Nanban

南蛮 (Nanban) is a Japanese noun meaning “southern barbarians (name used in ancient China for non-Chinese ethnic groups to the south), South-East Asian countries (in the late-Muromachi and Edo periods), Western Europe (esp. Spain and Portugal and their South-East Asian colonies; late-Muromachi and Edo periods), foreign (of goods from South-East Asia and Western Europe)”.

Meanings

  1. nounsouthern barbarians (name used in ancient China for non-Chinese ethnic groups to the south)
  2. nounSouth-East Asian countries (in the late-Muromachi and Edo periods)
  3. nounWestern Europe (esp. Spain and Portugal and their South-East Asian colonies; late-Muromachi and Edo periods)
  4. noun prefixforeign (of goods from South-East Asia and Western Europe); exotic (esp. in a Western European or South-East Asian style)
  5. nounchili pepper
  6. nounnanban; dish prepared using chili peppers and Welsh onions

Kanji in 南蛮

Related words