A glossary of Japanese terms commonly associated with the Yakuza
Bōryokudan
“Violence groups”, any of various Japanese criminal gangs, many of which combined in the 20th century into Mafia-like organizations. The word was embraced by Japanese officials in the late 20th century to serve as a replacement for the term yakuza (“good for nothing”)
Burakumin
(部落民) "those who live in hamlets", an outcaste group at the bottom of the Japanese social order that has historically been the victim of severe discrimination and ostracism. According to some scholarly sources in the Fifth World, burakumin account for about 70% of the members of Fifth World Yamaguchi-gumi, the largest yakuza syndicate in late 20th century Japan.
Fuku-honbucho
A most trusted assistant to the wakagashira.
Giri （義理・ぎり）
A debt or obligation. A very complex concept of duty unique to Japanese culture, this indicates both the gratitude one has for an act of kindness and the obligation to carry out revenge. The yakuza distinguish themselves from the American and other mafias by claiming to uphold a sense of giri and ninjo.
Gokudō (極道)
"the extreme path", referring to Yakuza.
Hamonjo （破門状・はもんじょう）
order for excommunication. Yakuza who excommunicated are no longer allowed to associate with or do business with the group in any form, and are banished from the yakuza world. A hamonjo is said to be reversible, and a punishment that is one step above zetsuen.
Joseki (除籍・じょせき）
is simply having your name removed from the yakuza registry and is probably the most benign way of leaving the organization.
-kai (界)
as a suffix refers to a "world", "kingdom", or "domain". Shotozumi-kai refers to the "world" of the Shotozumi-rengo. There may be subtle cultural connotations preferring the use of this suffix over -rengo or -gumi when referencing specific yakuza factions that the English language generally can't easily convey.
Kanbu
Below the kumicho (oyabun) are the kanbu, or officers, taking the form of executives, advisers and lieutenants. The higher ranks, saiko-kanbu, are generally in close relation with the kumicho. All kanbu are allowed to form families and groups of their own, which means that hierarchies branch off from them as well.
Kumicho：(組長)
Yakuza Leader, see Oyabun
Kyodai: (兄弟)
The brothers. (Big Brothers) They are high in rank in the yakuza clan. Their leader is the shatei gashira.
Ninkyō dantai (任侠団体 or 仁侠団体)
"Chivalrous Organizations"
Oyabun
Yakuza groups are headed by an oyabun or kumichō (組長, family head) who gives orders to his subordinates.
-rengo (連合・れんごう): federation. A dated suffix for yakuza families. For example, the Sumiyoshi-kai was formerly called the Sumiyoshi-rengo.
Saiko-komon
(Senior advisor) this is a senior advisor to the Oyabun, aka, their “right hand”, when it comes to decisions and business. The kumicho employs a number of advisers, komon, that assist him in matters of business, diplomacy and war. Of this little council, the head advisers, saiko-komon, are regarded as the senior members and are directly below the kumicho. Most of the administration is handled by these advisers, with help from specialists such as law advisers, shingiin, and accountants, kaikei.
Shatei (舎弟)
younger brothers. They are children or wakashu of the oyabun his brothers. They are under the control of the kyodai (the brothers), but in the end it is still the word of the oyabun that is final. The shatei have their own sub-divisions in the yakuza clan.
Shatei gashira
The leader of the kyodai (the brothers). He sees to it that the kyodai do their duties well for the yakuza clan.
So-honbucho
(Headquarters chief) - Equal to the saiko-komon in rank, the so-honbucho, or headquarters chief, takes care of the family’s main office and logistics. The so-honbucho prepares vehicles and plans trips, and have been known to serve as quartermasters when the organisation goes to war.
Wakagashira (若頭)
waka gashira Middle man (lieutenants) in practice right under the Yakuza clan leader, the oyabun. The waka gashira sees to it that the oyabun's orders are carried out correctly by the wakashu (若中). The first tier of officers below the kumicho and his advisers is comprised of gashira, lieutenants. Of these, the kumicho chooses one as his second in command; this individual is referred to as the wakagashira, or first lieutenant, and is supported by a fuku-honbucho, who acts as advisor and assistant.
Wakashu (wakachū) (若中)
"Young person", although never used for girls) is a historical Japanese term indicating an adolescent boy. Among the Yakuza, the soldiers of the oyabun, who perform the tasks that the oyabun gives them without hesitation.
Yakuza (ヤクザ)
(from Wikipedia) The name "yakuza" originates from the traditional Japanese card game Oicho-Kabu, a game in which the goal is to draw three cards adding up to a value of 9. If the sum of your hand exceeds 10, the second digit is used as your total instead, with the exception of 10 (which equals 1). If the three cards drawn are 8-9-3 (pronounced ya-ku-sa in Japanese), the score is 20 and therefore zero, making it the worst possible hand that can be drawn.
Yubi-tsume （指詰め・ゆびつめ）
The act of slicing off a part of the pinky finger to atone for a mistake. Also known as enkozume.
Zetsuenjo （絶縁状・ぜつえんじょう）
Order for irreversible excommunication. Yakuza who are excommunicated in this form are banished from the yakuza world, and any attempt to associate with yakuza will be met with hostility. Zetsuen between two previously associated groups is equivalent to a proclamation of war.