nishi

N1I1S1H4I1

noun

the left-hand (less prestigious) side of the banzuke (番付, “ranking list”)

OriginJapanese 西 →
Less commonScrabble 8
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Meanings

nishi1

nounnishi (plural nishi)
  1. governmentthe left-hand (less prestigious) side of the banzuke (番付, “ranking list”)
  2. governmenta rikishi (力士, “sumo wrestler”) listed on the left side of the banzuke
  3. governmentthe western side of the ring

Nishi2

proper noun
  1. A Sino-Tibetan language of the Tani branch.

Nishi3

proper nounNishi (plural Nishis)

plural Nishis

  1. A surname.

Origin

  1. Japanese西“west”
  2. Englishnishi

From Japanese 西 (nishi, “west”), from the way the western or left side of the sumo ranking list is considered less prestigious, by analogy with the setting sun as opposed to the rising sun.

More words from Japanese

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

nishi. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nishi

MLA

“nishi.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nishi. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “nishi,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nishi.

Source: nishi on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.