1.
yakuza; gangster; member of organized crime
A member of a Japanese organized crime syndicate, or the organized crime world itself. Historically rooted in Edo-period gambling rings and street vendor networks, yakuza groups have a hierarchical structure modeled on family relationships.
2.
good-for-nothing; worthless person
By extension, describes someone who is useless, unproductive, or who leads a disreputable life. This sense is the older meaning, derived from a losing hand in a card game.
The word originates from a losing hand in the card game 花札 or 株: the sequence 8-9-3 (ya-ku-za) totals 20, which counts as zero — a worthless hand. This 'worthless' meaning was applied to people on the margins of society, and eventually to the organized crime groups they formed.
Usage
- As a noun, refers to a yakuza member or the organization itself
- As a pre-noun modifier (やくざな), means 'disreputable' or 'good-for-nothing'
- In modern usage, the crime-organization sense dominates
- Often used with の to modify nouns: やくざの世界 ('the yakuza world')
Common collocations
- やくざの組: yakuza group; crime family
- やくざの親分: yakuza boss
- やくざ映画: yakuza film; gangster movie
- やくざ稼業: the yakuza trade
- やくざな生活: a dissolute life
Similar words
- 暴力団: violent crime group — the official/legal term used by police and media, more formal than やくざ
- 極道: the way of extremes — a romanticized term yakuza members sometimes use to describe their lifestyle
- チンピラ: petty thug; punk — a low-ranking hoodlum, often used for young street toughs who may or may not be affiliated with a yakuza group
Related Words
Compare:
暴力団 (violent crime group)
Compare:
極道 (the way of extremes)
Compare:
チンピラ (petty thug)
Compare:
ごろつき (hooligan, thug, rogue)
Compare:
任侠 (chivalry)
Compare:
侠客 (chivalrous person)
Compare:
ギャング (gang)