what does goku mean in japanese
Sarah Scott
Updated on May 25, 2026
The name Goku is boy’s name of Japanese origin meaning “aware of emptiness”. Goku is the name of the protagonist of the popular “Dragon Ball” manga series, which was turned into a live action film. The character of Goku is reportedly based on Sun Wukong, the hero of the Chinese legend Journey to the West.
What does the name Goku mean?
“Wukong,” “Goku,” and “Ogong” all mean “Awakening to Emptiness” in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean, respectively, and the Chinese dub also refers to Goku as “Wukong” by that proxy.
Is Goku a Chinese name?
Re: Meaning of Goku’s name? His name is the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese name Sun Wukong, the protagonist of the classic tale “Journey to the West”.
What does the Goku symbol mean?
Goku’s kanji, 悟, pronounced Go (meaning “wisdom” or “enlightenment”) is the kanji that Goku sports on both the front and back of his uniform after completing his intense gravity training on board his spaceship on his way to Namek.
Who is Goku in anime?
Son Goku ( 孫 そん 悟空 ごくう , Son Gokū), born Kakarot (カカロット, Kakarotto), is a Saiyan raised on Earth and the overall main protagonist of the Dragon Ball series. Kakarot originally was sent to destroy Earth as an infant, there he would be adopted by Grandpa Gohan who named him Son Goku.
Is Goku a real name?
Son Goku’s name is derived from the Japanese translation of the Chinese characters which make up the name Sun Wukong, a hero from Journey to the West.
How rare is the name Goku?
1 out of every 91,572 baby boys born in 2020 are named Goku.
Why is Goku called Kakarot?
His pride is what comes into play when addressing Goku as Kakarot. Even though most people know and recognize him as Son Goku, that is not his birth name. He got that name from his guardian Son Gohan, whom he later named his son after. Goku’s birth name is actually Kakarot, given by his father Bardock and mother Gine.
Is Goku a God?
Goku is also stated to be the ‘God of the Dragons’ as the ‘First Omni-King’ was said to be the most powerful dragon in existence. It is stated by Shido that Goku can easily erase Erion and also his former and most powerful incarnation the Fallen by only in his base and Super Saiyan forms.
Why does Kid Goku have a tail?
Of course, Dragon Ball fans would go on to learn that every Saiyan in Universe 7 is born with a tail. The appendage is a took which Saiyans use their entire lives, and it even allows them to tap into their Great Ape power on full moons.
What does Kamehameha mean?
The infant prince was ordered to be put to death by Alapai but was reared secretly and grew to manhood, taking the name Kamehameha, meaning “The Very Lonely One” or “The One Set Apart.”
What is Goku’s outfit called?
Gi, also called Keikogi (稽古着 or 稽古衣, Keikogi lit. “training clothes”) or Dōgi (道着, Dōgi lit. “clothes of the way” or “martial arts uniform”), is a type of clothing most people wear when they are performing martial arts, and are worn often in the Dragon Ball series.
What does Goku always say?
One of the most recognizable part of every Dragon Ball Super next episode preview is Masako Nozowa’s Goku catchphrase, “Yo! I’m Goku!” before the narration for the preview.
Can Naruto beat Goku?
Although Naruto’s physical strength isn’t on the level of Goku, he can certainly do well against him in a fight. With overpowered abilities, such as Six Paths Sage Mode, Naruto can definitely take Goku on.
Can Zeno beat Goku?
That said, it really does seem like Zeno will stay the strongest god in Dragon Ball for the foreseeable future. His level of power is so incomprehensible that it seems highly unlikely Goku will ever fight Zeno, let alone beat him.
Is Luffy like Goku?
Luffy Is A Pirate Goku. One of Goku’s biggest fans is Eiichiro Oda, the man behind the manga that outpaced Dragon Ball itself. Unsurprisingly, Oda grew up loving Dragon Ball and his admiration of Goku influenced the creation of his own manga and anime icon, Monkey D. Luffy.