The meaning of ''Shunkan Idou''

[Status]

Does it really just mean ''Teleportation''? Or is ''Instantaneous Movement'' more accurate?

[VegettoEX]

It's not really a matter of "more accurate" or not. 瞬間移動 (shunkan-idō) as a combined word does literally mean "instantaneous movement" (瞬間 shunkan meaning like "second" or "moment" + 移動 idō meaning "movement"), but is also the general/colloquial word for "teleportation".

"Instantaneous Movement" was used by Steve Simmons for FUNimation's subtitle track. "Instant Transmission" is one of those "we-changed-it-a-little-bit-and-now-it's-our-phrase" things in FUNimation's English dub. "Instant Translocation" from the alternate UK dub is... well, that's also a thing. Viz has recently adopted "Instant Teleportation", which is a bit redundant.

"Teleportation" as a word by itself works just as fine, and is the concept that a Japanese reader/listener would think of when hearing 瞬間移動.

[Robo4900]

"Instant Translocation" from the alternate UK dub is... well, that's also a thing.

In fairness, it's closer to the original meaning than Funi's name for it.

It's definitely a weird choice, though.

[Adamant]

It all really comes down to the fct that 瞬間移動 is a perfectly standard Japanese term and not some unique construct Toriyama invented that doesn't exist outside Dragonball. It's kinda missing the point to break it down and translate it as if it's somehow not an existing word with a defined meaning and a 1:1 English equivalent.

Though this is one of those terms that seemingly gets bizarre translations everywhere, it's not just an English translation issue. Carlsen for some reason went with "Instant Teleportation"... as opposed to... delayed teleportation? What?

[MasenkoHA]

"Instant Translocation" from the alternate UK dub is... well, that's also a thing.

In fairness, it's closer to the original meaning than Funi's name for it.

It's definitely a weird choice, though.

Instant Transmission sounds like more of a telepathy thing tbh

[MyVisionity]

Though this is one of those terms that seemingly gets bizarre translations everywhere, it's not just an English translation issue. Carlsen for some reason went with "Instant Teleportation"... as opposed to... delayed teleportation? What?

Goku's technique is supposed to take him wherever instantaneously, without any passage of time. I don't think that all forms of teleportation are meant to work that way. Sometimes it might take a few seconds or minutes.

[MasenkoHA]

I’ve rarely seen an example of fiction where teleportation isn’t instantaneous.

[Polyphase Avatron]

Wasn't the exact same term used in One Piece to describe Kuma's devil fruit powers at one point?

[Vijay]

Though this is one of those terms that seemingly gets bizarre translations everywhere, it's not just an English translation issue. Carlsen for some reason went with "Instant Teleportation"... as opposed to... delayed teleportation? What?

Goku's technique is supposed to take him wherever instantaneously, without any passage of time. I don't think that all forms of teleportation are meant to work that way. Sometimes it might take a few seconds or minutes.

And for some strange reasons, Goku's "Shunkan Idou/Instant Transmission or Instantaneous Movement" isn't as efficient as Kibito/KibitoKai's "Kai Kai" or teleportation

Goku requires chi-locking & direction, while Kibito or KibitoKai's is literally food delivery service anywhere, anytime, any place

And I think maybe it's something to got to do with mortal vs Kaioshin's servant thingy

[KBABZ]

"Instant Translocation" from the alternate UK dub is... well, that's also a thing.

In fairness, it's closer to the original meaning than Funi's name for it.

It's definitely a weird choice, though.

Instant Transmission sounds like more of a telepathy thing tbh

Agreed, sounds more like a technology in Discord than a technique.

I’ve rarely seen an example of fiction where teleportation isn’t instantaneous.

You ever use Fast Travel in Red Dead 2?

[Adamant]

Wasn't the exact same term used in One Piece to describe Kuma's devil fruit powers at one point?

Yes.


As mentioned, it's a common Japanese term.

[linkdude20002001]

瞬間移動 (shunkan'idō) as a whole means "teleportation". You can translate it as 瞬間(shunkan/instantaneous) and 移動 (idō/movement), but why stop there? Why not 瞬 (shun/instant), 間 (kan/tele-), 移 (i/trans-), and 動 (dō/-ation)?
Instant Teletransation.

And in reverse, we could translate "teleportation", as a whole, into Japanese as 瞬間移動 (shunkan'idō), or...as "tele-" (間/kan), "port" (港/kō), and "-ation" (動/dō).
間港動 (Kankōdō).