"Yoosh."

[Charlie]

Okay, this may be in the wrong forum, but...

Can anyone explain to me what "yoosh" means in Japanese? I have heard people use it occassionally, and I have been watching the Ghost in the Shell: Standalone Complex first gig and the characters in that series use it all the time instead of "yes" or "all right."

I put it in concepts because, if I understand this correctly, "yoosh" means, what, "yes," "let's do it," "if I have to," "all right..." What does this mean?

[ShinKenshi]

Okay, this may be in the wrong forum, but...

Can anyone explain to me what "yoosh" means in Japanese? I have heard people use it occassionally, and I have been watching the Ghost in the Shell: Standalone Complex first gig and the characters in that series use it all the time instead of "yes" or "all right."

I put it in concepts because, if I understand this correctly, "yoosh" means, what, "yes," "let's do it," "if I have to," "all right..." What does this mean?You pretty much have it right. It depends on the context in which it's used. There are a couple different ways of saying it but both mean pretty much the same thing. よし typically means "alright" and used when something happens in the speakers favor. Sometimes it can be used to mean "got it" or "here we go" but again, it depends on the context. よしゃ！ is a more exuberant form and can be translated as, "Yeah!" or "H*ll Yeah!"

[Darknails]

[edit] oops David got there first :)

[michaelm]

I believe it is a variation of "yoi", meaning good. I believe yosh[i] is a little more informal, definitely masculine and maybe a little "macho tough guy". I forget which jujutsu ryu does it, but before each kata they bow in by putting one knee on the floor, then slap the ground while yelling, "Yosh!". You'll hear it a lot in old samurai movies, too.

From my encounters with it, it seems to have the same context as saying "c'mon!" or "right!".

-michael

[Kenzan]

I use it often, usually before undertaking a task.
There's a certain amount of determination that goes with it.
Sort of like "LET'S GET TO IT!"
Like many Japanese terms, it doesn't quite translate directly.

[Charlie]

So, wait, is "yosh" the same as "osu!"?

And is it sometimes a resigned "all right I'll do it but I really don't want to" type gesture? Because that's how the characters on GitS:SAC do it sometimes.

[pgsmith]

So, wait, is "yosh" the same as "osu!"?
Nope. Close, but in my experience, osu is usually in reply to something, while yosh is usually an expression of satisfaction. Yamada Yoshitaka sensei of Shin Shin Sekiguchi ryu uses yosh all the time when teaching. Well, not all the time, only when we aren't being overly obtuse. When we'd be working on a difficult concept that he was having trouble getting us to understand. He'd have us make adjustments, show us carefully, complain a lot. Then, when it started to click, he'd get excited about it and yell Yosh!! :) It's how I would know I was finally starting to get something right.

[Charlie]

Thanks, guys.

[Ignatz]

So, wait, is "yosh" the same as "osu!"?
I was told years ago that osu was way too polite to use, so polite that it could be insulting. It is something you would say to the emperor or somebody way way up in the food chain.

[Usagi San]

I was told years ago that osu was way too polite to use, so polite that it could be insulting. It is something you would say to the emperor or somebody way way up in the food chain.

Funny, I read it was short for "onegaishimass" and that it was RUDE. But I mean rude like scum talk... Yakuza talk and lower.

[T.Lee]

the wiseguys dictionary translates YOOSH as "fuhgetabudit".

[DCPan]

So, wait, is "yosh" the same as "osu!"?

I don't think so.

The version I've heard is that "Osu" is a contraction for "Ohaiyo gozaimasu".

But regardless of whether you think it is a contraction for "Ohaiyo gozaimsu" or "onegaishimasu", it is a form of contracted greeting, whereas "Yoshi" is used more in an affirming sense....

I don't really hear either term used in kendo a whole lot anyway....

YMMV.

[ben]

"Yosh!" when you lift something heavy.

b

[manjisan]

Yoshi is actually older Japanese. Adjectives in classical Japanese generally ended in "shi" Yoi is derived from yoshi

Ossu is a contraction of "Oi" and the kansai dialect for putting "su" at the end of things. And "Oi" in japanese is generally translated into "hey"

[kensenbatusaii]

"okay"

in a

variety of usage

[enkorat]

Hey Charlie,

Within the dojos that we practice at in the area I'd probably hesitate to use "yoosh" as an affirmative reply.

It does have a very masculine, almost macho chest thumping quality to it, and its probably too "familiar" for adults to use. I only say this because I've noticed that almost all of the Japanese senseis in our area use professional-level politeness in their Japanese, both in their instruction and in their interaction with each other. I get the impression that they almost go out of their way to be polite.

I remember one time one of our senseis we both know attempted an off-color remark in Japanese (ie. mildly suggestive dirty joke) to another sensei before practice and the awkward Japanese version of "ah, yes, well, um, yes, err, hmmm" which followed was pretty amusing. But I think the senseis we know and practice with are never familiar with each other, so saying "yoosh" would probably be out of place...

[Charlie]

Thanks, enko. I wasn't planning on ever using it myself!

[Ignatz]

I remember one time one of our senseis we both know attempted an off-color remark in Japanese (ie. mildly suggestive dirty joke) to another sensei before practice and the awkward Japanese version of "ah, yes, well, um, yes, err, hmmm" which followed was pretty amusing. But I think the senseis we know and practice with are never familiar with each other, so saying "yoosh" would probably be out of place...

That's another reason why 2nd dojo is so important. It is similar to the business custom that when the salaryman and the boss are out drinking you are allowed to say stuff that you can't say otherwise. It is the cultural way of avoiding the repurcussions of being so rigid in the pecking order.

[ShinKenshi]

Osu is more of an informal greeting mostly used by guys. Also, someone thought that よし was said when lifting something heavy. They're confusing that with よいしょ or the variation of どっこいしょ. If I remember correctly, they were used when doing hard work as a small prayer to gods asking for strength or help. I could be wrong here but that's what I remember being told by one of my Japanese teachers when I was a kid.

[Charlie]

That's very interesting!

[Ueda_masaki]

yoshyaaa!!!! ikuzeee!!!! soryAAAAAAaaaaaa~!!!!! (>o<)/





... Banza~i.... \(^_^)/



that'll be it for my contribution to this thread