Pronunciation: [kˈa͡ɪd͡ʒuː] (IPA) 
The word "kaiju" is a Japanese term that refers to giant monsters featured in movies and television shows. The word is spelled phonetically as [kaɪdʒu] in IPA, which translates to "kye-zhoo." The "k" sound is pronounced as a hard "k" sound, while the "a" is pronounced as a long "i" sound. The "j" sound is pronounced as a "zh" sound, similar to the "s" in "pleasure." The "u" at the end is pronounced with a very short vowel sound.
Kaiju is a Japanese term that refers to a specific genre of fictional creatures or monsters typically found in the world of science fiction, fantasy, and especially in Japanese film and television. The word "kaiju" translates to "strange beast" or "giant beast" in English.
In popular culture, kaiju often represent colossal, destructive creatures that wreak havoc upon cities, battling each other or humanity's attempts to subdue them. They are frequently depicted as gigantic, towering figures, often with reptilian or dinosaur-like appearances, possessing extraordinary size, strength, and sometimes magical or extraterrestrial origins. These mighty beings engage in epic battles that showcase their immense power and devastation, often causing widespread destruction and chaos.
The origins of kaiju can be traced back to the tales of mythical creatures in Japanese folklore. However, they gained significant popularity in the 1950s and 1960s, primarily due to the success of Japanese films featuring these iconic creatures, such as Godzilla. Since then, kaiju have become a prominent staple in Japanese pop culture and have influenced various forms of media, including movies, video games, comics, and television shows.
The term "kaiju" is now also recognized and used internationally to describe similar types of monstrous creatures found in other cultures or any fictional work that features massive, destructive beings. Kaiju represent the embodiment of humankind's fear of the unknown, the uncontrollable forces of nature, and the consequences of meddling with science and technology beyond our comprehension.
The word "kaiju" is of Japanese origin. It consists of two kanji characters: 怪 (kai) meaning "strange" or "mysterious", and 獣 (ju) meaning "beast" or "creature". Together, they create the word 怪獣 (kaiju), which translates to "strange beast" or "monster". The term is commonly used in Japanese popular culture to refer to giant monsters in films, specifically in the Kaiju genre. The concept of kaiju has gained international recognition through movies like Godzilla, Mothra, and King Kong.
