- A -
aa: Japanese for "ah!" or "oh!" or "alas!" It can also be used as an informal "yes." "Aa" is usually used by men, while women use "un." Everyone uses "ee" for an informal yes.
abayo: A casual goodbye similar to "See ya!" Can be insulting in some situations.
ai: Japanese for "love."
aishiteru: This is the verb used for "love" -- more specifically, romantic love.
aisuru: A term of affection equivalent to "sweetheart" or "love" or "beloved."
Aizu: Tokugawa-affiliated domain; fourth battle of the Boshin War
akiri: Japanese for "light."
aku: Kanji character for "evil" worn by Sanosuke as a remembrance of his beloved Captain Sagara and the Sekihô Army
arigatou: Japanese for "thank you."
atama: Japanese for "head."
- B -
baka: This is a standard, all-purpose insult meaning "stupid" or "idiot" or "fool."
Bakumatsu: Final, chaotic days of the Tokugawa regime
bishonen: Term frequently used in manga to designate "cute boy." "Bi" means "beautiful" or "cute" in Japanese and "shonen" means "boy." Generally, the term "bishonen" applies to male anime charaters who are young (approx. 13-17 years old), very attractive, pretty, and even feminine to some degree (i.e. thay have long hair, slender builds, might be gay, ect.).
bishojo: Term frequently used in manga to desinate "cute girl." "Bi" means "beautiful" or "cute" in Japanese and "shojo" means "girl."
bokken: The Japanese term in kenjutsu for a katana shaped out of wood. Used to train samurai in feudal Japan, it is now used as a training weapon in various Japanese sword arts. Some other martial arts (and all pedants) call it a bokuto. Kaoru tends to use a bokken when she fights.
Boshin War: Civil war of 1868-69 between the new government and the Tokugawa Bakufu. The anti-Bakufu, pro-Imperial side (the Imperial Army) won, easily defeating the Tokugawa supporters.
busu: Japanese for "ugly woman" or "hag."
- C -
-chan: Honorific. Can be used either as a diminutive (e.g., with a small child -- "Little Hanako or Kentarô"), or with those who are grown, to indicate affection ("My dear...")
chibi: Japanese for "little" or "small."
Chôshû: Anti-Tokugawa (shôgunate) domain; home to many patriots
chotto matte!:Translates to "Wait a minute! "Chotto" can mean "a little bit/for a short time" and "matte" means "wait."
- D -
daijoubu: Japanese for "all right". In question form ("Daijoubu?"), you are asking someone if they're feeling okay or if anything is wrong.
demo/datte: Japanese for "however" or "but."
densetsu: Japanese for "legend" or "legendary."
dojo: Martial arts training hall.
-dono: Honorific. Even more respectful than -san; the effect in modern-day Japanese conversation would be along the lines of "Milord So-and-So." As used by Kenshin, it indicates both respect and humility.
doujin: Doujin means in Japanese "club members". They are the people who gather together to promote a certain activity, especially manga. Don't confuse with "otaku" because these are acting usually alone. The magazine published by "doujin" is called "doujinshi."
doujinshi: "Shi" means "magazine" in Japanese. So, "doujinshi" is a weak circulation magazine made specially for "doujin," though it may be sold to the public. There exist doujinshis for any activities but the manga doujinshis are by far the most widespred and active ones because of their commercial interest.
- E -
Edo: Capital city of the Tokugawa Bakufu; renamed to Tokyo ("Eastern Capital") after the Meiji Restoration.
ee: Used as an informal "yes" by both men and women.
- F -
fuku: Clothes. "Seifuku" is a school uniform.
- G -
gomen: Japanese for "your pardon." Can be used to decline (something) or make a dismissal.
gomenkudasai: Japanese for "May I come in?"
gomennasai: Japanese for "I beg your pardon" or "excuse me." Used as an apology.
- H -
hai: Japanese for "yes."
hentai: Pretty much means "perverted." Think sex and pornography. If anyone has ever seen the anime Inuyasha, the priest Miroku is often accused of being "hentai" because of his wandering hands.
Hijikata Toshizô: Vice-commander of the Shinsengumi.
hime:This means "princess." It can be used as an honorific at the end of a name.
Himura Battôsai: Swordsman of legendary skills and former assassin (hitokiri) of the Ishin Shishi.
Himura Kenshin: Battôsai's "real" name, given to him by his master.
Hiten Mitsurugi-ryû: Kenshin's sword technique, used more for defense than offense. An "ancient style that pits one against many," it requires exceptional speed and agility to master.
hitokiri: An assassin. Famous swordsmen of the period were sometimes thus known to adopt "professional" names -- Kawakami Gensai, for example, was alsio known as "Hitokiri Gensai."
houshi: Japanese for "priest."
- I -
Iaido: Iaido (or Iaijutsu) is the art of drawing the katana, chopping down the opponent, flipping blood from the blade, and then re-sheathing the katana in one fluid movement. The emphasis is on drawing the sword and attacking as quickly as possible. Starting positions can be from combative postures or from everyday sitting or standing positions. Practitioners could expect a surprise attack at any time, and the ability to react quickly from an everyday starting position was considered essential.
Ishin Shishi: Loyalist or pro-Imperilaist patriots who fought to restore the Emperor to his ancient seat of power.
- J -
Jigen-ryû: Aggressibe swordsmanship style, characterized by one-handed draws/cuts, and the use of turning.
joudan janai: Can be translated to mean such things as "This is no joke!" or "You're kidding me!"
- K -
kami(-sama): This is the word for "God." It's a good word to know. Using the ending and saying "Kami-sama" denotes more respect.
Kamiya Kasshin-ryû: Sword-arts or kenjutsu school established by Kaoru's father, who rejected the ethics of Satsujin-ken for Katsujin-ken
katana: The katana is the Japanese longsword (Daito); although many Japanese use this word generically as a catch all word for sword, "katana" is the kunyomi (Japanese reading) of the kanji. It refers to a specific type of curved, single-edged sword traditionally used by the Japanese samurai. The scabbard for a katana is referred to as a saya. The katana is primarily used for slashing, and can be wielded one- or two-handed (the latter being the most common mode). It is worn with cutting-edge up.
Katsujin-ken:"Swords that give life"; the sword-arts style developed over ten years by Kaoru's father and founding principle of Kamiya Kasshin-ryû
Kawakami Gensai: Real-life, historical inspiration for the character of Himura Kenshin.
kendo: The martial art of Japanese swordsmanship, developed in the 16th century to unify a large number of different techniques. Since 1975 the concept of Kendo has been stated as "to discipline the human character through the application of the principles of the Katana". Kendo is therefore self-discipline while Kenjutsu is the actual techniques of fighting.
kenjutsu: The art of fencing; sword ars; kendô
Kiheitai: Fighting force which included men of both the merchant and peasant classes.
kirei: Japanese for "pretty" or "lovely" or "beautiful."
koishii, koibito: Japanese terms of endearment meaning something akin to "lover" or "sweetheart" or "beloved."
-kun: Honorific. Used in the modern day for male students, or those who grew up together, but another usage -- the one you're more likel to find in Rurouni Kenshin -- is the "superior-to-inferior" form, intended as a way to emphasize a difference in status or rank, as well as to indicate familiarity or affection
Kyoto: Home of the Emperor and imperial court from A.D. 794 until shortly after the Meiji Restoration in 1868.
- L -
loyalists: Those who supported the return of the Emperor to power; Ishin Shishi.
- M -
manga: Japanese comics. Manga has become now an international term. "Man" means "comfortable" or "funny" while "ga" means "picture."
mangaka: Mangaka means "author of mangas" in Japanese. Ka is a suffix which means "artist" and its original meaning is "house" or "family" because in the old days, the activity of artists has perpetuated itself from generation to generation. You can also say "gaka" for "painter" and "ongakuka" for "musician".
Meiji Restoration: 1853-1868; culminated in the collapse of the Tokugawa Bakufu and the restoration of imperial rule. So called after Emperor Meiji, whose chosen name was written with the characters for "culture and enlightenment."
miko: A temple priestess or shrine maiden.
moshi-moshi: This is the greeting used when someone answers the phone.
mou!: An exclaimation equivilant to "Goodness!" or "God!"
- N -
...none...
- O -
okami: Japanese for "Emperor."
onegai: This is how one says "please." If you wish to be extra polite, you would use the full version: "Onegai-shimasu."
oro!: An exclaimation of surprise often used by Kenshin.
otaku: When you speak to an unknown person, you should call him politely "otaku" in Japanese. Virtually equivalent to Sir in English. But recently, it has acquired a second sense, i.e. "maniac fans of mangas or of videos", because of a lack of contact with the outer world, they use frequently "otaku" when speaking to others. In order to deserve this term, you should possess at least 1000 examples of those items and perhaps 2000 in Japan.
- P -
patriots: Another term for Ishin Shishi, and not necessarily a flattering one.
- Q -
...none...
- R -
rurouni: Wanderer, vegabond.
- S -
saiai: Japanese for "beloved"; though slightly less popular than koishii, this affectionate name can still often be found in Kaoru and Kenshin fan fiction
sakabatô: Reversed-edge sword (the dull edge on the side the sharp should be, and vice versa); carried by Kenshin as a symbol of his resolution never to kill again
-san: Honorific. Carries the meaning of "Mr.," "Ms.," "Miss," etc., but used more extensively in Japanese than its English equivalent (note that even an enemy may be addressed as "-san")
Satsujin-ken: "Swords that give death"; styles of swordsmanship rejected by Kaoru's father
saya: The scabbard (or sheath) for a katana. Most commonly, scabbards were either worn on a belt at the hip, or on an over the shoulder strap that held it diagonally across the back. Kenshin, of course, wears his sword at his hip.
Seinan War: 1877 uprising of the samurai classes against the new Meiji government, ending in defeat by the government army. Also known as the "Satsuma Rebellion"
Sekihô Army: Military unit (formed mainly of civilians) who, believing in the cause of the Emperor's restoration to power, were eventually turned upon by those same pro-Imperialist forces and declared traitors. Also called the Sekihoutai.
sensei: Teacher; master
Seta Sôjirô: Member of the Juppon Gatana and right-hand man of Shishio Makoto.
shinai: Kendo practice sword made of four bamboo slats (take) held together by two leather caps, tsuka-gawa (handle) and saki-gawa (tip), and a string (tsuru). Placed under the saki-gawa is a rubber plug saki-gomu. To prevent the four take from getting misplaced there is a small piece of metal, chigiri, placed between them inside the tsuka-gawa.
Shinsengumi: Elite, notorious, government-sanctioned and exceptionally skilled swordsman-supporters of the military government (Bakufu) which had ruled Japan for nearly 250 years, the Shinsengumi ("newly slected corps") were established in 1863 to suppress the loyalists and restore law and order to the blood-soaked streets of the imperial capital (see Kyoto)
shishou: Japanese for "master". This is what Kenshin calls Hiko, the man who taught him Hiten Mitsurugi-ryû
shôgi: Strategic Japanese board game. Often referred to as "Japanese chess"
shôgun: Feudal military ruler of Japan.
shôgunate: See Tokugawa Bakufu.
suburito: A bokken designed for suburi. Suburi, literally "bare cutting," are solo cutting exercises. Suburito are thicker and heavier than normal bokken so that you have to develop either good technique, strong muscles or both to wield one. Their weight does however tend to make them poorly balanced, consequently they are not used for paired practise.
suntetsu: Small, handheld blade, designed for palming and concealment.
- T -
Tokugawa Bakufu: Military feudal government which dominated Japan from 1603 to 1867.
Tokugawa Yoshinobu: 15th and last shôgun of Japan. His peaceful abdication in 1967 marked the end of the Bakufu and beginning of Meiji.
Tokyo: The renaming of "Edo" to "Tokyo" is a marker of the start of the Meiji Restoration.
Toba Fushimi, Battle at: Battle near Kyoto between the forces of the new, imperial government and the fallen shôgunate. Ending with an imperial victory, it was the first battle of the Boshin War.
- U -
un: Used as an informal "yes" by women. See aa and ee.
- V -
...none...
- W -
wakazashi: A short sword primarily used by a samurai to block attacks and distract an opponent from the real killer: the katana. Samurai's usually carry both a katana and a wakazashi, but when Kenshin replaced his katana with a sakabatô, he got rid of his wakazashi altogether.
- X -
...none...
- Y -
Yamagata Aritomo: (1838-1922) Soldier and statesman, chief founder of the modern Japanese army. A samurai of Chôshû; he sudied military science in Europe and returned to Japan in 1870 to head the war ministry.
yare: Means "Thank God!"
- Z -
zanbatô: Sanosuke's huge, oversized sword, destoyed during the battle with Kenshin
Zanza: The name Sanosuke goes by as a fighter-for-hire.