# I don't understand this furigana **URL:** \ **Category:** Reading\ **Created:** [August 12, 2021, 10:13am UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/i-dont-understand-this-furigana/53001 "2021-08-12T10:13:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![schtitt](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/schtitt/32/380636_2.png) [@schtitt](https://community.wanikani.com/u/schtitt)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2021, 10:13am UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/i-dont-understand-this-furigana/53001/1 "2021-08-12T10:13:23Z")
![IMG_20210812_113532](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/original/4X/8/9/8/89805ca732ab1e62f89e16835f58af7f94f819d7.jpeg) Hey all! So I’m finally getting to read my favorite anime/manga, Rurouni Kenshin, and I’m a bit confused by the furigana here. 神谷活心流 is the かみやかっしんりゅう fighting style, and in the previous panel, those are the furigana used as well. But for whatever reason, in this panel, 谷 is furigana’d with a ウ instead. Same with 心, as you can see. What is going on here? ---
**Author:** ![Omun](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/omun/32/457654_2.png) [@Omun](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Omun)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2021, 10:37am UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/i-dont-understand-this-furigana/53001/2 "2021-08-12T10:37:07Z")
As I’m reading the situation: The author is implying that all the characters shouts in that moment is that it is “ウチの名を騙って,” but the author wants to keep things clear, since うち is so broad. I actually brought it up today on a different topic, and I think the same is happening here > [@When did you start reading?](https://community.wanikani.com/t/when-did-you-start-reading/52983/44): > > I think I’ve seen a joke usage as well, but otherwise mostly see it when a less common word is used and they want to keep things clear. The case that immediately comes to mind for me is アグレッシブ烈子, when the 部長 is rapping and the subs want to make sure the audience knows what the English word that he uses means. It lets you know what he means with the kanji, and shows what he’s saying in the moment with the katakana. The furigana shows what is being said, while the kanji shows what is meant. Looks like a tense scene, so I guess it would feel wrong for the characters to be taking the time to shout such a long term at at each other. So just reinforcing what うち is referring to, is my guess. 👍 ---
**Author:** ![edenoftheeast](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/edenoftheeast/32/423690_2.png) [@edenoftheeast](https://community.wanikani.com/u/edenoftheeast)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2021, 10:45am UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/i-dont-understand-this-furigana/53001/3 "2021-08-12T10:45:01Z")
can confirm ! that’s exactly what it is. and you’ll see it A Lot in manga/video games (at least i have). the furigana is always what is actually being spoken while the kanji shows what is meant/what the furigana is referring to. congrats on being able to start reading your favourite manga in japanese ! ---
**Author:** ![schtitt](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/schtitt/32/380636_2.png) [@schtitt](https://community.wanikani.com/u/schtitt)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2021, 11:00am UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/i-dont-understand-this-furigana/53001/4 "2021-08-12T11:00:47Z")
There you go! Thank you so much 🙏 🙏 🙏 ---
**Author:** ![jneapan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/jneapan/32/3868_2.png) [@jneapan](https://community.wanikani.com/u/jneapan)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 7:39am UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/i-dont-understand-this-furigana/53001/5 "2021-08-13T07:39:32Z")
Yeah, in cases like this, the furigana is the actual line being said, and the kanji provides more context. It’s a more artistic use of furigana that you’ll often see in manga or light novels, but less so in more serious literature. Don’t have much more to contribute to this thread, but I just wanted to point out it’s a very common thing in this type of books.