Manga
/ˈmæŋ.ɡə/noun
A style of Japanese comic books and graphic storytelling.
Did you know?The word was popularized by Hokusai’s 19th-century sketchbooks, especially Hokusai Manga, where it meant something closer to “whimsical drawings” than modern comics.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Japanese
JPN
まんが (manga)
“A loose term for informal, freehand, or whimsical drawings.”
1814
JPN
北斎漫画 (Hokusai Manga)
“Hokusai’s collected sketchbooks of varied drawings and studies.”
Late 19th Century
JPN
漫画 (manga)
“Used for comic or whimsical pictures, especially in print culture.”
20th Century
JPN
漫画 (manga)
“Japanese comics as a distinct mass medium and art form.”
Late 20th Century
English
manga
“Japanese comic books and graphic novels, especially in the Japanese style.”
Explore more surprising origins