Unlike Seme and Uke, in Yuri, the terms that define the characters are not based on their position in sex, but instead, the personality of the character. The main terms in Yuri are Tachi, Neko, and Riba.
▍Tachi – タチ
Tachi can have several literal meanings, a single-edged sword used by samurai (太刀) or even “tatsu” which means to stand ( Tatsu – 起つ)/ standing up (Tachi – 起ち), but in Yuri terms, Tachi is the character in the CP with a more masculine personality. Although the terms can be a symbol to the male penis, which would make them the top in the relationship, as mentioned before, in Yuri relationships are defined by the character’s personality rather than the position in sex. The closest English slang to Tachi would be Butch.
▍Neko – ネコ
Neko is used for the bottom in the relationship. There are multiple arguments which debates what the origin of the term is, from neko being taken from the Nekuruko which means someone you sleep with, or Neko taken from English as a slang for the vagina (surely you know which slang…).
▍Riba – リバ(Reversible – リバーシブル)
A borrowed word from English, Reversible, this is used for a partner who can play both the top and the bottom role. Generally speaking, there isn’t a Japanese equivalent to the English letter “V”, so “B” is substituted, hence, Riba.
incidentally, earlier this week, the first trailer for Yuri Anime series Citrus was released! click here to read more about it.
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