Glossary

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A

acting captain
A temporary substitute for a yakuza organization or syndicate's captain in the event its captain is displaced, imprisoned, deceased, or otherwise absent. The organization's most senior lieutenant is the first choice for the position by default, proceeding down the ranks until a suitable candidate is found.

The term *acting captain* is translated from *wakagashira-daikō* (若頭代行, lit. "acting young leading subordinate"). Acting captains are normally addressed with the same terms as captains, sometimes with the suffix *-daikō*, or simply as *daikō*.

acting chairman
A temporary substitute for a yakuza organization or syndicate's chairman in the event its chairman is displaced, imprisoned, deceased, or otherwise absent. The organization's captain is the first choice for the position by default, proceeding down the ranks until a suitable candidate is found.

The term *acting chairman* is translated from *kaichō-daikō* (会長代行). Acting chairmen are normally addressed with the same terms as chairmen, sometimes with the suffix *-daikō*, or simply as *daikō*.

aniki
1.  (*civilian*) One's older brother.
2.  One's superior in a yakuza organization. As part of enforcing a yakuza organization's strict hierarchy, which parallels that of a traditional family unit, the term *aniki* and its equivalents are used in a non-literal sense to evoke the same level of seniority and authority as an "older brother." The counterpart to *aniki* is *shatei*.

The term *aniki* (兄貴) was originally translated as "boss" or "sir," but due to criticisms that such terms did not get the original meaning across, it is left unchanged in *Yakuza 6* and subsequent releases. Similar terms, such as the suffixes *-nii-san* (兄さん) and *-no-nii-san* (の兄さん), or simply *nii-san*, are omitted from the translation.

> A term that roughly translates to "big brother," often used in deference to a more senior member of a yakuza organization.
>
> Loading Screen, *Yakuza 6*

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captain
The second-in-command of a yakuza organization or syndicate, directly under its chairman or patriarch in rank. In a yakuza organization's strict hierarchy, which parallels that of a traditional family unit, the captain and lieutenant(s) have seniority and authority over the wakashu.

In the absence of the leader of the organization, the captain takes charge. They are typically the first choice by default to formally assume the role of acting chairman or acting patriarch. In the event of their leader's death, they are typically the first choice by default to formally succeed their predecessor as chairman or patriarch.

The word *captain* is translated from *wakagashira* (若頭, lit. "young leading subordinate") and *kashira* (カシラ), an alternate reading of the kanji 頭.

> A rank reserved for the right-hand man of a patriarch. Captains of larger families often have their own sub-families.
>
> Loading Screen, *Yakuza 6*

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I

interim chairman
*See acting chairman.*

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L

lieutenant
Also **lieutenant advisor**.

A third-in-command of a yakuza organization, directly under its captain in rank. A given organization may have multiple active lieutenants at a time. In a yakuza organization's strict hierarchy, which parallels that of a traditional family unit, captains and lieutenants have seniority over the wakashu.

The terms *lieutenant* and *lieutenant advisor* are both translated from *wakagashira-hosa* (若頭補佐).

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P

patriarch

> The head of a yakuza family, a single group in a yakuza organization.
>
> Loading Screen, *Yakuza 6*

The leader of a yakuza organization. As part of enforcing a yakuza organization's strict hierarchy, which parallels that of a traditional family unit, the term patriarch and its equivalents are used in a non-literal sense to evoke the same level of authority as a "father."

To reflect this, they are referred to with the term *oyaji* (親父) or the suffix *-no-oyaji*, less commonly with the term *oyassan* (親っさん), and rarely with the term *oyabun* (親分) by their subordinates. Each of these terms are either words one would use to refer to their father or derived from such words.

The term patriarch itself is typically translated from the word *kumicho*, which is not gendered in and of itself.

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tachi
A type of traditionally-made Japanese sword, which, compared to a katana, has a longer and more curved blade with a more prominent taper.
triad
1.  Organized crime syndicate and criminal society originating in China.
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W

waka
*See young master.*
wakagashira
*See captain.*
wakashu
A non-ranking member of a yakuza organization. In a yakuza organization's strict hierarchy, which parallels that of a traditional family unit, the wakashu are juniors to the wakagashira and lieutenant(s) (wakagashira-hosa), and have no authority.

The term *wakashu* (若衆, lit. "young man") is translated as "member."

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yakuza
1.  Organized criminal society originating in Japan.

The term *yakuza* originated as a derogatory term for gamblers and those involved with gambling, one of two social classes historically involved in the emergence of yakuza, and is derived from one of the possible readings of the sequence of numbers "8-9-3" in Japanese, referring to the worst possible hand that can be drawn in oicho-kabu.

> The word comes from a losing hand in the gambling game oicho-kabu and came to be associated with those lost to gambling. Yakuza themselves prefer a word with a more righteous connotation: 'gokudo.'
>
> Loading Screen, *Yakuza 6*

2.  An organization or syndicate belonging to such a criminal society.
3.  A member of an organization or syndicate belonging to such a criminal society.
young master
2.  Historical term of address for the heir of a person of high social standing. Considered old-fashioned.

yubitsume

> The ritual act of cutting off one's finger in repentance or atonement.
> Practiced almost exclusively by the yakuza, it makes it more difficult to hold a sword, forcing the perpetrator to act more cautiously.
>
> Loading Screen, *Yakuza 6*

The ritual act of cutting off one's little finger at the first joint from the tip and offering the severed portion to one's superior. It is most often performed as an apology for one's own transgressions, although one may take responsibility for a subordinate's actions and perform yubitsume on behalf of the subordinate.

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## Notes

1. ↑ In *Yakuza 6*, lieutenant advisor is separately defined as a higher-ranking lieutenant, but there is no intentional difference between the roles, as both terms are translated from the same word.

## References

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