Inu-Yasha What's in a name?

Does anyone know what the "yasha" part of Inuyasha's name is literally supposed to mean in Japanese? I know that "inu" means dog...and some people have told me that the whole thing means "dog demon", but does the "yasha" part literally mean "demon"?

 

my cousin "dan the man" says that it does but to tell you the truth i don't know. dan is japanese but he's not always right.

 

Yes Mchan the "yasha" part does mean demon and the "inu" part is dog so Inuyasha=dog demon.there is your answer.bye-bye

 

you mean my cuz was actually right???? i'm never going to admit he was right.

 

For some reason I really doubt that "yasha" means demon. But I might be wrong. I think "ya" means night though. But my dictionary isn't advanced enough to have the definition of it (it's a Japanese dictionary for fifth-sixth graders :shy3: )

 

I think I went on a website where it says that Rumiko Takahashi made up a name, but I don't remember if it was exactly Inuyasha. Inu means "dog" and Yasha was supposed to mean female demon or witch (one reason why I thought Inuyasha was a girl in the first place). The name just stuck after something happened but I forgot what did. Sorry if it didn't help much. You can go along with the kanji if you like. [sighs & shrugs]

 

?????

I think most of you have it down pretty fairly, but, a while ago I check it up. You all have it down(if the site I checked up was acurate) but in the wrong language.
Inu: dog
Yasha: Youkia(sp)
But, as I said, the site may not have been acurate.

 

Well, through searching...according to a reliable online Japanese-English dictionary, "yasha" itself means "female demon." I'm not sure what Takahashi-sempai was thinking when she named Inuyasha, but I love the dogboy anyway. ^_^ ::snuzzles Inu-kun:: And yes, "ya" by itself means "night," as has been mentioned.

 

well, from a site I was at once.. there are a few things for him.. there's Inu-Yasha and Inu-Yaska. both meaning Dog Demon to my knowlege... and Takahashi-San is an odd Manga-ka, but that's why we love her!

 

well i guess that screws up my thought

i heard that "inu" meant female (or something of that nature) and "yasha" meant demon and the really messed up the translation

but..........................that just doesnt sound right

 

Ya is also a particle that means "and so on", "etc."

 

I don't know where you heard that, but "inu" is quite definitely "dog." They use it for Shigure's character in Fruits Basket, and he represents the Year of the Dog in Chinese Zodiac (the Jyuunishi).

 

the inu mean dog and the yasha mean demond that what i heard from this japanese site where they teach you japanese

 

Well, yes. More explicitly, the "yasha" part means "female demon." as has been said.

 

inu means girl! poor inu-yasha

 

No, it doesn't. If you'll read the posts by the people who actually looked it up, or if you actually go and look it up yourself....

"Inu" means "Dog"

It does not mean "female."

 

Inu means dog.
Onna i think means woman? Shoujo means girl.
And kanojo is she?

 

Kanojo is a way to say girl, with the connotations of girlfriend usually.

 

I heard the Oni meant demon. I under stand why Rumiko picked Yasha.

Inu-Oni does sound right! Inu-Yasha is more comfortable to say.

But its not doubt the Inu is dog or my character's name would be messed up. RyuuInu, Dragondog. Dragonfemale doesn't have a ring.

 

I've always thought of a Oni as a kind of demon. from reading the Japanese version I figure that "yokai" is the term used for demon. But I'm not posative since I'm not good at translating things.