Ask John: What Does “Oro” Mean?

Question:
I’ve recently watched an anime video of Kenshin from Rurouni Kenshin where he keeps saying ‘Oro.’ I wondered what it meant & looked it up in a Japanese dictionary. It came up as ‘vaginal discharge.’ Is this true?! And if it is, why is he saying this?

Answer:
I think it’s safe to say that Kenshin’s famous exclamation isn’t something rude or offensive. In fact, the famous “Oro” from Rurouni Kenshin is not actually a word at all. “Oro” seems to be Kenshin’s personal variation of the Japanese word “ara,” usually used by women to mean “Oh” or serve as a verbal cue to introduce a new topic of conversation like “So” in English. Kenshin’s “Oro” is in essence no different from an exclamation like “Ah!” or “Oh!” and is merely a verbal gesture made to express surprise or embarrassment.

According to Anihabara’s character name FAQ, Kenshin’s name is adopted from the name of the famous Japanese stand-up comedian Ken Shimura. The Anihabara Anime FAQ explains that “Oro” was Ken Shimura’s trademark phrase.