ninja- [nin-juh]-noun- a member of a feudal Japanese society of mercenary agents, highly trained in martial arts and stealth (ninjutsu) who were hired for covert purposes ranging from espionage to sabotage and assassination. He keeps a ninja baton and a can of pepper spray by his bed.
sushi- [soo-shee]-noun-Japanese Cookery- cold boiled rice moistened with rice vinegar, usually shaped into bite-size pieces and topped with raw seafood or formed into a long seaweed-wrapped roll, often around strips of vegetable or raw fish, and sliced into bite-size pieces. If you're a sushi lover, order a combo to sample a few different sushi selections.
tofu- [toh-foo]-noun- a soft, bland, white cheese-like food, high in protein content, made from curdled soybean milk: used originally in Oriental cookery but now in a wide variety of soups and other dishes.
Gamely swallowing the abalone, he then deftly places a cube of braised tofu into his mouth.
shogun- [shoh-guh n, -guh n]-noun-Japanese Cookery- the title applied to the chief military commanders from about the 8th century a.d. to the end of the 12th century, then applied to the hereditary officials who governed Japan, with the emperor as nominal ruler, until 1868, when the shogunate was terminated and the ruling power was returned to the emperor. The shogun controlled foreign policy, the military and feudal patronage.
honcho- [hon-choh]-noun- a leader, especially an assertive leader; chief. Let's say your old boss is gone and the new head honcho is not aware of all your glorious achievements.
karate- [kuh-rah-tee]- a method developed in Japan of defending oneself without the use of weapons by striking sensitive areas on an attacker's body with the hands, elbows, knees, or feet. But you understand that fingers are not used in boxing or karate.
samurai- [sam-oo-rahy]-noun- a member of the hereditary warrior class in feudal Japan. They weren't really samurai but a ragtag group who set up a militia.
teriyaki- [ter-uh-yah-kee]-noun- a dish of grilled slices of beef, chicken, or fish that have been marinated in soy sauce seasoned with sake, ginger, and sugar. Sushi and sashimi choices are available, paired with tempura and teriyaki dishes.
sashimi- [sah-shee-mee]-noun-Japanese Cookery- raw fish cut into very thin slices. Our yellowtail sashimi literally melts away into a mouthful of flavor.
tsunami- [tsoo-nah-mee]-noun- an unusually large sea wave produced by a seaquake or undersea volcanic eruption. The movie does not convey the tsunami which followed directly after the explosion.
haiku- [hahy-koo]- a major form of Japanese verse, written in 17 syllables divided into 3 lines of 5, 7, and 5 syllables, and employing highly evocative allusions and comparisons, often on the subject of nature or one of the seasons. Not only has the studio whittled these movies down to haiku, but it's also a haiku with only two lines.
futon- [foo-ton, fyoo-]-noun- a thin mattress, usually filled with layers of cotton batting and encased in cotton fabric, placed on a floor for sleeping, especially in traditional Japanese interiors, and folded and stored during the day. The seemingly normal futon in the corner is actually a multimedia couch bed.
mikado- [mi-kah-doh]-noun- ( sometimes initial capital letter ) a title of the emperor of Japan. Mikado is a former title of the emperor of Japan used chiefly in the English language.
hibachi- [hi-bah-chee]-noun- a small Japanese-style charcoal brazier covered with a grill, usually used for outdoor cooking. In addition to the restaurant's hibachi and teriyaki dinners, there is a large sushi
menu for diners.
origami- [awr-i-gah-mee]-noun- the traditional Japanese art or technique of folding paper into a variety of decorative or representational forms, as of animals or flowers. Paper-folding can produce more than airplanes, as the ancient art of origami has shown.
geisha- [gey-shuh, gee-]-noun- a Japanese woman trained as a professional singer, dancer, and companion for men. Geisha are women in Japan who entertain in traditional ways.
wasabi- [wah-suh-bee]-noun- the pungent, greenish root of this plant, which can be grated and used as a condiment. Wasabi loses much of its flavor and pungency within minutes after it's grated, and so its preparation is timely.
ramen- [rah-muhn]-noun-Japanese Cookery- a bowl of clear soup containing noodles, vegetables, and often bits of meat. The hotel features four on-site restaurants, including a ramen shop, and hosts a karaoke lounge.
kudzu- [koo d-zoo]-noun- a fast-growing Chinese and Japanese climbing vine, Pueraria lobata, of the legume family, now widespread in the southern U.S., having tuberous, starchy roots and stems: used for fiber, as food and forage, and to prevent soil erosion. Kudzu is a highly aggressive, invasive plant that is extremely difficult to control once established.
banzai- [bahn-zahy, bahn-]-adj.- leading to likely or inevitable death; suicidal. Then the enemy launched two banzai attacks, each announced with a bugle call.
tycoon- [tahy-koon]-noun- a businessperson of great wealth and power; magnate. Now it is clear it was a manoeuvre to restyle his tycoon image.
sumo- [soo-moh]-noun- a form of wrestling in Japan in which a contestant wins by forcing his opponent out of the ring or by causing him to touch the ground with any part of his body other than the soles of his feet, contestants usually being men of great height and weight. There was a ceremony going on for the new champion sumo wrestler.
koan- [koh-ahn]-noun- a nonsensical or paradoxical question to a student for which an answer is demanded, the stress of meditation on the question often being illuminating. The lack of variety in the landscape here is our koan.
satori- [suh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee]-noun-Zen- sudden enlightenment. Satori is a spiritual awakening sought in Zen Buddhism, often coming suddenly.
tatami- [tuh-tah-mee]-noun- (in Japanese houses) any of a number of thick, woven straw mats of uniform dimensions, about three feet by six feet (91 cm by 183 cm), the placing of which determines the dimensions of an interior. When walking on tatami it is customary to shuffle, to avoid causing disturbance.
kami-[kah-my]-noun- a divine being or spiritual force in Shinto. Kami are the spirits or phenomena that are worshipped in the religion of Shinto.
sukiyaki- [soo-kee-yah-kee, soo k-ee-, skee-yah-kee]-noun- a Japanese dish made with beef, chicken, or pork and usually containing soy sauce, bean curd, and greens, often cooked over direct heat at the table. Sukiyaki is a popular one-pot meal which is usually cooked at the table as you eat.
jinrikisha- [jin-rik-shaw, -shah]-noun- a small, two-wheeled, cart-like passenger vehicle with a fold-down top, pulled by one person, formerly used widely in Japan and China. The jinrikisha, or rickshaw is a chair cart used in many Asiatic countries.
Meiji- [mey-jee]-noun-Japanese History- the designation of the period of the reign of Emperor Mutsuhito from 1868 to 1912. This changed under Emperor Meiji, whose supporters overthrew the ruling Shogun general.
Romaji- [roh-muh-jee]-noun- a system of writing Japanese using the letters of the Latin alphabet. Romaji literally means ''roman characters'' and is the way that Japanese words are rendered in English. odori-[o-door-ee]-noun- any lively Japanese folk or theater dance characterized by rapid footwork —distinguished from mai. Odori grew out of Kabuki drama and is more oriented toward male sentiments.
miso- [mee-soh; Japanese mee-saw]-noun-Japanese Cookery- a fermented seasoning paste of soybeans, often with rice or barley added, used to flavor soups and sauces. Later add some salt and seasoning, kelp powder, and a few tablespoons of miso to each soup.
Kabuki- [kah-boo-kee, kuh-, kah-boo-kee]-noun- popular drama of Japan, developed chiefly in the 17th century, characterized by elaborate costuming, rhythmic dialogue, stylized acting, music, and dancing, and the performance of both male and female roles by male actors. There, students and a research team of gifted and innovative teachers could explore everything from the art of clowning to kabuki.
geta- [get-uh; Japanese ge-tah]-noun- a traditional Japanese wooden clog that is worn outdoors, with a thong that passes between the first two toes and with two transverse supports on the bottom of the sole.
Geta are a form of traditional Japanese footwear that resembles both clogs and flip-flops.
sayonara- [sahy-uh-nahr-uh; Japanese sah-yaw-nah-rah]-interjection- farewell; good-bye. So bid farewell to fatigue, sayonara to smoking and aweigh to unwanted weight gain.
Challenge Words
karaoke- [kar-ee-oh-kee]-noun- an act of singing along to a music video, especially one from which the original vocals have been electronically eliminated. Fear of public singing in karaoke bars may soon be a thing of the past with a new device that can instantly create perfect pitch.
nisei- [nee-sey, nee-sey]-noun- a person of Japanese descent, born and educated in the U.S. or Canada. The term "nisei" comes from a Japanese word, and refers to children born to Japanese parents in a country other than Japan.
sansei- [sahn-sey, sahn-sey]-noun- a grandchild of Japanese immigrants to the U.S. or Canada.
Sansei is a Japanese term meaning third generation.
issei- [ees-sey]-noun- a Japanese who immigrated to the U.S. or Canada after 1907 and was not eligible until 1952 for citizenship. An issei is defined as a Japanese immigrant especially to the United States.
kibei- [kee-bey]-noun- a person of Japanese descent, born in the U.S. but educated in Japan. The kibei left Missouri to attend school in Okinawa.
kakemono- [kah-kuh-moh-noh; Japanese kah-ke-maw-naw]-noun- a vertical hanging scroll containing either text or a painting, intended to be viewed on a wall and rolled when not in use. The kakemono is usually on rice paper and mounted on silk brocade with a rod, often made of ceramic or wood, on the bottom.
ukiyo-e- [yoo-kee-oh-ey; Japanese oo-kee-yaw-e]-noun- a genre style of painting and printmaking developed in Japan from the 17th to the 19th centuries and marked by the depiction of the leisure activities of ordinary people. Ukiyo-e mainly features motifs of landscapes, tales from history, the theatre and pleasure quarters.
yakitori- [yah-ki-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee]-noun-Japanese Cookery- a dish of small pieces of boneless chicken, usually marinated, skewered, and grilled. Order from the traditional yakitori menu for dinner or go with the beef short ribs and calamari.
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