Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Japanese vocabulary: 60 words from the first episodes
After losing their bodies in a forbidden alchemy experiment, two brothers seek the Philosopher's Stone to get them back. Along with alchemy terms, you'll hear plenty of military language and everyday conversation.
About 52% of the words below are JLPT N5–N4, so Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is expect plenty of words beyond the beginner lists.
- Episodes 1–3
- 1,146 subtitle lines checked
- 60 words
- N5–N4: 52%
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 24 words · the first words any course teaches
- 何なに naniN5
what
何だよ そらっ 待てよー
- 私わたし watashiN5
I; me
氷結の錬金術師と私が手を組む
- 言ういう iuN5
to say; to utter; to declare
てえいっ ちっこい言うなあDon't call me little!
- 体からだ karadaN5
body; torso; trunk
うん その時は 兄さんの体も一緒だよYes, and when that happens, Brother, your body will be with it.
- 見るみる miruN5
to see; to look; to watch
錬金術ってやつ 初めて見たぜ
- 人ひと hitoN5
person; people
いない人にどうやって習うのさ
- 聞くきく kikuN5
to hear; to listen; to ask
授業ちゃんと聞かなきゃあ
- 来るくる kuruN5
to come
ああ それと あの少年も来ている
- 弟おとうと otoutoN5
younger brother; little brother; kid brother
たった１人の弟なんだよTake my heart! You can have it! So give him back! He's my only brother!
- 使うつかう tsukauN5
to use; to make use of; to put to use
諦めな 使おうにも水がないぜ
- 行くいく ikuN5
to go; to move; to head
私はこの子たちの家に行ったのさ
- 分かるわかる wakaruN5
to understand; to know
分かる？ お･と･う･となのUnderstand? Younger brother.
- 知るしる shiruN5
to know; to be aware; to be conscious
知れば 私のやろうと していることが分かるはずだ！If you know, you'll understand what I'm trying to do!
- 兄弟きょうだい kyoudaiN5
brothers and sisters; siblings; half-siblings
いや待て… エルリック兄弟だと？No, wait. Did you say the Elric brothers?
- 帰るかえる kaeruN5
to return; to come home; to go home
お父さんが帰ってくれば- Once Dad comes home... - Don't you talk about him!
- いいいい iiN5
good; fine; OK
いいねえ その重っ苦しい感じ
- 水みず mizuN5
water; fluid; liquid
諦めな 使おうにも水がないぜ
- 子供こども kodomoN5
child; children
子供と鎧を着た２人組でA child, and someone in a suit of armor.
- あなたあなた anataN5
you; dear; honey
きっとあなたの身長も伸びますよ！
- 自分じぶん jibunN5
myself; yourself; oneself
兄さんが自分の血で書いたんだ
- 書くかく kakuN5
to write; to compose; to pen
兄さんが自分の血で書いたんだ
- 今いま imaN5
now; the present time; just now
今の科学では ここまで分かってるのに―
- 食べるたべる taberuN5
to eat; to live on; to live off
こんなの食べたらお腹壊すわ
- はいはい haiN5
yes; okay
はいはいはいはい
JLPT N4 7 words · still beginner territory
- 石いし ishiN4
stone; rock; pebble
そう… ズバリ賢者の石！- You mean... - Yes, exactly. The Philosopher's Stone.
- ボクぼく bokuN4
I; me; you
あっ あのボクじゃなくて…
- 君きみ kimiN4
you; buddy; pal
君は度し難い異教徒のようだね
- 思うおもう omouN4
to think; to consider; to believe
死んだ人のことを思って泣くと
- はずはず hazuN4
should; bound; expected
水があれば沸騰するはずだ
- 科学かがく kagakuN4
science; to think about scientifically
錬金術は物質を 理解･分解･再構築する科学なりAlchemy is the science of understanding, decomposing,
- 子こ koN4
child; kid; teenager
すごい さすが父さんの子ねえ
JLPT N3 9 words · intermediate
- 神かみ kamiN3
god; deity; divinity
この地上に生ける神の子らよ
- お前おまえ omaeN3
you (rough, familiar)
お前が欲しがってたものだろ
- 国家こっか kokkaN3
state; country; nation
国家錬金術師に与えられる二つ名Yes, it's a second name given to State Alchemists.
- 元もと motoN3
origin; source; beginning
お母さんを元に戻せないかなあ
- 軍ぐん gunN3
army; armed forces; troops
軍の犬め よほど鼻がよいとみえるDog of the Military. Looks like your nose is pretty sharp.
- 交換こうかん koukanN3
exchange; interchange; switching
でも 等価交換無視してんぞBut he's ignoring equivalent exchange.
- あとあと atoN3
after; later; the rest
おお あとは錬金術だ
- まさかまさか masakaN3
by no means; never!; well, I never!
あり得ない まさか これは…
- 中央ちゅうおう chuuouN3
centre; center; middle
彼がこの中央に 潜入している
JLPT N2–N1 4 words · advanced
- オレおれ oreN1
I; me
あるいは内 そしてオレは…
- 人体じんたい jintaiN1
human body
人体錬成の真理があったWhat I seek was just ahead... The truth about human transmutation!
- 業ごう gouN1
karma; result of one's karma; fate
あんた 奇跡の業が使えるのかい？
- 地獄じごく jigokuN1
hell realm; misery; nightmare
あと１つでブラッドレイは 地獄に落ちるOne more and Bradley's on his way to hell.
Show and story words 16 words · not on the JLPT lists, but this series leans on them
- 錬金術れんきんじゅつ renkinjutsu
alchemy; way of making money; moneymaker
錬金術 ハッAlchemy...
- 兄さんにいさん niisan
big brother
兄さん なんか 変だよBrother, there's something strange here.
- 錬成れんせい rensei
use of alchemy; producing with alchemy; training
我が錬成をかわすとは―
- 賢者けんじゃ kenja
wise person; sage
東の賢者によって封印された 大エリクシルThe grand elixir, sealed away by the Eastern Sage.
- 鋼はがね hagane
steel; sword steel; sword
おお ご苦労だったね 鋼の錬金術師
- 鎧よろい yoroi
armor; armour
子供と鎧を着た２人組でA child, and someone in a suit of armor.
- 母さんかあさん kaasan
mom; mother
父さんも母さんも 戦場に連れて行かれて殺されたからMy mother and father were taken away to the battlefield and were killed there.
- 総統そうとう soutou
president; supreme ruler; generalissimo
バカッ！ キング･ブラッドレイ大総統閣下だStupid! His Excellency, President King Bradley.
- 教主きょうしゅ kyoushu
founder of a religious sect
副教主様… 何をなさるんですか？
- 奇跡きせき kiseki
miracle; wonder; marvel
あんた 奇跡の業が使えるのかい？
- 氷結ひょうけつ hyouketsu
freezing; freezing over
氷結の錬金術師と私が手を組むThe Freezing Alchemist and me, team up?
- 等価とうか touka
equivalence; equal value; parity
でも 等価交換無視してんぞ
- あいつあいつ aitsu
that guy; him; her (casual)
あいつ 何者なんだよ？
- あんたあんた anta
you (casual, often rude)
ああ あんたなんか心配して損した
- 貴様きさま kisama
you (contemptuous)
貴様 それで国家錬金術師とはな
- 禁忌きんき kinki
taboo; contraindication
錬金術師に禁忌ありAlchemists have a taboo and it is human transmutation.
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