ASAKUSA Underground > About "Chinpira"
When you look up the word "Chinpira" in a Japanese dictionary, it says;
1) a word to scoff at the person who talks big even though he is still a child, and not important.
2) a lower rank Yakuza, or delinquent.
In the second of these you find the definition "a lower rank Yakuza." It does not mean that all the Chinpiras belong to certain criminal organisations.
♯Caution!
Don't address anyone "Chinpira."
When you encounter a Chinpira, there is no danger to talk to him unless you call the person Chinpira. Few Japanese find it amusing to be labelled Chinpira. The Chinpiras will feel quite "honoured" when they are addressed "Yakuza" (?note 1), "Furyo," or "Yanki" (?note 2) rather than "Chinpira." For class consciousness has a firm control over the minds of Japanese villains as well as the rest of this society. To respect one's class is the basis of good manners, they think.
Here it shows the hierarchy in the Japanese evil world.
1. yakuza
2. furyo
3. yanki
4. chinpira
(numbered in the descending order)
Much lower in the order, there is a class called "Do-chinpira." (?conversation tips) He is more wicked than an average Chinpira; an untouchable of the Japanese criminal caste.
In addition, the above-mentioned word "Furyo" could be used as a synonym of "Yakuza" in the world of Yakuza themselves. Originally "Furyo" meant only the boys and girls whose behaviour was anti-social in elementary schools, junior highs, and high schools. (Literally "Fu" means "no" and "Ryo" "good," therefore 'Furyo" "no good.") Now the strange popularity of the word has prevailed in the true Yakuza society and they seem to prefer calling themselves "Furyo."
The word "Yakuza" is not used by Yakuzas themselves, but by ordinary law-abiding citizens.
[Note 1]
Yakuza
Ya = 8 Ku = 9 Za = 3
8 + 9 + 3 = 20
With a hand of 20, you get 0 points in a Japanese card game. Therefore it means useless.
[Note 2]
Yanki
The origin of the word is said to be "Yankee." But there are no hard feelings against the Americans. In the 70s and 80s some youngsters in Osaka found Aloha shirts quite cool, and hanged around wearing them in a certain area of the town. The area is called America mura (American village), So, Yankee.
Not convincing, is it?
We don't really know its origin.
Unlike the true English word, the stress falls on the second syllable. (yan-kee)
----------Conversation Tips----------
The champion of emphasis "Do" (doe)
Doe, a deer, a female deer,...
Doe is the most familiar musical note to a lot of people. In Japan it is the king of emphasis.
chinpira [delinquent]
konjo [guts]
inaka [countryside]
dekai[big]
Just say "Doe" before these words. It works miracles.
Do-chinpira: worse delinquent
Do-konjo: exceptional guts
Do-inaka: deep countryside
Do-dekai: super big
Do (doe) shows the excess or emphasis of the word following it.
Roughly,
Do-__________ = super __________
About "Chinpira"
When you look up the word "Chinpira" in a Japanese dictionary, it says;
1) a word to scoff at the person who talks big even though he is still a child, and not important.
2) a lower rank Yakuza, or delinquent.
In the second of these you find the definition "a lower rank Yakuza." It does not mean that all the Chinpiras belong to certain criminal organisations.
♯Caution!
Don't address anyone "Chinpira."
When you encounter a Chinpira, there is no danger to talk to him unless you call the person Chinpira. Few Japanese find it amusing to be labelled Chinpira. The Chinpiras will feel quite "honoured" when they are addressed "Yakuza" (?note 1), "Furyo," or "Yanki" (?note 2) rather than "Chinpira." For class consciousness has a firm control over the minds of Japanese villains as well as the rest of this society. To respect one's class is the basis of good manners, they think.
Here it shows the hierarchy in the Japanese evil world.
1. yakuza2. furyo
3. yanki
4. chinpira
(numbered in the descending order)
Much lower in the order, there is a class called "Do-chinpira." (?conversation tips) He is more wicked than an average Chinpira; an untouchable of the Japanese criminal caste.
In addition, the above-mentioned word "Furyo" could be used as a synonym of "Yakuza" in the world of Yakuza themselves. Originally "Furyo" meant only the boys and girls whose behaviour was anti-social in elementary schools, junior highs, and high schools. (Literally "Fu" means "no" and "Ryo" "good," therefore 'Furyo" "no good.") Now the strange popularity of the word has prevailed in the true Yakuza society and they seem to prefer calling themselves "Furyo."
The word "Yakuza" is not used by Yakuzas themselves, but by ordinary law-abiding citizens.
[Note 1]
Yakuza
Ya = 8 Ku = 9 Za = 3
8 + 9 + 3 = 20
With a hand of 20, you get 0 points in a Japanese card game. Therefore it means useless.
[Note 2]
Yanki
The origin of the word is said to be "Yankee." But there are no hard feelings against the Americans. In the 70s and 80s some youngsters in Osaka found Aloha shirts quite cool, and hanged around wearing them in a certain area of the town. The area is called America mura (American village), So, Yankee.
Not convincing, is it?
We don't really know its origin.
Unlike the true English word, the stress falls on the second syllable. (yan-kee)
----------Conversation Tips----------
The champion of emphasis "Do" (doe)
Doe, a deer, a female deer,...
Doe is the most familiar musical note to a lot of people. In Japan it is the king of emphasis.
chinpira [delinquent]
konjo [guts]
inaka [countryside]
dekai[big]
Just say "Doe" before these words. It works miracles.
Do-chinpira: worse delinquent
Do-konjo: exceptional guts
Do-inaka: deep countryside
Do-dekai: super big
Do (doe) shows the excess or emphasis of the word following it.
Roughly,
Do-__________ = super __________