Definition
A Japanese suicide pilot in World War II, or more broadly, a reckless, self-destructive action.
Etymology
From Japanese 'kami' (divine spirit) and 'kaze' (wind), originally meaning 'divine wind' (referring to storms that saved Japan from Mongol invasion); repurposed by Japan's military for suicide pilots.
Kelly Says
The word 'kamikaze' originally meant the storms that saved Japan from invasion in the 1200s—incredibly, Japan's military rebranded suicide missions with this mythical term to make them seem destined!
Translations
ARالعربية
قذيفة شنتو
[qadhif sha'ntu]
BNবাংলা
কামিকাজ
[ka-mi-ka-j]
CACatalà
kamikaze
ka-mi-ka-ze
CSČeština
kamikaze
ka-mi-ka-ze
DADansk
kamikaze
ka-mi-ka-ze
DEDeutsch
Kamikaze
ka-mi-ka-ze
ELΕλληνικά
καμikaze
[ka-mi-ka-ze]
ESEspañol
kamikaze
ka-mi-ka-ze
FAفارسی
کامیکازه
[ka-mi-kaːze]
FISuomi
kamikaze
ka-mi-ka-ze
FRFrançais
kamikaze
ka-mi-ka-ze
HAHA
kamikaze
ka-mi-ka-ze
HEעברית
קמיקזה
[ka-mi-ka-ze]
HIहिन्दी
कैमिकाज़
[ka-mi-ka-z]
HUMagyar
kamikaze
ka-mi-ka-ze
IDBahasa Indonesia
kamikaze
ka-mi-ka-ze
IGIG
kamikaze
ka-mi-ka-ze
ITItaliano
kamikaze
ka-mi-ka-ze
KKKK
қамикадзе
[qa-mi-ka-ze]
KMKM
កមikaze
[ka-mi-ka-ze]
MRMR
कॅमिकेज
[ka-mi-keːz]
MSBahasa Melayu
kamikaze
ka-mi-ka-ze
MYမြန်မာ
ကမikaze
[ka-mi-ka-ze]
NLNederlands
kamikaze
ka-mi-ka-ze
NONorsk
kamikaze
ka-mi-ka-ze
PAPA
ਕਾਮਿਕਾਜ਼
[ka-mi-kaːz]
PLPolski
kamikaze
ka-mi-ka-ze
PTPortuguês
kamikaze
ka-mi-ka-ze
RORomână
kamikaze
ka-mi-ka-ze
RUРусский
камикадзе
[kamikaze]
SVSvenska
kamikaze
ka-mi-ka-ze
SWKiswahili
kamikaze
ka-mi-ka-ze
TAதமிழ்
காமிகேஸ்
[ka-mi-keːs]
TEతెలుగు
కామికేజ్
[ka-mi-keːj]
THไทย
กามิกาเซ
[ka-mi-ka-se]
TLTL
kamikaze
ka-mi-ka-ze
TRTürkçe
kamikaze
ka-mi-ka-ze
UKУкраїнська
камікадзе
[kamikaze]
URاردو
کامیکاز
[ka-mi-ka-z]
VITiếng Việt
kamikaze
ka-mi-ka-ze
YOYO
kamikaze
ka-mi-ka-ze
ZUZU
kamikaze
ka-mi-ka-ze
Ethical Language Guidance
Gender History
Kamikaze pilots were exclusively men in WWII Japanese military. Modern English uses 'kamikaze' to mean reckless action, but Western narratives often erase the political coercion and propaganda that enabled recruitment, erasing structural violence against men enlisted.
Inclusive Usage
Use 'reckless,' 'suicidal mission,' or 'self-sacrificial' depending on context. If referencing historical kamikaze, center pilot agency and coercion rather than glorifying.
Inclusive Alternatives
["reckless","suicidal mission","self-sacrificial action"]