twilight
12th May '08 Mon, 11:30
The names in Dragon Ball are largely (though not entirely) puns and regular words, which are obvious to Japanese readers but not to those reading Dragon Ball in English. Some explanations of the names puns used follow.
Dragon Ball - Vegetables
Bardock - Burdock
Broly (Broli) - Broccoli
Kakarotto (Kakarot)- Carrot
Nappa - Cabbage
Shukesh (Panbukin) - Pumpkin
Paragus - Asparagus
Raditz - Radish
Fasha (Selipa) - Parsley
Tora (Toma) - Tomato
Gordos (Totepo) - Potato
Tullece (Turles) - Lettuce
Vegeta - VegetableDragon Ball - Fruits
Zarbon (Zabon) - Pomelo, an exotic fruit
Dodoria - Durian, a Malaysian fruit
Cui - Kiwifruit
Appule - Apple
Blueberry - Blueberry
Raspberry - Raspberry
Tuffle (Tsufuru-jin) - FruitDragon Ball - Foods and Drinks
Chaoz (Chiaotzu) - gyōza or jiaozi
Chi-Chi - milk; breasts (slang japanese); father
Pilaf (Emperor Pilaf) - Sauteed, seasoned Rice (rice pilaf)
Son Gohan - Rice, or food in general
Kuririn (Kulilin) (Klilyn) (Krillin) - coming from the japanese word kuri, meaning chestnut, and the second syllable in "shaolin"
Lunch (Launch) - Lunch
Marron - French chestnut
Oolong - Oolong, a type of Chinese tea
Pu-erh (Puar) - Pu'er, a type of Chinese tea
Shû & Mai - Shaomai, a type of Chinese dish
Tenshinhan (Ten Shinhan) (Tien Shinhan) - "Tianjin-style" rice, featuring egg, vegetables, and other ingredients
Yamcha (Yamucha) - Yumcha; dim sumDragon Ball - Dairy Products
Butta (Burter) - Butter
Gi’nyu (Ginew) - Milk
Gurd (Guldo) - Yogurt
Jheese (Jeice) - Cheese
Recoom (Reacoom) - CreamDragon Ball - Condiments
Garlic Jr. - Garlic
Ginger - Ginger
Mustard - Mustard
Salt - Salt
Spice - Spice
Vinegar - Vinegar
Salsa - Salsa
Nez - Mayonnaise
Rezun - Raisin
Amond - Almond
Daizu - SoybeanDragon Ball - Underwear
Bra (Bulla) - Bra
Bulma - Buruma/Bloomers, though in Japan this word refers to the short gym shorts worn by junior high and high school girls
Dr. Briefs - Men's underwear
Trunks - Boys' gym shortsDragon Ball - Musical Intruments
Cymbal - Cymbal
Drum - Drum
Piano - Piano
Piccolo - Piccolo the small flute like instrument.
Tambourine - TambourineDragon Ball - Devil-related
Mr. Satan (Hercule) - Satan
Videl - Devil
Pan - Pan, who is the base for the Western depiction of the Devil as a male-goat or a satyr.Dragon Ball - Other
Babidi - Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo
Baby (Bebi) - Baby
Bibidi - Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo
Bubbles - Bubbles; the name of Michael Jackson's chimpanzee
Cell - A Cell
Cooler - Cooler
Dende - Japanese for "denden-mushi", snail, which is used to describe any mollusk of the Gastropod class
Erasa - Eraser/Rubber
Freeza (Frieza) (Freiza) - Freezing/Freezer
Son Goten - A play on "Gokū" replacing the "kū" (which can mean "sky" in Japanese only) with "ten" ("sky" in Chinese)
Juckie Chun (Jackie Chun) - Jackie Chan
Kaiō-sama - God
King Cold - Cold
Lord Enma (King Yama) - Yama; Yama is the Hindu name, but Enma and Emma-o are the Japanese names given to the same mythological figure. His role is similar to that of St. Peter in Catholicism
Lord Slug - Slug
Majin-Boo (Majin-Buu) (Boo the Djinn) - Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo; "majin" translates to "demon-man" or "magical man"
Kame Sen'nin - "Turtle Hermit." "Sennin" are ascetic Taoist hermits of legend who are said to have magical powers, animal familiars, and extraordinarily long life
Nail - Snail
Son Gokū (Son Gokuh) (Son Gokou) - The Japanese translation of the Chinese name Sun Wukong. The "go" means "awaken "or enlightened" and the "kū" means "emptiness" or "vacuity". As mentioned above, the titular character in Journey to the West (西遊記)
Sharpner - Pencil Sharpner
Suno - Snow
Vegetto - Fusion of Son Gokū and Vegeta via Potara ("Vege" from Vegeta + "tto" from Kakarotto)
Zangya - pun on zungyaku meaning "Cruelty"
Bujin - military man
Bun (Bund) - pun on type of bread, Bun
Sugoro - children's dice game
Froug - Frog
Caterpy - pun on "Caterpillar"
Olibu - Olive
Arqua - Aqua or Water
Nikki - Diary or Journal
Dragon Ball - Vegetables
Bardock - Burdock
Broly (Broli) - Broccoli
Kakarotto (Kakarot)- Carrot
Nappa - Cabbage
Shukesh (Panbukin) - Pumpkin
Paragus - Asparagus
Raditz - Radish
Fasha (Selipa) - Parsley
Tora (Toma) - Tomato
Gordos (Totepo) - Potato
Tullece (Turles) - Lettuce
Vegeta - VegetableDragon Ball - Fruits
Zarbon (Zabon) - Pomelo, an exotic fruit
Dodoria - Durian, a Malaysian fruit
Cui - Kiwifruit
Appule - Apple
Blueberry - Blueberry
Raspberry - Raspberry
Tuffle (Tsufuru-jin) - FruitDragon Ball - Foods and Drinks
Chaoz (Chiaotzu) - gyōza or jiaozi
Chi-Chi - milk; breasts (slang japanese); father
Pilaf (Emperor Pilaf) - Sauteed, seasoned Rice (rice pilaf)
Son Gohan - Rice, or food in general
Kuririn (Kulilin) (Klilyn) (Krillin) - coming from the japanese word kuri, meaning chestnut, and the second syllable in "shaolin"
Lunch (Launch) - Lunch
Marron - French chestnut
Oolong - Oolong, a type of Chinese tea
Pu-erh (Puar) - Pu'er, a type of Chinese tea
Shû & Mai - Shaomai, a type of Chinese dish
Tenshinhan (Ten Shinhan) (Tien Shinhan) - "Tianjin-style" rice, featuring egg, vegetables, and other ingredients
Yamcha (Yamucha) - Yumcha; dim sumDragon Ball - Dairy Products
Butta (Burter) - Butter
Gi’nyu (Ginew) - Milk
Gurd (Guldo) - Yogurt
Jheese (Jeice) - Cheese
Recoom (Reacoom) - CreamDragon Ball - Condiments
Garlic Jr. - Garlic
Ginger - Ginger
Mustard - Mustard
Salt - Salt
Spice - Spice
Vinegar - Vinegar
Salsa - Salsa
Nez - Mayonnaise
Rezun - Raisin
Amond - Almond
Daizu - SoybeanDragon Ball - Underwear
Bra (Bulla) - Bra
Bulma - Buruma/Bloomers, though in Japan this word refers to the short gym shorts worn by junior high and high school girls
Dr. Briefs - Men's underwear
Trunks - Boys' gym shortsDragon Ball - Musical Intruments
Cymbal - Cymbal
Drum - Drum
Piano - Piano
Piccolo - Piccolo the small flute like instrument.
Tambourine - TambourineDragon Ball - Devil-related
Mr. Satan (Hercule) - Satan
Videl - Devil
Pan - Pan, who is the base for the Western depiction of the Devil as a male-goat or a satyr.Dragon Ball - Other
Babidi - Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo
Baby (Bebi) - Baby
Bibidi - Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo
Bubbles - Bubbles; the name of Michael Jackson's chimpanzee
Cell - A Cell
Cooler - Cooler
Dende - Japanese for "denden-mushi", snail, which is used to describe any mollusk of the Gastropod class
Erasa - Eraser/Rubber
Freeza (Frieza) (Freiza) - Freezing/Freezer
Son Goten - A play on "Gokū" replacing the "kū" (which can mean "sky" in Japanese only) with "ten" ("sky" in Chinese)
Juckie Chun (Jackie Chun) - Jackie Chan
Kaiō-sama - God
King Cold - Cold
Lord Enma (King Yama) - Yama; Yama is the Hindu name, but Enma and Emma-o are the Japanese names given to the same mythological figure. His role is similar to that of St. Peter in Catholicism
Lord Slug - Slug
Majin-Boo (Majin-Buu) (Boo the Djinn) - Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo; "majin" translates to "demon-man" or "magical man"
Kame Sen'nin - "Turtle Hermit." "Sennin" are ascetic Taoist hermits of legend who are said to have magical powers, animal familiars, and extraordinarily long life
Nail - Snail
Son Gokū (Son Gokuh) (Son Gokou) - The Japanese translation of the Chinese name Sun Wukong. The "go" means "awaken "or enlightened" and the "kū" means "emptiness" or "vacuity". As mentioned above, the titular character in Journey to the West (西遊記)
Sharpner - Pencil Sharpner
Suno - Snow
Vegetto - Fusion of Son Gokū and Vegeta via Potara ("Vege" from Vegeta + "tto" from Kakarotto)
Zangya - pun on zungyaku meaning "Cruelty"
Bujin - military man
Bun (Bund) - pun on type of bread, Bun
Sugoro - children's dice game
Froug - Frog
Caterpy - pun on "Caterpillar"
Olibu - Olive
Arqua - Aqua or Water
Nikki - Diary or Journal