Sou da: I see, that's it, I get it! Pronounced "So dah"

Sou ka: Is that so? It is often used as a statement of agreement, like saying, "Ahhhh," or "I see." Pronounced "Soh-kah"

Sou and Sou sou: That's right! That's so! This one's used in agreement with another person's statement. Pronounced "Soh-soh"

Sugoi: Cool! Awesome! Wow! Great! Pronounced "Soo-goh-ee"

Suki: Dictionaries define "suki" as "to like, to favor," but subtitled anime always translates it as "love". Perhaps "love" is an informal definition for daily usage. *shrugs* In any case, in THIS sentence, it means "love." ^^ Pronouced "Soo-kee" or "Skee"

Sumanai: This is a word of appology, kind of like "excuse me", "pardon me". It can be shortened to just "sumana", but usually only by men.  In the first appearance of this word in my Novelizations, Tamahome's father is appologizing to his son for causing him so much worry, and making him work so hard to provide for his family. Pronounced "Soo-mah-nah-ee".

Sumimasen: The usage of this word makes its closest English definition "Excuse me" or "Please forgive me". Like its English equivalents, Sumimasen can be used for everything from appologizing to getting someone's attention to squeezing your way through a crowd.  Pronounced, "Sue-me-mah-sen"

Suru: To do. One of the most common Japanese words, and only one of two irregular verbs that follow no pattern in their conjugation. (The other is Kuru, to come). Other forms of this verb are its -te form, "shite", and the irregular past tense, "Shita". Pronounced "Soo-roo", "She-teh", and "Shi-tah"

Tachi: More than one person. In other words, this is a suffix tacked on to the end of people-words that stresses there is more than one person being talked about. Remember, Japanese nouns and prounouns almost NEVER have different plural and singular forms. Shoujo can mean one girl, or twenty. With the addition of -tachi, though, it becomes clearly stated that there is more than one person. Again, this word can only be used for people. A good place you can hear this suffix in usage is in Sailor Moon. The senshi are often referred to as "senshi-tachi", especially in the first season.  (And allow me to state for the record that original Japanese Sailor Moon is the ONLY Sailor Moon.  That dubbed crap is nothing in comparison.)  Pronounced "Tah-chee"

Tadaima: "I'm home!" You hear this one in anime all the time. ^^ Pronounced "Tah-dah-ee-mah"

Taihen: Awful, dreadful, terrible, very. Pronounced "Tah-ee-hen"

Tanomu: This word's formal definition is "to request, to beg, to ask for". In anime, it usually appears after a person's name with the implied meaning of "please look after ___ for a little while." Listen for this one, it appears quite often. Pronounced "Tah-no-moo"

Tasukete: Help! Pronounced "tass-keh-teh"

To: And. This little word has several different uses, but in this case, it does mean "and". ^^ Pronounced "Toe", but try to make the T a bit more like a "th".  ^^

To iu: This construction is used when giving the name of someone or something. "Atashi wa Miaka to iu desu." I am called Miaka. Pronounced "Toe Ee-ooh"

Tsurei: How rude! A shortened form of Shitsurei. Pronounced "Tsoo-reh-ee"

Ttaku: A mild curse, like "Geez!" or a frustrated "Ohhhh!" Pronounced "Tah-koo", but make the beginning T sound strong.

Tte: Short for "itte", which is the -te form of "iu", to say. Pronounced "Teh", with a heavy T

Un: Yep! Yeppers! Yeah! In other words, a very informal "yes". Un is used exclusively by girls and women, I would be very suprised to hear a guy say it in normal speech. Pronounced as one syllable, "Oon!", very sharply

Ureshi: Happy, pleased! Pronounced "Oo-reh-she"

Urusai: This one means "Annoyance!" and "Loud and irritating!" It is often snapped at those who are getting on someone's nerves. Think of it as a way of telling a person to shut up and quit being obnoxious. Pronounced "Ew-rew-sigh"

Uso: "Lie!" It is also commonly used by girls to expressed disbelief at something, like Masaka Pronounced "Ew-so"

Wa: The use of "wa" after a noun identifies that word as the subject of a sentence.  Another word that does the exact same thing is "Ga," only "Ga" is more emphatic than "Wa."  Easy enough, ne?   Pronounced "Wah" and "Gah"

Wai: Happy cheering, Japanese-style. ^^ An English equivalent would be "Yay!!" Used almost exclusively by girls and women. Pronounced "Why", but try not to say the H.

Wakatta: I understand, I get it. This is actually the informal past tense of "Wakaru", which means "to understand, to be clear in meaning". Pronounced "Wah-kah-tah".

Watashi: This word is a formal way of referring to oneself. In other words, it means "I" and "me." For more info, see Atashi. Pronounced "Wah-tah-shee"

Yahari: This is the more formal version of "Yappari". Pronounced "Yah-ha-ree"

Yakusoku: To promise. ^^ Formally pronounced "Yah-ku-so-koo", but normally comes out as "Yah-k'so-koo"

Yamete: "Stop!" This word is the informal command form of "Yameru", which means "to stop." Another form of this verb is "Yame".  Pronounced "Yah-meh-teh"

Yappari: "I knew it," or "I was right," It can be an expression of joy, like "YEAH!", or just a word used in a sentence. Pronounced "Yah-pah-ree"

Yatsu: A rude way to refer to a person, usually a man. In usage, it's similar to "guy". In meaning, it's similar to "hey, you!" except it's used in the third person, and not when addressing someone. Pronounced "Yah-tsoo"

Yatta: This is an expression of joy or delight, like saying "Yay!!" It literally means, "I did it!"  Pronounced "Yah-tah"

Yo: This is a suffix attachted to the end of words to show assertion and stress. For example, saying "Hontou!" means "Really!", but saying "Hontou-yo!" means "I'm telling you and it's TRUE!" Pronounced just as it's spelled.

Yokatta: Thank goodness! What a relief! All right! Prounounced "Yo-kah-tah"

Yoshi: Literally, it means something similar to "Good". Depending on the usage, "yoshi" can mean "All right!", "Let's go!", "Let's do it!", etc. Think of it as a way to strengthen and declare one's resolve to do something. Formally pronounced "Yosh-ee", but it often sounds as if the second syllable is left off, making it just "yosh."

(For words A - M, click here.)

 

Many thanks go out to Barbara Chambers, Stephen Congly, Derik DeVecchio, Beth J., Alex C. Lau, Lyndall, Paul Starr, Iskandar Taib, Lawrence Wang, and Washuuchan for their help with my glossary! Doumo arigatou gozaimashita, mina-san!!!

This half of the glossary last tweaked on 5-6-03 by Slr2Moons. ^^