やくざ
Japanese
Alternative forms
- ヤクザ
- 893
Etymology
Literally 8-9-3. From a three-card gambling game in which one is dealt a 八 (ya, “8”), 九 (ku, “9”), and 三 (sa, “3”), the worst hand.
Pronunciation
- (Tokyo) やくざ [yáꜜkùzà] (Atamadaka – [1])[1]
- IPA(key): [ja̠kɯ̟ᵝza̠]
Adjectival noun
やくざ (-na inflection, rōmaji yakuza)
- worthless, useless
Noun
やくざ (rōmaji yakuza)
- something that is worthless or useless
- yakuza: Japanese organized crime gang, or a member of one
References
- 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN