What is the name 'Ushio' when translated from Japanese to English?

Answer 1

Strictly speaking, while ushio could be represented by numerous kanji combinations the only one that is reasonable for a Japanese name is:

牛尾　= 牛　(bovine, "cow") + 尾 (tail, and other meanings)

However, to translate the name as "cow-tail" would probably be misguided. Consider the sumo wrestler 寺尾, (Terao = Temple + tail) . Sometimes kanji are used for phoenetic purposes only, perhaps this is such a case? Or too, kanji often have minor or historic meanings - in this case a minor meaning is "hillside."

The kanji 尾 is easy to remember since it is composed of "buttocks" and "hair" so its pretty easy to arrive at "tail." Metaphorically "tail" can mean the end of something or conclusion and sure enough this kanji appears in words like "suffix." The end point of a cow is what, hamburger?

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潮 and 汐 are also kanji for Ushio and can mean tide, salt water or opportunity. They can be used for names (eg. Ushio in clannad is written 汐 and was chosen for the 'tide' meaning). This is an example of using the kanji for its meaning not just its sound (as in the previous case).

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Ushio as a male name can be written with the kanji mentioned above, but often in male names ending in -o, the "o" part is written as 男 (man, male). As a word by itself 男 is pronounced otoko, but in a name compound it is simply "o."

However, Ushio written 橋, meaning bridge, can be a female name, as in Ushio Hashimoto, an idol singer in Japan. [She is famous for singing the original Japanese ending theme of the Animated TV Series Dragon Ball and the second original Japanese ending theme of the first season of the animated TV series Sailor Moon.]

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