Voices
Music
Arcs
Togashi
Review
Japanese
Other
I've had people ask many times what things I say or others say, means. And I've heard them pronounced horribly, so for your entertainment and learning, (and because if I meet you and you say ohio, I'll beat you senseless with my oar) here are commonly used Japanese phrases, their pronounciations, and their basic english translations.
|
|
|
|
| Ohayou/Ohayoo | Just like the state: Oh - ha - yoh (the long o can be written in roomaji as both oo or ou.) | Good morning, hello |
| Konnichiwa | Koe - n - nee - chee - wah (the first n blends into the second one) | Hi/Hello (used in general greetings) |
Honorifics:
|
Honorifics:
|
The japanese always put some form of honor onto a name when speaking
to someone. Like Americans adding Mr. or Ms. onto the front of a name.
When speaking to someone, to not use an honorific is extremely rude.
|
| Sayonara | Sah - yoe - nah - rah | Is a final goodbye, means you are leaving for a very long time, or permanently |
| Ja ne / Ja matte ne | Jah nay / Jah mah - tay nay |
Goodbye/see you later
Literally "Well, isn't that right" / "Well in a moment right?" |
| Shitsuree shimasu | shee - tsoo - ray - shee - mahs | Excuse me (I'm leaving) can just mean excuse me. |
| Chotto matte | choe - toe mah - tay | Wait a minute. / Hold on. |
| Uso | oo - soe | depending on how it is said, it can mean "You're kidding?!" or "I don't believe you." (and can be taken in all the ways the english of those sentences can be taken in, depending on your tone of voice.) |
| Baka | bah - kah | The first word anyone watching anime learns. It can mean anywhere from 'You're silly', to 'you moron'. |
| Yarou / Temee / Kora | Yah - roe / tay - may - ee / Koe - rah |
both ways of refering to someone in a very rude manner, often
translated into swear words in english because that is about how
rude they are in Japanese. Yuusuke is known for screaming
temee at whomever he is fighting.
Think "You dog!" "Bastard! etc." Kora is a little more polite but not much. |
| Oi | oy (as in oy ve) | used to get someone's attention, sort of like we use "hey." |
| Anata | Ah - nah - tah | You. Usually used between people who are very close (like a wife to a husband or vice versa, girlfriend/boyfriend) can also be used on rare occasions just to mean you. But if you use it for someone you aren't familliar with, you'll get a funny reaction. They'll either think you're being rude or far to friendly. ^^;; |
| Hai | like the english "High" | Yes, affirmation. Sometimes just a response. (Often used when talking on the phone. The japanese are always worried that you're not still there, so to let someone know that you're still on the line you make a lot of noise, "hai un. Mmm mm. Hai." you get the idea. |
| Iie | ee - ee - ay | No, negative response. |
| Iyada | ee - yah - dah | Don't wanna. (Basically it's a kid-like phrase.) |
| Demo | deh - moe | but (as in, but you said I could!) |
| Gakuen / Gakusee | Gah - koo - ehn / gah - koo - say | School / Student |
| Rei / ten | Ray / tehn | Spirit |
| Ki / Chi | kee / chee | power / aura (chi can also mean blood) |
| Kai | kah - ee | When used in Yu Yu hakusho it means world / plane / realm (ReiKai = spirit world makai = demon world, ningenkai = human world, meikai = nether world) it's also used when speaking of an inhabitant of the demon world (youkai) |
| You | Yoe | demonic (youkai - demon, youki - demon power) |
| Oni | oh - nee | devil (the ogre like demons that live in ReiKai ie: Jorge) |
| Minna | mee - nah | used when speaking to a group of people. (Minna-san = everyone, or "you all".) |
| Koi / Koibito | koh - ee / koe - ee - bee -toe | koi can mean carp (the fish) or love. Koibito is lover/girlfriend/boyfriend. |
| Yamete / Yamero | Yah - meh - tay / yah - may - roe | Stop. |
| Shimata | shee - mah - tah | oh no! often translated as "Shit!" |
| Kuso | Koo - soe | Dang it. (often translated as "damn!") |
| Itee / Itai | ee - tay / ee - tah - ee | That hurts! / OUCH! |
| Watashi / Atashi / Boku | wah - tah - shee / ah - tah - shee / boe - koo | All mean "I/ Me/ myself" Watashi is a common way to refer to yourself, Atashi is more of a feminine way to say it, and boku is a masculine way to say it. It's still more polite to say your own name. |
| Sou / Sou da / Sou desu ne | soe / soe dah / soe dehs - nay |
Oh, that's right, agreement. Sou desu ne = That's right, isn't it.
Ne added to the end of anything is asking for agreement. |
| Yaoi / Yuri | Yah - oh -ee / yoo - ree | male x male relation ship / female x female relationship these usualy refer to sexual relationships |
| Shounen ai / Shoujo ai | show - nehn ah - ee / show - joe ah - ee | boys love / girl's love. This is the lighter version of the above. Less sexual more cuddly. |
| Bishounen / Bishoujo | bee - show - nehn / bee - show - joe | pretty boy / pretty girl |
| onna / otoko | oh - nah / oh - toe - koe | Woman / Man |
ReiKiTantei.net is Copyright© Amanda McGuire
Page design by: Botan-chan;
Content by: Botan-chan, SSJNate, Jaganshi Hiei and
Naveed Zandrite
Yu Yu Hakusho is Copyright© 2002 YOSHIHIRO TOGASHI/SHUEISHA• FUJI TV • ST. PIERROT.
Licensed by FUNimation ® Productions, Ltd.