Inuyasha
/ˌiːnʊˈjɑːʃə/noun
A Japanese fictional half-dog-demon character and the title of the manga and anime series featuring him.
Did you know?The name’s “yasha” comes from the Sanskrit yakṣa, a class of powerful nature spirits later absorbed into Buddhist and East Asian mythology.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Japanese
Japanese
inu (犬)
“Dog”
Ancient India
Sanskrit
yakṣa (यक्ष)
“A powerful nature spirit or supernatural being”
Early Buddhist period
Buddhist Sanskrit
yakṣa
“A spirit-being incorporated into Buddhist cosmology”
Medieval Japan
Japanese
yasha (夜叉)
“A yakṣa-like demon or supernatural spirit in Buddhist tradition”
1996
Japanese
犬夜叉 (Inuyasha)
“The title and name of Rumiko Takahashi’s half-dog-demon character”
Modern English
English
Inuyasha
“The internationally used name of the manga, anime series, and central character”
Explore more surprising origins