GLOSSARY

Below is a list of Japanese words and their definitions/descriptions in English.  I like using Japanese words because when they are translated into English the core definition does not always stay intact, which, to me, disgraces our precious characters' backgrounds and our stories' cultural settings.  Please contact me if you would like to see a word added to the glossary.  ^_^

** Some prudent letters do not appear in this scripting, which seriously annoys me to no end, haha.  Please interpret ö and ü as having lines '-' over them, not '..'.  My apologies, but these '..' symbols are the closest things I can offer in terms of visual accuracy.  You may view the correct letters in my writings though, so that's a small blessing.

Disclaimer: I do not claim to know exact definitions of all words, but I do claim to have done my best to define and explain the meanings.  If you notice something wrong, feel free to argue the matter with me, I'll enjoy it.  :D

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ö - A letter used in place of 'ou', which happens to be the phonetic sound and closest spelling of 'ö' without writers needing to seek the special character out in their word documents.  For instance, depending on who is writing it, Sesshömaru may also be seen spelled as 'Sesshoumaru' or simply as 'Sesshomaru' (all three are acceptable).  Also, not every 'o' sounds like 'ou' in Japanese, so both 'o' and 'ö' make common appearances.

ü - Another letter used in Romanji (spelling of Japanese words based off of the roman alphabet and rules of pronunciation).  I am not entirely sure what sound it makes, but it does appear sometimes.

Amado - these are heavy-duty storm doors which line the engawa or other delicate features of a home, including windows or rice paper doors (shöji).

Buddhism - A religion originating in Nepal, it traveled eastward with practitioners and altered to the cultures it became established in.  Hinduism influences aspects of Buddhism in different ways depending on the region.  In Japan, its influences are commonly found in scriptures and moral values as well as some terminology, including the word sütra.

-chan - A suffix used to communicate endearment between speaker and addressee.

Denka - An honorific used after stating the name of a prince or a princess (non-sovereign royalty).

Edo - The former name of the modern Japanese capitol, Tokyo.  Initially, the imperial capital of Japan was Kyoto, where the Emperor resided.  Edo started as a small fishing village on the shores of Edo Bay (changed to Tokyo Bay with the name change of Edo) and grew most during the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate (1603-1868), but was prosperous and populous enough to build Edo Castle in 1457, seeing as Edo had access to a hearty trade route and thusly to economic necessities.  On September 3, 1868 (or by the local calendar, "on the seventeenth day of the seventh month) Edo was renamed Tokyo, meaning Eastern Capital, and was already the political and cultural center, while Kyoto remained the imperial capital.  Later in the same year ("on the twenty-third day of the tenth month") the Emperor (Emperor Meiji, age 17) moved from Kyoto to Tokyo, making Tokyo the de facto capital, and took up residency in Edo Castle, thus making it the Imperial Palace.

Engawa - The wooden, typically rail-less walkway which lines traditional Japanese houses and often let off into gardens.  Elevated, and provided with a step of some nature to reach it at designated spots, the engawa is highly versatile and offers a place to: walk quickly to a destination, switch or remove shoes, let children play, entertain guests, (or) enjoy the view and some tea.  On the side of the engawa facing the main home, shöji doors are typically found.  To prevent damage to these doors and to the engawa, storm doors (amado) may line the exterior of the engawa, closing the entire house off from bad weather.

Fu - The Taoism term for ofuda.

Fushigi na Döbutsu - Literally meaning 'Animal of Wonder', this rare term is used to describe an animal with human levels of intellect which is capable of emitting humanoid sounds or even speech.  Kitsune (foxes) are prone to this title, since they may take the appearance of a fox and still act and sound like a human.

Heika - An honorific used for addressing a ruler (sovereign royalty).

Hidenka - An honorific used after stating the name of the consort of a prince (denka).

Höshi - A priest who has dedicated his life to the teachings of Buddha and follows the practices of Buddhism.  Similar to miko save for religious practices.

Inu - Directly translates to 'dog'.  There are several breeds of dog that originate from Japan (http://japanesedogs.bulldoginformation.com/).

Japanese Alcohol (sake*) - It's not that I encourage you to go out and try a variety of alcohol (personally, I was born in '87 and normally hate the taste of the stuff) but there are some very interesting facts that relate to Japanese alcohol and many ceremonies that utilize the drink.  It's very fascinating, and there are even some false pretenses commonly accepted among English speakers in regards to these beverages.  So, read, learn, and don't drink until you're of age and of a responsible mindset.  ;)

To quote on some behavior witnessed in the year 1549 by Roman Catholic missionary Francis Xavier when he visited Kagoshima-ken (Kagoshima Prefecture): "I have not seen a single drunkard.  That is because once inebriated they immediately lie down and go to sleep."  If an alcoholic drink is too strong then it is not (and was not) uncommon for it to be mixed in with water for a milder and longer lasting taste.

+ Sake- Every English speaker (of a certain age, at least) recognizes this Japanese word for a specific type of alcohol, "rice wine" (though the process of making it is actually more like the process of making beer).  The word sake (or o-sake), however, is used in Japanese to refer to alcoholic drinks in general.  To put it bluntly, a more direct translation of sake would actually be 'alcoholic beverage'.  The specific word for "rice wine" in Japanese is actually Nihonsu.

+ Nihonsu- bluntly means 'Japanese alcohol' (seems contradictory to the above, no?), but commonly known to English speakers as sake.  "Rice wine", this drink is brewed from rice.

+ Shöchü- a strong alcohol (weaker than whiskey or standard vodka but stronger than wine orNihonsu) that 'originated' in Kyüshü (third largest island of Japan) and is related to the popular Chinese drink shaojiu (1st and 3rd tones, for those of you who know what that means).  Distilled from a starch (traditionally barley, sweet potato or rice) this drink is not as sweet as Nihonsu and was not very popular off of the island until the beginning of the 21st century (in 2003 exports of Shöchüsurpassed those of Nihonsu for the first time).  The earliest time for pinpointing its appearance in Japan is in the mid 1500's.

+ Awamori- A little stronger than shöchü, awamori can be (but is not always) taken to a high enough proof to catch fire.  Because of this it was not uncommon to mix it with water, and today it will normally be served along with water and ice.  The longer that Awamori is allowed to age the better and mellower its flavor becomes (making it more expensive as well, and similar to wine).  Originating in Okinawa, this drink is distilled as opposed to brewed, meaning that it is more closely related to shöchü than it is to Nihonsu.  Locals may also refer to this drink as shima-zake ("islandsake") or shima for short.

+ Umeshu- "plum wine", made by steeping unripe plums (ume) in shöchü with sugar.  This drink tends to be sweet and/or sour and has a very low alcohol content (weaker than Nihonsu).  The making of this drink takes three months and it is isolated in a cold and dark place during this time.

Japanese Clothing - Please look under my Forums for more information, or follow this link: http://dokuga.com/forum/6-general-discussion/68517-glossary-of-japanese-clothing#68517

Jyaki - The malicious, tainted form of yökai energy.  This word is used in reference to any energy-based attack performed by someone with habitually cruel intentions.  For example, Naraku's miasma attack is referred to as jyaki by Sango in Japanese, but Shippö's Foxfire is seen as yöki (the yin to jyaki's yang). Also see yöki.

Kami - In Shinto faith, kami are spirits or natural forces.  Often translated to mean 'God' or 'deity', such a translation is not wholly accurate.

Kekkai - In Buddhism, this term is used in regards to a protective barrier or force field.

Ki - Commonly known as chi or qi (Chinese words for ki) and commonly referred to as 'spiritual energy', ki is the basic, universal life energy which is believed to flow through all matter.  Individuals who dedicate themselves to spiritual teachings and practice self-awareness meditation are believed to be able to possess higher levels and awareness of their ki.  This energy is not found in yöki-manipulating yökai, or in other words, it is not found in apparitions who break free of the universal life cycle and live off of their own energy, yöki.  Yökai are considered as an imbalance to the otherwise perfect cycle of life energy, and followers of any religion may exercise the spirit of a yökai with the intention of bringing them back into the natural cycle.  Also see reiki.

Kitsune - Literally meaning 'fox', this term refers most commonly to the trickster kitsuneyökai, which are capable of tricking human men (their preferred prey for pranks) by transforming into women and luring them astray.

-kun - A suffix used by an elder to address someone younger, or to address any male child or teenager.  Calling a male adult kun can be used as an insult to imply immaturity.  The suffix may also be used for younger family members of any gender or in some business settings for any gender.

Miko - A shrine maiden who has dedicated herself to the ways of Shinto.  Various levels of skill are found in different miko, including individuals who clean the shrines and perform basic ceremonies, individuals capable of chanting charms onto objects or beings, individuals who have mastered their ki (spiritual energy) and exercise great control over it to the point of being able to attack with it in the form of reiatsu (spiritual 'pressure'), and everyone in between.  Also see reiryoku.

no kimi - An honorific used to identify a lord or lady.  It typically implies that the addressee of the speaker has great importance and their respect for the other is very high, or is reserved for members of the court.  In modern times, it can be used as a joke or to mock someone, calling them a 'princess' based off of behavior.

Ofuda - The term for rectangular paper talismans with charms or spells written on them in ink, used for Shinto practices and by Onmyodo for practices in purification, barrier and ward establishment, and in extermination.

Oni - A simpleton yökai with low levels of yöki, possessing both human- and animal-based physical features.

Reiatsu - (spiritual pressure).  Someone capable of manipulating ki (spiritual energy) is also capable of manipulating said ki into something, said 'something' being generally called reiatsu.  Reiatsu can be anything from the energy put into a sütra to a purifying barrier. The power of an individual's reiatsu is measured and limited by their reiryoku.

Reiki - As opposed to ki (also known as chi), which is the art of being capable of manipulating your own energy and exerting it at your own expense (depletion), reiki is the ability to be near someone and 'open' yourself as a conduit, allowing someone else to subconsciously absorb through you, from an eternal and limitless source of healing energy that surrounds us, what their body needs in order to heal.  To summarize, reiki is the word you use to specify 'healing reiatsu', seeing as it is a common and specific practice of 'manipulating' energy.  Reiki is interesting in the sense that it can only be exercised by the pull of another person.  The reiki 'wielder' may guide (not alter or manipulate) the flow of the energy, but in order to tap into that energy they need the second person to pull it toward themselves through the reiki wielder.  To summarize: the art of reiki consists of opening yourself into a conduit for the healing energy to enter another person, and while it may be guided to certain areas of that injured person's body the energy can not be changed.  See also ki.

As a side note, I acknowledge that Rumiko Takahashi uses this term in the series.  I will state though that this use is incorrect, and is commonly used incorrectly by other cartoons as well.  When you search for information online before taking up a debate with me on this, please pursue the definitions (via descriptive paragraphs) of the non-English words you'll find.  We commonly misinterpret based on the context of our own language.

Reiryoku - The measure of total potential achieved by an individual in terms of ki and their manipulation of it into reiatsu.

**Reiatsu and reiryoku are tricky to differentiate (at least they were for me with the definitions I found online).  The following sentence may help: Reiryoku is the term for the total potential with which someone can manipulate their ki and exert it into reiatsu.

Röka - basically, a 'hallway'.  Röka are corridors lined with sliding doors which grant access to rooms or to the engawa.

-sama - An honorable suffix used to address someone higher in status than one's self, even in terms of a supermarket employee addressing a customer.

-san - The most common respectful suffix, basically translates to Mr., Mrs., Ms. or Miss.

Shakujö - A traveler's staff, typically wood but may be fully mental, topped with a metal ornament and may possess a series of rings, which are used for different reasons depending on the user's background in Buddhism.  In general, the jingling of the rings is to warn sentient beings of the traveler's presences and to allow the traveler to avoid having to defend themselves or from having to accidentally take life (like that of a small creature or an insect) while they walk.  Shakujö with religious function, since they are common in the hands of travelers, may have either four rings, six rings, or twelve rings.  Four rings represent the Four Truths of The Nobel One, six represent the Six Perfections, and twelve represent the twelvefold chain of cause and effect.  In Miroku's case, his shakujö has six rings.  Practitioners of Shugendö, a branch of Buddhism which takes its practices to the mountains, favor the shakujö as a self-defense weapon.

Shimenawa - Sacred border ropes, such as that on the Goshinboku in Kagome's proper time.

Shintoism - A religion originating in prehistoric Japan, Shintoism has no sacred scriptures and believes in no prophets or solitary God.  Rather, the kami (benevolent spirits) exist, and they each serve a unique special purpose.

Shöji - Rice paper sliding doors, typically used to divide rooms or to let them open onto a veranda (engawa) or on a hallway (röka).

Sütra - The name of Ofuda when used in Buddhism and Hinduism practices.  This is because, unlike Shito, Buddhism and Hinduism will use sacred scriptures (sütra) in their religious practices, which do not exist in Shintoism.

(-)Tennö - I've seen this as both an honorific and as a suffix [hence the (-)].  Literally translates to 'Emperor'.

Yasha http://www.obakemono.com/obake/yasha/ - In Japanese, it is a word for devil demon.  Due to a commonality in its pronunciation though, many misinterpret it to translate to 'female demon', which is incorrect.  In Hebrew, which carries influence into many Asian countries through Buddhism (which began in Nepal and traveled north and east), Yasha is one of four words used to talk about 'salvation' (which covers other words, including prosperity, rescue and wholeness).  A yasha in Indian mythology was originally a goblin demon, but changed due to the influences of Buddhism.

Yökai - An 'apparition', including anything from a glowing spirit orb (yürei), devoid of yöki attributes and benign in nature, to a great and powerful apparition such as Sesshömaru (inugami daiyökai).  More species- or status-specific terms may be categorized under the general reference word 'yökai', including oni and fushigi na döbutsu.

Yöki - The controlled, filtered form of yökai energy.  This word is used in reference to any energy-based attack performed by a yökai who has not been tainted in spirit by ill deeds, and therefore possesses an innate good nature.  For example, Shippö manipulates yöki while performing his Foxfire, and Köga can outrun his comrades with ease because of his superior amount and control of yöki fueling him forward (this use of yöki is also why Kagome can sense him approaching).  Also see jyaki.

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DIARY ENTRIES

Well, my last post was a bit of a high hopes exaggeration.  Got raped with school work, and my five exams will be over and done with this weekend.  I swear that I'm having mini heart attacks all over the place, haha.

Still plugging away at chapter six!  I'm about 3/4 of the way done with it, and it's already...  Haha, I just counted for the first time, it's over 31,000 words.  Last chapter (5) is under 28,000.  They just keep on growing.

I'll get that out as soon as I can!  :)  *goes running to class*

~AD

9/22/2011

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Chapter 6 of Arranged Mating should be appearing over the next few days.  :)  I'd update my other works but AM a: has more readers and b: requires a LOT of time to update, so once it's done I'll have more time to pursue other works.  ^_^

~AD

9/10/11

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I have made the unfortunate discovery that it takes me approximately one hour and forty minutes to write one page of fanfiction...  *sighs*  I hate going to school, it cuts oh so deeply into writing time, LOL.

~AD

9/5/2011

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"This text entitled "Personal Thougths on Teaching and Learning" comes from a lecture that was originally given by Carl Rogers in 1952 created quite a stir over a half century ago."

The first sentence I have the 'privlige' of reading from one of my new teachers.  And here I thought that he SPOKE badly.  *sobs on the desk*  I'm ashamed that English is his first language.  Why am I destined to be unsatisfied with professors who think the world of themselves and then turn around and spew grammatically incorrect nonsense?

Okay, that's my rant...  School started today, so I'm doing homework and then plugging away on another update!  :D  But first, got looooots of reviews to reply to.  *rubs hands together gleefully*

Ciao!

~AD

8/22/2011

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School is starting soon, on top of work, dog sitting and chasing after anxious friends, so busy, busy, busy.  Still plugging away at stories though.  ^_^  People have given ample, enthusiastic feedback about longer chapters, but hopefully that doesn't mean you expect me to keep the normal upload pace, haha!  A loooong chapter coming soon for How to Escape an Arranged Mating, and close to finishing updates for other stories as well!

~AD

August 9, 2011

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Wow, I have been caught up in far too much busy work of late.  I am working on new updates, but at a moderate pace.  Plan to update tomorrow though, and probably the next day for stories I don't update tomorrow.  ;)  Thanks for your patience and for reading my fanfics!  Special thanks to those who leave a review.  :3

~AD

August 1, 2011

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Hello again!  I am very excited by my first day on this site, which seems to have many active readers with lots of great feedback!  I'm always a fan of compliments, but suggestions are also greatly appreciated, so in honor of Christine's review on Requiem of Time Trilogy I will keep posted above all diary sections a glossary.  I understand that I am prone to using words in Japanese, so for the sake of new readers, the curious, and the fans, I will upload a word reference glossary along with detailed definitions.

Thank you Christine for the idea, and thanks again to everyone who has taken the time to review!  ^_^

~AD

July 23, 2011 (12:05 noon)

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Dear Cheesy Diary (which will be updated whenever something new happens),

Hello!  Due to an excessive amount of encouragement, I now have an account here as well as on FanFiction.net (same user name).  I have a trilogy on FanFiction, but I plan to post its modified final draft on this site as well as new story material pertaining to Sessh?maru and Kagome.  Hopefully posting new things will get me going more on older things.  :)

I'm a huge fan of constructive criticism.  If you see an error in any of my writings, or feel that something is amiss or veering in a drastically wrong direction, please feel free to comment on it and give suggestions on how to correct it.  I may argue on some points, but in the end if it improves my writing then I will offer my sincerest gratitude and make any needed alteration.

I look forward to many stories, and hope to satisfy the vast majority of my readers.  ^_^

~AD

July 23, 2011 (~1:30am)