Forged In Fire: Stories of wartime Japan

Glossary

anesan — older sister;

asobimasho! —  "Let's play!";

azuki — a sweet red bean used to make manju and ice cream;

bento — a single serving meal packaged in a box or container usually consisting of rice and some kind or meat or vegetables;

bonito  -- a type of tuna fish that is smoked, dried, aged and shaved into extremely thin, soft flakes used for seasoning food or making fish broth;

bushido — a samurai code of conduct relating to honor and morality;

chan — a term of endearment added to the end of a child's name; for the adult equivalent, see san;

chiisai — small;

futon — bedding;

geisha — "arts person;"a highly regarded female entertainer trained in the arts of musical performance, dance and conversation;

genkan — a small area at a home's front entrance where shoes are removed;

geta — platform styled shoes made of wood and fabric;

gobo — a root vegetable often sliced into thin strips and cooked;

gohan — rice;

goma — sesame seeds;

imouto — little sister;

kanji — a form of Japanese writing that uses symbols to form words;

karate -- "empty hand;" a martial art involving hands and feet only to defend oneself;

katana — swords used by samurai, usually paired as one long sword and one short sword;

kimono — a robe-like outer garment made of silk and/or brocade;

kirin - giraffe;

kokeshi — simple, painted, wooden dolls, usually with moveable heads and no limbs;

konbu — thick seaweed;

mahjong -- a Chinese game that uses 144 domino-like tiles;

mamagoto — child's play that involves pretending to be a mother;

manju — a confection made of rice and sweet beans;

mikan — tangerine;

miso — a paste made from fermented soybeans and used in soups;

mochi — smooth, pounded rice used for making confections;

neko — cat;

obasan — aunt;

okasan — mother;

oniisan — older brother;

ronin — samurai who have become master-less due to the death of a lord or loss of privilege;

sakura — cherry blossoms;

samurai — a class of warriors who worked in service of the Emperor and abided by strict moral code(see bushido);

san — a term of respect or endearment that is added to the end of an adult person's name or title;

senbei — hard rice crackers flavored with soy sauce and seaweed;

shamisen — a plucked, three-stringed instrument similar to a guitar;

shoyu — soy sauce;

sumi-e — a black ink used in calligraphy; a style of calligraphic writing;

tampopo — dandelion;

tatami — a thick, woven straw mat used as floor covering;

tofu — bean curd made from soy milk curds that have been shaped into blocks;

tokonoma — a small, open space within a room used to display works of art;

umeboshi — a small, round, pickled plum-like fruit usually eaten as a garnish with rice;

zori — a flat shoe consisting of a sole and straps, usually made of woven straw or rubber