Ch.60 Vol.7 | Yomoya yomoya! by Rengoku

Welcome to Kimetsu no Japanese, a site for learning Japanese from a manga Demon Slayer.

Today’s topic

Ch.60 Vol.7
Kyojuro Rengoku (煉獄 杏寿郎)

うたた寝ねしている間まに　こんな事態じたいに　なっていようとは！！　よもや　よもやだ

So this is what happened while I was dozing? I can’t believe it!

Reference source : 五峠呼世晴 (2017) 鬼滅の刃7 集英社
Reference source :KOYOHARU GOTOUGE. (2019). DEMON SLAYER : KIMETSU NO YAIBA. VIZ Media, LLC

Yomoya… this word sounds funny, isn’t it? What is “yomoya”?

Telling the truth, I’ve never used or heard this phrase before reading this manga, but in 2020 it has become one of the most popular phrases in Japan thanks to Rengoku. Even small kids know it now..!

While he was dozing in Mugen Train, terrible things happened in there. Today’s topic is a sentence he said when he saw the situation just after the nap. You can listen to “yomoya yomoya” in the Kimetsu movie trailer. (around 30sec)

『劇場版「鬼滅の刃」無限列車編』公開中PV

Lesson

JPN	うたた寝ねしている間まに / こんな事態じたいに / なっていようとは！！ / よもや　よもやだ
JPN♪	utatane shiteiru mani / konna jitaini / natte iyōtowa / yomoya yomoya da
ENG	It’s unbelievable such a thing happened while I was dozing! No way, no way!

WORD	JPN♪	MEANING
うたた寝ね	utatane	a short sleep
している間まに	shiteiru ma ni	during doing (something) shiteiru : doing ma ni : during
こんな事態じたいに	konna jitai ni	such a situation konna : such jitai : situation ni : <Postpositional particle> used for reaching a resulting situation or place
なっていようとは	natte iyōtowa	I cannot believe that something has become (such an unexpected result) – – – になる(ni naru) : <standard form> to become – – –
よもや	yomoya	it can’t be possible, unlikely, no way (= まさか masaka) <adjective use> よもやの (yomoya no) = まさかの (masaka no) improbable, unlike

Explanation | Yomoya

We rarely use “yomoya” for conversations. It is used more in text, novels, formal expressions, historical dramas, etc.
There is also a similar word that we more often use like “まさか (masaka)”, that’s why we don’t have to use “yomoya” for a daily use. 

“Yomoya” is used for something which cannot be happened.
Let’s see some examples.

JPN	JPN♪	MEANING
よもやお前まえは鬼おにではあるまいな	yomoya omae wa oni dewa arumaina.	You cannot be a demon, can’t you? (expressing surprises)
炭治郎たんじろうはよもや負まけることはないだろう	Tanjiro wa yomoya makerukoto wa nai daro	Tanjiro would surely not be defeated.
善逸ぜんいつが寝ねるとよもやの出来事できごとが起おこる	Zenitsu ga neruto yomoya no dekigoto ga okoru	When Zenitsu is asleep, improbable things happen.

Rengoku is like a Kabuki actor

“Yomoya” is sometimes used even these days, but it’s almost an old word.
It sounds stylish and a little old-fashioned. “Stylish” in this case, chic and cool, in Japanese it is called “粋 iki”. 

This is only my opinion, but Rengoku reminds me of a Kabuki actor. Kabuki is one of popular cultures developed in Edo period when samurai warriors were striding. Kabuki is very much 粋 (cool)! They always perform exaggeratedly.

Kabuki actors use old-fashioned words in their performance. In Kabuki, they repeat a word to emphasize the meaning of the word and the atmosphere of the scene.

As for “Yomoya”, only one yomoya can be understood but repeating “yomoya yomoya” makes the meaning exaggerated. By the repeated words, it is recognized easily that Rengoku was surprised very much (he didn’t look surprised though, rather amused!)

I can see the world of Kabuki by the word of “yomoya yomoya” and through Rengoku, his appearance.
Rengoku looks like kabuki actor…doesn’t he? 

I think so not only for his appearance, but for his attitude (slightly bombastic) and his way of talking (his voice is always big!).
Also… for his big bulging eyes.

That’s all!

Get the meaning of “yomoya” a little?

Whatever happens, Rengoku looks always calm and cool, and passionate!
Like Rengoku, in order to become a strong-willed person, to be calm and not to care much about your mistakes, why not say a magic word, “yomoya yomoya”!