Name Translations

[importgamer13]

On the subject of japanese names,can anyone help me out?...I'm curious to know what my Ronin Guild character's name, 'Ryoko Minayuki' would mean.

[JG]

Not all Japanese or Chinese names have meaning (though alot do.)  It's akin European names - some names (Archer, Smith, etc.) mean something, others have lost any meaning over time or possibly never had meaning and are used for historical context (as is the case with most Biblical names).  So take this with a grain of salt.

Ryoko isn't a truthful spelling - its supposed to be Ryouko.  Ryouko is derived from "dragon" and "tiger", and usually means "two mighty rivals".  Other translations are "hero" (probably inferred as one of the two rivals), or "clever writing" (such as a sentence that says one thing but means another - again, going back to the two mighty rivals thing)

Minayuki doesn't appear to be a real name as its not in my database.  Seems like it could be though as mina and yuki are both chinese "on" nanori (pronunciations for names).  Unfortunately it doesn't make a good name when combined: mina means "everyone" and yuki means "snow".   It also can't can't be broken into mi-nayu-ki becuase there's no nayu nanori.


If anyone else wants me to decompose a Japanese name or resolve one based on an English translation I'll give it my best shot.

[tetsaru arigashi]

If anyone else wants me to decompose a Japanese name or resolve one based on an English translation I'll give it my best shot.

think you could take a crack at "tetsaru arigashi?"  my friends and i came up with it (it SOUNDS japanese-ish, anyway), but i dunno if it'd have any meaning behind it or not.  =/

[JG]

"tsa" is not a Japanese sound, can't help you there.  Closest match I can come up with, and I'm not sure its even proper, is "tetsu ni aru" which would mean "to be like iron"

Can't really make much of "arigashi" either.  The only way I can decompose it and make it work comes out as "ant cake" (insect pastries?, yummy!)

[tetsaru arigashi]

"tsa" is not a Japanese sound, can't help you there.  Closest match I can come up with, and I'm not sure its even proper, is "tetsu ni aru" which would mean "to be like iron"

Can't really make much of "arigashi" either.  The only way I can decompose it and make it work comes out as "ant cake" (insect pastries?, yummy!)

well, the "to be like iron" is accurate i guess - i DO have a rather defensive nature, especially when playing rpg's and stuff.  but "ant cake??"  hmm...  well, thanks anyway, i appreciate it.  >=D

[importgamer13]

Not all Japanese or Chinese names have meaning (though alot do.)  It's akin European names - some names (Archer, Smith, etc.) mean something, others have lost any meaning over time or possibly never had meaning and are used for historical context (as is the case with most Biblical names).  So take this with a grain of salt.

Ryoko isn't a truthful spelling - its supposed to be Ryouko.  Ryouko is derived from "dragon" and "tiger", and usually means "two mighty rivals".  Other translations are "hero" (probably inferred as one of the two rivals), or "clever writing" (such as a sentence that says one thing but means another - again, going back to the two mighty rivals thing)

Minayuki doesn't appear to be a real name as its not in my database.  Seems like it could be though as mina and yuki are both chinese "on" nanori (pronunciations for names).  Unfortunately it doesn't make a good name when combined: mina means "everyone" and yuki means "snow".   It also can't can't be broken into mi-nayu-ki becuase there's no nayu nanori.


If anyone else wants me to decompose a Japanese name or resolve one based on an English translation I'll give it my best shot.

Ah,i see....
Admittedly,i threw together the last name...I based in on the last name of the voice actress who plays Sailor Saturn,but her last name was 'Minaguchi',if i remember.I decided to chage it slightly,and came up with 'Minayuki'.

As far as her first name,my Bubblegum Crash DVD lists Priss Asagiri's japanese voice actress as 'Tachikawa Ryooko',so i took one of the extra 'o's out and made 'Ryoko'.

[JG]

"ou" and "oo" sound almost alike.  Her name probably should have been Romanized as Ryouko, not Ryooko.

Ryoko is something of a bastardized spelling, to help make it more readable/pronunciable by most English speakers.  They do the same thing in Genshiken - changing Oono (2 and a half syllables) to Ohno (2 syllables) for our "benefit".

[importgamer13]

i see...i noticed that one Ranma 1/2 character in particular has a few different names...

Ryoga Hibiki ---USA spelling
Ryouga Hibiki-- one version of japanese spelling i've seen
Ryohga--- The way his name appears in english text above his life bar,on my japanese SNES fighting game,Ranma 1/2 Neighborhood Combat. (Yeah,i buy alot of japanese games....)