What do these gloves say? They have kanji characters on them.

August 27, 2018 8:26 PM

I want to buy these gloves, but I want to know what they say first. Can anyone help me translate them?
posted by Wild_Eep to Writing & Language (6 answers total)

I'm not sure, but I think it says "rebellion" (叛逆)
posted by pinochiette at 8:58 PM on August 27, 2018 [1 favorite]

Can confirm, more specific character info

(With the traditional characters, it's more likely hanzi than kanji but it's amazon, I'm not surprised)
posted by lesser weasel at 11:56 PM on August 27, 2018

Japanese dictionaries wise (edict,kdict):

反逆(P);叛逆 [はんぎゃく] /(n,vs) treason/treachery/mutiny/rebellion/insurrection/(P)/EntL1601180X/

叛 4840 U53db B4 C29 S9 N220 V680 H1143 DP1469 L2902 DN2911 MN3166X MP2.0710 P1-5-4 I2p7.3 Q9154.7 Ypan4 Wban ハン ホン そむ.く {disobey} {defy} {go back on} {rebel} {rebellion}

逆 3555 U9006 B162 G5 S9 S8 F683 J2 N4685 V6041 H3091 DP3835 DK1966 DL2662 L1959 DN2109 K857 O1235 DO790 MN38849P MP11.0045 E646 IN444 DS758 DF956 DH675 DT695 DJ386 DG685 DM1978 P3-3-6 I2q6.8 Q3830.4 DR960 Yni4 Wyeog ギャク ゲキ さか さか.さ さか.らう {inverted} {reverse} {opposite} {wicked}

If I remember how to read this right, the more common Japanese form would be the 反逆 version (since it's marked (P)).

反 483F U53cd B27 C29 G3 S4 F191 J2 N817 V674 H2945 DP3663 DK1869 DL2549 L722 DN779 K183 O69 DO342 MN3127 MP2.0687 E371 IN324 DS492 DF391 DH393 DT244 DC146 DJ362 DB3.19 DG267 DM730 P3-2-2 I2p2.2 Q7124.7 DR3367 ZPP4-4-1 Yfan3 Wban Wbeon ハン ホン タン ホ そ.る そ.らす かえ.す かえ.る -かえ.る T1 そり た {anti-}

So yeah, probably 'rebellion' or just 'rebel', something along that gist.
posted by zengargoyle at 3:26 AM on August 28, 2018

I broke out the books (the coffee kicked in). It makes sense to me if it is Japanese/kanji (and not Chinese/Hanzi, or they're roughly going to be the same because loan-words and all that).

Kodansha's Communicative English-Japanese Dictionary defines:

rebel:
(v.) - 反抗する; ...
(n. person) - 反逆者; 反抗するの者.

The 者 is mostly the thing that makes it a person.
The 反抗するの者 is basically a person who does the verb.

The verb:
反抗 [はんこう] /(n,vs) opposition/resistance/insubordination/defiance/hostility/rebellion/(P)/

So it's a person who is/does THAT. If you take of the 者 (because I wouldn't put that bit on a badge or tattoo for reasons), and use the older form 叛 instead of 反.... you basically get "I'm a rebel".

So I'd go for 'rebel' or 'rebelious' over 'rebellion'. (Who'd put 'rebellion' on a pair of work gloves anyway?)

hoping for Chinese/Hanzi folks for the other side of things
posted by zengargoyle at 5:52 AM on August 28, 2018

Response by poster: So overall, it sounds like the 'radical' description on the Amazon listing would be somewhat consistent with the analysis here...
posted by Wild_Eep at 3:47 PM on August 28, 2018

Best answer: Yes and no, but pretty much yes. It would be more like using the kanji for 'rebel' and reading it in English as 'radical' (in the surfer/skater) way for effect and current coolness and marketing.

'radical' is and extreme viewpoint (political/environmental/etc.)
'rebel' is more like "child that doesn't obey parents" or just going against received authority.

The kanji/hanzi is pretty much on the 'rebel' side. But being all cool and hip like we are... 'radical' (or 'rad') is fine by me in the context of work gloves...
posted by zengargoyle at 5:31 PM on August 28, 2018