Where does “shounen ai” come from?
shounen ai (English) comes from Japanese 少年愛, from Japanese 愛, from Old Japanese な, from Old Japanese の, from Middle Chinese 能 — talent, ability.
shounen ai (English): Outdated term used to refer to works of fiction ...
Definitions
- Outdated term used to refer to works of fiction ...
Ancestry of “shounen ai”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Japanese | 少年愛 | pederasty, love toward boys |
| 2 | Japanese | 愛 | love; affection; tenderness |
| 3 | Old Japanese | な | any sharp and thin cutting implement: a blade,... |
| 4 | Old Japanese | の | — |
| 5 | Middle Chinese | 能 | talent, ability |