kaiju

From Japanese 怪獣 (かいじゅう, kaijū), from Middle Chinese 怪 (kweaj^H, “strange, fantastic”) +‎ 獸 (syuw^H, “beast”) (compare Mandarin 怪獸 / 怪兽 (guàishòu)).

• IPA^(key): /ˈkai.d͡ʒu/

• Audio (US):

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kaiju (plural kaijus or kaiju)

1. A fictional giant monster, particularly of the kind found in Japanese science fiction films and other media, like Godzilla, King Kong or Gamera.
   • 2015, Steve Aylett, Heart of the Original, Unbound, page 117:

     The resurrections of Mothra, the giant butterfly in Japanese kaiju movies, are treated as colourful religious events, glitter falling upon fat children as the fluffy-faced behemoth dries its wings.

kaiju

1. Rōmaji transcription of かいじゅ

kaiju f

1. inflection of kaija:
   1. accusative/instrumental singular
   2. genitive plural