HoMe_oF mAnGa

(M.N.S) manga national school/(MU)manga university

home of manga

anti-hentai society

designing anime characters

mangas

anime

mangas

anime

Capricorn

Definition of Manga?

Does anyone know the correct meaning and usage of the word manga in Japanese? My impression is that Japanese people use manga when they are refering to a comic book, cartoon or animation (film). But according to every dictionary definition I've found, manga only refers to printed media - comics or cartoons, not animation.
man‧ga 

–noun a Japanese graphic novel, typically intended for adults, characterized by highly stylized art.

[Origin: Japn, lit., cartoon, comic strip]
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.0.1)

Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

I'm wondering what the definition and uses of manga is in a reputable Japanese dictionary.

Manga

You are correct. Manga refers to cartoon drawings (i.e. stills) in comics etc.
For cartoons that are shown in motion, as in TV, the word used is Anime.

...

The word "manga" in Japanese has been around for a long time even BEFORE animation (film) came up. If you ask about the broad, original meaning of the word, it means "sketches/drawings intended for fun, entertainment," or "amusing images/drawings," and they took the form of comics and cartoons, because there used to be only printed media in the beginning.

Then some comics came to be turned into moving pictures, and back then they used to be known as "TV manga" when they were shown on TV, for example. Back in the 70s, I do remember that phrase being used on TV.
Then sometime later they started using the word "anime" to make the distinction between animated "manga" and printed media "manga." (Newer concepts are often expressed in katakana, using transliteration from English or other languages.)

So that by now if you say "manga," Japanese people are *most likely* to be thinking of those on printed media, that is, comics and cartoons (something you read), and "anime" means animated films (to watch). Especially the younger generation, who have had "anime" around themselves as far as they remember, will use the words that way.

But having said that, because the broad meaning of manga is sketches/drawings for fun, some people might loosly refer to ANY of comics, cartoons, or animated version, as "manga."

Indeed

But having said that, because the broad meaning of manga is sketches/drawings for fun, some people might loosly refer to ANY of comics, cartoons, or animated version, as "manga."
That is certainly my experience too; whereas the non-Japanese online community might distinguish very strictly between manga (tankoubon), anime (Japanese animated TV shows and movies) and cartoons (non-Japanese animated TV shows and movies) and flame you about "incorrect" use of these terms, many of the Japanese people I meet would refer to all of them as manga when they don't need to precise the medium it is on.

to 'definition of manga'

--------- But according to every dictionary definition I've found, manga only refers to printed media - comics or cartoons, not animation.
-------typically intended for adults,

The website (dictionary.com) you refered to is not all correct. There are comics or cartoons (manga) for all ages of children as well as for adults.
Example: 'アトム' by　Tezuka Osamu who is considered (God of Manga) in Japan, he died in 1989 I think.

The way I look at it
'manga' basically means cartoon or comic as in illustrations which can be produced in animation or published in books or magazine forms and some printed in News papers.

When you add other meaning to a word 'manga' it becomes different meanings.