# Japanese word: Yoshi **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 30, 2010, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-word-yoshi/534287 "2010-03-30T01:35:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-word-yoshi/534287/1 "2010-03-30T01:35:48Z")
I just made the Cajun salmon again, with a whole stalk of broccoli and a bit of mac’n’cheese. Needless to say, I’m stuffed! And it was darned tasty, too. So I let out a contented sigh and say, ‘Yosh(i)!’ ISTR that ‘yoshi’ means ‘OK’ or ‘Very well’ or ‘good’. But I stopped speaking Japanese when I was little, and now I’m not so sure. I do remember seeing a Japanese character (Yamamoto?) in _Tora! Tora! Tora!_ saying it as he looked over a map during a briefing. What is the colloquial meaning of ‘yoshi’ when used as an interjection or exclamation? ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-word-yoshi/534287/2 "2010-03-30T01:53:03Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > So I let out a contented sigh and say, ‘Yosh(i)!’ ISTR that ‘yoshi’ means ‘OK’ or ‘Very well’ or ‘good’. But I stopped speaking Japanese when I was little, and now I’m not so sure. I do remember seeing a Japanese character (Yamamoto?) in _Tora! Tora! Tora!_ saying it as he looked over a map during a briefing. It means something like “alright!”. Yeah, you are correct to put the “i” in brackets, as it’s often not pronounced. To give some context, here are times when I’ve heard it used: 1. By the driver when we finally arrived and pulled up at our destination after a long drive. 2. When we were finally breaking camp and setting out for the days hike. 3. When lifting something heavy together as a group. 4. At the end of an informal meeting when we’ve decided on the day’s gameplay. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-word-yoshi/534287/3 "2010-03-30T02:04:04Z")
Well, ‘all right’ is how I felt after that meal! 😉 Thanks, **Isamu**. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-word-yoshi/534287/4 "2010-03-30T02:07:41Z")
I agree with **Isamu**. From where I’ve seen it used, I’d describe it as “Right, let’s do this!” ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-word-yoshi/534287/5 "2010-03-30T02:50:49Z")
Cajun Salmon recipe, please? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-word-yoshi/534287/6 "2010-03-30T02:52:57Z")
> [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](#): > > Cajun Salmon recipe, please? [My friend’s recipe](http://kwiditi.com/colombescooking/cajunsalmon.html). ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-word-yoshi/534287/7 "2010-03-30T03:47:40Z")
Alternately, it could mean that you’ve just shot out your long, sticky tongue and eaten a bipedal turtle. ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-word-yoshi/534287/8 "2010-03-30T05:23:16Z")
I think maybe you mean “oishi”. _Oishi des_ means it was delicious. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-word-yoshi/534287/9 "2010-03-30T12:39:14Z")
Oishi (delicious) is what I’ve been told by the Okinawan lady at the sushi bar. ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-word-yoshi/534287/10 "2010-03-30T12:41:42Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Alternately, it could mean that you’ve just shot out your long, sticky tongue and eaten a bipedal turtle. That’s a pretty alright thing to do, though. ---
**Author:** ![Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uosdwis_R.Dewoh)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-word-yoshi/534287/11 "2010-03-30T14:07:47Z")
Speaking of Yoshi, the lizard with the sticky tongue, [here’s](http://www.mariomonsters.com/archives/media_viewer.php?id=4462) a link to the highly useful Yoshi dictionary. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-word-yoshi/534287/12 "2010-03-30T15:38:17Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > So I let out a contented sigh and say, ‘Yosh(i)!’ ISTR that ‘yoshi’ means ‘OK’ or ‘Very well’ or ‘good’. That’s not what I would have said. IMO _yoshi_, when used as an interjection, has a connotation of “so far, so good” or “good, I think this is going to work” or as mentioned above, “alright, let’s do this”. I normally wouldn’t use it for something that’s concluded in a satisfactory manner. In this specific case, I’d have said _oishikatta_ (“was delicious”). ---
**Author:** ![HardlySanguine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HardlySanguine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HardlySanguine)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-word-yoshi/534287/13 "2010-03-30T15:57:06Z")
Is there a difference in meaning/usage between ‘oishi’ and ‘umai’ (sp?) ? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-word-yoshi/534287/14 "2010-03-30T16:06:49Z")
> [@DanBlather](#): > > I think maybe you mean “oishi”. _Oishi des_ means it was delicious. No, I know what oishii means. > [@scr4](#): > > That’s not what I would have said. IMO _yoshi_, when used as an interjection, has a connotation of “so far, so good” or “good, I think this is going to work” or as mentioned above, “alright, let’s do this”. I normally wouldn’t use it for something that’s concluded in a satisfactory manner. > > In this specific case, I’d have said _oishikatta_ (“was delicious”). After an enjoyable experience, I often say ‘Right!’ or ‘All righty, then!’ or ‘All right’ or ‘All right, Aunt Ida!’ or ‘OK, then!’ or ‘Yesssss…’ or ‘Whee, doggie!’ or ‘Ah, that went well!’ or something similar. (I tend to say lots of things.) But definitely an interjection. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-word-yoshi/534287/15 "2010-03-30T16:20:43Z")
I’d say it sounds odd in context. IME, yoshi (よし) is more an interjection like “All right!” or “OK!” in English, in the sense of “All right (let’s do this),” “all right (we’ve arrived),” etc. I second the person who’d say _oishikatta_ (おいしかった). The dictionary I use confirms that when it’s written 善し, it’s “good (in moral judgement only) (judgment).” > [@HardlySanguine](#): > > Is there a difference in meaning/usage between ‘oishi’ and ‘umai’ (sp?) ? \*Oishii \*(おいしい)is a more polite word. \*Umai \*(美味い or 甘い) is, to me, more casual, and IIRC more likely to be used by a man than a woman. ETA: > [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > After an enjoyable experience, I often say ‘Right!’ or ‘All righty, then!’ or ‘All right’ or ‘All right, Aunt Ida!’ or ‘OK, then!’ or ‘Yesssss…’ or ‘Whee, doggie!’ or ‘Ah, that went well!’ or something similar. (I tend to say lots of things.) But definitely an interjection. If you meant it more in the sense of, “Well, that’s that!” rather than “That was good,” then it makes a bit more sense. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-word-yoshi/534287/16 "2010-03-30T17:21:33Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > After an enjoyable experience, I often say ‘Right!’ or ‘All righty, then!’ or ‘All right’ or ‘All right, Aunt Ida!’ or ‘OK, then!’ or ‘Yesssss…’ or ‘Whee, doggie!’ or ‘Ah, that went well!’ or something similar. (I tend to say lots of things.) But definitely an interjection. I’m saying it’s the _wrong interjection_ for the situation you describe. At least, it seems odd to me personally. I’m sure you understand that foreign words are not drop-in replacements for English words? A dictionary may say “yoshi!” means “alright!”, but that doesn’t mean it’s the appropriate translation for _all_ uses of the interjection “alright!”. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-word-yoshi/534287/17 "2010-03-30T17:42:19Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > I’m saying it’s the _wrong interjection_ for the situation you describe. At least, it seems odd to me personally. Understood – which is why I asked in the first place. Often after completing a task (eating a large meal, mowing the lawn, doing dishes), I’ll be like ‘All righty, then! Now that that’s taken care of, I can [whatever].’ ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-word-yoshi/534287/18 "2010-03-30T18:00:40Z")
I recognize the word when I watch Japanese movies. It seems to be a rough masculine kind of word, usually spoken by a higher ranking or bosslike guy. Like in _Fugetsu_: Bordello ladies calling out to a pompous captain and his soldiers, pleading with him to let his company come in and have fun. He says: “So desu ka? Yoshi!” I’ve never heard a polite woman or a low-ranking man using the word in any of these movies. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-word-yoshi/534287/19 "2010-03-30T18:08:31Z")
> [@teela\_brown](#): > > I’ve never heard a polite woman or a low-ranking man using the word in any of these movies. My dad, who probaby didn’t know (I could converse; I don’t think he could), said that it was ‘vulgar’. I wouldn’t know either way. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-word-yoshi/534287/20 "2010-03-30T18:32:29Z")
“Vulgar” in the literal sense of “common,” maybe. Not in the frequent modern usage of “obscene.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-word-yoshi/534287.md?page=2)