The terms list is a list of various words with some information. Many of these words are words you run into in anime and manga often and what's certain is that this list will grow. This will probably be the biggest anime dictionary you have ran into. At the time I was doing this, this job was rushed and I didn't have so much pep. Anyway, note that some of the terms have different forms of the term or other terms that relate to it, which is what I'll do for the most part. In the future, I'll put down ways to write the Japanese terms. Also, note that the entries that have a macron (or macrons) will also have an alternate spelling or set of spellings of the word without it (or them). A key is shown below.

N. - Noun
Pn. - Pronoun
V. - Verb
Adj. - Adjective
Adv. - Adverb
P. - Phrase

Term/term without the macron or macrons (pronunciation)

Subject - Definition

-chan (chah-n)

P. - Small or baby. This is used among very close friends and relatives, especially females. Guys say this to their friends that are girls, but they'll rarely say it towards their friends that are guys. This is also the suffix for anyone cute like mascots. Examples are “Card Captor Sakura's” Kero-chan and “Hime-chan's” title character.

-kun (koo-n)

P. - This term is used among very close friends and relatives, especially males. It's also used for anyone with a lower ranking than you and it is rarely used for anyone cute. Besides my alias, examples include Liddo-kun of “Love Hina”, Hiroshi-kun of “Mizuiro Jidai”, and Nakajima-kun of “Taiho Shichau Zo!”

Kond Yko-kun of "Moeyo Ken".

-sama (sah-mah)

P. - Lord. This suffix is used when addressing people of utmost respect or gods. In some cases, you say this suffix to kiss up to people.

-san (sah-n)

P. - A close, but not exact equivalent to Mr. and Mrs. It is used as a respectful method of addressing people of similar status. You never use it to refer to your own self nor do you use "-sama" for that matter.

Abunai (ah-boo-nah-ee)

1. Adj. - Dangerous, harmful.

2. P. - Look out!

Ai (ah-ee)

N. - Love. Depending on the scenario, you will sometime see it as "koi" (koh-ee) or "ren'ai" (reh-n-ah-ee), meaning romance. "Suki" (soo-kee) is another way to say it; thus "Kimi ga daisuki," means "I love you".

Akanbe (ah-kah-n-beh)

N. - An akanbe is a taunt. The gesture is done by sticking out your tongue and pulling down one of your eyelids. Sometimes, the person has the eye that doesn't have its lid being pulled down closed. It's usually followed by saying "I-da!" (ee-dah) or any other silly sound.

Anime (ah-nee-meh)

N. - Japanese animation or animation in general. Unlike most, if not all animated series in the western part of the world, anime carry a story and anime are aimed at various age groups. The episodes relate to each other, if it is not shown as a movie or any gig like it.

Anata (ah-nah-tah)

Pn. - You. This is the standard way to say it. Also, if said by a wife to her husband, it means "Dear".

Anta (ah-n-tah)

Pn. - You. One of the least formal ways to say it, this is usually said by women.

Arigat/Arigatou (ah-ree-gah-toh-oo)

P. - Thank you. "Arigat gozaimasu" (ah-ree-gah-toh-oo-goh-zah-ee-ma-soo) or "Domo arigat gozaimasu" (doh-moh-ah-ree-gah-toh-go-zah-ee-ma-soo) are formal ways to say it. "Domo arigat gozaimashita" (doh-moh-ah-ree-gah-toh-goh-zah-ee-ma-shee-tah) is said as well. In general, the longer the phrase is, the more formal it becomes.

Atashi (ah-tah-shee)

P. - I. One of the least formal ways to say it, this is usually said by women.

Baka (bah-kah)

1. N. - Idiot. "Ah/Ahou" (ah-hoh-oo) is also said.

2. Adj. - Silly, foolish.

3. Adj. - Absurd, impossible.

Bakayar/Bakayarou (bah-kah-yah-roh-oo)

1. N. - A real annoying idiot.

2. N. - A really mean person with the idiotic trait being optional.

Biseinen (bee-seh-ee-neh-n)

N. - Beautiful adult. Not a common word that is said as well as its related words, but the reason I want you to learn this word is because I don't want you to call a certain character a bishnen or bishjo by mistake. Fujitaka, Sakura's dad in "Card Captor Sakura" is easily a biseinen. From my experience, the characters that are called by the wrong term frequently are "Love Hina's" very own Mutsumi, Benimaru, one of the many annual fighters of "The King of Fighters" and Nakago from "Fushigi Ygi". If you're 20, you're an adult in Japan and a lot of events occur when you become twenty such as having the right to vote.

Remember this: Ms. Otohime Mutsumi of "Love Hina" is a biseinen.

Bishjo/Bishoujo (bee-shoh-oo-joh)

N. - A beautiful girl. Examples include “Karekano's” Yukino, Sae, Akane and Nanaka of “Mahtsukai Tai!”, the girls of “Azumanga”, the girls of the “Tokimemo” series and so forth.

1. Tateshi Ayu of "Ultra Maniac".

2. Chidori Kaname of the "Full Metal Panic" insanity.

3. A bishjo pair showing Kasugano Sakura and Chitose Kei of "Street Fighter".

Bishjo game/Bishoujo game

N. - A type of game that has lots of pretty girls and they're naughty for the most part. Some of these games will have an all-ages version, but not many. Examples include "To Heart", "Kanon" and "Witch's A-La-Mode".

Bishnen/Bishounen (bee-shoh-oo-neh-n)

N. - A beautiful boy. They usually have long hair or feminine looking features. Sometimes, it's hard to tell if the bishnen is a guy or a girl. Some boys that fit in the bishnen group are Kaoru of “Ai Yori Aoshi”, Makoto of “El Hazard”, Kysuke (Kyousuke) of the “Justice Gakuen” series, Shizumaru of the “Samurai Spirits” series and so forth.

1. Hisame Shizumaru of the "Samurai Spirits" series.

2. Kagami Kysuke of the "Justice Gakuen" series.

3. "Fushigi Ygi" is easily a series people will say instantly when they think of bishnen.

Boku (boh-koo)

Pn. - I. People who only know Japanese through forms of entertainment or rather though anime, manga and games will think that this form is usually said by children or young boys for that matter. The truth is that this is a form said by men. The only time a girl says this is if she is a tomboy, as from my experience, I have never heard a girl that is not a tomboy say "boku". I heard that this form is derived from low class people back in the old days, and though this is not really an informal form, there are more polite forms out there. Characters that use this form often include Shji (Shuuji) of “Saikano”, Kira of “Gundam Seed” and Hime-chan of “Hime-chan no Ribon”.

Bukky/Bukkyou (boo-k-kyo-oo)

N. - Buddhism. Japan has Buddhism and Shinto as its two main religions. Buddhism was introduced to Japan in 522 by Chinese travelers who had to go through Korea (if I recall).

Cel

N. - Layer of an illustration. This applies to all animated series in the world and not just anime. Instead of having to draw every frame of animation individually, animators superimpose transparent sheets allowing them to keep the same background while moving characters around. Authentic cels are often made available for purchase and if you think anime cels are cheap, think again. You’ll rarely find one less than $20.

Computer generated imagery/CGI/CG

N. - Images with the use of computers to produce different effects, backgrounds or entire sequences in anime.

Chibi/Super deformed (chee-bee)

Adj/N. - Chibi characters in anime are short and consequently cute. The word is used as a prefix from time to time. Super deformed is an art style in which characters have very small bodies shouldering large heads. Super deformed often leads to exaggerated facial expressions and movement.

Chigau (chee-gah-oo)

1. V. - To be different.

2. P. - "No", "That's wrong", "This is not good". "Dame" (dah-meh) is also said.

Chotto (choh-t-toh)

Adv. - A little. "Chiisai" (chee-ee-sah-ee) is the adjective form.

Convention/Con

N. - A gathering of people sharing the same interests. There are many annual anime and manga conventions everywhere in the world. Comic Market or Komiketto, as people in Japan call it, is the most popular anime/manga/game gathering held in Tokyo twice a year and I believe they’re held every August and December. One of the most popular gatherings outside of Japan is Anime Expo, held every year in the Los Angeles area. Another one is Otakon, which is held every year in Baltimore. The one in my city is Fanime, the third largest convention in the United States.

Costume play/Cosplay

N. - A very popular activity during anime and manga conventions that is also referred to as masquerading. It consists of dressing up as an anime or video game character to participate in contests or simply for fun.

Daijbu/Daijoubu (dah-ee-joh-oo-bu)

1. Adj. - Fine, okay.

2. P. - "I'm okay", "It's all right".

Dakara (dah-kah-rah)

Adv. - "Therefore", "So", "Thus".

Dakedo (dah-keh-doh)

P. - "Although", "But", and so forth. If you want to start a sentence like "However, Thu-chan is amazing," you can say, "Demo (deh-mo) Thu-chan wa sugoi na."

Dare (dah-reh)

P. - Who.

Desu (deh-soo)

V. - To be. You will hear various forms of this term. "Dearu" (deh-ah-roo) and "Da" (dah) are two examples with the former being rarely used now these, though I use this form more often than most people. As for the famous "no da" by "Fushigi Ygi's" Chichiri, let me give an example. I am sitting down and I say, "Osoi na no da." I just said, "So slow," and it doesn't matter if I add in the "no da" because I will say the same statement. If I translate the statement word for word, it means along the lines of "It (referring to the today in this situation) is so slow." Same statement, right? I hope this explanation makes sense.

D itashimashite/Dou itashimashite (doh-oo-ee-tah-shee-mah-shee-teh)

P. - You're welcome. Not a commonly said phrase, but it is an important phrase to remember if you plan to learn Japanese.

Djinshi/Doujinshi (doh-oo-jee-n-shee)

N. - Often called djin/doujin, they are fan-based material, usually art, inspired by official anime or manga as well as video games. At times, it is referred to as "fanzine". A very popular djinshi circle back then was Clamp, but now you know the group as one of the most recognized anime and manga creators. A popular fan comic that went on to become an anime is "Haibane Renmei" by Abe Yoshi-sensei.

"Guardian Heroines", the fan's version of "Guardian Heroes".

Doko (doh-koh)

P. - Where.

Dubbed anime/Dub

N. - As you dub an anime, you put it in a different language like English, Tagalog, French, Spanish, Italian, German, Korean, Vietnamese, Russian or Chinese, usually either in Mandarin or Cantonese.

Ebisu (eh-bee-soo)/Ainu (i-noo)

N. - Scholars say that the Ainu were one of the first groups of people who lived in Japan. An Asian group with both Asian and Caucasian traits, around 15,000 or so Ainu live in Japan and in some parts of Russia as of now. The most popular Ainu characters in the video game, manga and anime world are Nakoruru and Rimururu of the "Samurai Spirits" series.

Eurobeat

N. - Eurobeat is a very, very, very popular type of music in Japan, especially in its clubs, from Italy in the late 1970's that got its start by Dave Rodgers, the godfather of the genre. The genre that closely resembles it is techno as well as those similar to it like trance and rave. The songs have a very fast beats per minute rate (up to 180 beats or more in fact) and they are either in English or Japanese. Avex is the main record company that brings in Eurobeat music from Italy. As far as I know, the only anime that has Eurobeat is "Initial D". Games like "Para Para Paradise" have Eurobeat. Various anime songs also have a Eurobeat mix sung by a different artist from the original like "Sakura Saku", "Love Hina's" theme song, as that song is sung by Nakajima Erina-san. Some artists are Dave Rodgers, Max Coveri, Leslie Parrish, Lolita, Hamasaki Ayumi-sama and Key-A-Kiss.

Eye catch

N. - You know those frames of art that are used midway into an anime and often display its name along with a quick tune? Those are eye catches. It is used as a transition before and after commercials of anime series airing in Japan. Some series will show one, while others will show two. If you still don't know what they are, in the case of "Noir", it shows two and both have a picture of a gun with the name of the series in katakana on the bottom and its common spelling in the center.

"Love Hina's" eye catch.

Fan fiction/Fanfic

N. - An unofficial writing (a short story, script or novel) using characters from an existing anime, manga or game.

Fan service

N. - Scenes or situations serving little purpose to the story, they are designed to arouse the viewer, regardless of the gender, with bare skin or offbeat action.

Fan sub

N. - Often done to allow non-Japanese viewers to watch and understand unlicensed anime, fan subs are made for fans by fans and making some sort of profit off them is expressly prohibited, unless the money is for new equipment usually.

Furigana (foo-ree-gah-nah)

N. - Kana placed beside each kanji. Read a series like "Love Hina" in Japanese and you will see furigana.

Gaikokujin (gah-ee-koh-koo-jee-n)

N. - Foreigner. "Gaijin" (gah-ee-jee-n) is the informal way to say it.

Gaki (gah-kee)

N. - A harsh way to say an annoying child with no manners or a child who is persistent. A lot of fan sub and scanlation groups make the mistake of thinking that kozo (koh-zoh) and gaki are the same. Kozo means a regular kid or for a better definition, boy.

Ganbaru (gah-n-bah-roo)

V. - Persevere. You'll usually hear it as "Ganbatte!" or "Ganbare yo!" Either phrase means "Do your best!" or any statement like that.

Gomen nasai (goh-meh-n-nah-sah-ee)

P. - I'm sorry.

Hai (hah-ee)

Adv. - Yes. Saying this also indicates that you are paying attention to someone's request or direction or set of directions like for roll call.

Hayai/Hayaku (hah-yah-ee/hah-yah-koo)

Adj./Adv. - Fast, early or quick. As a phrase, "hayaku" means "Hurry up!"

Hen (heh-n)

Adj. - Strange or funny. "Henshin" (heh-n-shee-n) means "transformation".

Hidoi (hee-doh-ee)

Adj. - Cruel, harsh, and so forth. You hear Shinobu-chan say this when Kei draws her early on in "Love Hina".

Hime/Ohime-sama/josama/Oujosama (hee-meh/o-hee-meh-sah-ma/o-oo-jo-sah-ma)

N. - Princess. "jisama"/"Oujisama" (o-oo-jee-sah-ma) is "prince".

Himitsu (hee-mee-tsoo)

N. - Secret. Although naisho (nah-ee-shoh) also means "secret", girls say this form more often than boys. You will hear "Slayers's" Xellos say "Sore wa himitsu desu," quite often.

Hiragana (hee-rah-gah-nah)

N. - One of the three Japanese calligraphy systems, this consists of 46 syllables. The other two writing systems are kanji and katakana and hiragana and katakana fit into the group kana, the Japanese phonetic script. Hiragana is a basic script and can be used to name any item or the like of Japanese origin and the reason this system was created was because not all words are able to be written in kanji. It can be identified by its smooth and curved characters. This writing system is used for forms of entertainment quite a lot. Entertainers who use hiragana in his or her name regularly (that I know of) are Nogami Yukana-san, Hamasaki Ayumi-sama, Suzuki Ami-san and Kanai Mika-san, with the last one using it for both her family and given name. A series like "Nanaka" uses hiragana for its logo.

Ii (ee-ee)

Adj. - Good.

Iie (e-e-eh)

Adv. - No.

Image album

N. - A compact disc or tape regrouping music made to set the mood for a particular manga, anime, novel or video game. Hundreds of image albums are released every year. In anime and video games, image albums are collections of image songs from its voice actors.

Inu (ee-noo)

N. - Dog.

Itadakimasu (ee-tah-dah-kee-mas)

P. - "Itadaku" (ee-tah-dah-koo) means "to eat or to drink". Thus, the term roughly translates to "I'm thankful for the food. Let's eat!" You can also say this if you are about to eat, especially with someone, but this is never said for food you’re hosting if I recall. "Itadaku's" long form is this term as well. While this phrase is said a lot in anime and manga, not many people surprisingly say this in Japan, but that does not mean you can skip saying this in front of a meal. Though it is a sign of gratitude, it does not carry any religious impact, though I counter that aspect by adding "Kami-sama" or a "Domo arigat gozaimasu" at the end to make it a religious sign of grace. After taking part in a meal, you have to say "Gochis sama deshita”/”Gochisou sama deshita," (goh-chee-soh-oo-sah-mah-deh-shee-tah) which means along the lines of "Thanks for the meal," even if the meal wasn't great. (I know the person who made the food says some statement at the end, but I forgot how it goes.)

Ja (jah)

P. - See you! An informal way to say it by itself, guys will usually say "Ja na!" (jah-nah) and girls will usually say "Ja ne!" (jah-neh), but "ja mata" (jah-mah-tah) is one of the few occasions in which the statement is formal.

Japanese pop music/J-pop

N. - A current trend in Japanese music, often featured in anime. Some of the most respected J-pop artists are Hamasaki Ayumi-sama, Sakamoto Maaya-sama, Utada Hikaru-chan, Amuro Namie-sama, BoA (one of the few artists that is not Japanese), Puffy and of course, Hayashibara Megumi-sama.

Japanese rock music/J-rock

N. - Popular J-rock artists include Chage & Aska, Glay and Larc en Ciel.

Jibun (gee-boo-n)

Pn. - Self. When using it as "I", it's not an informal way to say it, but there are more formal ways. In the older days, it was used by soldiers, calling themselves as units (of an army) or some scenario like that. Wataru from "Girl's Side" uses "jibun" quite a bit.

Joshiksei/Joshikousei (jo-shee-ko-say)

N. - A structured female or more commonly said, a female high school student. In Japan, it refers specifically to a cute high school girl in a sailor uniform. "Kimagure Orange Road" easily is a joshiksei series.

Kami (kah-mee)

N. - It roughly means God, a god, a deity or a spirit.

Kanashii (kah-nah-shee-ee)

Adj. - Sad or sorrowful. Another word for this is kawais/kawaisou (kah-wah-ee-soh-oo).

Kanji (kah-n-jee)

N. - Chinese characters that went on to form the base of the written Japanese language. Meanings can vary enormously according to the context. This writing system is used the most as it is used in various cases like newspapers. It is by far the hardest aspect of the Japanese language to master and of the three writing systems, this is the hardest system to master because of the amount of characters here, which is a lot. (Try remembering around 2,000 characters in the Japanese language and don't get me started on the amount of characters the Chinese have to remember.) Of course, the Chinese or those who have studied Chinese should have no problem here. Kanji is seen in the logo of “Mizuiro Jidai”. Some entertainers that use kanji for their name are Seki Tomokazu-san and Kuwatani Natsuko-san.

Karaoke (kah-rah-oh-keh)

N. - The one word people to this day still can't pronounce properly, it's a music entertainment device which literally means an empty container. A person selects a song and either that individual or the individual and his or her friends sing along with the music. Some series have the characters of the opening and closing songs like "Aishiteru ze Baby", and "Azumanga" is easily a series with a karaoke scene.

Katakana (kah-tah-kah-nah)

N. - Japanese writing used to translate words of foreign origins and scientific terms. If you see a word with a dash, around ninety percent of the time that word is written in katakana, as it represents a long vowel. (You rarely see words written in hiragana this way and I shouldn't explain the case for kanji.) This form of calligraphy is used in anime, manga and games quite often and titles like “Area 88”, "Noir" and “To Heart” use katakana for their logos. Morikawa George-sensei is a person who uses katakana for his given name.

Katana (kah-tah-nah)

N. - Traditional, slightly curved blade of about 3 feet in length. It's used as a weapon in Japan by swordsman of numerous eras.

Kawaii (kah-wah-ee-ee)

Adj. - Cute. There are two types of kawaii: the small/mascot type and the "I'll go out with you," type. Examples of the former include Puchiko-chan of “Di Gi Charat”, Chiyo-chan of “Azumanga” and Kero-chan of “Card Captor Sakura”. Examples of the latter include Miki of "Marmalade Boy", Nanami of “El Hazard”, Akari of "To Heart" and so forth.

Daidji Tomoyo-chan of "Card Captor Sakura", a person who falls into the first type of kawaii characters.

Ki (kee)

N. - Carrying many definitions, it means spirit or energy. The Chinese version of the word is, if you're used to the Wade-Giles format like myself, "chi" (chee) or if you're used to the pinyin style, "qi" (kee).

Kimi (kee-mee)

Pn. - You. This form is said by men. Women don't say this a lot.

Kisama (kee-sah-mah)

Pn. - You. This is a tricky term, as there are three cases in which you say this word. The first scenario: you say this to a person close to you like a friend. This is rarely seen overall. The second scenario, which occurs the amount of times, has you saying this word to your opponent or someone you hate and this is the most harsh form of "you". The final scenario: this is said in the armed forces or any type of harsh work.

Khai/Kouhai (ko-oo-hah-ee)

N. - One's junior.

Konban wa (koh-n-bah-n-wah)

P. - Good evening.

Konnichi wa (koh-n-nee-chee-wah)

P. - Hello. This greeting is used in the afternoon.

Kudasai (koo-dah-sah-ee)

P. - Please. This is said at the end or towards the end of a statement. "Nihongo ni yakusete kudasai Kenji-san," (nee-hon-goh-nee-yah-koo-seh-teh-koo-dah-sah-ee) means "Please translate into Japanese Kenji-san."

Mah/Mahou (mah-hoh-oo)

N. - Magic. "Mahtsukai/Mahoutsukai" (mah-hoh-oo-tsoo-kah-ee) is a "magic user/wizard/mage". There is a type of genre called mah shjo in which the lead female or lead females use magic to combat an evil power with magic to save the world and series include "Card Captor Sakura" and "Sailor Moon". Other series that have magic are "Mahtsukai ni Taisetsu na Koto", "Nanaka" and a bunch of others.

Sakura Nina, your trouble-causing magic user of "Ultra Maniac".

Manga (mah-n-gah)

N. - Japanese comics often possessing a linear storyline that extends to several volumes. The manga industry exploded in the early 1950s and was used as inspiration for many anime series. That is still the case today. Manga also refer to images standing still, which makes sense because that's how comics are.

Mangaka (mah-n-gah-kah)

N. - A professional Japanese comic writer. Various examples include Takahashi Rumiko-sensei, Watase Y-sensei, Akamatsu Ken-sensei, Fujishima Ksuke-sensei and so forth.

1. Akamatsu Ken-sensei.

2. Akamatsu-sensei again, but seen in "Love Hina".

Masaka (mah-sah-kah)

P. - It can't be!/Can it be?/Impossible! You get the idea.

Matsu (mah-tsoo)

V. - To wait. "Matte!" (mah-t-teh) is often said in anime and manga.

Mattaku (mah-t-tah-koo)

Adv. - Really. Some people will translated it as "Geez!" and that's not a bad alternative. You only say this in a frustrated moment, if you feel overwhelmed over some case or any other scenario like that. So, you can say "Mattaku, kimi wa buzama da yo Mariko-chan," or "Really, you are so disorganized Mariko-chan". "Taku" is often said a lot.

Mecha (meh-kah)

N. - Typically used when talking about giant, human-controlled robots, but can also mean any type of destructive, mechanical weapon. It constitutes a genre featuring futuristic warfare usually.

Minna-san (mee-n-nah-sah-n)

Pn. - Everyone.

Miru (mee-roo)

V. - To look. You'll often hear it as "Mitte!" (mee-t-teh)

Mobile suit/MS

N. - A giant machine hydraulically acting as an extension of the pilot's body.

M/Mou (mou)

P. - An exclamation of frustration, it means "Enough!" or "Geez!"

Nani (nah-nee)

P. - What.

Ne (neh)

1. P. - Hey. You can say, “Ne Ken-kun.” Sometimes, people will say “Na” (nah) instead. "Ano ne," means along the lines of "Um, hey," when someone is about to borrow an item without asking or any situation like that.

2. P. - This is usually a sentence ender, meaning, “isn’t it?” or the like as in, “Jung-chan wa Ling-chan no tomodachi, ne?” or “Jung-chan is Ling-chan’s friend, huh?”

Nee (ne-ee)

P. - It’s a word that emphasizes the scenario, as in, “Ii desu nee” or “This is really good”.

Neko (neh-ko)

N. - A cat. It can be used together with a girl or boy to describe half-human, half-cat characters in anime, games or manga.

Neko neko (neh-ko-neh-ko)

Adj. - A fan term, it's a person who has their eyes squinted closed like a cat. So, what's being said here is that "neko neko" describes someone's eyes. These people are usually smart, but they will make mistakes once in a while. Kitsune of "Love Hina" easily fits here.

Nihon/Nippon (nee-hoh-n/nee-p-poh-n)

N. - Japan. Another name for Japan is "Yamato" (yah-mah-toh), which happens to be the name of a battleship. "Nihongo" (nee-hoh-n-go) is the Japanese language. Japan got its worldwide name from Chinese explorers a long time ago (right around the 7th century).

Nosebleed

N. - According to an old Japanese wives tale, boys get nosebleeds when they stare are pretty girls because that is impolite.

Obi (oh-bee)

N. - A belt or sash for any kimono.

Ohay gozaimasu/Ohayou gozaimasu (o-hah-yoh-oo-go-chah-ee-mah-soo)

P. - Good morning.

Omae (o-mah-eh)

Pn. - You. This is for people low in rank/power, or just people who can give you a hard time in some cases.

Omake (o-mah-keh)

N. - Bonus material. This is seen in various series like “Card Captor Sakura”.

Omamori (oh-mah-moh-ree)

N. - An amulet or lucky charm.

Onegai shimasu (oh-neh-gah-ee shee-mah-soo)

P. - A polite way to say "please". Take away the "o" in "onegai" and you get "wish".

Onsen (oh-n-seh-n)

N. - Hot spring.

Ore (oh-reh)

Pn. - I. This is used by men and older tomboys and you only say this in front of your friends, not in front of people superior to you like a teacher. Characters that use this form often include Shji (Shuuji) of “Saikano” and Ferrio of “Rayearth”.

Original Animated Video/OAV/Original Video Animation/OVA

N. - A direct-to-video release often divided into a handful of 30-minute episodes.

Original Sound Track/OST

N. - A compact disc or tape with songs from an anime or game. An Arranged Sound Track/AST is like an OST, but the tracks are mixed differently and an example of a series with so many of these is “The King of Fighters”.

Otaku (oh-tah-koo)

N. - An obsessed fan. In Japan, that's not a good term, but outside of the country, it's not. It also means "one's house" or a more polite and old way to say "you". Outside of Japan, it refers to an obsessed anime and manga fan.

Oyasumi nasai (oh-yah-soo-mee-nah-sah-ee)

P. - Good night or if you want a literal definition, "Have a nice rest".

Pocky (poh-k-kee)

N. - Made by Glico, Pocky is a popular biscuit-like Japanese snack (in North America, but not as highly praised as you may think in Japan) having most of the stick covered in a coating like chocolate or strawberry. There are many Pocky references in anime like “Onegai Teacher”, and some biscuit sticks companies even sport anime characters on their boxes.

Rmen/Ramen (rah-ah-meh-n)

N. - Japanese noodles dish that is originally from China. It's cheap and easy to make; thus, these are two reasons why college students like the food a lot. Well, that is if you're using the instant kind, which I personally don't like.

Ren'ai game (reh-n-ah-ee)

N. - Romance game. They are games that have elements of romance involved. Various examples include the series of "Tokimemo", "Sentimental Graffiti" and "True Love Story".

Rmaji/Roumaji (roh-oo-mah-jee)

N. - Phonetic writing of Japanese words using the Roman alphabet. It is not an official Japanese form of writing and it will never be. The rmaji of "Chrno Crusade" is "Kurono Kuruseido".

Rnin/Rounin (roh-oo-nee-n)

N. - A student who has failed a university's or high school's entrance exam. Originally, it meant someone who casts on the waves, farmers looking for a job, or more commonly, a warrior without a master

Sake (sah-keh)

N. - Alcoholic beverage in Japan, made of fermented rice. This term can also refer to any type of alcohol. It can be served cold or warm.

Saynara/Sayonara (sah-yoh-oo-nah-rah/sah-yoh-nah-rah)

P. - Goodbye.

Scanlation

N. - A term created by fans that combines the two words "scan" and "translation", they are often done to allow non-Japanese readers to read and understand unlicensed manga. Scanlations are made for fans by fans and making some sort of profit off them is expressly prohibited, unless the money is for new equipment usually.

Seiy/Seiyuu (seh-ee-yoo-oo)

N. - There is a bunch of popular people in Japan called seiy or voice actors/actresses in Japan. I’m not sure, but I believe the term comes from two words: “sei”, meaning life, and “yrei”, meaning ghost or someone not visible like the actor or actress in this case. So, I guess “seiy” means “life ghost” if you want a literal definition. Various examples include Hayashibara Megumi-sama, Inoue Kikuko-sama, Mitsuishi Kotono-sama, Horie Yui-sama, Seki Tomokazu-san, Koyasu Takehito-san, Hisakawa Aya-sama, Iwao Junko-sama, Tange Sakura-san, Hiramatsu Akiko-sama, Kawasumi Ayako-san, Midorikawa Hikaru-san, Takayama Minami-sama, Tsuru Hiromi-sama, Hidaka Noriko-sama, Tma (Touma) Yumi-sama, and so forth.

1. Hayami Sh-san.

2. Hayashibara Megumi-sama or the seiy no megami to many people.

3. Seki Tomokazu-san or if you're a girl who's a hyper fan of him, Seki Tomokazu-sama.

4. Tamura Yukari-san.

5. Tanaka Rie-san.

6. Ueda Yji-san.

Senpai (seh-n-pah-ee)

N. - Upperclassman. In some cases, you see it spelled as "sempai" (seh-m-pah-ee), but it really is spelled "senpai". The term is used in relation to fellow classmates of higher level or age or any sort of work. I'll bring a scenario here. Let's say you and a friend go to school in Japan. You are older than your friend by one year, but you are a second year high school student, while your friend is in his or her final year, which is one year ahead. In this case, you have to end your friend's name with "-senpai".

Sensei (seh-n-seh-ee)

N. - You know this term by now. It means teacher or master, but if you break down the word into parts, it means a person who is one developed early on or before the current situation. It is used either at school or while being involved in a discipline or art. This is also used to people of certain jobs like doctors.

Sentai (seh-n-tah-ee)

N. - A group of superheroes typically wearing assorted outfits. Sentai are featured in many anime like “Bubblegum Crisis” and on a lighter side, “Shinesman”.

Shint/Shinto (shee-n-toh-oo)

N. - Japan's oldest and original religion. It is based upon the worship of, and coexistence with, the natural world as well as ancestors. The people of the Ainu have a worshipping process similar to this.

Shinu (shee-noo)

V. - To die. The most common inflected forms are "shinda" (shee-n-dah) or "dead", "Shinanaide!" (shee-na-nah-ee-deh) or "Don't die!" and "Shi'ne!" (shee-neh and not shine with a long "i") or "Die!"

Shjo/Shoujo (shoh-oo-joh)

N. - A girl or young woman. Shjo anime and manga are marketed as entertainment for young girls, but it is quite all right for boys to enjoy, too. Romance, love and cute guys are common themes in shjo anime and manga.

Shnen/Shounen (shoh-oo-neh-n)

N. - A boy or young man. Shnen anime and manga are marketed as entertainment for young boys, often featuring a young man surrounded by attractive girls or some fighting scenes.

Soba (soh-bah)

N. - Buckwheat noodles.

Son na (soh-n-nah)

P. - Oh no/No fair/That can't be! You get the idea.

Subtitled anime/Sub

N. - Subs consist of an anime or any other program including a written translation of the ongoing dialogue on the bottom of the screen.

Sugoi (soo-goh-ee)

Adj. - Incredible, amazing, etc.

Sumimasen (soo-mee-mah-seh-n)

P. - I'm sorry/Excuse me. If you must interrupt a conversation, say this.

Super robot

N. - Any series that involves big powerful robots. "Super Robot Taisen"/"Super Robot Wars" is a very popular game series, as they feature power robots of anime and manga. Various series include the sagas of "Gundam", "Mazinger", "Patlabor", "Gunbuster" and so forth.

Sushi (soo-shee)

N. - Many people make the mistake of saying that sushi is raw fish. Sushi is rice or to go deeper, a technique of making rice that was once used by the Chinese a long time ago right around the 5th century. Besides fish, people also place unagi (or eel which happens to help your stamina) and other types of toppings on their sushi. Nori (or dried seaweed) is common in making sushi most (if not, all) of the time. If I recall, "G.T.O." had an episode where people ate sushi.

Sweat drop

N. - A comical facial expression in which someone is drawn with a giant sweat drop next to their head. It indicates personal embarrassment or a reaction to another character embarrassing him/herself.

Tasukeru (tah-soo-keh-roo)

V. - To help, save or aid. "Tasukete kudasai!" (tah-soo-keh-teh-koo-dah-sah-ee) is often said in anime and manga.

Teme (teh-meh)

Pn. - You. The least used form, it is between "omae" and "kisama" in terms of harshness.

Udon (oo-doh-n)

N. - Noodles. These noodles are some of the biggest out there. Having chicken soup with them is a good way to cure colds.

Urusai (oo-roo-sah-ee)

P. - Be quiet! You often hear people say “Urusei,” which means that you’re a noisy person or that you speak too much.

Visual novels

N. - Games that follow some sort of adventure with lots of text and still images, hence the name. You have to make decisions along the way. They tend to be naughty. Examples include "To Heart", "Kanon", "Air", and so forth.

Wakaru (wah-kah-roo)

V. - Understand. You will often hear it as "wakatta" (wah-kah-t-tah) or "Understood".

Watakushi (wah-tah-koo-shee)

Pn. - I. This is the most formal way to say it.

Watashi (wah-tah-shee)

Pn. - I. This is the standard form. It is not the most formal way to say it, but at least it is not informal. "Watashi-tachi" (wah-tah-shee-tah-chee) means "we".

Yakisoba (yah-kee-soh-bah)

N. - Stir-fried soba noodles. You will see these noodles in bread in some cases like in “Azumanga”.

Yakusoku (yah-koo-soh-koo)

N. - A promise or oath. Many series, especially “Love Hina” and visual novels have a promise involved.

Yappari (yah-p-pah-ree)

1. Adv. - After all. By itself, it means "Just as I thought". It's also spelled "yahari" (yah-hah-ree).

2. Adv. - Again.

Yaru (yah-roo)

V. - To do. Chances are that the first form of this word you heard is "Yatta!" (yah-t-tah) or "I did it!" and chances are that the first person you heard this form from is Chun-Li of “Street Fighter” fame.

Yoku (yoh-koo)

Adv. - It has many definitions, but it means "well". "Yokatta!" (yoh-kah-t-tah) means along the lines of "Thank goodness!"

Yukata (yoo-kah-tah)

N. - A light kimono made of cotton. Yukata are kimono worn in the summer since they offer no protection against the cold. Series like “Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch” and "Azumanga" have yukata.

1. The girls of "Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch" look kawaii in their yukata.

2. "Card Captor Sakura's" title character in a yukata.

Last update - 10/20/04

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