Ahou - "Moron"

Ai - "love"

Ai shiteru - "I love you"

Aisuru - "beloved"

Anime - Japanese animated film/television.

Anata - "You", usually used between close relationships, meaning 'dear'

Aniki/aneki - older brother/sister, particularly for the older of a set of twins. Sometimes used as an affectionate nickname between friends.

Ano - "that over there" always followed by a noun

Anou - hesitation sound, basically "Ummm..."

Anta - slang for 'anata', considered rude

Ara - expression of surprise, used mainly by females.

Arashi - "storm"

Are - "That over there"

Are - expression of surprise and confusion, used mainly by females.

Arigato - "Thank you"

Aru - plain form "to exist", for non-living things

Atashi - female "I", equivalent to 'boku'

Atatakai or Atakai - "warm"

Atsui - "hot"

Baa - "grandmother", usually preceeded by 'o' and followed by 'san'

Baka - "idiot"

Bakayarou - harsher version of 'baka', literally 'stupid person'.

Bakumatsu - a period of revolution in Japan during the 1860s, during the shift from the Tokugawa Dynasty to the Meiji Era.

Betsuni - 'not really' or 'nothing'.

Biseinen - literally, 'beautiful man'

Bishonen or bishounen - literally, 'beautiful boy'

Bokken - solid wooden practice sword, more sturdy than a shinai

Boku - male "I", equivalent to 'atashi'

Budo - a particular style of sword fighting, or a way of life

Busu - "old hag"

-chan - an affectionate honorific, used on very young children, young girls, or a significant other.

Che/ch' - essentially the same level of swearing as "shit"

Chichi - an older, more formal word for 'father'. Often followed by 'ue'

Chibi - a smaller, chubby, super-cute version of an anime character. Literally, "small"

Ch'kushou - "God dammit"

Chotto - a little bit

Daijobu or daijoubu - "It's/I'm alright"

Dare - "who"

de gozaru - an ancient form of ' de gozaimasu', used mostly by samurai in the 16th century.

Demo - "but"

Desu - existence particle.

Do - "earth"

Doko - "where"

Dou - soothing sound, often used with animals.

Douitashimashite - "It was nothing"

Doujinshi - fan-drawn manga of an established series.

Dojo - a place for learning budo

Doumo - "very", sometimes used alone to indicate gratitude

-dono - a very formal honourific, somewhere between -san and -sama

Doushite - "why"

Doushio - "What now?" or "What do I do now?"

Ecchi - "pervert"

Furo - "bath"

Fushigi - "mysterious"

Futon - traditional Japanese bed. Basically, a thin mattress on the floor.

Ga - grammatic particle, indicating the subject of a sentance

Gaikokujin - 'foreigner'

Gaijin - slang for 'foreigner'

Gakkoi - "cool", "super", etc.

Gakkou - "school"

Ganbaru - "to do one's best" dictionary form.

Ganbatte - "Good luck!" or "Do your best!"

Gatotsu - left handed sword stanced, favoured by the Shinsen-gumi and Saitou Hajime in particular.

Gi - traditional outfit for fighting.

Go - "five"

Go - a strategic game. Sometimes called "Japanese Chess", though it does not really resemble chess.

Gomen - "I'm sorry"

Gozaimasu - Polite verb at the end of sentances.

-gumi - literally, "group".

Hachi - "eight"

Haha - an older, more formal word for 'mother'. Often followed by -ue

Hai - "yes"

Hajime - "begin", "start"

Hakama - traditional male garb

Halisen - a paper fan

-han - Kanzai-ben equivalent to '-san'. Used mainly in the Kyoto region.

Hanashi - "story"

Hanaste - "Let go!" Forceful.

Hayaku - "hurry", "fast"

Heika - "Your Majesty"

Hentai - "pervert", stronger than 'ecchi'

Hi - "Fire"

Hidoi - "Cruel"

Hime - "Princess", usually followed by 'san' or 'sama'

Hiragana - a set of characters for use with Japanese words not covered by kanji characters.

Hisashiburi - Sort of a "Long time, no see"

Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu - the style of Budo which Kenshin uses.

Hitokiri - "assassin"

Hitori - "one person", can mean "alone"

Hontou - "real" or "true"

Houou - legendary pheonix

Hyaku - "one hundred"

Iie - "No"

Ichi - "one"

Imouto - "little sister"

Inochi - "life"

Inu - "dog"

Irasshaimasu - "welcome"

Iru - plain form "to exist", for living things.

Itadakimasu - Literally, "I am about to eat." Polite thing to say before a meal.

Itai - "That hurts!"

Ite - "Ow!"

Itsu - "when"

Itsumo - "always"

Ja or Ja ne - "See you!"

Jii - "grandfather" or "uncle", usually preceeded by 'o' and followed by 'san'

Jo-chan - something you might call a younger girl you don't know

Jyuu - "ten"

Ka - grammatic particle, bassically takes the place of a question mark.

Kaa - "mother", usually preceeded by 'o' and followed by 'san'

Kagami - "reflections"

Kagitsume - two or three bladed weapon which straps on to the hand

Kaishin - "reform"

Kakka - "Your Excellency"

Kami - "god"

Kanji - the Japanese word for the 4000 or so Chinese characters which make up the main written Japanese language.

Kanpai - "Cheers"

Kanryou - "accomplished"

Kasa - literally "umbrella", also used for the traditional conical straw hat

Kata - a set pattern of movements, to practice fighting stances.

Katakana - a set of characters for writing foreign (non-Japanese) words

Katana - traditional Japanese curved sword

Kawaii - "cute"

Kaze - "wind"

Kechi - "stingy"

Kekkai - a magical barrier or sheild

Kenki - an aura around a fighter during battle, made up of the fighter's ki. Literally, "Sword spirit"

Kesa - a buddist monk's cloak

Ki - life force, internal energy

Kimono - traditional female dress

Kirei - "beautiful",  literally "clean"

Kisama - "bastard"

Kitsune - in Oriental legend, a fox spirit, very playful and mischeivous. Literally, "fox"

Kitto - "surely"

Kodomo - "child"

Koi - "come"

Koi - "goldfish"

Koi - "love"

Koibito - "Lover"

Kokoro - "heart", "mind" or "soul"

Konban wa - "Good evening"

Koneko - "kitten"

Konichi wa - "Good afternoon"

Kono - "this", always followed by a noun

Koorime - in mythology, a race of all-female ice-demonesses.

Kore - "this"

Korosu - to kill

Kotei - "Emperor"

Kouchou-sensei - "Principal"

Kowai - "scary"

Ku - "nine"

Kudasai - "Please"

-kun - honorific for a young boy or inferior worker

Kuso/k'so - equivalent of 'fuck'

Kyakusan - "customer" or "guest"

Kyosukete - 'be careful', imperitive form.

Kyoudai - "sibling", most often used for a brother.

Kyu - "nine"

Laoshi - this APPEARS to mean 'master', it may be Chinese. Wufei's mentor is refered to as "Laoshi" in Gundam Wing.

Lekka Shinen/shien - the incantation which Tasuki uses to bring fire from his tessen

Maa - soothing noise

Maboroshii no Tsuki - "Phantom Moon"

Mahou - "magic"

Makai - in mythology, the world where demons reside.

Mamoru - "to protect"

Man - "ten thousand"

Manga - Japanese comic books

Masaka - "Impossible"

Masshiro - "Pure white"

Matsu - "wait', dictionary form

Matte - "wait", imperative form

Meiji - a period of peace and reform in Japan, beginning with the Bakumatsu in the 1860s, ending around WWII.

Megami - "goddess"

Miko - "Priestess"

Minna - "everyone"

Mizu - "water"

Mou - "already", sometimes used as a sound of exasperation

Mou korosu no wa, ore no houdo! - roughly, "You'll kill me? I'll kill you!"

na - for some adjectives, necessary before the noun it is describing.

no da, na no da - generally used by very powerful people, such as gods and emporers. Used for emphasis. In ordinary conversation, pronounced '...n desu'.

Nana - "seven"

Nani - "what"

Naru hodou - "I see."

Nasai - adds formality, ex. "Gomen nasai"

Ne - at the end of a sentance, "isn't it?". At the beginning of a sentance, a general attention-getting noise.

Nee - older sister, usually preceeded by 'o' and followed by 'san'. In more formal speech, preceeded by 'a' and followed by 'ue'.

Neko - "cat"

Nemui - "sleepy"

Ni - "two"

Nii - older brother, usually preceeded by 'o' and followed by 'san'. In more formal speech, preceeded by 'a' and followed by 'ue'

Ningen - "human"

Ningenkai - in mythology, the plane on which humans reside.

Ninmu - "mission"

No - particle indicating possession, used to link two nouns

Ocha no kosaisai hengen jizai! Omi.. - I have no idea of the actual translation, it's a line from one of Chichiri's character memory songs.

Ohayou - "Good morning"

Oi - general attention-getting sound.

Oira - Possibly a dialect for 'ore'

Ojii - "Prince", usually followed by 'san' or 'sama'

Ojou - "Queen" usually followed by 'san' or 'sama'

Okaeri - "Welcome back"

Okusan - "wife"

Omae - "You", very rough

Omedetou - "Congratulations"

Omocha - "toy"

Omoi - "thought", "idea"

Omoide - "memory"

Onegai - "Please"

Oni - In Japanese myths, a type of demon

Onna - "woman"

Oou - "King", usually followed by 'san' or 'sama'

Ore - male "I", rough.

Oro - a nonsense sound that Kenshin uses, may be related to 'Ara', a female expression of surprise.

Otaku - literally, "house". For some reason, this term has come to mean any rabid fan of anime. In Japan, it's actually a derogatory term, but not in North America.

Otoko - "man"

Otouto - "little brother"

Owari - "finished", "end"

Oyasumi - "Good night"

Rei - "spirit"

Rei - "zero"

Reikai - in mythology, the spirit world or afterlife.

Reikan - "spirit sense", ie, ESP

Rekka Shinen/shien - see 'Lekka Shinen'

Roku - "six"

Rurouni - a word made up by Watsuki Nobuhiro, meaning "wandering swordsman"

Ryoukai - "Acknowledged"

Ryu - "dragon"

Saa - sound of indetermination, sort of  "um... well..."

Sabishii - "lonely"

Saigo - "last" or "final"

Sakabatou - a reversed sword, ie the blade is on the wrong side

Sake - traditional Japanese rice wine

-sama - high honourific, reserved for gods, emperors, etc.

Samui - "cold"

-san - general honourific, equivalent to "Mr." or "Ms."

San - "three"

Saya - sheath for a katana

Sayounara - "Goodbye"

Seishi - literally, "constellation". Used to mean 'Warrior' in Fushigi Yuugi

Sekai - "Earth" or "the world"

Seme - the 'top' of a male pairing. In North American slang, he's 'pitching'. The dominant of a pair.

Sen - "one thousand"

-sensei - honourific used for teachers and doctors. Can also stand by itself.

Sessha - "I", literally, "This unworthy one"

Shi - "four"

Shi Jin Ten Shi/Chi Sho - "The Universe of the Four Gods Earth and Sky"

Shi Jin Ten Shi/Chi no Sho - "The Scroll of the Universe of the Four Gods Earth and Sky"

Shichi - "seven"

Shichiseishi - "seven stars" or "seven constellations"

Shihai - "domination"

Shimatta - equivalent of "damn"

Shinai - hollow bamboo practice sword

Shine - "die"

Shinigami - the God of Death

Shinobi - "ninja"

Shinzahou - a word made up for Fushigi Yuugi. A magic artifact needed to call the Animal God.

Shizuka - "quiet"

Shogun - High rank, basically a cross between a general and a Duke

Shounen ai - literally 'boy love'. A term for non-graphic homosexual material.

Soka - "Is that so?"

Sono - "that" always followed by a noun

Sore - "that"

Subarashii - "wonderful"

Sugoi - "Cool" "Excellent", etc.

Suman - "I'm sorry."

Sumimasen - "Excuse me"

Sunakake baba - not sure exactly, but it seems to mean "old hag"

Suteki - "wonderful"

Suteki - "stick"

Suzaku no Miko - "Priestess of Suzaku"

Tadaima - "I'm home!"

Tanjoubi - "birthday"

Tantei - "detective"

Tanuki - a raccon-dog-like creature, similar to Kitsune in temperament and mischeivousness.

Tasukete - "help" imperitive form

Tatakai - "battle"

Tatami - a woven mat. Traditionally, Japanese rooms are measured by how many tatami mats they can hold.

Teme - very rude "you"

Tessen - a metal fan

Tomodachi - "friend"

Torofi - "trophy"

Tou - "father", usually preceeded by 'o' and followed by 'san'

Tsuki - "moon"

Uchuu - "space"

Uchuu no kokoro - "space heart"

Uke - the 'bottom' of a male pairing. In North American slang, he's 'catching. The sumbissive of a pair.

Ume - "destiny"

Umi - "the sea"

Urusai - "Shut up!" literally, "Noisy!"

Urusanai - "I'll never forgive you."

Uso - "lie" or "lier"

Wa - grammatic particle, indicates the topic of a sentance

Wai - "Yay!"

Wakarenai, wakarimasen - "I don't know" or "I don't understand"

Wakatta, wakarimasu - "I understand"

Watashi - polite "I", either sex

Watakushi - very polite "I", either sex

Wo or o - grammatic particle, indicating the direct object of a sentance

Wo ai ni - Chinese "I love you"

Yakusoku - "promise"

Yakuza - street gang

Yamete - "Stop!" Imperative form

Yaoi - male/male relationships

Yare yare - "Well, well"

Yarou - literally, "person", but it's very rude

Yasumi - "holiday"

Yen - Japanese unit of currency. 100 yen approximately equals 1 dollar US.

Yo - grammatical particle, indicating emphasis

Yokatta - "Thank goodness"

Yon - "four"

Yoroshiku - literally, "Please look favourably upon me". Tradition when greeting someone for the first time

Yoshe or yoshi or yosha - "All right!"

Yuri - female/female relationships.

Yuugi - "play"