Serious question about my nicname

Ikyoto

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I know that ikyoto-jin is rather rude, but I've had the nicname "Ikyoto" since a teacher gave it to me over 30 years ago.

Does it bother any Japanese people that I use it?
 
Let's have a poll. ;)

I think it means somethig like 'heathen' or 'not of the same faith.' The idea is probably related to the Hebrew concept of 'ha goyim,' a foreigner, normally translated

?ٖM?l (ihoujin) ???ق????? (ihoujin) (n) - foreigner; gentile; stranger

But when the emphsais is shifted to the person's belief system itself, it can also be translated as

?ً??k (ikyouto) ?????傤?? (ikyouto) (n) - heretic; pagan

For the Hebrews it meant a non-beliving, non-Hebrew person. For the Christians, it meant non-Christians. Therefore your instructor could have meant some humor in either your being 'a foreigner,' 'non-kosher,' 'non-christian,' 'non-Japanese,' or simply your choice to be 'non-conformist.'

Which one do you think (s)he meant by giving you this (ig)noble name of ikyouto-jin ?

1. foerigner
2. non-Jewish / non-Japanese
3. non-christian (pagan, heathen)
4. heretic christian (unorthodox christian)
5. non-conformist
 
I think you know the answer already; just trying to confirm, right ?

Ikyoto said:
Does it bother any Japanese people that I use it?
I'm not Japanese so I can only guess. Since the Japanese are predominatly non-christian, the idea of calling a non-Japanese a 'pagan' or 'heathen' would sound rather odd & humorous; even in English it sounds like a 1,000 yr old term. I'm sure a well-read, cosmopolitan Japanese would see the humor in it one way or another. For the average Japanese, it might sound odd, but since you are a foreigner (are you ?), you can get away with it. An "odd" foreigner" that is. I would assume trying to get that registered officially or starting a family with such a strange Japanese name WILL become a problem. But hey, what's a nick if it doesn't shock, insult, or at least amuse the reader ?
 
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The way I got it was my first sensei would "correct" my behavior (which usually resulted in me looking up at the rafters wondering when the ability to breath and blink would return). He would then shuffle away muttering under his breath - "mmmmm.... ikyoto-jin".

It took about 6 years before his nephew would translate it for me, saying "its just a bad name" - He said it means "someone who is damned".

Essentally the O-Sensei was walking away muttering "damn him to hell" and it became just Ikyoto - kind of like "damned kid" :cool:
 

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