ギャング
gyangu
'gang' in Japanese is ギャング (gyangu).
The term refers to a group of criminals who associate together for illegal activities. Depending on the context, you may use different terms to describe specific types of groups: 組織 (soshiki) refers to a structured 'organization', 暴力集団 (boryoku shuudan) describes a 'violent group', 暴走族 (bousouzoku) refers to motorcycle gangs or delinquent groups and ヤクザ (yakuza) is a broad, informal term for the Japanese mafia or organized crime groups.
Which one should you use?
While ギャング is a general term for any 'gang', 暴力団 (boryokudan) is the specific term used when referring to traditional Japanese organized crime syndicates.
How do you pronounce it?
gyangu
Did you know?
- While ギャング is a loanword, the term ヤクザ comes from a game of cards where the three cards needed to win a specific hand are useless, meaning the person is 'worthless' or a social outcast.
- In Japan, 暴力団 are officially designated as 'Boryokudan' by the government, and there are specific laws that ban them from opening bank accounts or signing cell phone contracts.
- The term 暴走族 (bousouzoku), often translated as 'motorcycle gang', literally translates to 'running wild tribe'.
Examples in context
- そのギャングはとても危険です。Sono gyangu wa totemo kiken desu.That gang is very dangerous.
- 街にギャングが現れた。Machi ni gyangu ga arawareta.A gang appeared in the town.
- 彼はギャングの一員だった。Kare wa gyangu no ichiin datta.He was a member of a gang.
Example conversation
Yota and Yui are discussing a crime movie they just watched.
- 陽太 Yotaこの映画のギャングは本当に恐ろしいね。Kono eiga no gyangū wa hontō ni osoroshii ne.The gangs in this movie are really scary, aren't they?
- 結衣 Yuiうん、暴力的なシーンが多すぎたよ。Un, bōryokuteki na shīn ga ōsugita yo.Yeah, there were too many violent scenes.
- 陽太 Yotaギャングのボスが一番怖かった。Gyangū no bosu ga ichiban kowakatta.The gang boss was the scariest.
- 結衣 Yui私もそう思うわ。Watashi mo sō omou wa.I think so too.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ギャング, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
