Japanese In Final Fantasy ファイナルファンタジ
0. Introduction
Japanese in Final Fantasy is a series of articles introducing the special words used in the Final Fantasy series.
This series is aimed to help the people who wish to play the games in Japanese but do not have the necessary language skills to do so. To the people with more advanced Japanese skills it also serves as a basic guide to differences in the English language translations from game to game.
To understand the following articles basic Japanese skills and kana reading ability is recommended, although not necessary. A transliteration (or the word’s English equivalent should it happen to be a loan word) is provided in [parenthesis] for every word presented, and a literal translation as well as the translation(s) commonly used.
Word lists are provided in alphabetical order according to the most common English translation. When a word is given two or more different words Japanese, the first one given is the more common.
With a word that is commonly written in kanji sometimes an option of it in hiragana is also given, considering the early handheld games widely use only the hiragana option in menus. In this case, the word is written first in kanji, and in hiragana after a slash. The reading for these words is naturally the same.
For now, the guide remains incomplete. Please look forward to more sections in the future. In the meanwhile, you can leave your comments above and help improve the guide.
I. Common Words
The Common Words section presents words commonly seen in every Final Fantasy. They include series-specific words as well as some normal words used throughout the series. To point out one common word, ‘Final Fantasy’ is spelled out ファイナルファンタジー in Japanese, and is pronounced pretty much the same as the English words for it.
Notable Words
Chocobo – チョコボ [chocobo]
Crystal – クリスタル [crystal]
– This is the word commonly used in the series to mean Crystals. However, sometimes the real Japanese word is used to refer to normal crystals, crystals with not much magical power, or even as a clarification of the meaning of this loan-word. See also Crystal under Miscellaneous
Final Fantasy – ファイナルファンタジー [final fantasy]
Job – ジョブ [job]
Kupo – クポ [kupo]
– While the word is the same in English and Japanese, its application varies a bit. In Japanese, the moogles use it mostly to replace the word です [desu], meaning “is” – but only descriptive “is”, eg “moogles are white”. The “is” word for being or doing (eg “the moogle is flying”) is a different one, and this replacement doesn’t happen with it
Magicite – 魔石 / ませき [maseki] – lit. magic stone
Magitek – 魔導 [madou]
– The defining word is added after this. For example, ‘magitek armor’ is 魔導アーマー [madou armor]. Note also the similarity of the Japanese word to 魔導士 [madoushi], or wizard. Technically, this word would translate as simply ‘magi’, this explanation is for magitek.
Moogle – モーグリ [mooguri], モグ [mog]
– The word モグ is sometimes used by moogles as the word “I” or “me”. This is likely due to its similarity with the word Japanese word ボク [boku] that is a boyish way of referring to oneself. Another reason for it can be the practice to use your own name in place of the word “I” or “me” to sound cuter.
Summon – 召喚獣 [shoukanjyuu], 幻獣 [genjyuu]
– These word are used to refer to the summoned beasts (also known as eidolons, GFs, aeons, etc). Note that “summon magic” is 召喚魔法 [shoukan mahou], the word genjyuu cannot be used for it. Likewise for the act of summoning and the word summoner, only shoukan can be used. However, the world where the summoned beasts dwell while not summoned to the real world is referred to as 幻獣界 [genjyuukai] or even 幻界 [genkai]. These roughly translate as “world of illusionary beasts” and “illusionary world”, respectively.
Menu Words
Ability – アビリティ [ability]
Close – 閉じる / とじる [tojiru]
Equip – 装備 / そうび [soubi]
– The word refers to the act of equipping as well as the various items that can be equipped
Item – アイテム [item]
– This is also translated as inventory to make more sense to the English-speaking crowd
Magic – 魔法 / まほう [mahou]
Map – マップ [map], 地図 / ちず [chizu]
– The first word is commonly used in menus, the second mostly in item-names and conversation
Summon – 召喚 / しょうかん [shoukan]
– This word is used exclusively to mean the act of summoning. See the entry for Summon under Notable Words for more info
Open – 開く / あく[aku]
Use – 使う / つかう [tsukau]
Miscellaneous
Cloud – 雲 [kumo]
Crystal(s) – 水晶 / すいしょう [suishou]
– Not used commonly, but as clarification or in item names. The Crystals that have a major part in the story lines are most often called with the other word for crystal. See also Crystal under Notable Words
Death – 死 [shi]
– Note that this word refers to actual death, not Death/Reaper. The word for that specifically is 死神 [shinigami], ‘God of Death’
Demon(s) – 悪魔 [akuma]
Dragon(s) – 龍 [ryuu], 竜 [ryuu], ドラゴン [dragon]
– Note that generally, 龍 means more eastern-style dragons, 竜 means wyverns and the loan-word means western-style dragons. However, these meanings are not always strictly used.
Emperor – 皇帝 [koutei]
Friend(s) – 友人 [yuujin], 友達 [tomodachi]
God(s) – 神 [kami]
King – 王 [ou], 王様 [ou-sama]
– When combining these with a name (eg ‘King Argus’), ‘ou’ is most often used. It is placed after the name. If a person uses ‘ou-sama’ after a name instead of just ‘ou’, they want to show respect.
Knight(s) – 騎士 [kishi], 兵士 [heishi]
– The first word is sometimes also used as the job Knight. However, a different word for it is more commonly used. See the entry for Knight under the Jobs section. A military group or squad of knights is 騎士団 [kishidan]. The second word can also mean soldier, as in a soldier in an army. It is not used to refer to solitary warriors.
Limit – 限界 [genkai]
– Meaning a limit, a boundary or a barrier
Love – 愛 [ai]
Mage – 魔導士 / 魔導師 / まどうし [madoushi]
Magic – 魔法 / まほう [mahou]
Music – 音楽 [ongaku]
Pirate(s) – 海賊 [kaizoku]
– Note the word’s similarity to ‘sky pirate’ and ‘thief’
Prince – 王子 [ouji]
– When combined with a name, ‘ouji’ is placed after the name
Princess – 王女 [oujyo], 姫 [hime]
– When combined with a name, these are placed after it. ‘Hime’, while used for all princesses occasionally, has roots more in Japanese culture than ‘oujyo’.
Protection – 守護 [shugo]
Queen – 女王 [jyoou], 王妃 [ouhi]
– Note that while both words mean ‘queen’, the first word refers to a queen who rules herself while the second word carries the meaning of ‘queen, the spouse of the ruler’
Sage – 賢者 / けんじゃ [kenja]
Scholar – 学者 [gakusha]
Shadow – 影 [kage]
Sky pirate – 空賊 [kuuzoku]
– Note the word’s similarity to ‘pirate’ and ‘thief’
Spell – 呪文 [jyumon]
Temple – 神殿 [shinden]
Thief – 盗賊
– Note the word’s similarity to ‘pirate’ and ‘sky pirate’
War – 戦争 [sensou], 争い [arasoi]
– The first word is more of a proper word for ‘war’, the second is carries the meaning of ‘battle’ or ‘strife’
Witch – 魔女 / まじょ [majyo]
Wizard – 魔術師 [majutsushi], 魔導士 [madoushi]
– Note that the second word is also translated as ‘mage’
World – 世界 [sekai], 星 [hoshi] – lit. star or planet
– These words are often used interchangeably in some installments of the series.
Wyvern – 竜 [ryuu], ヴァイバーン [wyvern]
II. Jobs
The job system is a very basic and integral part of the Final Fantasy games it appears in. The word itself is ジョブ [job] in Japanese. Likewise, ‘job change’ is ジョブチェンジ [job change].
This is a general overview of the jobs possible, and does not include every job that has ever appeared in the series. See the Jobs page for a list of every job. The job’s page will include the Japanese name for it.
Alchemist – 錬金術士 [renkinjutsushi]
Archer – 弓使い [yumitsukai]
Bard – 吟遊詩人 [ginyuu shijin]
Black Mage – 黒魔導士 [kuromadoushi]
Blue Mage – 青魔導士 [aomadoushi]
Dancer – 踊り子 [odoriko]
Dark Knight – 暗黒騎士 [ankoku kishi]
Dragoon – 竜騎士 [ryuu kishi] – lit. Dragon Knight
Fighter – 戦士 [senshi]
– This word is also used for Warrior
Geomancer – 風水士 [fuusuishi] – lit. feng shui user
Knight – ナイト [knight], 騎士 [kishi]
– Note that the first word is at times translated as Paladin. However, Paladin is also has a different word in Japanese. The function of the two jobs is very close, at times similar. The second word is the common word for knight. It also appears in the words Dragoon, Paladin and Dark Knight.
Monk – モンク [monk]
Ninja – 忍者 [ninja]
Onion Knight – たまねぎ騎士 [tamanegi kishi]
Paladin – 聖騎士 [seikishi] – lit. Holy Knight, パラディン [paladin]
– Note that Paladin can also be Knight in Japanese. See the entry for Knight for more info
Ranger – 狩人 [karyuudo], レンジャー [ranger]
– First word is also used for Hunter
Red Mage – 赤魔導士 [akamadoushi]
Sage – 賢者 [kenja], セージ [sage]
Samurai – 侍 [samurai]
Scholar – 学者 [gakusha]
Summoner – 召喚士 [soukanshi]
Thief – シーフ [thief], 盗賊 [touzoku]
– The first word refers almost exclusively to the job when used in Final Fantasies, the second is a more common word for the general meaning
Warrior – 戦士 [senshi], ウォリアー [warrior]
– The first word is also used for Fighter
White Mage – 白魔導士 [shiromadoushi]
III. Spells
The word ‘spell’ is 呪文 [jyumon] in Japanese. In menus, you can find your available spells behind the option 魔法 [mahou], which means ‘magic’.
Note that the tiers of magic differ slightly in the Japanese version. First (-) and second (-ra) tiers are the same in both languages, but in Japanese the names of third and fourth tiers depend on if there is three or four possible tiers in the game. The final stage in Japanese always ends in -ga, but is translated as either -ga (in games with three tiers) or -ja (in games with four tiers). If the game has four tiers, the third tier in Japanese ends in -da.
This is a general overview of the common spells available, and as thus doesn’t include every spell in the series. See Magic for more information on the spells and their names. If you are looking for the Japanese name for a specific spell, you can navigate to the individual spell’s page.
Aero – エアロ [aero]
Aspir/Osmose – アスピル [aspir]
Bar-spell line – バファイア [barfire], バブリザド [barblizzard], バサンダ [barthunda], etc.
Bio – バイオ [bio]
Blind – ブライン [blin]
Blink – ブリンク [blink]
Blizzard line – ブリザド [blizzard], ブリザラ [blizzara], ブリザダ [blizzada], ブリザガ [blizzaga]
Confuse – コンフュ [confu]
Cure line – ケアル [cure], ケアラ [cura], ケアルダ [curada], ケアルガ [curaga]
Death – デス [death]
Dispel – ディスペル [dispel]
Drain – ドレイン [drain]
Esuna – エスナ [esuna]
Fire line – ファイア [fire], ファイラ [fira], ファイダ [fida], ファイガ [figa]
Flare – フレア [flare]
Float – レビテト [levitet]
Gravity – グラビティ [gravity]
Haste – ヘイスト [haste]
Holy – ホーリー [holy]
Libra/Scan – ライブラ [libra]
Meteor – メテオ [meteo]
Paralyze – パラライ [paraly]
Poison – ポイズン [poison]
Protect line – プロテス [protes], プロテラ [protera]
Quake – クエイク [quake]
Raise/Life line – レイズ [raise], アレイズ [arise], リレイズ [reraise]
Regen – リジェネ [regene]
Shell line – シェル [shell], シェルラ [shellra]
Sight – サイト [sight]
Silence – サイレス [silece]
Sleep – スリプル [slepl]
Slow – スロウ [slow]
Stop – ストップ [stop]
Teleport – テレポ [telepo]
Thunder line – サンダー [thunder], サンダラ [thundara], サンダダ [thundada], サンダガ [thundaga]
Tornado – トルネド [tornado]
Ultima – アルティマ [ultima]
Warp – デジョン [dezone]
Water – ウォータ [water]
IV. Summons
The Japanese word for summoning is 召喚 [shoukan], while summon magic is 召喚魔法 [shoukan mahou]. The beings themselves are called 召喚獣 [shoukanjuu] or 幻獣 [genjyuu], while the world they dwell in is called 幻獣界 [genjyuukai] or 幻界 [genkai]. Finally, a summoner is 召喚士 or 召喚師, both of which are read [shoukanshi].
This is an overview of some of the most common summons in the series. To see a list of all summons, please visit the page Summons. The individual summon’s page will have its name in Japanese.
Alexander – アレクサンダー [alexander]
Atomos – アトモス [atomos]
Bahamut – バハムート [bahamut]
Carbuncle – カーバンクル [carbuncle]
Diablos – ディアボロス [diabolos]
Ifrit – イフリート [ifrit]
Leviathan – リヴァイアサン [leviathan]
Odin – オーディン [odin]
Phoenix – フェニックス [phoenix]
Ramuh – ラムウ [ramuh]
Shiva – シヴァ [shiva]
Siren – セイレーン [seireen]
Sylph – シルフ [sylph]
Titan – タイタン [titan]
VI. Items
The word generally used to refer to in-game items is アイテム [item]. There is also the word 装備 [soubi] to refer to equipment.
This is a list of some of the most common item-related words in the series. If the item you are seeking a translation for is not on this list, you can likely find it under the item’s own page. For lists of all items in the games, see the sidebar’s navigation.
Common Items
Alarm Clock – 目覚まし時計 / めざましどけい [mezamashidokei]
Antidote – 毒消し / どくけし [dokukeshi]
Cottage – コテージ [cottage]
Echo Drops/Screen – やまびこそう [yamabikosou]
Elixir – エリクサー [elixir]
Ether – エーテル [ether]
Eye Drops – 目薬 / めぐすり [megusuri] – lit. eye medicine
Dry Ether/Hi-Ether – エーテルドライ [ether dry]
Gysahl Greens – ギサールの野菜 / ギサールのやさい [gysahl no yasai] – lit. gysahl vegetable
Maiden’s Kiss – 乙女のキッス / おとめのキッス [otome no kiss]
Phoenix Down – フェニックスの尾 [phoenix no o] – lit. phoenix feather
Potion – ポーション [potion]
Tent – テント [tent]
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