S-Z

Note: This glossary contains Japanese words, Nisei slang, Hawaiian slang, American slang, Navajo, Spanish and French, as it is used in this book, correctly or not.

Pronunciation: for Japanese words: pronounce every syllable, all vowels have the soft sound:

A = ah

E = eh

I = ee

O = oh

U = oo

O's are pronounced open like Oh, not closed like Bowed. And R's are pronounced more like a lilting D.

Generations: Issei (EE-say) - first generation, immigrants from Japan

Nisei (NEE-say) - second generation, American-born children of immigrants

Sansei (SAHN-say) - third generation, grandchildren of immigrants

Yonsei (YOHN-say) - fourth generation

Nikkei (NEE-kay) - general term for Japanese American

442nd - the 442nd Regimental Combat Team comprised of Niseis (second generation native born Americans of Japanese ancestry, mostly from the mainland) combined with the 100th Batallion, Japanese Americans from Hawaii to form the most decorated unit in U.S. military history.

saimin (SYE-min) or ramen (RAH-men) - big bowl of soup with thin noodles

sake (SAH-keh) - rice wine

sekihan - sweet rice with azuki and sesame seeds

sensei (SEN-say) - teacher

shibai (shee-BUY) - play-acting, also slang for b.s.

shikataganai (shee-KAH-tah-gah-ney) - can't be helped, that's the way it is

shiko (SHEE-koh) - pee (children's term) also shi-shi

shoyu (SHOH-yoo) - soy sauce

Spam musubi - a slice of Spam in a rice ball wrapped in nori; a Hawaiian staple

stink-eye (Hawaiian slang) - dirty look

suzuko (soo-zoo-KOH) - salmon eggs, salted and cured in sake curd

tabemasho (TAH-beh-mah-SHOH) - let's eat

tabenasai (TAH-beh-nah-SYE) - please eat

takuwan (TAH-kwahn) - pickled daikon

tamago gohan(tah-MAH-go go-HAHN) - raw egg and rice

tsukemono (TSOO-keh-moh-noh) - pickled vegetables

udon (Oo-DOHN) - soup with thick noodles

umeboshi (oo-meh-BOH-shee) - pickled plums

unko (OON-koh) - poop (children's term), also un-un

veladoras religiosas (Spanish) - religious candles

yaa'eh t'eeh (yah-ah-eh-teh-EH) - Navajo greeting

yaka (YAH-kah) - slang for stubborn

yogore (YOH-goh-reh) - troublemaker; derived from yogoreru (dirty)

yokan (YOH-kahn) - jellied azuki or lima bean jelly

zories (ZOH-reez) - flip flops