海賊王
kaizoku-ō
The English phrase 'king of the pirates' is translated into Japanese as 海賊王 (kaizoku-ō).
This phrase is used as a title for the most powerful and famous pirate who rules over all other pirates.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a compound noun composed of 海賊 (kaizoku), meaning 'pirate' and 王 (ō), meaning 'king'.
How does it change in a sentence?
As a compound noun, 海賊王 does not change its form depending on whether the usage is singular or plural.
How do you pronounce it?
kaizoku-ō
Did you know?
- While 海賊 means 'pirate', the word 賊 alone refers to a rebel or traitor. In historical Japanese contexts, a 'pirate king' was often viewed more as a political rebel than a simple seafaring thief.
- The character 王 can be read as 'ō' or 'ō-sama'. Adding 'sama' turns the title into a direct address of extreme respect, which would be used by a subordinate pirate to their king.
- While 海賊王 is a common title in modern fiction, you will rarely see it in historical Japanese texts. Historical maritime outlaws were more frequently referred to as 水賊 (suizoku), meaning 'water bandits', which sounds less like a grand title and more like a criminal designation.
Examples in context
- こちらは海賊王です。This is the King of the Pirates.
- 彼は伝説の海賊王だ。Kare wa densetsu no kaizokuō da.He is the legendary king of the pirates.
- 海賊王を目指して旅をする。Kaizokuō o mezashite tabi o suru.I travel aiming to become the king of the pirates.
- その物語には海賊王が登場する。Sono monogatari ni wa kaizokuō ga tōjō suru.The king of the pirates appears in that story.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their favorite anime during a break.
- 美咲 Misaki海賊王って、どんなキャラクターだと思う？Kaizokuō tte, donna kyarakutā da to omou?What kind of character do you think a king of the pirates is?
- 陽太 Yotaとても強くて自由な人だと思うよ。Totemo tsuyokute jiyū na hito da to omou yo.I think he's a very strong and free person.
- 美咲 Misaki陽太君も、そんな強さが欲しい？Yōta-kun mo, sonna tsuyosa ga hoshii?Do you want that kind of strength too, Yota?
- 陽太 Yotaもちろん、いつか海賊王になりたいな。Mochiron, itsuka kaizokuō ni naritai na.Of course, I want to become the king of the pirates someday.
