The meaning of "SSJ"

[saiyangoku]

SSJ = super saiyan
so what is the meaning of J?
Where does "J" come from? It come from data books or games?
although we always say SSJ, I really don't know the answer..

[rereboy]

SSJ = super saiyan
so what is the meaning of J?
Where does "J" come from? It come from data books or games?
although we always say SSJ, I really don't know the answer..

In Japanese, Saiyans are called Saiya-jin. Saiyan in just the translation. So, SSJ is Super Saiya-Jin. Fans use it more often than SS because there are lots of meanings for SS. SSJ is much more distinguishable as a acronym.

[dbgtFO]

It's from the original japanese Word Super Saiyajin.

Jin Means person/man, so Super Saiya Person basically.
For some reason the western part of the fandom still keeps the J despite not normally writing it out as Super Saiyajin.

FFS...

[VegettoEX]

To pull from something I recently wrote up...

The 人 in サイヤ人 literally means "person". Here it's read as jin but occasionally it's also read on its own as hito (due to some kanji having alternate readings depending on the surrounding context).

So you've got サイヤ人 being directly read and romanized as Saiyajin (or Saiya-jin if you want to add the hyphen). The サイヤ (Saiya) is the actual name of the race, so when you're adapting said name of the race to another language and its alphabet, you might end up with something like "Saiyan" (and, in fact, Japan used "SAIYAN" as a romanization long before FUNimation's English dub existed). You also have certain other countries that just keep "Saiyajin" as-is, like the Mexican/Spanish dub.

(side note: of course, this assumes you're still pronouncing the "saiya" in "saiyan" correctly, and not like "say - in")

As a point of contrast to "Saiya-jin", there is "Namekku-sei-jin" (ナメック星人). There's a key difference here: rather than just people of the race, they're people of a specific planet (Namek). The 星 here is read as sei (and outside of this context also has a different reading of hoshi) and is placed between the name of the planet and the person suffix.

To go back in a circle, you'll often hear 惑星ベジータ or Wakusei Bejiita ("Planet Vegeta") when referring to the specific planet itself.

And then off in its own world is 地球人 or Chikyūjin which means "Earthling".

As for why people use "SSJ" as a suffix in general talkings rather than "SS", it usually has to do with one of or a combination of:

• "SS" referring to the Nazi Secret Service
• "SS" referring to boat names
• other dubs just straight up using "Saiya-jin"
• not knowing anything else and just adapting the "Saiya-jin" you already knew

And now you know more than you asked for. Hurray!

[saiyangoku]

Thanks all
Also anyone know who use SSJ first?
FUNimation?
or Shueisha use it in some official data book , weekly JUMP?
or Bandai use it in some games?
or only fans use it, Shueisha and Bandai never use it?

[VegettoEX]

As far as I'm aware, FUNimation has never used "SSJ" as an abbreviation since they use (a mispronounced) "Saiyan" and there's no "J" for them to pull from.

There is one instance in their English dub where Majin Buu says "Super... Saiyajin?" back to Goku - it's the scene where he demonstrates the three levels (and goes Super Saiyan 3 for the first time). No-one really knows why they tossed it in there. Is it just to reference the original Japanese? Toss those fans a bone? Make Buu look dumber than he is by not being able to properly parrot back what was said? Who knows?

Off the top of my head I'm not sure if Shueisha, Toei, or Bandai ever used "SSJ" on anything. I know they've used "S.S." and I know they've used "Saiyan", but I dunno about "SSJ". It's always been a fan-thing as far as I can remember.

[B]

It's always been a fan-thing as far as I can remember.

I feel that's part of it; "SSJ" is so ingrained into the fandom, it doesn't really matter that the dub, or any official product, hasn't used it. So I don't really bat an eye when I see self-proclaimed dub fans using it.

Lesser examples would be "base form," or "Zenkai" as a proper noun.

[VegettoEX]

I think it's different than those, though: "SSJ" is an actual, legitimate abbreviation for an actual word that's said aloud in the manga and anime.

"Base form" is a description of something that makes sense, and "zenkai" is a correct word being used incorrectly for something.

[Kamiccolo9]

I think it's different than those, though: "SSJ" is an actual, legitimate abbreviation for an actual word that's said aloud in the manga and anime.

"Base form" is a description of something that makes sense, and "zenkai" is a correct word being used incorrectly for something.

What would be the correct way of using the word, if you don't mind me asking?

[VegettoEX]

It's a verb, not a noun.

What I'm assuming happened is someone looked up "recovery" in a Japanese/English dictionary and found 全快 (zenkai) from 全快する (zenkai suru), which means "complete recovery" (where suru is the "to do" part of the verb where you start conjugating things into other forms).

So it makes no sense. It's sorta like saying "I'm going to go for a car" instead of "I'm going to go for a drive". Even that's not a great enough comparison. The actual thing being talked about is a near-death power-up, so when you're saying "someone got a zenkai" you're actually saying something like, "the character got a to receive a complete recovery". Bonkers.

And then there's the confusion with 全開 (zenkai) which means "full-throttle" and is the "zenkai" being referenced in the first DBZ TV series ending theme, "Detekoi Tobikiri ZENKAI Pawā!"

[Kamiccolo9]

That's interesting; I never knew any of that. Thanks!

[dbboxkaifan]

It's from the original japanese Word Super Saiyajin.

Jin Means person/man, so Super Saiya Person basically.
For some reason the western part of the fandom still keeps the J despite not normally writing it out as Super Saiyajin.

FFS...

Using "SS" feels weird and wrong so I always go with SSJ and when writing it out it's Super Saiyan.

[penguintruth]

It is kind of funny when people use "SSJ" in print but say "Super Saiyan" in speech. I'm also guilty of this, but I usually type out "Super Saiyan" completely.

[Saiga]

It is kind of funny when people use "SSJ" in print but say "Super Saiyan" in speech. I'm also guilty of this, but I usually type out "Super Saiyan" completely.

This is why I type out "Super Saiyan" usually and only use acronyms for numbered forms. "SS1" "SS2" etc.

[Insertclevername]

If I'm making a formal post on the forums, then I'll make the effort to type out Super Saiyan. However, if I'm in a casual setting like Twitter or a chatroom, then I'll start giving less of a shit and just use acronyms.

[Herms]

It is kind of funny when people use "SSJ" in print but say "Super Saiyan" in speech.

Well, compare that to "lb" vs "pound".

[xmysticgohanx]

As far as I'm aware, FUNimation has never used "SSJ" as an abbreviation since they use (a mispronounced) "Saiyan" and there's no "J" for them to pull from.

What's the correct pronunciation?

[El Diabeetus]

As far as I'm aware, FUNimation has never used "SSJ" as an abbreviation since they use (a mispronounced) "Saiyan" and there's no "J" for them to pull from.

What's the correct pronunciation?

Like the color Cyan. (Sigh-yan), makes an 'eye' sound rather than an 'ay' sound.

[dbboxkaifan]

On the old FUNimation English dub of DBZ we hear Majin Buu saying "Saiya.. jin?" that's pretty cool to remind of the origins because otherwise it's always "Super Seiyuns".