Meanings
yoi1
nounyoi (uncountable)
- uncountableA preparatory position in karate, with the arms slightly forward, elbows slightly bent, and fists closed.
- uncountableA bass sound found in dubstep music.
YOI2
nounYOI (plural YOIs)
plural YOIs
- abbreviationinitialismInitialism of young offender institution.
Considered by many to be even more dangerous than adult prisons, establishments such as Feltham YOI, west of London, closely replicate the feral violence of custodial institutions in the Victorian age.
2020 July 23, Chris Daw, “'A stain on national life': why are we locking up so many children?'”, in The Guardian
Origin
- Japanese用意“preparation”
- Englishyoi
Borrowed from Japanese 用意 (yōi, “preparation”).
More words from Japanese
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
yoi. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/yoi
MLA
“yoi.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/yoi. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “yoi,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/yoi.
Source: yoi on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.