Saturday, April 28, 2012

A to Z Challenge: Y - Yakuza

Yakuza

I can't believe it's almost over. One more day, and we've made it! Anyway, happy Saturday, everyone.

ya·ku·za [yah-koo-zuh] n. (pl.) 1. a Japanese criminal organization involved in illegal gambling, extortion, gun-running, etc. 2. a member of this organization

Synonyms: there are no direct synonyms, but this organization is similar to the Mafia, Triads, Vory, Cartels, and many other organized crime groups

Etymology: traditional Japanese organized crime cartel, lit. "eight-nine-three" (ya, ku, sa) the losing hand in the traditional baccarat-like Japanese card game Oicho-Kabu. The notion may be "good for nothing," or "bad luck" (in someone who runs afoul of them), or it may be a reference to the fact that a player who draws this hand requires great skill to win.

27 comments:

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Matthew .. should I recognise a bent head? in submission to the Yakuza? Very interesting Y word though .. cheers Hilary

JeffO said...

Takes me back to playing Grand Theft Auto III.

Elise Fallson said...

Nice tattoo. :P

Anonymous said...

Are those two soaking in Mountain Dew? Sounds like something Cassie would do.

jp@A Green Ridge said...

Holy moose-poops! That's a big one...another new word!...:)JP

Zan Marie said...

I didn't know this one! Interesting word to tuck away. ; )

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Interesting word. Disturbing picture.

mshatch said...

I agree. That tattoo is amazing. And I'll be sure to stay away from the Yakuza :)

Mina Burrows said...

I did not know this. Very cool. I wonder how far that tattoo goes? Ouch!

BTW, thank you for hosting the challenge! It's been awesome. :)

Yvonne Osborne said...

Wow, that guy's back is no longer his own. Congrats on making it through to Y. What's your Z gonna be???

Nancy Thompson said...

Interesting pic. I have this strange attraction to stories of organized crime. The Yakuza fits the bill though I've only read 2 books on them. Never knew the name was based on a bad hand, but I guess that makes sense. If you've run into them, you're having a very bad day.

Catherine Stine said...

Love the tats. But these Chinese gangs are no joke. I remember when I lived in NYC's East Village, and a Chinese restaurant moved in. Well, the scuttlebutt was that they refused to cough up $$ for one gang, and the next thing you know, the restaurant owner was fatally gunned down.

Sangita Kalarickal said...

Japanese mafia! I didnt know this word, so, thank you for introducing me to it.
Love the tattoo, what phenomenal work!

Michael Offutt, Phantom Reader said...

There's a really cool game out called Shogun 2 that is absolutely amazing. It's a strategy game that takes place in feudal Japan. I think you'd really like it.

Donna K. Weaver said...

Ooops

Maria said...

These gangs are really interesting to research...I hadn't heard of them before.

Unknown said...

Ah, the Japanese hot baths. I've been to them as a child.

farawayeyes said...

Great word, BUT I am way too distracted by that guys tattooed BUTT. OUCH!

Priscilla TheGreat said...

Just passing through on the challenge. Thanks for the post! I can't believe tomorrow is Z. I have no idea what I'm going to post!

Tasha Seegmiller said...

I guess you really show your commitment to something when you tattoo it on your butt, right?

M said...

Now there's a "Y" word I hadn't heard of before.
Happy A-Z Saturday!

Marta Szemik said...

Words like these really scare me. Wonder if his front has as many tattoos as his back...

Rick Daley said...

Makes me think of Kill Bill for some reason.

Rebecca said...

what an interesting name for a crime group

Rusty Carl said...

I remember that one of the relatively early games for the original XBox was called Wreckless and was nominally a story centered around the Yakuza. Hmmm... maybe Kill Bill too? Can't remember that one.

J.L. Campbell said...

Your post reminds me that I haven't read anything set in China or Japan for a while.

Unknown said...

That guy must have got quite intimate with his tattoo artist...