英雄
Meaning in Englishhero, great man
Animated kanji stroke order
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Word context
What it means
英雄 means a person admired for courage and notable achievement; a heroic figure recognized for both character and deeds, whether in real life or in fiction.
Main meanings
- Real-world figures celebrated for courage or notable accomplishments
- Fictional or legendary protagonists regarded as heroic within stories
- A metaphorical label for someone exceptionally skilled or influential in a field
How to use it
Used in formal, scholarly, and literary contexts to refer to a hero or heroic figure; in modern language it also appears in media discussions and biographies; employed for both real persons and fictional protagonists.
Variants and close terms
- 勇者 (yūsha) – hero, brave person
- 豪傑 (gōketsu) – remarkable, valiant figure
- 偉人 (ijin) – great person, eminent figure
Composition
- 英: excellence, brilliance; on'yomi ei
- 雄: masculine, heroic; on'yomi yū
Etymology
On'yomi combination of ei from 英 and yū from 雄; formed as a Sino-Japanese compound, yielding the pronunciation eiyū.
Origin
Borrowed into Japanese with kanji from Chinese sources; the concept of a heroic figure appears in classical Japanese writing and became common in later periods.
Word class
Noun (名詞)