Category: Anime Words

1. Quick Definition (TL;DR)

• Kanji/Kana: ～ですわ
• Romaji: ~Desu wa
• English Meaning: A polite sentence ender. Usually adds a tone of feminine refinement, emphasis, or… a distinct regional flavor.
• Pronunciation Guide: “Dess-wah” (The ‘u’ in Desu is almost silent).

2. Deep Dive: The “Otaku” Nuance

In the anime dictionary, “~Desu wa” is the linguistic crown worn by the Ojou-sama (the rich, high-class lady archetype).

When a character ends her sentences with desu wa, it instantly signals:

1. Status: She is wealthy, noble, or attends a prestigious girls’ academy.
2. Grace: It adds a layer of feminine emphasis that is softer than a command but stronger than a plain statement.

However, there is a massive trap here.
While anime fans associate this strictly with drills-hair girls laughing “Ohohoho,” the usage is actually twofold:

1. The “Ojou-sama” (Anime Trope): Used by characters to sound elegant. This can be the “Haughty Ojou-sama” (arrogant, rival character) OR the “Yamato Nadeshiko” (proper, gentle traditional Japanese beauty). It is not always rude; it can just be very proper.
2. The “Kansai” Speaker (Realism): This is the “Otaku Trap.” In the Kansai dialect (Osaka/Kyoto/Kobe), “desu wa” is used by everyone—including middle-aged men. In Kansai, it functions as a polite but soft way to end a sentence, distinct from the standard feminine usage.

The “Text Trap”:
Because written Japanese doesn’t show intonation, a sentence like 「今日はいい天気ですわ」 (“The weather is nice today”) creates a Narrative Trick.

• Reader A (Anime Brain): Imagines a cute girl in a frilly dress sipping tea.
• Reader B (Reality): Imagines a 50-year-old taxi driver from Osaka chatting about the weather.
  This confusion recently went viral on X (Twitter), where users were tricked into thinking an “Ojou-sama” was posting, only to find out it was just a regular guy from Kansai!

お嬢様言葉を話すとき、
「語尾を『～ですわ』にするから関西のおっさんに聞こえるんですの。『～ですの』を混ぜると解決いたしますわ」
と教えていただいたんですの！
これでお嬢様言葉も完璧ですわ！

それでは聞いてください
『ラッスンゴレライってなんですの？』

— みえっぱりな京都人bot (@kyoutojin_bot) June 25, 2022

3. Typical Situations in Anime

Where will you encounter this phrase?

1. The Rival’s Entrance:
   The antagonist of a romance or school anime appears. She usually has “drill” ringlet hair.
   • Line: “This place is not suitable for commoners, desu wa!”
   • Vibe: High-class, slightly looking down on others, followed by an “Ohoho!” laugh.
2. The Gentle Aristocrat:
   A character like Momo Yaoyorozu from My Hero Academia. She isn’t mean; she is just incredibly sheltered and rich.
   • Line: “I have prepared some tea, desu wa.”
   • Vibe: Nuturing, elegant, and polite.
3. The Kansai Character (The Hidden User):
   Characters from the Kansai region (like Gin Ichimaru from Bleach or merchants) might use it in a polite setting.
   • Nuance: In anime, they often stick to distinct Kansai slang (like ya or hen), but in softer moments, desu wa slips in. The intonation here falls at the end, whereas the Ojou-sama intonation rises or stays flat.

4. Real Life vs. Anime (Can I use this?)

• Safety Rating: CAUTION (Context Heavy)

For the “Ojou-sama” style:

• Status: Rare / Old-fashioned.
• If you use this in Tokyo as a learner, you will sound like you are roleplaying a Victorian-era princess. It is very “strong” femininity. Most modern Japanese women use “Desu/Masu” or “Desu yo.”

For the “Kansai” style:

• Status: Common / Natural.
• If you are in Osaka and speaking politely, you will hear men and women say this. However, getting the intonation right is effectively impossible for beginners. If you mess it up, you just sound like an anime character.

Verdict: Unless you are fluent in Kansai-ben, avoid it. Stick to “Desu.”

5. Related Terms

• Ojou-sama (お嬢様): “Young Lady” or “Rich Girl.” The character archetype that owns this phrase.
• Gokigen’you (ごきげんよう): “Good day/Farewell.” The standard greeting for characters who use ~desu wa.
• Kansai-ben (関西弁): The dialect of the Osaka region. The confusing cousin of Ojou-sama speech.
• Ohoho (オホホ): The high-pitched laugh that almost always follows a haughty ~desu wa.

Summary

“~Desu wa” is the hallmark of high-class anime ladies, but be careful—in text, that “princess” might actually be a friendly uncle from Osaka!

1. Quick Definition (TL;DR)

• Kanji/Kana: ～アル (Katakana) / ～ある (Hiragana)
• Romaji: ~aru
• English Meaning: No direct translation. It is a sentence-ending suffix used to indicate a character is Chinese.
• Pronunciation Guide: “Ah-ru” (The ‘r’ is a soft tap, like a light ‘d’)

2. Deep Dive: The “Otaku” Nuance

If you’ve watched anime like Gintama or Ranma ½, you’ve definitely heard a character end every single sentence with “~aru” (e.g., “Hara hetta aru” – I’m hungry).

In the world of Japanese linguistics, this is a prime example of Yakuwarigo (Role Language). Coined by Professor Satoshi Kinsui, this term refers to language styles that instantly tell the audience who a character is (e.g., a rich girl, a samurai, or a tough guy) based solely on how they speak.

The “~Aru” nuance specifically signals: “This character is Chinese.”

Historically, this originates from the late Edo and Meiji periods (late 19th century). When foreigners moved to settlements like Yokohama, a “pidgin Japanese” developed to make communication easier. Complex verb endings like desu, masu, and arimasu were simplified to just “aru” (or yoroshi).

While this was originally used by Westerners and Chinese immigrants alike, over time, pop culture cemented it strictly as the “Stereotypical Chinese Character” voice.

Important Note: This is not how Chinese people actually speak Japanese today. It is a fictional “flavor” used in fiction to make a character seem exotic, energetic, or comedic.

3. Typical Situations in Anime

Here is where you will spot the “Aru” user:

1. The “China Girl” Archetype:
   The most iconic user is the girl wearing a China Dress (Qipao), often with “Odango” (double bun) hair. She is usually energetic, strong, and a big eater.
   • Famous Example: Kagura from Gintama. She is the modern queen of “~aru.” She uses it even when she’s being serious or rude.
2. The Martial Arts Rival:
   Often found in older manga or gag anime. A rival character from China who challenges the protagonist will speak this way to emphasize their foreign origin immediately.
   • Famous Example: Shampoo from Ranma ½.
3. Comedic Misunderstandings:
   Sometimes, Japanese characters will fake this accent to try (and fail) to blend in while infiltrating a Chinese mafia or restaurant. It is played for laughs because it sounds so unnatural.

4. Real Life vs. Anime (Can I use this?)

• Safety Rating: ANIME ONLY / CRINGE

STOP! Do not use this.

If you go to Japan and say “Konnichiwa aru!”, two things will happen:

1. People will look at you strangely because it is grammatically incorrect (resembling 150-year-old broken Japanese).
2. It can be perceived as insensitive or borderline racist, as it mimics an old caricature of Chinese immigrants.

While it is beloved in anime as a character quirk (like Kagura), using it in real life makes you sound like you are mocking foreigners or that you have lost touch with reality. Stick to standard Desu/Masu!

5. Related Terms

• Yakuwarigo (役割語): “Role Language.” The concept that specific words define a character’s archetype (e.g., old men using “washi”).
• ~Desu wa (～ですわ): A sentence ender used by the “Ojou-sama” (rich, high-class girl) archetype.
• ~Daze (～だぜ): A rough, masculine sentence ender used by “cool” or delinquent characters.
• Odango (お団子): The “dumpling” hairstyle (double buns) almost always sported by female characters who use “~aru.”

Summary

The suffix “~aru” is the anime equivalent of a “Hello, I am the Chinese Character!” nametag; it’s a historic “pidgin” Japanese turned into a cute, energetic trope by shows like Gintama.