やくざ

Japanese

Alternative forms

Etymology

    Literally, “8-9-3”. From a three-card gambling game in which the worst hand is 八 (ya, “8”), 九 (ku, “9”), and 三 (sa, “3”).

    Pronunciation

    Adjective

    やくざ • (yakuza) -na (adnominal やくざな (yakuza na), adverbial やくざに (yakuza ni))

    1. worthless, useless

    Noun

    やくざ • (yakuza) 

    1. something that is worthless or useless
    2. yakuza: Japanese organized crime gang or a member of one

    Descendants

    • → English: yakuza
    • → Finnish: yakuza
    • → French: yakuza
    • → Korean: 야쿠자 (yakuja)
    • → Polish: yakuza, jakuza
    • → Portuguese: yakuza
    • → Russian: яку́дза (jakúdza)
    • → Spanish: yakuza

    References

    1. ^ Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
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