Yasha does NOT mean female demon in Japanese! There was an ask about it on Talks Machina After Dark and I need to clarify because it is NOT and I do not appreciate people making this mistake. Yasha in Japanese is spelled 夜叉 which is literally spirits from Buddhism and Hinduism. They’re originally from Hinduism and are benevolent spirits but in Buddisim they are seen as evil spirits or demons. This view is what came to Japan. Also their name changes depending on the sex of the spirit. Yasha is the general name and is actually spelled yaksha in English. Yasha is literally a direct reading from the Japanese kanji and Japan changed their pronunciation to Yasha. If the demon is male the name is yaksa and if it’s female its yakshi or yakshini.
I know you guys are all probably thinking about sailor moon and stuff but please PLEASE do not say that her name means female demon because it does not. If you want a direct translation it literally just means demon! That’s it. So you can say her name means demon in Japanese but it does not mean female demon.
That’s been bothering me for a while, but I lack the formal knowledge to back me up, unlike OP. But, like, did none of your guys ever hear of Inu Yasha? That was definitely no female demon. Am I now officially old if no one ever heard of that? Geez.
Overdressed & Underappreciated 