やくざ

Japanese

Alternative forms

• ヤクザ
• 893

Etymology

Literally, “8-9-3”. From a three-card gambling game in which the worst hand is 八 (ya, “8”), 九 (ku, “9”), and 三 (sa, “3”).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) やくざ [yáꜜkùzà] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [ja̠kɯ̟za̠]

Adjective

やくざ • (yakuza) -na (adnominal やくざな (yakuza na), adverbial やくざに (yakuza ni))

1. worthless, useless

Noun

やくざ • (yakuza) 

1. something that is worthless or useless
2. yakuza: Japanese organized crime gang or a member of one

Descendants

• → English: yakuza
• → Finnish: yakuza
• → French: yakuza
• → Korean: 야쿠자 (yakuja)
• → Polish: yakuza, jakuza
• → Portuguese: yakuza
• → Russian: яку́дза (jakúdza)
• → Spanish: yakuza