Terminology in Hetalia: Axis Powers

This is a list of terms used in the series Axis Powers Hetalia, and their definitions and significance in relation to history and other aspects of the world.

Body Pain

The nations tend to feel this when a power struggle happens in their government or land, as well as when disaster may strike.

Boss

The political leader or head of state for a nation. Though the nation has power themselves, they defer to their boss and don't (or can't) interfere with the plans their boss may make.

Examples of "bosses" in the series include:

• An unspecified President as America's boss
• Maria Theresa as Austria's, shown in the Maria Theresa strip series
• Adolf Hitler (shown from behind in Pact Of Steel) as Germany's boss in the World War-centric strips
• Frederich II (also known as Old Fritz) as Prussia's boss in the Maria Theresa strip series

Though the bosses are mostly portrayed as being historical political leaders, China is an exception, with his boss instead depicted as a giant dragon.

Catching A Cold

When a nation's economy goes through a recession or any other sort of crisis, it causes them to catch a cold. England was the first character shown to experience this, while America had no clue what a "cold" even was.

But later strips would reveal that when America does happen to catch a cold, it quickly becomes contagious and spreads to other nations.

Family

If nations happen to share a history together or culture, they are sometimes portrayed as being related in some fashion. Non-"blood" relative examples include:

• England adopting the younger America and raising him as a younger brother. Eventually, America becomes estranged from England after declaring himself independent (and having fought the Revolutionary War for it.

• France raising Canada, and later Seychelles.

• Switzerland adopting the orphaned Liechtenstein and becoming an older brother to her.

• Sweden buying Sealand off Ebay and adopting him as a son.

• The Baltic States of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. But even with being close, they don't formally recognize each other as "brothers".

• China raising both South Korea and Japan as his younger brothers.

Meanwhile, "blood" relative examples include:

• America and Canada as brothers.

• England and his older brothers (including Scotland). He also created Sealand as a younger brother.

• Belgium, her brother Holland, and another sibling Luxembourg (gender not given).

• Russia and his two sisters, Belarus and Ukraine.

• Ancient Rome and his two grandsons: North Italy (Veneziano) and South Italy (Romano).

• Germania and his several descendants: Holy Roman Empire, Prussia, Saxony, and Bavaria, among many others. Prussia and Germany are specifically said to be brothers, along with the other German states (such as Bavaria).

• Ancient Greece and her son (who succeeded her).

• Ancient Egypt and her succeeding son.

• Magyar and his descendants Hungary and Turkey.

Friends

Nations that have historically formed an alliance of some sort tend to be portrayed as close friends in the series. Examples include:

• Greece and Japan
• Lithuania and Poland
• Both England and America's alliances with Japan
• Germany and North Italy (and later Japan, after the Tripartite Pact was signed)

Marriage

Used to signify two nations unifying and becoming one, as in the case of Austria and Hungary, who married with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise. However, their union proved to be short-lived.

In Dream United Kingdom, the war-torn France proposed marriage to England, but was shot down.

But there are cases of unions in the series not specifically depicted or referred to as marriage, one such instance being the unification of the Italy brothers as the Kingdom Of Italy.

Roommate

A nation having been annexed or put under the control of another in some fashion. Instances in the series include:

• Austria having to live with Germany (due to Germany's "boss" ordering it)
• Russia's control over the Baltics and his two sisters, as part of the Soviet Union. He also had control over Finland for a period of time
• Sweden and Finland having to live under Denmark's rule, before they eventually ran away

Sickness

Intense political situations may cause nations to become ill, as well as disasters in their homeland. One instance of the latter was Russia cursing Japan, which eventually resulted in him coming down with an illness at the same time as the "Great Kanto Earthquake".

In The Long-Awaited Deep Emotion Is Ruined, England became deathly-ill after his experimental Panjandrum project failed and exploded.

Vital Regions

A term often used as a double entendre in reference to nations' capitals and states, as well as their actual genitalia.

It was first used in-series when Prussia threatened to invade Austria's "vital regions" and later did so, taking Silesia for himself and angering Hungary in the process. When Austria announced, "He had seized my vital regions!" Maria Theresa responded, "There are better ways to say that."

It was later used in reference to genitalia when Spain had a nightmare of the grown-up Romano "crushing" his after jumping down on him.