同人
dōjin
The Japanese phrase 同人 (dōjin) corresponds to the English term dojin.
In modern Japanese, 同人 is most commonly used to refer to self-published works or fan-made derivative works, often specifically in the context of doujinshi.
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of the characters 同 (same) and 人 (person/people), literally meaning "same person" or "same people".
How do you pronounce it?
dōjin
Did you know?
- A reader might find the term 同人 (dōjin) in a library catalog for serious academic essays or historical research, not just in an anime shop. There are specialized 同人 circles that produce scholarly works on philosophy and history.
- The word 同人 (dōjin) shares a linguistic ancestor with the Mandarin word 同人 (tóngrén). Both terms trace their roots back to Middle Chinese concepts of people sharing commonality.
- While 同人 (dōjin) is associated with amateurism, many professional manga artists began their careers in these circles to experiment with styles they could not use in commercial magazines.
Examples in context
- 同人 の文化は日本において非常に人気がありますDojin culture is incredibly popular in Japan.
- 同人 って最近どんな作品が人気なの？What kind of works has been popular in the dojin scene recently?
- 同人誌 を作るのが夢ですCreating dojinshi is my dream.
- 同人 の中で好きなジャンルは何ですか?What is your favorite genre within the dojin scene?
- これは同人の本です。Kore wa dojin no hon desu.This is a dojin book.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing their plans for the weekend at a cafe.
- 大翔 Hiroto今週末、同人のイベントがあるんだ。Konshūmatsu, dojin no ibento ga arunda.There is a dojin event this weekend.
- 結衣 Yui大翔くん、それに行くの？Hiroto-kun, sore ni iku no?Hiroto, are you going to that?
- 大翔 Hirotoうん、新しい本を探したいんだ。Un, atarashii hon o sagashitai nda.Yeah, I want to look for new books.
- 結衣 Yui楽しそうだね。Tanoshisō da ne.That sounds like fun.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 同人, CC BY-SA 4.0.
