Translation guide
A famous historical event in Japan where 47 masterless samurai avenged their lord's death, embodying the ideals of bushido loyalty and honor.
The 47 Ronin (historical event)
The 47 Ronin (popular story)
Most common in everyday conversation about the tale.
Referring to the actual 18th-century vendetta and its participants.
The formal historical name for the Akō incident, the vendetta carried out by the 47 ronin.
The Akō incident began in 1701.
The popular title for fictionalized accounts of the 47 ronin story, literally 'Treasury of Loyal Retainers'. Used for plays, films, and TV dramas.
Chūshingura is a famous kabuki play.
Literally 'the forty-seven warriors', a direct reference to the group.
The graves of the forty-seven warriors are at Sengaku-ji temple.
Referring to the idealized tale of loyalty and sacrifice, often invoked in discussions of Japanese values.
In English, 'The 47 Ronin' is the standard name. In Japanese, the story is almost always called 忠臣蔵 (Chūshingura). Using a direct translation like 四十七人の浪人 is understandable but sounds unnatural; it's not the established name.
The Akō ronin's raid took place on December 14th.