Vocabulary Mapping

Explore the key terms of Feudal Japan by interacting with the layers below. Click a term to see definitions, examples, and word parts.

Layer 1
Social Structure

Terms describing the social ladder of feudal Japan and how land, protection, and loyalty held the system together.

Definition
The highest figure in society, respected as a religious and cultural leader, but with little political power during the feudal era.
Example
“People honored the emperor, even while military leaders made most decisions.”
Word Within a Word
empire = territory ruled by a leader
Definition
The true military ruler who controlled the government and led the warrior class.
Example
“The shogun enforced order through warriors and alliances.”
Word Within a Word
gun (title part) = military authority (context clue)
Definition
Powerful landowning warlords who controlled regions and managed large estates, depending on warrior loyalty to protect land and defeat rivals.
Example
“A daimyo relied on warriors to defend his territory and enforce rules.”
Word Within a Word
domain = area of control (meaning connection)
Definition
The warrior class that served daimyo, protected land, and enforced the shogun’s authority. The word samurai means “those who serve.”
Example
“The samurai trained for battle and lived with discipline and loyalty.”
Word Within a Word
serve = to work for or support
Definition
Farmers and fishermen, considered important because they produced rice, the foundation of the economy.
Example
“Peasants worked the fields to grow rice that supported the whole system.”
Word Within a Word
peasant = rural worker (context clue)
Definition
A system built on land, protection, and loyalty, where military strength and alliances shaped power.
Example
“In Japanese feudalism, leaders gained support through protection and loyalty.”
Word Within a Word
feud = long conflict (meaning connection)
Definition
Faithful support to a leader or master, a central requirement for warriors and the wider system.
Example
“Warriors proved loyalty by defending their lord’s land even at great risk.”
Word Within a Word
loyal = faithful
Layer 2
Warrior Code

Terms detailing how training, weapons, and the bushido code shaped samurai identity and behavior.

Definition
A strict code of honor meaning “the way of the warrior,” teaching that loyalty to one’s master was more important than comfort, fear, or even life itself.
Example
“Under bushido, a warrior placed duty and loyalty above personal safety.”
Word Within a Word
do = way or path (meaning connection)
Definition
A sharp, curved sword, described as the samurai’s most prized weapon and believed to hold the warrior’s spirit.
Example
“The katana was carried with care because it symbolized the warrior’s spirit.”
Word Within a Word
curve = bent shape
Definition
Self-control and steady practice, expected of samurai in training, daily life, and service.
Example
“Daily practice required discipline to improve skill and control emotion.”
Word Within a Word
disc = learn (meaning connection)
Definition
A responsibility that must be done, especially a warrior’s obligation to serve and protect.
Example
“It was a samurai’s duty to protect land and carry out orders.”
Word Within a Word
due = owed
Definition
Bravery in the face of danger, one of the values emphasized by bushido.
Example
“The warrior showed courage by standing firm even when afraid.”
Word Within a Word
cour = heart (meaning connection)
Definition
Showing honor and proper behavior toward others, a core expectation within the warrior code.
Example
“Respect guided how warriors spoke, acted, and followed rules.”
Word Within a Word
spect = look (as in inspect)
Layer 3
Place and Identity

Terms that explain Japan’s geography, key resources, beliefs, and symbols that shaped how people lived and thought.

Definition
A chain of islands. Japan is an archipelago with thousands of islands, with most people living on four main islands.
Example
“Because Japan is an archipelago, travel and communication could be challenging.”
Word Within a Word
arch = chief or leading pelago = sea (meaning connection)
Definition
The foundation of the economy, important enough to be used like money to pay taxes and salaries.
Example
“A lord could collect rice as taxes to support warriors and government.”
Word Within a Word
eco = home (as in economy)
Definition
A religion many Japanese samurai followed, connected to discipline and meditation.
Example
“Some warriors practiced Buddhism to strengthen focus and calm.”
Word Within a Word
medit = think deeply
Definition
A religion connected to nature, also followed by many Japanese samurai.
Example
“Through Shinto, people honored spirits connected to natural places.”
Word Within a Word
nature = the natural world
Definition
Also called the White Heron Castle, originally built in 1346 as a fortification against local shoguns.
Example
“Himeji Castle was designed for defense during times of conflict.”
Word Within a Word
fort = strong place (as in fortress)

Cross-Content Connections

ELA and Word Study

Use word parts to decode meaning, like arch (chief) in archipelago, and connect meaning shifts across subjects. Practice building a “definition ladder” that moves from simple to precise.

Try it: If spect means “look,” how do inspect and respect connect?

Geography

Explain how living on an archipelago can affect communication, defense, and regional control. Connect resources to systems, like how rice can function as food and as economic power.

Try it: Label the four main islands and add one sentence about how seas shape travel.

Civics and Power

Compare the roles of emperor and shogun. One is symbolic and cultural, the other is military and governmental. Discuss how authority can come from tradition or force.

Try it: Write a claim: “Real power comes from…” then support it with two vocabulary terms.

Systems Thinking

Treat the hierarchy as a system: inputs (rice and labor), controls (rules and warriors), outputs (order and protection), and values (like bushido) that stabilize the system. What happens if loyalty breaks?

Try it: Draw arrows between daimyo, samurai, and peasants, then label each arrow.