Save Type Surname (from location) Usage Japanese Scripts 生方, 冲方(Japanese Kanji) Pronounced Pron. OO-BOO-KA-TA [key] Meaning & History From 生 (ubu) meaning "life, live, raw, fresh" or 冲 (ubu) meaning "offing, open sea" and 方 (kata) meaning "person, alternative, square, direction".