The name comes from a losing hand in the card game Oicho-Kabu : 8 ( ya ), 9 ( ku ), and 3 ( sa ), which totals 20 and equals a score of zero—literally meaning "good for nothing".
The ritual of cutting off a finger joint (usually the pinky) as an apology for a mistake. yakuzza
They use a patriarchal "oyabun-kobun" (father-child) relationship. Lower-ranking members ( kobun ) pledge absolute loyalty to their boss ( oyabun ). Key Rituals: The name comes from a losing hand in
The three largest groups as of 2025 are the Yamaguchi-gumi (the largest), Sumiyoshi-kai , and Inagawa-kai . 9 ( ku )