kyojin

Kyojin is a Japanese noun meaning "giant" or "titan," written with the kanji 巨人, comprised of 巨 (giant) and 人 (person). It is typically read きょじん (kyōjin) in standard Japanese, and in transliterations it appears as Kyojin or Kyōjin, depending on the system used. As a common noun, kyojin describes unusually large beings or people and is used across folklore, literature, and everyday language to evoke great size or power.

In modern popular culture, the term is widely recognized through its use in Shingeki no Kyojin, the Japanese title of the manga and anime known in English as Attack on Titan. In that work, 巨人 refers to sentient humanoid creatures that pose a existential threat to humanity. The English title often renders the term as "Titan," reflecting an interpretive translation rather than a direct one-to-one mapping of the Japanese word.

Beyond this notable example, kyojin can appear in various fictional works as a character name, creature type, or thematic motif associated with giants. It also functions in discussions of mythology and fantasy to categorize beings that resemble giants in size and strength.

See also: Giant, Titan, Shingeki no Kyojin.