yarados may derive from 虐殺 gyakusatsu (massacre/slaughter) or 逆境 gyakkyō (hardship/adversity)—both words relate to the creature's violent nature and the hardship it experienced before evolving. In addition, 逆 gyaku means "reverse" or "contrary", possibly referring to how Gyarados evolves from a pathetically weak Pokémon to one capable of destroying entire cities, and, in legend, how the carp goes against the flow of the waterfall in order to reach the top. It may also involve 嵐 arashi (storm) or 争い arasoi (conflict, referencing on how it appeared during wars). The last part may be from ドス dosu (onomatopoeia for the piercing of flesh, again owing to Gyarados' violent nature). Alternatively, dos (Spanish for two) may indicate that it is the second in its evolutionary line.