Have you ever wondered about the meaning of the names of the characters in Kimetsu no Yaiba or other elements of Demon Slayer? In this article, we will study in depth the meaning and etymology of the Japanese words in the anime.
It is worth noting that the names of the characters in the Demon Slayer anime generally reflect the characteristics of the characters, or sometimes use common ideograms found in Japanese names.
We will try to be as technical as possible by presenting various meanings for you to interpret the character’s name. It is important to highlight that the order of the ideograms in this article follows the same order as the romanized writing.
Table of Contents
What does Kimetsu no Yaiba mean?
First of all, there is the name of the anime called Demon Slayer in English. However, its original name in Japanese, kimetsu no yaiba [鬼滅の刃], means something else.
The word Kimetsu no Yaiba means “blade that destroys Oni” (demon or other supernatural creature in Japanese mythology). Although [鬼] is usually read as “oni,” when combined with the ideogram for destruction [滅 metsu], it is read as “ki,” becoming kimetsu.
Metsu [滅] is the word that appears on the clothing of the Oni hunters’ squad. They are literally destroyers of Oni.
What does Muzan Kibutsuji mean?
The name Muzan Kibutsuji piques curiosity among fans of the series; its pronunciation perfectly matches the character, and its name also has a rather interesting meaning.
The name Muzan [無残] well represents the character’s personality. It is a Japanese word that means cruel; merciless; atrocious; relentless; cold-blooded; horrible; and miserable.
As for the surname Kibutsuji [鬼舞辻], it seems a bit complex to understand. The first two ideograms mean “oni” and dance, but the last one, which means crossing, seems to make little sense.
In the table below, we will present various meanings of the name Kibutsuji:
| Kanji | Meanings |
|---|---|
| 鬼 | They are beings that live invisibly in human society and possess superhuman power. |
| 舞 | Dance, I move my feet as I wish; |
| 辻 | Crossing; crossroads; street corner; street |
Meaning of the name Tanjiro Kamado and Family
The name of our protagonist Tanjiro Kamado is written [炭治郎竈門] and its meaning well represents Tanjiro’s calm and peaceful personality, his work with charcoal, and his fire power.
See the meaning of each ideogram below:
| Kanji | Meanings |
| 炭 [Tan] | Charcoal |
| 治 [Ji] | To be at peace, to calm down, to subjugate, to suffocate, to govern, to heal |
| 郎 [ro] | Son, counter for sons |
| 竈 [Kama] | Hearth, stove |
| 門 [Do] | Gate |
As for the name Nezuko [禰豆子], some claim it means “snowball flower,” referring to the mountainous region where the Kamado family lives, but examining the ideograms closely, that doesn’t seem to be the meaning.
| Kanji | Meanings |
| 禰 [Ne] | Ancestral Shrine; Priestess; Grasshopper; Place to consecrate precious spirits |
| 豆 [Zu] | Bean, pea, offering |
| 子 [Ko] | Daughter; child |
Below are the meanings of the names of the rest of the Kamado family (only the first name):
- Kie Kamado [葵枝 竈門] – Malva branches;
- Tanjuru Kamado [炭十郎 竈門] – Charcoal, tenth son;
- Sumiyoshi Kamado [炭吉 竈門] – charcoal; good luck; joy;
What is the Meaning of the names Inosuke and Zenitsu?
Inosuke Hashibira [伊之助 嘴平] – The name Inosuke literally means one who saves, helps, or rescues and provides assistance. The ideograms also convey the idea of authority.
Another curiosity about the name is that Ino can also indicate the Japanese word for boar, which is inoshishi. The first ideogram of the name Hashibira means [嘴] beak while [平] means something common, simple, or broad.
Zenitsu Agatsuma [善逸 我妻] – The first ideogram of the name Zenitsu means kindness and virtuous, while the second ideogram [逸] refers to his fear, as it indicates someone who flees and hides.
Zenitsu’s surname refers to his passionate personality towards girls, even referencing the expression my waifu since the ideograms literally mean my [我] wife [妻].
The Meaning of the Names of the Hashira
Before we talk about the meaning of the names of the Hashira, let’s understand the meaning of the word Hashira? The word Hashira is written with the ideogram [柱] which means pillar or support, also used as a counter for gods and nobles. They are basically the Pillars of the Demon Slayer corporation.
Now let’s see the meaning of the names of the Hashira?
Tengen Uzui [天元 宇髄]
The name Uzui [宇髄] means something like “center of the universe.” Where [宇] means universe in Japanese [宇宙], while [髄] means the center of something.
His first name, Tengen [天元] means something like “origin of the sky.” He is an oto bashira (音柱) which means Hashira of Sound.
Gyomei Himejima [行冥 悲鳴嶼]
The name Gyomei [行冥] means something like “to advance in darkness.” It is composed of the ideograms [行] which means “to go; line; journey; conduct,” and the ideogram [冥] which means darkness.
The name Hime [悲鳴] means “scream that comes from fear or sadness.” Probably because the character is always crying and has a very sad past. The ideogram [嶼] means island.
Muichiro Tokitou [無一郎 時透]
The ideogram [無] present in the name Muichiro represents something like nothing. The Ichiro [一郎] is a very common name among Japanese people and literally means first son. Researching the origin of Muichiro, we can see that he truly had nothing, lost everything, his brother and his memories.
The name of his family Tokitou [時透] means “time becomes clearer/cutting.” He is a mist Bashira (霧柱). Will his nebulous memory become clearer over time?
Obanai Iguro [小芭内 伊黒]
The name probably demonstrates his feelings for Mitsuri. Researching the ideograms, I discovered that Obanai literally means something like Small [小] Banana [芭] Inside [内].
Where did they put this banana? In fact, this fruit in Japanese culture can signify beautiful memories or beauty that lasts forever.
The ideogram [伊] of Obanai in the Chinese origin refers to a priest who calls upon God, but can be translated as “that one” while [黒] means black or dark. He is a Hebi Bashira [蛇柱] which means Hashira of the Serpent.
Giyu Tomioka [義勇 富岡]
The name Giyu [義勇] is a Japanese word that means heroism; loyalty and courage. The first ideogram means “justice, morality, honor, loyalty” while the second means “courage, bravery, and heroism.”
As for the name Tomioka, the first ideogram [富] means something like “wealth, abundance” while the second ideogram [岡] means “mount or hill.”
Mitsuri Kanroji [蜜璃 甘露寺]
In the name Mitsuri [蜜璃], the first ideogram [蜜] means something like “nectar and honey,” that is, something sweet. The second ideogram [璃] means glass, crystal, and the stone lapis lazuli.
As for the surname Kanroji [甘露寺], the first ideogram [甘] means something sweet, while the second ideogram [露] means dew, and the third refers to a Buddhist temple [寺].
Mitsuri is a Koi Bashira [恋柱] or a Hashira of love; do the sweet ideograms refer well to her loving and passionate personality?
Shinobu Kocho [しのぶ 胡蝶]
Shinobu is a Hashira of Insects; her personal name has no meaning, as it is written in Hiragana, but as it is a common name, it can mean one who hides or refer to a type of fern, but the possibilities are endless.
As for her surname Kocho [胡蝶], the first ideogram [胡] refers to barbarians and foreigners, while the second ideogram [蝶] refers to butterflies, well representing her appearance and power.
Kyojuro Rengoku [杏寿郎 煉獄]
The first ideogram of Kyojuro [杏寿郎] refers to an Apricot, while the second refers to longevity or natural life, while the third is a counter for children.
The first ideogram of Rengoku [煉獄] means to refine metals or to crush in fire, while the second ideogram refers to a prison or cage. Together, the two words also mean purgatory.
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