Kamehameha translation

[Piccolo Daimao]

What is the actual translation of Kamehameha? I've heard that the literal translation is "Turtle Destruction Wave". Is this true? I know of other people saying that they don't know the translation of "hame" or something along those lines.

[Freeza Heika]

It doesn't mean anything. It is the name of the first King of Hawaii. I think Toriyama's wife is suppose to have thought of it. The kame part just made it that much more fitting for the turtle hermit.

[LeprikanGT]

Yep, Toriyama's wife.

They have a TON of stuff in Hawaii with kamehameha in the name, like hotels and resorts and such.

[Sprite Satan]

Kamehameha, in the series, is spelled "かめはめ波" in mostly hiragana (the final "Ha" is kanji). It can broken down as follows.

"かめ" which is "Ka Me". Together it means "Turtle."

"はめ" which is "Ha Me". It does NOT mean "Destruction", "はめつ" (Hametsu) does. Hame, in the context we're speaking of, means something more akin to a difficult situation, a mess or even, as the series narrator would put it, a dai pinch.

"波" which is "Ha" written in kanji. It means "Wave."

[B]

The computer I am on is old and can't read Japanese text, but couldn't the "hame" be considered a shortening of "Hametsu?" Toriyama's not picky with his puns; he's jumbled words, in multiple languages, around, left parts of words out, left the word the same, etc.

[Sprite Satan]

The computer I am on is old and can't read Japanese text, but couldn't the "hame" be considered a shortening of "Hametsu?" Toriyama's not picky with his puns; he's jumbled words, in multiple languages, around, left parts of words out, left the word the same, etc.

It's not really my area of expertise (the Japanese language or Akria Toriyama's puns). I think Herms would be able to answer that a lot better than me.

But, yeah, I'd say it's at least possible but as many words and phrases can begin with those first two hiragana (はめ) I'm not sure how much of a "pun" it would be. With that, it could easily have been Turtle Deception Wave, Turtle Inlaid Woodwork Wave or Turtle Fucking Wave (now there's one the Anime Labs fansubbing group should have used!) as Turtle Destruction Wave.

To my uneducated eye, it'd be like you saying that your name "B" is a pun on Butta of the Ginyu Force because you used the same first letter, so to speak.

[Herms]

I've posted about this at some length before, but in short, while it's not absolutely impossible that the hame in "Kamehameha" is short for hametsu/destruction, there's also no reason whatsoever to believe that it is, or that it has any other specific meaning on its own. Toriyama's explanation of the name is, as mentioned above, simply that his wife suggested it as an attack name that would suit Kame-sennin. The connection to King Kamehameha is also touched on in the Super Exciting Guides.

[Cold Skin]

Well, what is widely accepted is the Kamehameha king connection, and terms "Kame" and "Ha" being obviously connected to the nature of the attack and its creator. Some say the "Hame" is there for some other reason than reconstructing the name of the king, but there's no true evidence of that.

FRENCH KANZENBAN 01
CHAPTER 014: KAME SENNIN'S KAME HAME HA!!

The name of that technic is inspired by a king of Hawai, Kamehameha the Great. It is also a pun since you can find the word "kame" (turtle) from Kame Sennin, and the "ha" (wave) is an often-used term in attacks consisting in energy waves.

[Piccolo Daimao]

So, couldn't we just cut the "Hame" and translate it into "Turtle Wave"?

[Amigo Ten]

This came up in another topic, but I might as well bring this one back up since it's relevant. I was always under the impression that because of the way it was written, it didn't have a literal meaning, other than the "wave" part. Although bviously there's the turtle inference with the "kame" part. But it seems I was mistaken.

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

So, couldn't we just cut the "Hame" and translate it into "Turtle Wave"?

You could but since there's no direct translation, best leave "Kamehameha" how it is.

[Kendamu]

So, couldn't we just cut the "Hame" and translate it into "Turtle Wave"?

We could, but that would be silly. It'd be like taking your kids to "Gentle Way" class instead of Judo class.

[Amigo Ten]

I think we should call it the Turtle Hurtle Wave.

[Herms]

I think we should call it the Turtle Hurtle Wave.

How about the Hibly-Gibly Ray?

[SilverPlaqueVII]

Moka-Doka-ka Maybe? I know Nekohameha is from Neko Majin.

[Amigo Ten]

I think we should call it the Turtle Hurtle Wave.

How about the Hibly-Gibly Ray?

That's just silly.

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

Moka-Doka-ka Maybe? I know Nekohameha is from Neko Majin.

Moka-Doka-ka? What are you on?

[SilverPlaqueVII]

Moka-Doka-ka Maybe? I know Nekohameha is from Neko Majin.

Moka-Doka-ka? What are you on?

Trying to making things up for fun.. Sense of humor, really.

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

Trying to making things up for fun.. Sense of humor, really.

Oh, sorry. It just seemed a bit........ random.