食人種
shokujinshu
The English word "cannibal" is translated into Japanese as 食人種 (shokujinshu).
食人種 is most commonly used in historical or anthropological contexts to refer to groups of people perceived to practice cannibalism. While the term can refer to biological cannibalism in a scientific context, it is most commonly used in historical or anthropological contexts to refer to groups of people perceived to practice cannibalism.
Meaning: an organism which eats others of its own species (noun)
Which one should you use?
Depending on the context, different terms are used: 食人種 is typically used for groups of people in a historical or anthropological sense, while 共食 is the term used in strictly biological or zoological contexts to describe an organism eating its own species. For a colloquial way to refer to cannibalism, you can use 人食い and for a formal way to refer to the act of human flesh eating, use 人肉食.
How do you pronounce it?
shokujinshu
Did you know?
- The character 食 is the shared root for both the macabre terms for cannibalism and the everyday word 食事, which simply means 'a meal'.
- The term 共食 used for biological cannibalism literally translates to 'eating together', which usually describes a friendly social meal in other contexts.
- In Japanese folklore, the colloquial term 人食い is frequently applied to mythical demons and monsters rather than actual humans.
Examples in context
- 彼は本当の 食人鬼 だ。He is a real cannibal.
- この映画には 食人 のシーンがあります。This movie has scenes of cannibalism.
Example conversation
Misaki and Hiroto are talking about a biology documentary.
- 美咲 Misakiこの魚は食人種なの？Kono sakana wa shokujinshu nano?Is this fish a cannibal?
- 大翔 Hirotoうん、小さい魚を食べるらしいよ。Un, chiisai sakana o taberu rashii yo.Yes, apparently it eats smaller fish of its own kind.
- 美咲 Misaki食人種というのは恐ろしいね。Shokujinshu to iu no wa osoroshii ne.Cannibals are terrifying, aren't they?
- 大翔 Hirotoでも生き残るための本能だよ。Demo ikinokoru tame no honnou da yo.But it's an instinct for survival.
