Dragon Ball Character Names in Other Languages

Dragon Ball is very popular across the globe. The manga has been translated into dozens of languages, and the TV series is broadcast from Korea to Spain, and back. So, of course, the characters' names are going to suffer a bit when rendered into other languages (and even more so when the production company has little respect for its audience: Harmony Gold being one such example.)

Below is a small sampling of the character names, by country. I am keeping this list frill-free, so that it can be easily read by everyone, no matter what browser they are using.

If you have an addition to the list, please e-mail it to me at the below address.

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File History

Many people helped contribute to this list. Including:

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Japan

Don't be silly. This list of names can be found in the
Character Guides.

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U.S.A. (Funimation version)

(Japanese)(Translation)
Shuu Shao
Puaru Puar
Ranchi Launch
Buruma Bulma
Gokuu Gokou
MutenroshiMaster Roshi
Kuririn Krillen
The rest of the names are unchanged.

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Catalan / Andorra

(Japanese) (Translation)
Buruma Bulma
Puuaru Puar
Oolong Ulong
Kamesennin Follet Tortuga
Gyuu Maou Called as: Chi Chi's father
Tonin Jinka Mestre Pastanaga
Kushami Lunch
Ranchi Lunch
Kuririn Krilin
Jackie Chun Jackie Chen
Red Sousui Comandant Red
White Shogun Coronel White
Android 8 Android 8 (later he changes his name to Super 8)
Gomu Gum
Blue Shogun Coronel Blue
Yellow Taisa Coronel Groc
Upa UpE
Bora Called as UpEs father
Violet Taisa Coronel Violeta
Uranai Baba Bruixa Baba, Baba la vident
Tsurusennin Corb Genial
Chao-zu Chaos (pronunced as Xaos)
Piccolo Satanas Cor Petit, Cor petit
Tamborine Tambori
Cymbol Cimbal
Yajirobee Yajirobai
Mutaito Sama Mutaito
Everyone else remains unchanged.

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Portugal

(Japanese) (Translation)
Piccolo Coraçãozinho de SatE(Little Heart Satan)
Mr. Satan Hércules
Son Gokuu Songoku
Son Gohan Songohan
Son Goten Songoten
Kamesennin Tartaruga Genial (Genius Turtle)
Kuririn Crilin
Chi Chi Kika
Chao-zu Chaos
#16,#17,#18 Ciborgue 16, Ciborgue 17, Ciborge 18
Vejiita Vegetta
Kintoun Nuvem Mágica (Magic Cloud)
Kami-sama Todo-poderoso / Criador (All Mighty / Creator)
Freeza Freezer
Trunks Tranks
Everyone else remains unchanged.

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Spain

(Japanese) (Translation)
Son Gokuu Son Goku
Vejiita Vegeta
Kuririn Krilin
Kame-sennin Duende Tortuga (Imp Turtle)
Oolong Ulom
Yamcha Yamsha
Puaru Puar
Gyuumaoh Gyuma
Radditz Raditz
Cel Celula (Cell)
Ranchi Lange (?)
Kami-sama Dios (God)
Red Ribbon characters: Direct translations of names of colors.
Androids: Direct translations of numbers.
Everyone else remains unchanged.

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Spain

(Japanese) (Translation)
Buruma Bulma
Puaru Pual
Oolong Uron
Gokuu Goku
Ranchi Lange (pronounced as Jessica Lange) or "Lansh"
Mutenroshi Maestro Roshi
Tsurusennin Maestro Tsuru
Senpyou/Karin Maestro Karin
Chaozu Chaoz
Kuririn Krilyn
Gyuu Maou Oxsatan
Chi Chi Milk
Umigame Tortuga
Kintoun Nube Voladora
Piccolo Daimaou Piccoro Daimaku
Ma Jr. Majunia
Jinzouningen 8 Go / Hatchan Robot Octavio
Red Ribbon Patrulla Roja
Everyone else remains unchanged.
Rolando says -- I have seen a DB dub by the name: "Zero y el Dragon Magico" or "Zero and the Magic Dragon", running wild in Mexico, I will make a little research, and provide the details later.

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Cantonese Dub

Note that there are two slightly different versions of the Cantonese names. One is from TVB, a local television station, and the other is from a famous Hong Kong comics publisher. Most of the below names are the same for both versions.

(Japanese) (Translation)
Tenshinhan "Tianjin": rice. (Tianjin is a place in China near Beijing), which is the same as kanji.
Gohan "Ng" fan (Ng is pronunced like "n" sound).
Buruma "Chong Tze", which was a famous philosopher in ancient China.
Kamesennin "Gwai Sin Yan" (same as the kanji.)
Taopaipai "To Pak Pak" (same as the kanji.)
Piccolo "Tak Chi Mor tung" (Tak Chi = flute; Mor = evil; tung = child;) or simply "Mor Tung".
Trunks "To Lai Ga Sze" (phonetic pronounciation of the Japanese word.)
Vejiita "Bay Tat" (phonetic pronounciation of the Japanese word.)
Freeza "Fay Lay" in the TVB version,
"Fay Sha" in the comic version.
Names of other characters unknown.

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Comments on the Chinese Version

According to "Dot Warner":
Tong Li is supposedly the "legal" company which translates DB manga, but there have been several different translations of the names.
FYI: In vol. 28 (and maybe others, I'm not sure) of the Tong Li comics, Vegita calls Goku "Goku". Tong Li is also the company which mistranslated Freeza as "Pilaf".

(Japanese) (Translation)
Yamcha "Yin Cha", a literal translation of the pun
Pooaru "Pu Er", another literal translation of the pun (Pu Er is a kind of tea, like Oolong)
Lunch/Kashumi "La Chi", a phonetic translation
Karin-Sama "Ka Li Shen", a more-or-less phonetic translation
Ginyuu "Chi Nyu", phonetic
Nappa "Na Bah", phonetic
Mister Satan "Sa Dan Shian Sheng", "Sa Dan" is phonetic, "Shian Sheng" is Chinese for "Mister"
Majin Buu "Muo Ren Poo Oo", "Muo Ren" is from the Kanji, "Poo Oo" phonetic
Kaio Shin "Jie Wang Shen Shi En", "The God of Kaios, Shin" (A bit redundant...^^;)
Pan "Pan", phonetic
Bra "Bu La", phonetic
Marron "Ma Lun", phonetic
Karin-sennin "Ka Li Shen", "Karin God"
Dai Kaiou-shin "Di Shi-wu Dai Jie Wang Shen", The 15th Generation Kaiou-shin
Names of other characters unknown.

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Harmony Gold Dub (Country?)

(Japanese) (Translation)
Oolong Sadaki
Gokuu Zero
These names are questionable, and need further researching.

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Mandarin (Taiwan) Comics

Note that there are several different companies that bootlegged the series, so there are several names for some characters: For most of the ones that had kanji names, they are preserved; some are completely sound-based transliterations.

(Japanese) (Translation)
Seru (Cell) Sai-lu
Buruma Buu-Ma
Kuririn Kuh-lin
Kame-sennin Gweh Shen Rwen
Muten Roshi Wu-tien Sss-Fuu
Yamucha Yah-mu
Puaru Pu-ya-lu
Yajirobe Ya-chi-lwoh-bay
Vejita Da-er
Freeza Foh-li-za
Pilaf Bi-la-fu
Kakaroto Ka-lwoh-tuh
Vejito Da-lwoh-tuh
Kaiou Gieh-won
Majin Buu Mwoh-rwen Pu-wu
Piccolo Bi-kuh
Goten Wu-tien
Dende Dan dan

Variation 2

(Japanese) (Translation)
Son Gokuu Suen Wu Kong (Same kanji)
Son Gohan Suen Wu Fan (Same kanji)
Buruma Ya Tou ("Girl")
Buruma Bu Ma (sound)
Kamesennin Gueh Shen Ren (Same kanji)
Muten Roshi Wu Tien Lao Sh (Same kanji)
Yamucha Luh Ping (based on his clothes)
Yamucha Ah Luh (ditto)
Pooaru Wu Ur (="Woo-chan" ??)
Gyuu Ma Oh Nyu Mwo Wang (Same kanji)
Chichi Chi Chi (Same kanji)
Shenlon Sen Long (Same kanji)
Pilaf Bee La Fu (sound)
Soba (Shuu) Su Ba (sound)
Kuririn Kuh Lin (sound)
Ranchi Lan Di (sound)
Namu Nan Wu (translated to Indian first)
Ranfaan Lan Fan (sound)
Jackie Chun Jie Kuh Chen (sound)
Jackie Chun Chen Lung (pun on Jackie Chan's Chinese name)
Silver In (meaning)
Red Hon (meaning)
Black Hei (meaning)
White Bai (meaning)
Murasaki Ts ("Purple")
Jinzouningen Sen Hwa Ren ("Born Created Person"=="Artificial Human")
Hachi-go Ba Hau (meaning)
Blue Lan (meaning)
Yellow Whang (meaning)
Taopaipai Tao Bai Bai (same kanji)
Taopaipai Tao Bai (sounds more Chinese)
Tsurusennin Huh Shen Ren (same kanji)
Tenshinhan Tien Jing Han (same kanji)
Chaozu Jao Tzu (same kanji)
Chapa Ou Sha Ba Wan (sound/kanji)
Piccolo Bi Kuh (sound)
Yajiirobee Mi Ts Lan (kanji for Japanese name "Yajirou")
Ma Junior Bi Kuh (=Piccolo)
Kami-sama Sen (kanji for "kami")
Mister Popo Pu Pu Shen Sen (sound/translation)
Shen Shih Yuen (sound/Chinese-sounding name)
Kakaroto Ka Ka Lwo Tuh (sound)
Vegeta Da Ur (I still can't figure this out)
Kaiou-sama Jeh Wan (same kanji)
Enmadaiou Yen Lwo Da Wan (same kanji)
Freeza Fu Li Sa (sound)
Freeza Bi La Fu (confusion with Pilaf[!])
Ginyuu Special Task Force(translated into parodies of names of "evil Japanese" from Chinese pulp fiction)
Trunks Tuh Nan Kuh Sh (sound)
Cell Sai Lu (sound)

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Korean Version (I don't know if there is a Korean dub)

(Japanese) (Translation)
Son Gokuu Son O Gong
Son Gohan Son O Ban (pronounced "bahn")
Son Goten Son O Chun
Gotenks O Chunks (pronounced "o chun-ki-su")
Bulma Buruma
Yamcha Yamuchi
Vegeta Vegeta
Freeza Hu-ree-ja
Cell Cell
Majin Buu Maien Buu (pronouced "ma-ein-boo")
Uubu Uubu (pronuced "oo-bu")
The rest of the names are unchanged.

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France

(Japanese) (Translation)
Piccolo Satan Petit Coeur (Little Heart Satan)
Piccolo Hercule (Changed when Mr. Satan showed up)
Son Gokuu Sangokou
Son Gohan Sangohan
Son Goten Sangoten
Kami-sama le Tres Haut
Karin-sama Master Karine
Kamesennin Tortue Geniale (Genius Turtle)
Kuririn Krillin
Ranchi Lunch
Kakkarot Cachalot (Whales)
Oolong Oolon
Puaru Plume
Shin Kaiou Neptune
Majin Buu Boubou
The rest of the names are unchanged.

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You can contact me at: riemann96@yahoo.com



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