浪人
rōnin[ɾo̞ːɲ̟ĩɴ]
The English phrase "ronin" is translated into Japanese as 浪人 (rōnin).
Historically, this term refers to a masterless samurai. In modern Japanese, it is frequently used to describe students who have failed entrance exams and are studying for a second attempt.
Meaning: masterless samurai (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The term is composed of the characters for "drifting" (浪) and "person" (人), literally meaning "drifting person".
How do you pronounce it?
rōnin
Did you know?
- Long before it described samurai, the term 浪人 was used to label people who were essentially tax dodgers. These individuals used the concept of being a 'drifting person' to avoid their legal responsibilities and labor requirements under the ancient Ritsuryō system.
- While an English speaker might use 'ronin' to sound cool or cinematic, calling a Japanese student a 浪人 can feel quite heavy. Because it implies a person who is 'drifting' without a fixed place or purpose, it carries a certain social weight.
Examples in context
- 松田博士は、若き時代に浪人として日本中をさすらいました。Dr. Matsuda wandered throughout Japan as a ronin in his youth.
- 彼はかつて、高名な浪人だった。Kare wa katsute, kōmei na rōnin datta.He was once a famous ronin.
- その物語には、孤独な浪人が登場する。Sono monogatari ni wa, kodoku na rōnin ga tōjō suru.A lonely ronin appears in that story.
- 浪人が村の入り口に立っていた。Rōnin ga mura no iriguchi ni tatte ita.A ronin was standing at the village entrance.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a historical drama they watched.
- 蓮 Renあのドラマに出てくる浪人はかっこいいね。Ano dorama ni detekuru rōnin wa kakkoii ne.The ronin in that drama is cool, isn't he?
- 結衣 Yuiそう、とても強い浪人だったよ。Sō, totemo tsuyoi rōnin datta yo.Yes, he was a very strong ronin.
- 蓮 Ren結衣さんは、歴史の物語は好き？Yui-san wa, rekishi no monogatari wa suki?Yui, do you like historical stories?
- 結衣 Yui蓮さん、私は大好きだよ。Ren-san, watashi wa daisuki da yo.Ren, I love them.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ronin” translations and entries 浪人, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 浪人, CC BY-SA 4.0.
