Cowboy Bebop Japanese vocabulary: 60 words from the first episodes
Aboard the Bebop in 2071, a crew of bounty hunters drifts through the solar system chasing criminals for money. Their conversations are laid-back and adult, with vocabulary about crime and money.
About 68% of the words below are JLPT N5–N4, so Cowboy Bebop is manageable once you have the basics down.
- Episodes 1–3
- 823 subtitle lines checked
- 60 words
- N5–N4: 68%
How this list was made: we went through the Japanese subtitles of the first 3 episodes, reduced every word to its dictionary form, dropped names, sound effects and grammar particles, and kept the words that come up most. Each word has one short line from the show.
JLPT N5 32 words · the first words any course teaches
- 何なに naniN5
what
アシモフ･ソーレンサンだよ 何 聞いてんだThe guy's name is Asimov Solensan. Weren't you listening to me?!
- 言ういう iuN5
to say; to utter; to declare
金がないときは言うんだよ
- いいいい iiN5
good; fine; OK
ああ よし いいぞ でかいぞ
- ちょっとちょっと chottoN5
a little; just a moment
おい ちょっと待てよ スパイクFrom little kids to the elderly, if you love animals...
- 待つまつ matsuN5
to wait; to await; to look forward to
無理だと？ なぜだ？ おい 待てImpossible? Why? Hey, wait!
- 犬いぬ inuN5
dog; canine; squealer
やむを得ん 犬笛を使うぞ
- 女おんな onnaN5
woman; female; female lover
たく うるせえ女だぜMan, we got one yappy woman here... {9 frames}
- 私わたし watashiN5
I; me
私 賞金でも懸かってるわけ？
- 分かるわかる wakaruN5
to understand; to know
ああ 俺もよく分かんないけど
- 行くいく ikuN5
to go; to move; to head
やつらは火星に行くつもりだぜ
- 知るしる shiruN5
to know; to be aware; to be conscious
生きていたとは知らなかったな
- 目め meN5
eye; eyeball; eyesight
目に頼り過ぎなんだよ
- 持つもつ motsuN5
to hold; to take; to carry
妙に目立つスーツケースを 持ってたな
- 前まえ maeN5
in front; before; earlier
俺が生まれる前に死んでたよShe was dead before I was born.
- 見るみる miruN5
to see; to look; to watch
みんな そろって見てくれよ
- 話はなし hanashiN5
talk; speech; chat
お前の話を信用する気もないね
- こっちこっち kotchiN5
suddenly; abruptly; unexpectedly
こっちがキレそうだ
- もうもう mouN5
already; anymore; again
嫌！ もういらない あげるわよ
- 男おとこ otokoN5
man; male; fellow
学のない男ね ジプシーのことよ
- 渡すわたす watasuN5
to ferry across; to carry across; to traverse
警察に渡すには もったいない彼女 見かけによらず常習犯It's a shame we have to hand her to the police.
- 今いま imaN5
now; the present time; just now
信じてたさ 今どこだ？
- 死ぬしぬ shinuN5
to die
俺が生まれる前に死んでたよShe was dead before I was born.
- 悪いわるい waruiN5
bad; poor; undesirable
うるせえや 俺は今 機嫌が悪いんだ
- いくらいくら ikuraN5
how much; something over; and something
お前 いくら借金してんだ？
- 聞くきく kikuN5
to hear; to listen; to ask
おい 聞いたか？ イカサマだってよ
- 店みせ miseN5
store; shop; establishment
警察と私の店と どちらがお好みかな？Which do you prefer... the police, or my establishment?
- 出るでる deruN5
to leave; to exit; to go out
出てこい もう逃げられんぞ
- 使うつかう tsukauN5
to use; to make use of; to put to use
やつは例の目薬 使ってんだ
- 嫌いや iyaN5
disliking; not wanting; unwilling
嫌！ もういらない あげるわよ
- 来るくる kuruN5
to come
来たぞ 引け 引けー
- うるうる uruN5
to sell; to betray; to sell out
うるせえや 俺は今 機嫌が悪いんだ
- 動物どうぶつ doubutsuN5
animal
今回は とある研究機関から 実験動物を奪って逃走中なんだThis time, he snagged a test animal from a research facility, and is on the loose.
JLPT N4 9 words · still beginner territory
- 警察けいさつ keisatsuN4
police; police officer; police station
警察じゃなきゃ 金はもらえんOnly the police would give us money.
- 逃げるにげる nigeruN4
to run away; to flee; to get away
逃げた！ ジェットIt got away, Jet!
- わけわけ wakeN4
reason; meaning
私 賞金でも懸かってるわけ？
- 君きみ kimiN4
you; buddy; pal
もちろん君も それに協力する
- あがるあがる agaruN4
to rise; to go up; to come up
おい スパイク あがったぞ
- つもりつもり tsumoriN4
intention; plan; purpose
やつらは火星に行くつもりだぜ
- 捕まえるつかまえる tsukamaeruN4
to catch; to capture; to arrest
やつを捕まえるのは無理だ
- 夢ゆめ yumeN4
dream; hope; wish
いいだろ 夢の話なんだからOh come on, it's all part of the dream I had.
- 値段ねだん nedanN4
price; cost
魔法の鍵の値段としちゃあ 安いもんだろNot bad for the price of a magic key, eh?
JLPT N3 9 words · intermediate
- お前おまえ omaeN3
you (rough, familiar)
お前が壊した機体の修理と―
- 金きん kinN3
gold; first place
警察じゃなきゃ 金はもらえん
- 組織そしき soshikiN3
organization; organisation; formation
３日前 こいつの組織と―
- 情報じょうほう jouhouN3
information; news; report
ドクター 情報か？Doctor? You got information?
- 殺すころす korosuN3
to kill; to slay; to murder
殺したら賞金はパーよIf you kill him, kiss your reward good-bye.
- 食うくう kuuN3
to eat; to live; to make a living
くそーっ 塩振って食っちまうぞ
- 幸せしあわせ shiawaseN3
happiness; good fortune; luck
じゃあ きっと幸せになれるわ
- 今回こんかい konkaiN3
this time; now
今回は上物のはずだ
- 駄目だめ dameN3
no good; not serving its purpose; useless
駄目なら他をあたる
JLPT N2–N1 3 words · advanced
- 賞金しょうきん shoukinN2
prize money; monetary award; reward
殺したら賞金はパーよIf you kill him, kiss your reward good-bye.
- チップちっぷ chippuN2
tip; gratuity; foul tip
そちらはチップをこちらへ飛ばす
- 火星かせい kaseiN1
Mars
やつらは火星に行くつもりだぜ
Show and story words 7 words · not on the JLPT lists, but this series leans on them
- 俺おれ ore
I; me (casual, masculine)
俺は１回 死んでるんだよ
- あんたあんた anta
you (casual, often rude)
あんた自分の値段 知ってるか？
- やつやつ yatsu
guy; thing (casual)
やつらは火星に行くつもりだぜ
- こいつこいつ koitsu
this guy; this one (casual)
その前に こいつを売りさばく
- 野郎やろう yarou
guy; bastard (rude)
ばか野郎 この野郎 うん？
- 雑魚ざこ zako
small fish; small fry; nobody
雑魚はお前だYou are the small fry
- そいつそいつ soitsu
that guy (casual)
そいつを捜してたって うわさだが―
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