Since its anime debut in 2016, “My Hero Academia” has remained one of the most popular series of the modern era. At its center is the ambitious young hero, Izuku Midoriya, who goes by the name “Deku” on the show. The series is very much like Kōhei Horikoshi’s manga upon which it is based, and there are “My Hero Academia” fans all around the world, including a large number in the United States.

Because the series is based on a Japanese comic book, there are some cultural references that don’t seamlessly translate from the original language into English. These include numerous references throughout, but at the center of the confusion is “My Hero Academia” lead Midoriya’s chosen name: Deku. It’s not a name that has a direct English translation, leaving many viewers in the West unsure about its meaning. And while the show does go into the name and why Midoriya chose it for his hero persona, the confusion around what it fully means is common.

It’s important to note that Midoriya doesn’t select the name out of a hat; it holds a great deal of meaning to him. And for anyone fluent in Japanese, odds are, the name might make them laugh — right up until the moment Midoriya’s actions prove his reason for choosing it. That said, you can sit through all 150+ episodes and nine original video animations (OVA) and still wonder what it means, because without the cultural context, “Deku” is meaningless to fans in the West — here’s what it’s all about.

Before we get into the specifics about the “Deku” name, you’ll need to understand a little bit of background about the series and its main character. “My Hero Academia” is set in a world where most people have Quirks, which is the in-universe name given to what we’d call superpowers. Almost everyone has them, but for the 20% who don’t, they’re left to watch as the heroes get together to save the world. Izuku Midoriya is one such person, and all he wants is to be a hero.

More specifically, Midoriya wants to attend U.A. High School, the most prestigious school for heroes. Of course, he has a bit of a problem as he’s entirely Quirkless, which made him the target of bullying as he grew up. A chance encounter with the world’s greatest superhero ends with a twist, giving Midoriya a Quirk, but it’s something he has to work incredibly hard to receive, control, and use; it also grants him entry into U.A. High School.

The series continues, focusing primarily on Midoriya and his schoolmates, all of whom are highly competitive, as is their nature. Soon after school begins, the League of Villains makes their presence known, threatening Midoriya, his friends, and everything he holds dear. It will be up to him and his fellow classmates to take on the threat for which they’re woefully unequipped, making their education one of the primary focuses of the show.

Because he was born Quirkless, Midoriya suffers from a great deal of jealousy and a sense of inadequacy. But despite his lack of superpowers, Midoriya puts his life on the line to save another, an action that is noticed by All Might, the world’s most powerful and top-rated superhero. Seeing something in Midoriya, All Might explains that he possesses a transferable Quirk called One For All.

While All Might promises to give Midoriya his Quirk, it comes with a major condition: Midoriya must build up and prepare his body for the rigors of using the Quirk. The young man does as asked, and All Might fulfills his promise, passing on his Quirk and making Midoriya the ninth person to inherit and possess One For All. Though he inexpertly wields One For All, with a great deal of difficulty, Midoriya manages to pass the exam to be welcomed into the highly prestigious Class 1-A at U.A. High School.

Over time, Midoriya develops his skills to better wield One For All. Through his struggles, he faces off against some seriously deadly enemies. By working with his classmates and other established heroes, Midoriya takes on a variety of villainous threats, though it’s not easy. That’s the gist of the series, without spoiling too much of the plot, which is exceptional. Midoriya is an evocative character, given his shortcomings and determination to overcome them, making him a hero whether he has powers or not. But the question remains: what does his chosen hero name of “Deku” mean?

Throughout his childhood, the empowered bullies who tormented him called Midoriya “Deku,” which means “wooden figure” or “wooden puppet” in Japanese. It can also be translated into “dummy” and is essentially a slang term for calling a person useless. That stuck because, before he gained a Quirk, Midoriya was exactly that in the eyes of his peers. Eventually, Midoriya adopts the name Deku as his superhero identity, but why would he do such a thing?

Midoriya’s classmate, Ochaco Uraraka, convinced him to do so as a means of embracing the name to overcome its meaning. In Japanese, “deku” sounds much like “dekiru,” which translates into “able to.” This is antithetical to “deku,” so Midoriya’s choice to take on the name is more of a play on words than anything else. Of course, this is all meaningless to many in the West who don’t understand Japanese or the cultural nuances of the language’s slang.

Midoriya’s chosen hero name is a nuanced means of embracing something negative and transforming it into something that’s positive. It’s an exceptional use of the Japanese language in character development that’s sadly lost on anyone unfamiliar with the language. Ultimately, by giving the character the name Deku, it’s been entirely reclaimed. Many fans in Japan and elsewhere wear, collect, and play with Deku-branded merchandise, transforming the derogatory slang from something intended to be hurtful into a word that evokes a feeling of empowerment.