Japanese word and english

“What a strange thing!

to be alive

beneath cherry blossoms.”

Issa Kobayashi, a Japanese poet

There are numerous English words that are used in everyday Japanese conversations. And even though it’s usually possible to do without Japanese loanwords in daily English conversations, there are some words we simply can’t help using in certain situations. They are usually related to cuisine, culture, history, sports and entertainment. See our list of the most useful Japanese loanwords (sorry for not including sushi, sashimi, okonomiyaki and other yummy things in the list!):

Word	Meaning
Bento /ˈbentəʊ/ / bento box	a thin box divided into compartments which contain small separate dishes comprising a Japanese meal, esp. lunch; a Japanese-style packed lunch: I left you a bento box.
Daikon /ˈdaɪkɒn/ / daikon radish	a kind of white radish: I sometimes add daikon to miso /ˈmiːsəʊ/ (a soft Japanese food made from soya beans) soup.
Sake /ˈsɑːki/	an alcoholic drink made from rice: This is a sake brewery.
Tofu /ˈtəʊfuː/	a soft white food made from soya beans: There’s also a tofu dumpling coming up.
Kabuki /kəˈbuːki/	a form of Japanese drama: That book on kabuki might be expensive.
Kanji /ˈkændʒɪ , ˈkɑːn-/	a Japanese writing system using characters mainly derived from Chinese ideograms; a character of this system: Tom has memorized so many kanji that he can read books for primary school children.
Origami /ˌɒrɪˈɡɑːmi/	the Japanese art of folding pieces of paper to make models: This is not proper origami paper.
Ikebana /ˌiːkeɪˈbɑːnə/	the Japanese art of arranging flowers in an attractive way according to strict rules: You can’t learn ikebana in 10 days.
Bonsai /ˈbɒnsaɪ/	a tree grown in a small container; the activity of growing bonsai trees: You know, I’ve been thinking about the bonsai shop idea.
Haiku /ˈhaɪkuː/	a short poem written in a traditional Japanese style: I wrote little haiku poems. I e-mailed them to everyone.
Kimono /kɪˈməʊnəʊ/	a type of traditional Japanese clothing, like a long coat with wide sleeves; a dressing gown in this style: She certainly looks beautiful in a Japanese kimono.
Anime /ˈænɪmeɪ/	a style of Japanese animated film or TV program: She loves anime and manga /ˈmæŋɡə/ (Japanese comics or cartoons with stories that are aimed at adults as well as children)
Kawaii /kəˈwai/	attractive and appealing; in English the word is used when talking about Japanese pop culture: It’s such a kawaii character!
Katana /kəˈtɑːnə /	a long curved single-edged sword traditionally used by Japanese samurai ˈsæmʊraɪ/: When a katana is gripped properly, the little finger is the strongest.
Rickshaw /ˈrɪkˌʃɔː/	a small vehicle with two wheels used for carrying passengers and pulled by someone riding a bicycle or walking: My rickshaw got caught in this massive traffic jam.
Sudoku /suˈdəʊkuː/	a kind of number game: I’m a sudoku fan.
Karaoke /ˌkæriˈəʊki/	a type of entertainment in which people sing popular songs while recorded music is played: Let’s sing karaoke!  Note karaoke is not a place, so don’t say Let’s go to a karaoke. Instead, you can say, let’s go to a karaoke bar/place or just let’s go sing karaoke.
Emoji /ɪˈməʊdʒi/	a small digital image or symbol used in electronic communication to convey an idea or feeling: She often uses emojis.
Typhoon /taɪˈfuːn/	a kind of tropical storm: The typhoon has made landfall.
Tsunami /tsuːˈnɑːmi/	a very large wave caused when something such as an earthquake moves a large quantity of water in the sea: See the tsunami evacuation map; an extremely large quantity of something bad: This is a tsunami of lies; a disastrous situation that cannot be controlled: A financial tsunami is coming.

As we have mentioned, numerous English words are used in Japanese nowadays. But some Japanese people learning English may be surprised to find out that some Japanese English expressions are actually not that natural in English. Here are a few notable examples:

ペーパードライバー (peepaa doraibaa) (from the English “paper + driver”) – a person who has a driving license but little or no experience driving

マンツーマン (mantsuman) (from the English “man-to-man”) – in Japanese the word is often used to talk about one-on-oneclasses. In English though, we don’t say “man-to-man classes”. We say “one-on-one classes/lessons” or “private classes/lessons”. In English, “man-to-man” means “involving two men who are telling each other what they really think” (Let’s talk man-to-man). It can also be an adjective: Let’s have a man-to-man conversation.

ワンピース　(wanpiisu) (from the English “one-piece”) – a dress. In English, however, a one-piece is a type of woman’s swimming costume that consists of one piece of material and which covers her chest (see the picture below). One-piece is also an adjective: this is a one-piece swimsuit.

ユーティリティー (yuutiritii) (from the English “utility”) – a room with a sink, a washing machine, etc. in a house/apartment​. In English, utility an important service such as water, electricity, or gas that is provided for everyone, and that everyone pays for.

チャームポイント　(chaamupointo) (from the English “charm point” – the most attractive feature (of a person))​. Remember it is pseudo-English, so, for example, “her eyes are her charm point” doesn’t sound natural. Say “her eyes are the most beautiful thing about her / the most beautiful part of her body” instead.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Words of Japanese origin have entered many languages. Some words are simple transliterations of Japanese language words for concepts inherent to Japanese culture, but some are actually words of Chinese origin that were first exposed to English via Japan. The words on this page are an incomplete list of words which are listed in major English dictionaries and whose etymologies include Japanese. The reverse of this list can be found at List of gairaigo and wasei-eigo terms.

Arts[edit]

anime

アニメ listen (help·info), hand-drawn and computer animation originating from or associated with Japan.

bokeh

(from ぼけ boke), subjective aesthetic quality of out-of-focus areas of an image projected by a camera lens.

bonsai

盆栽 listen (help·info), «tray gardening»; the art of tending miniature trees. Originated from Chinese 盆栽 penzai

bunraku

^[1] 文楽, a form of traditional Japanese puppet theatre, performed by puppeteers, chanters, and shamisen players.

haiku

俳句 listen (help·info), a very short poem consisting of three lines of 5, 7, and 5 morae (not syllables as commonly thought) each; see also tanka below.

ikebana

生花, flower arrangement.

imari

^[2] 伊万里, Japanese porcelain wares (made in the town of Arita and exported from the port of Imari, particularly around the 17th century).

kabuki

^[3] 歌舞伎, a traditional form of Japanese theatre; also any form of elaborate theatre, especially metaphorically.^[4]

kaiju

怪獣, Japanese genre of horror and science fiction films featuring giant monsters.

kakemono

^[5] 掛け物, a vertical Japanese scroll, of ink-and-brush painting or calligraphy, that hangs in a recess on a wall inside a room.

kakiemon

^[6] 柿右衛門, Japanese porcelain wares featuring enamel decoration (made in Arita, using the style developed in the 17th century by 酒井田 柿右衛門 Sakaida Kakiemon).

karaoke

カラオケ listen (help·info), (English IPA : [kæriːoʊkiː]) «empty orchestra»; entertainment where an amateur singer accompanies recorded music.

kirigami

切り紙, similar to origami, but involves cutting in addition to folding.

koto

^[7] 琴, a traditional stringed musical instrument from Japan, resembling a zither with 13 strings.

makimono

^[8] 巻物, a horizontal Japanese hand scroll, of ink-and-brush painting or calligraphy

manga

まんが or 漫画 listen (help·info), (English IPA : [mæŋgɜː]) Japanese comics; refers to comics in general in Japanese

netsuke

^[9] 根付, a toggle used to tie the sash of a kimono also to attach small items such as inro and kinchaku: sometimes beautifully carved.

noh

^[10] 能 nō, a major form of classical Japanese music drama

origami

折り紙, artistic paper folding. (British English IPA : [ɒrɪgɑːmiː])

otaku

オタク or おたく or ヲタク, a geeky enthusiast, especially of anime and manga.

senryu

川柳, a form of short poetry similar to haiku.

shamisen

^[11] 三味線, a three-stringed musical instrument, played with a plectrum.

sumi-e

墨絵, a general term for painting with a brush and black ink.

tanka

短歌, «short poetry»; an older form of Japanese poetry than haiku, of the form 5-7-5-7-7 morae (not syllables; see also haiku above).

tankōbon

単行本, «independent/standalone book»; term for a book that is complete in itself and is not part of a series or corpus. In modern Japan, though, it is most often used in reference to individual volumes of a single manga, as opposed to magazines.

ukiyo-e

浮世絵, a type of woodblock print art or painting. (English IPA : [uːkiːoʊ.iː])

waka

和歌, «Japanese poetry»; a word used primarily to describe tanka (see above) written between the 9th and 19th centuries.

wabi-sabi

侘び寂び, a world view or aesthetic centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection.

Business[edit]

kaizen

^[12] 改善, literally «change for the better.» In practice, a Japanese business philosophy of continuous improvement of working practices, personal efficiency, etc. Initially made famous by the 1986 book of same name.

kanban

^[13] 看板, literally a «signal» or «sign» signals a cycle of replenishment for production and materials and maintains an orderly and efficient flow of materials throughout the entire manufacturing process.

karoshi

過労死, «death by overwork, stress death»

keiretsu

系列, a set of companies with interlocking business relationships and shareholdings.

Poka-yoke

«mistake-proofing» or «inadvertent error prevention».

tycoon

大君 («taikun»), «great prince» or «high commander», later applied to wealthy business leaders.

zaibatsu

財閥, a «money clique» or conglomerate

Clothing[edit]

geta

^[14] 下駄, a pair of Japanese raised wooden clogs worn with traditional Japanese garments, such as the kimono

inro

^[15] 印籠 inrō, a case for holding small objects, often worn hanging from the obi; (traditional Japanese clothes didn’t have pockets)

kimono

着物, a traditional full-length robe-like garment still worn by women, men and children. (English IPA : [kɪmoʊnoʊ])

obi

^[16] 帯, a wide belt that is tied in the back to secure a kimono

yukata

浴衣, a casual or simplified summer style of kimono

zori

^[17] 草履 zōri, sandals made from rice straw or lacquered wood, worn with a kimono for formal occasions

Culinary[edit]

adzuki,^[18] azuki bean

^[19] あずき or 小豆 listen (help·info), type of bean grown in eastern Asia and the Himalayas, used in Chinese, Korean, and Japanese cuisines, usually served sweet

arame

荒布, a type of edible seaweed

bento

弁当 bentō, a single-portion takeout meal, box lunch

daikon

大根, a kind of white radish

dashi

だし or 出汁, a simple soup stock considered fundamental to Japanese cooking

edamame

枝豆, soybeans boiled whole in the green pod and served with salt

enokitake, enoki mushroom

えのきたけ or 榎茸, long, thin white mushrooms, used in Japanese, Korean and Chinese cuisines

fugu

河豚 or フグ, the meat of the toxic pufferfish, must be prepared by specially trained chefs by law. Also means pufferfish itself.

ginkgo

銀杏 or ぎんなん ginnan, a gymnospermous tree (Ginkgo biloba) of eastern China that is widely grown as an ornamental or shade tree and has fan-shaped leaves and yellow fruit (the word is derived from 17th Century Japanese 銀杏 ginkyō)

gyoza

ギョーザ or 餃子 gyōza, Japanese name for Chinese dumplings, jiaozi (jiǎozi); may also be called pot stickers in English if they are fried

hibachi

火鉢, a small, portable charcoal grill; used in North America to refer to a teppan or a small shichirin-like aluminium or cast iron grill

hijiki

ひじき or 鹿尾菜, a type of edible seaweed commonly found on rocky coastlines

katsu

カツ, Japanese term for cutlets in general; in English, typically refers to the dish chicken katsu, a type of breaded chicken cutlet served with rice and sauce.^[20] (English IPA : [kæt.suː])

katsuo

鰹, a skipjack tuna

katsuobushi

かつおぶし or 鰹節, dried and smoked skipjack tuna (katsuo), which is shaved and then used in dashi

koji

麴 or 麹 kōji, a fungus that is the active agent in the fermentation processes, of producing miso and soy sauce from soybeans, and of producing sake and shōchū from rice.

kombu

昆布, dried kelp, which can be eaten or used as dashi

matsutake

松茸, a type of edible mushroom, with a magnificently spicy aroma similar to cinnamon, considered to be a great delicacy and the most coveted mushroom in Japan

mirin

味醂, an essential condiment of the Japanese cuisine, a kind of rice wine similar to sake with a slightly sweet taste

miso

味噌, a thick paste made by fermenting soybeans with salt

mizuna

水菜, an edible plant, with flavor akin to the mustard plant

mochi

餅, sticky rice cake

napa cabbage

菜っ葉, Chinese cabbage, (in Japan, it is a generic term for leaf vegetables.)

nashi (pear)

梨, a species of pear native to eastern Asia, which are juicy, round and shaped like apples. Often simply referred to as «asian pear(s)».

natto

納豆, traditional Japanese food made from fermented soybeans

nori

海苔, food products created from the seaweed laver by a shredding and rack-drying process that resembles papermaking.

panko

パン粉, Japanese white bread flakes. Panko is made from bread without crusts, thus it has a crisper, airier texture than most types of breading found in Western cuisine.

ramen

ラーメン rāmen, the Japanese version of Chinese noodle soup, not limited to the instant variety. (British English IPA : [rɑːmen])

sake

酒 listen (help·info),nihon-shu(日本酒), an alcoholic beverage, brewed from rice. In Japanese, the word commonly refers to alcoholic drinks in general

sashimi

刺身, a Japanese delicacy primarily consisting of the freshest raw seafoods thinly sliced and served with only a dipping sauce and wasabi.

satsuma

(from 薩摩 Satsuma, an ancient province of Japan), a type of mandarin orange (mikan) native to Japan

shabu shabu

しゃぶしゃぶ, a meal where each person cooks their own food in their own cooking pot from an assortment of raw ingredients

shiitake mushroom

しいたけ or 椎茸 listen (help·info), an edible mushroom typically cultivated on the shii tree

shoyu

醬油 or 醤油shōyu, Japanese soy sauce

soba

蕎麦 or ソバ, thin brown buckwheat noodles

soy

from shoyu 醤油

sukiyaki

すき焼き or スキヤキ, a dish in the nabemono-style (one-pot), consisting of thinly sliced beef, tofu, konnyaku noodles, negi, Chinese cabbage (bok choy), and enoki mushrooms among others

surimi

すり身 or 擂り身, processed meat made from cheaper white-fleshed fish, to imitate the look of a more expensive meat such as crab legs

sushi

鮨 or 鮓 or 寿司, a dish consisting of vinegared rice combined with other ingredients such as raw fish, raw or cooked shellfish, or vegetables

takoyaki

たこ焼, たこ焼き, or 章魚焼き, literally fried or baked octopus

tamari

溜まり or たまり, liquid obtained by pressing soybeans

tempura

てんぷら or 天麩羅, classic Japanese deep fried batter-dipped seafood and vegetables. The word may be from Portuguese tempêro/seasoning.^[21]

teppanyaki

鉄板焼き, a type of Japanese cuisine that uses a hot iron griddle (teppan) to cook food

teriyaki

照り焼き or テリヤキ, a cooking technique where fish or meat is being broiled/grilled in a sweet soy sauce marinade; in Japanese, it is used exclusively refer to poultry cooked in this manner.

tofu

豆腐 tōfu listen (help·info) bean curd. Although the word is originally Chinese, it entered English via Japanese.

udo

ウド or 独活, an edible plant found on the slopes of wooded embankments, also known as the Japanese Spikenard

udon

うどん or 饂飩, a type of thick wheat-based noodle

umami

旨味 or うま味, the taste sensation produced by some condiments such as monosodium glutamate; a basic flavor in sea weed (昆布 kombu)

umeboshi

梅干, pickled ume

wakame

ワカメ or 若布, a type of edible kelp, often used in miso soup (Japan), and salads

wasabi

わさび or 山葵, a strongly flavoured green condiment also known as Japanese horseradish

yakitori

焼き鳥 or 焼鳥, a type of chicken kebab.

Government and politics[edit]

daimyō

^[22] 大名 daimyō, «great names»; the most powerful Japanese feudal rulers from the 12th century to the 19th century

genro

^[23] 元老 genrō, retired elder Japanese statesmen, who served as informal advisors to the emperor, during the Meiji and Taisho eras

mikado

^[24] 帝, a dated term for «emperor»; specifically for the Emperor of Japan

shogun

^[25] 将軍 shōgun listen (help·info), the title of the practical ruler of Japan for most of the time from 1192 to the Meiji Era

tenno

^[26] 天皇, a term for the Emperor of Japan

Martial arts[edit]

aikido

^[27] 合気道 aikidō

dojo

道場 dōjō

judo

^[28] 柔道 jūdō, refers to the Olympic sport.

jujutsu

^[29] 柔術 jūjutsu, alternately spelt, through mutation, as jiu-jitsu in English.

karate

^[30] 空手 a fighting style which includes the use of hands and feet to strike the opponent, without any weapon, and is also a popular international sports event. Literally means «empty handed».

kendo

^[31] 剣道 kendō

sumo

^[32] 相撲 sumō

Religion[edit]

bonze

^[33] (from 凡僧 bonsō), a Buddhist monk

koan

^[34] 公案 kōan, a paradoxical story or statement used during meditation in Zen Buddhism. Inspired the hacker koan tradition among computing circles.

satori

^[35] 悟り, enlightenment in Zen Buddhism

shinto

^[36] 神道 shintō, the native religion of Japan

torii

^[37] 鳥居, traditional Japanese gates commonly found at the gateway to Shinto shrines

zen

禅, from Chinese 禪 (Mandarin Chán), originally from ध्यान Sanskrit Dhyāna / Pali झान Jhāna, a branch of Mahāyāna Buddhism.

Other[edit]

ahegao

アヘ顔, a facial expression in pornographic animation and manga usually depicted when someone is having an orgasm

akita

秋田 (from 秋田犬, akitainu or akitaken), the Akita Inu, a large breed of Japanese dog

baka

(馬鹿, ばか in hiragana, or バカ in katakana) means «fool», «silly», «stupid», or «foolish» and is the most frequently used pejorative term in the Japanese language.^{[citation needed]}

bukkake

ぶっかけ, a sex act portrayed in pornographic films, in which several men ejaculate on a woman, or another man. Note that in Japanese it has a broader meaning of «to pour» or «to splash».

domoic acid

(from ドウモイ doumoi in the Tokunoshima dialect of Japanese: a type of red algae)

emoji

絵文字, ideograms used in electronic messages and webpages.

futon

(from 布団, a flat mattress with a fabric exterior stuffed with cotton, wool, or synthetic batting that makes up a Japanese bed.)

gaijin

外人, lit. outsider/alien is a Japanese word for foreigners and non-Japanese. The word is typically used to refer to foreigners of non-Asian ethnicities.

geisha

芸者, traditional Japanese artist-entertainers

hentai

変態 listen (help·info), Western usage: pornographic Anime, usually either Japanese in origin or drawn in a Japanese style; Japanese usage: metamorphosis, transformation, abnormality, or perversion

hikikomori

ひきこもり or 引き籠もり, a psychological condition where the affected individual lives an extremely socially isolated lifestyle, a decision of preference not by default, (compare NEET)

honcho

^[38] 班長 hanchō, head, chief

kamikaze

^[39] 神風, the literal meaning is «divine wind»; used to refer to a Japanese soldier in World War II who crashed an airplane into a target, committing suicide; also refers to the airplane used in the suicide crash

katana

(from かたな literally sword) A Japanese sword that has been forged using traditional Japanese methods. This is referred to as 日本刀 (nihontō) in Japanese.

katsura (tree)

桂, large deciduous trees, native to eastern Asia

kawaii

可愛い, cute and/or lovely. (English IPA ː [kəwaɪ])

koi

鯉, Western usage: ornamental varieties of the common carp (but in Japan this just means «carp» – the ornamental variety are called «nishikigoi» 錦鯉)

kudzu

(from 葛 or クズ kuzu) A climbing vine found as an invasive species in the south-eastern US, which is native to Japan and south-eastern China

moxa

もぐさ or 艾 mogusa, mugwort or cotton wool or other combustible material, burned on skin during moxibustion

moxibustion

(from moxa + (com)bustion), an oriental medicine therapy which involves the burning of moxa (see above)

ninja

Japanese covert agent of the feudal era

rickshaw

(from 人力車 jinrikisha/ninryokusha), a human-pulled wagon

sayonara

左様なら or さようなら sayōnara the Japanese term for «goodbye»

samurai

侍 or 士, Japanese knight

sensei

先生, the Japanese term for «master», «teacher» or «doctor». It can be used to refer to any authority figure, such as a schoolteacher, professor, priest, or politician.

senpai

先輩, the Japanese term for «upperclassman» or «senior».

shiatsu

指圧, a form of massage

shiba inu

柴犬, the smallest of the six original and distinct Japanese breeds of dog

shinro

しんろ, a logic puzzle related to sudoku

skosh

^[40] A small amount, from 少し or すこし sukoshi, meaning «a bit» or «a few»

sudoku

数独 sūdoku listen (help·info), a number placement puzzle, also known as Number Place in the United States.

tanuki

狸, the Japanese name for the animal, Nyctereutes procyonoides, known as a Japanese raccoon dog in English

tsunami

津波, literally «harbor wave»; Large wave caused by earthquakes or other underwater disturbances. (English IPA ː [(t)suːnɑːmiː])

tsuresari

連れ去り, abducting or kidnapping a child by the parent while defying the rights of the other parent.

urushiol

(from 漆 or うるし urushi, a plant that gives a skin rash on contact) a chemical substance found in poison-ivy, used to make lacquer-ware

References[edit]

See also[edit]

• Glossary of anime and manga
• Japanese words of English origin
• Cuisine of Japan
  • Category:Japanese food preparation utensils
• Etiquette in Japan
• Japanese honorifics
• Aizuchi
• Japanese pronouns

While the Japanese language has borrowed a lot of English words, we can say the same thing the other way around. Words like sushi, karate or tsunami are so commonly used that it might be easy to forget that they are loanwords used in English that come from Japan. If you’ve been studying Japanese for any amount of time, you’ve probably experienced what could be called the katakana glitch. You see a katakana word and you just can’t figure out what it is until you mouth it, after which you might utter something like ‘oh, it’s just closet’. New words are crossing over perhaps due in part to the Internet and pop culture. 

There are a lot of English words of Japanese origin. Let’s take tsunami, for instance. There’s no English word to describe huge tidal waves, so it was borrowed from Japanese words. Interesting, right? 

This post on Japanese loanwords in English covers some of the old, new and in-between, but is by no means exhaustive. A lot of these loanwords are originally written in kanji and hiragana. If you need to review hiragana and katakana, head to this article. By the end of this article, who knows? New words are probably being borrowed at this very minute. 

Jump to:

• Japanese Loanwords Used in English for Food and Entertainment
• Japanese Loanwords Used in English for Sport and Martial Arts
• Japanese Loanwords Used in English for Performing and Literary Arts
• Other Japanese Loanwords We Use

Japanese Loanwords Used in English for Food and Entertainment

In 2013, UNESCO named Japanese food an intangible cultural heritage. The flavors and practices associated with Japanese food are unique. Many of the Japanese loanwords in English reflect that uniqueness. Similarly, many aspects of Japanese entertainment tend to originate in Japan, and the English words borrowed from Japanese show that.

1. Karaoke (カラオケ)

Did you even know this was a Japanese word before coming into actual contact with Japan or the language? We didn’t, and we’re guessing we might not be the only one. Also, have you seen anyone do karaoke like the Japanese? This word literally means empty (kara) orchestra (oke).

2. Sudoku　(すどく)

If you’ve played sudoku and understand it, more power to you. This game and its title originated in Japan 1984 and have since become very popular all over the world. The su comes from suji or suu (数)meaning number and the doku (独) means single. The overall aim of the game is to get numbers to appear once in squares in a grid. So literally, the numbers must remain single. Or suuji wa dokushin ni kagiru (数字は独身に限る）, which was the original title of the game. 

A similar type of game was actually played by the Europeans in the 18th century. In 1980s, a Japanese publisher distributed sudoku, which turned into a huge hit and became a popular game since then. 

3. Pachinko　(パチンコ)

Hard to spend any time in Japan and not see a pachinko parlor. Pachinko is a kind of pinball game played in arcade games or, more commonly, gambling parlor. Japanese people like to make words that mimic or represents the sound you hear, like the bees buzzing or the snake hissing. The word pachinko is partly made up of a Japanese onomatopoeia. The first part, pachin, is from the sound that the metal pinball makes as it hits an obstacle.The ko is a diminutive suffix that means something like ‘little’. 

4. Soy (sauce, beans)

Tofu and miso are obviously Japanese loanwords, but soy? Yes, apparently it comes from しょうゆ (shoyu), which is Japanese for soy sauce. The actual Japanese term for the bean is daizu. Edamame, which are green soybeans, is also commonly used in English. 

5. Tamari　(たまりしょうゆ)

This one is kind of hip these days. Many recipe bloggers suggest using tamari as a ‘healthy’ alternative to regular soy sauce. Tamari is richer, thicker and less salty than regular soy sauce, but it is also made from fermented soybeans. 

6. Shiitake, maitake, matsutake, and enoki mushrooms　(椎茸、舞茸、松茸、えのき)

Did I miss any? Many Japanese mushroom names have been carried over and used as-is in English. The most popular of these might be shiitake, which is often pronounced without the second ‘i’, resulting in shitake. 

7. Umami (旨味)

Perhaps because of the significance of washoku or traditional Japanese cuisine, many food-related words have crossed over into the English language. Umami is generally described as that savory flavor in some cooked meats and mushrooms, for example. Washoku itself is also a Japanese loanword used in English. 

8. Dashi　(だし)

No mention of washoku can exclude dashi, stock made from fish or kelp that is used as the base for many Japanese dishes. Dashi is commonly used in English to mean the same thing.

9. Katsu (curry or chicken katsu)　(かつ)

Katsu refers to cutlets of meat that are breaded using panko and deep fried. The cutlets are usually pork or chicken. Katsu is served with a sauce or with curry. In fact, in some places overseas, katsu curry has become so popular, the term is used to mean all Japanese curry. 

10. Panko　(パン粉)

You might have guessed this from the previous entry, but panko is breadcrumbs. They are commonly used in Japanese cooking and the product and the name have crossed over into English-speaking cultures. 

The word panko is actually a combination of loanword that didn’t come from English and the original Japanese word. “Pan” came from the Portuguese language, pao, and ko (粉) is a Japanese word that meant “flour” or “dust”. 

The biggest difference between panko and standard breadcrumbs is that panko is made from bread without crusts. Panko’s crustless white bread is coarsely ground into airy, large flakes that give fried foods a light, crunchy coating.

11. Amazake (甘酒)

Making the list of words of Japanese origin recently recorded in the Oxford English Dictionary, amazake is a sweet, fermented drink made from rice. Unlike sake, which is also made from rice, amazake is not alcoholic. It literally means sweet (ama) sake. 

12. Manga (漫画)

These loanwords are used the same way in English they are in Japanese. One distinction is that while manga means comics in general in Japan, the term typically means Japanese comics in English. 

13. Emoji　(絵文字)

Texting and instant messaging is just not the same without emoji, graphics that help express an emotion when words are just not enough. But the cute, yellow pictogram you’ve been using on your iphone? The word came from the Japanese language. The kanji 絵 (え) means “picture” and 文字 (もじ) means  “character” or “letter.” You might learn some new emoji from the emojipedia online. 

Japanese Loanwords Used in English for Sport and Martial Arts

Japanese martial arts are known the world over by their Japanese names. These are quite established loanwords, and the sports themselves continue to gain devotees.

14. Judo　(柔道)

Japanese martial arts are well-known throughout the English-speaking world, by their Japanese names. Judo, a defensive martial art, is no exception. The term originates from soft, gentle (柔; juu) and way, road (道; do). Judo is an Olympic event, and practitioners are usually called judoka (柔道家). 

When you’re saying the word “judo” in Japanese, remember to elongate the first syllable: Ju-u-dou. In English, however, you can shorten it. 

15. Jujutsu　(柔術)

Precursor to judo, this is also a Japanese unarmed martial art. The first part of the term, juu means gentle, just like in judo and the jutsu (術) means skill or art. There are variant spellings in English including jiu-jitsu or ju-jitsu. 

16. Karate　(空手)

This is definitely one of those Japanese loan words that just rolls off the tongue. Many people probably recognise nothing ‘foreign’ in the word karate. The term originates from empty (kara) and hand (te), meaning fighting with bare hands. 

17. Kendo　(剣道)

This Japanese martial art is armed. Players use bamboo swords and wear protective guards. The ken means sword and do, way. 

18. Sumo　(相撲)

Often suffixed with ‘wrestling’ in English, sumo means to fight. It’s not just the word that has crossed borders. Many non-Japanese people have succeeded as sumo wrestlers, in what is perceived to be a closed and very traditional world. Check out this quick guide to sumo related terms to learn a bit more about the sport. 

Japanese Loanwords Used in English for Performing and Literary Arts

From the theater to the page, traditional Japanese performing and literary arts have become well-known in English-speaking cultures. 

19. Kabuki　(歌舞伎)

This is a kind of Japanese theater. The Online Etymology Dictionary cites two possible origins of this Japanese loanword. One is that kabuki comes from the verb kabuku, meaning to deviate. The first kabuki performance was given in a shrine by a girl, dressed as a man, which was outside of the norm. The other explanation is that kabuki means  ‘art of song and dance,’ from ka (song), bu (dance), and ki  (art, skill). 

20. Noh　(能)

In Noh theater, performers sing and dance while wearing masks. This loanword comes from the Japanese meaning ‘talent’.

21. Tanka　(短歌)

A poem written using just five lines, tanka means short (tan) song (ka). In English, the poems typically use five lines and 31 syllables, but in Japanese, they are typically written in three lines. 

22. Haiku (俳句)

If you’ve heard about haiku, you probably have the impression that it takes immense skill to craft them. These poems are written using a set number of syllables. The haiku consists of three lines, with five syllables in the first line, seven in the second, and five in the third.

Though haiku were originally written in Japanese, English poems following this pattern also go by the same name. Literally meaning light (haikai no)  verse (ku), these poems are often about nature. 

23. Senryu　(川柳)

This loanword refers to another type of Japanese poetry that’s similar to haiku. Senryu tend to talk about people, rather than nature, however. This form was named after a poet who frequently practiced it. 

Other Japanese Loanwords We Use in English

From business to bedding and natural disasters, Japanese loanwords are used in many areas of life. The following words don’t fall neatly into the categories we have here. But they are still commonly used. 

24. Tycoon (大君)

You’ve probably heard this word used a lot with another t-word, tech, as in tech tycoon. Its origins have little do with technology, however. Taikun was the name foreigners gave to the shogun (another loanword) when they came to Japan in the 1800s. Over time, taikun (great lord) became tycoon. Today, the word refers to someone of tremendous wealth and power. 

25. Honcho　(班長)

This is another loanword often used alliteratively with head, as in head honcho, meaning leader. The term originates from Japanese han (group) and cho (leader), and was apparently picked up by foreigners in Japan during the second world war.  

26. Skosh (少し: Sukoshi)

Have you ever noticed someone saying, “Just a skosh.” Maybe you’re asking if you need to add more salt when you are making soup. This loanward is a shortening of the Japanese sukoshi, meaning a little. It was adopted by the US servicement when they were stationed in Japan after World War II It is used in the same way in English, and carries the nuance of a really tiny amount. 

27. Zen　(善)

This loanword originates from the Japanese school of Zen Buddhism that focuses on meditation. In common use in English, zen means calm and peaceful, and doesn’t explicitly refer to Buddhism. 

28. Futon　(布団)

Futon is one of those loanwords that perhaps many people have forgotten is, in fact, a loanword. It’s used to describe a flat mattress that can be rolled up, which is traditional bedding in Japan. However, in English, people refer to couches that have pull-out beds as futons. The fu in this loanword means sheet or cloth, and the ton means group. 

29. Ikigai (生きがい)

Ikigai, as a concept, has been making waves in the English-speaking world in recent years. Iki means life and gai means value, so the term translates to ‘reason for being’. The idea is that with a reason for being or a purpose, people can live more fulfilling lives, as those lives get longer. 

30 Tsunami　(津波)

Originating from harbor (tsu) and wave (nami), this word has been in use in many unfortunate circumstances recently. As with the original Japanese, it describes a large sea wave caused by an earthquake. Tsunami has also been used in a figurative sense to mean a large and sudden amount of something. 

Conclusion

Now with these 30 Japanese loanwords under your belt, maybe you’ll be able to identify other loanwords more easily. You’ve no doubt been using many of them and as the English language continues to borrow words from Japanese, you’ll end up using even more Japanese, in English. For loanwords in Japanese that didn’t come from English, check out this article. 

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Does English have Japanese loanwords?

Yes, English language borrows a lot of Japanese words. For example, tsunami, tycoon and sudoku came from the Japanese equivalent. English language also retains a lot of original Japanese food-related words, like sushi, katsu and dashi.

What English words are borrowed from Japan?

Among many of them, the most common English words borrowed from Japan are:

• Tsunami
• Karaoke
• Tycoon
• Sushi
• Skosh
• Ramen
• Futon

Does Japan borrow words from the English language?

Yes, Japanese has around 4,500 words that are borrowed from English. Loanwords borrowed from a foreign language is called gairaigo (外来語).

If you have read any of my other articles on Japanese English (see links below), you might get the idea that borrowing vocabulary is mainly a case of the Japanese using and abusing English words and expressions, both as part of Japanese and when they try to use English internationally. These kinds of changes are, however, universals of vocabulary transfer from and to any language in the world. What is more, English speakers are guilty of exactly the same things when they use Japanese words in English, and so often when they think they are speaking Japanese too. I’ve grouped these changes together in several categories, dealing with the changes in either direction each time:

1. Pronunciation changes
2. Abbreviations
3. Longer than the form in the other language
4. More restricted meaning
5. Extended meaning
6. Other meaning changes
7. Less common in the language or country it comes from

I hope the resulting analysis will be of interest to learners and teachers of either language, as well as those interested in the more general linguistic topic of borrowings from other languages. As the words given here are now considered a part of the English language, the topic might also be of interest to speakers of other languages who have a good level of English. This should hopefully also make people less self conscious about their own “mistakes”. As I tell my Japanese students when they say “golden week”, “It’s not wrong, it’s just Japanese”, just like cul de sac (translates are “arse of the bag”, the French expression for this being “impasse”) is English rather than bad French.

As some people’s computers will show neither, I have attempted to avoid both phonemic symbols and Japanese script. When the pronunciation of a Japanese word is given, I have simply transposed the katakana into Roman script. This is more difficult when trying to write out the pronunciation of English words, as English spelling is irregular and Japanese does not have enough sounds to represent them all. I have therefore given a couple of different attempts to show what pronunciation I mean, for example using capital letters to represent the letter sound (e.g. A for the vowel sound in gate) and words that have similar pronunciations.

1. Pronunciation changes

Traditionally, one of the most common changes in Japanese pronunciation when it comes into the English language is to replace a final e for elephant sound with an ee from feet one. This has even been reflected in the spelling at times, with the older English spelling of sake being sacky. Educated speakers nowadays make more of an effort to mimic Japanese pronunciation, but amateur singing to the sound of a machine is still mainly known as “karry oh key” in English. Saying this or karate in a more Japanese way can sound at least pretentious and maybe even incomprehensible to an English speaker. This seems strange in a way, being that the e sound is quite happily used in common English words like egg and pen, but it is rare at the end of English words. The same is true of the ts in tsunami, which is perfectly natural at the end of the word “parts” but can sound forced or even be difficult to say at the beginning of a word as it doesn’t exist in that position in English sounds.

The same things happens in Japanese with words borrowed from English. For example, w+a and h+i are common sound combinations, but w+i is always written and pronounced as the similar ui, as in uiiku (week). There is a large list of similar examples in my article on Pronunciation Changes in Japanese English (see list of links below).

Another linguistic universal that the English ways of saying karate illustrates is how two pronunciations can coexist in a language, often with one being closer to the original language and considered more correct, but perhaps being less common in speech. The same thing also happens with English words in Japanese. The most obvious example is v, which can be used in violin but is more commonly pronounced as a b (baiorin).

There are even times when pronunciations that are more and less similar to the original language can take on different meanings. During the American occupation of postwar Japan the geesha/ giisha pronunciation of geisha (that still lives on in some people’s pronunciations) came to mean a type of prostitute, with the gaysha/ gAsha pronunciation retaining its original Japanese meaning of a traditional entertainer. Similar pairs exist in Japanese, for example hanbaagaa for a hamburger in a bun and hanbaagu for hamburger steak/ hamburger patty.

Another similarity between how Japanese pronunciation is modelled on the English and vice versa is the fast, informal pronunciation in one language becoming the standard in the other. For example, most ds endings in English lose the d sound and become zu in Japanese, making niizu for needs and kiizu for kids. The same thing happened to the Japanese word sukoshi (a little) when it came into American slang as skosh, as the final i and (especially) the u are almost silent in fast Japanese speech but are pronounced when speaking slowly and carefully.

There are also plenty of examples that don’t seem to match any rules, however much you analyse the available examples. In Japanese these include botan for button and sutekki for stick, and in English they include honcho from hanchou in Japanese and the short i sound in most English speakers’ pronunciations of shiitake. You also sometimes hear harikiri for hara-kiri ( seppuku, stomach cutting).

2. Abbreviations

The well known Japanese words anime, cosplay and karaoke all come from shortening of English words (animation, costume and orchestra), and there are hundreds more that haven’t made it out of Japan yet, such as wide show (uaido shoo, a kind of variety show). There is a link to a whole article on the topic (How the Japanese Chop Up English) below.

There are fewer examples in English, perhaps the most common of which is rickshaw, from jinrikisha (human powered cart). You could also put the use of Akita to refer to the dog in this section, as that word on its own means just the prefecture (like a country or state) in Japanese, with the dog being Akita-ken.

There are also plenty of examples where it is part of a longer expression which is usually shortened in the one language and only used in the short form in the other, e.g. demo, which is never lengthened to demonstration in Japanese. Shogun is also an example of this, as his full title was seii taishougun.

3. Longer than in the original language

In English, this is usually due to adding English words to the Japanese one, often in a way which could make the meaning clear in English in a way which wouldn’t be necessary in Japanese, giving us sumo wrestling, soy sauce (the word soy comes from shoyu, meaning soy sauce), and head honcho (from the Japanese hanchou). This also happens in Japanese, especially with the adding of suru (do) to English words to make verbs, e.g. up suru (appu suru – to rise or raise). There are also examples where the expression only uses English words, but is still longer than the English equivalent, e.g. neck tie (nekku tai – a tie). There are also examples in both languages of adding affixes, e.g. moxibustion from the Japanese mogusa.

4. More restricted meaning

The most common category of words which have amore restricted meaning in English than in Japanese are words that are just used to refer to Japan or Asia in English but are used more generally in Japanese. These include made in Japan expressions like anime, which only means Japanese animation in English but is much more general in Japanese, and salaryman, which basically means the same as office worker in Japanese. The same is true of Japanese words like tsunami (a tidal wave), manga (any kinds of comics in Japanese), katsu (any kind of cutlet, not just Japanese-style tonkatsu etc), otaku (any kind of obsessive geek or nerd in Japanese, not just anime freaks) and bento (bentou – any kind of packed lunch, including sandwiches, in Japanese).

This is less common in Japanese, perhaps because of the impact Westernization has had on the country, but cake (keiki) cannot refer to traditional Japanese desserts and tea (tii) cannot refer to Japanese or Chinese green tea. Rice (raisu) is also only usually used as a word with imported dishes like curry rice (karee raisu).

One subcategory of those words is words that are only used in English to talk about martial arts, but have a more general original meaning in Japanese, e.g. sensei (a general term of respect used especially for teachers but also experts in Japanese) and sempai (anyone in a more senior but similar position).

In the same way, there are many words that are used to sports in Japanese without having their wider English meaning, such as crawl (kurooru) and stroke (sutorooku) in swimming, safe (seifu) in baseball, and wood and swing (uudo and suingu) in golf.

Another thing that both languages seem to have in common is borrowing words with just their sexual meaning. A hostess (hoosutesu) is only someone who works in a hostess bar in Japanese, not someone who invites you to something, and hentai has the more general meaning of perverted in Japanese, rather than just being a genre of comics and animation as in English.

Food is another category where both languages do the same thing. Sake can mean alcohol more generally in Japanese, nihon-shu (Japan spirit) being the unambiguous way of referring to Japanese rice wine. Fugu and maguro refer to the two (living) fish in Japanese as well as to their flesh. The Japanese divide the meat and body by using English in the same way with the word liver (rebaa), which is not used to refer to that part of your body.

Other food ones in Japanese are rare (rea), which never means unusual but only refers to your steak, and bacon, which is always sold ready cooked, making it a bit like ham.

In a similar way, English words which are borrowed to talk about business, Christianity and TV in Japanese often don’t have their more original English meaning. There is a list of these below, along with their more restricted Japanese meanings.

Business and economics

bubble (baburu) – a temporary economic boom, not a soap bubble

dumping (dampingu) – selling products under cost price to eliminate competitors, not throwing things away

feedback (fiidobakku) – telling someone how something went, not the screech of an amp with a microphone too close to it

inflation (infure) – prices going up, not blowing up a balloon etc

plant (puranto) – factory, not trees, flowers etc

slump (suranpu) – only the metaphorical meaning of a bad period, not your shoulders

Christianity

sister (sisutaa) – a nun, not a member of your family

father (faazaa) – a priest, not your Dad

rosary (rosario, from Portuguese) – Catholic prayer beads, not Buddhist ones

TV

anchor (ankaa) – TV news anchor, not boats

guest (gesto) – TV talk show guest, not guest in your home

Other areas

air con (ea kon, short for air conditioner) – a machine that both cools and heats air, as one that just cools is a kuura (cooler).

alright (oorai) – only used to tell a vehicle backing up, for example into a parking space, that they still have room and can keep coming

bike (baiku) – only used for motorbikes, not bicycles

canvas (kanbasu) – paintings only, not material more generally

club (kurabu) – not used to mean disco

compass (kompasu) – drawing compass only, not navigation tool

department (depaato) – store, not part of company

diary (daiarii) – only one that you write your thoughts about what has already happened (one you write your arrangements in is te-cho or agenda)

director (direkutaa) – only film director, not company executive

flexible (furekusiburu) – personality, not physical stretchability or bendability

initial (inishuru) – part of name, not general meaning of “first”

iron (airon) – contraption for ironing, not material

foundation (faundeishon) – make up only, not building

lab (rabo) – photos only, not science generally

mail (meeru) – only used for emailing, not for snail mail

pinch (pinchi) – tight spot, not physical action

puzzle (pazuru) – jigsaw puzzle, not more general meaning

straw (sutoroo) – drinking only, not dried grasses on farms

summit (samitto) – important conference only, not top of a mountain

terror (tero) – only means terrorism, not fear more generally

ticket (chiketto) – for play etc, but not for a train (which is the Japanese word kippu)

twin (tsuin) – hotel room, not person born at same time

violet (baioretto) – just the colour, not the flower

wax (wakusu) – floors and cars, not more general e.g. thing from candles and ears

Koi and kimono have more general meanings in Japanese, being carp generally (rather than just expensive pond fish), and all traditional Japanese clothes (it just means ‘wearing thing’)

5. Extended meanings

One example of this is kamikaze in English, which is used in phrases like kamikaze driver to mean dangerous or almost suicidal. In Japan it mainly has its original meaning of Japanese suicidal military attacks, plus its original meaning of “wind of the gods”, derived from the storms which saved the island from invasion by the Mongols. Here is a selection of this effect in Japanese:

acryl (akuriru, short for acrylic) – any kind of hard plastic, in contrast with vinyl (biniiru), which is any kind of flexible plastic

billiards (biriyaado) – billiards, snooker or pool

blank (buranku) – blank/ absence

boyfriend (booifurendo) – male friend/ boyfriend

cameraman (kameraman) – cameraman/ photographer

chief (chiifu) – chief/ head/ leader (and therefore used more in Japanese than in English)

colour (karaa) – colour/ character

course (koosu) – as well as the education meanings, often used for a walking route

dead heat (deddo hiito) – dead heat/ close game

elegy (erejii) – elegy/ ballad

even (iibun) – even/ tie/ draw (i.e. also used for the final score)

fastener (fasunaa) – fastener/ zip

freshman (furesshuman) – freshman/ fresher/ new employee

gallery (gyararii) – gallery/ spectators

gang (gyangu) – gang/ gangster

gorgeous (goojasu) – gorgeous/ luxurious

jump (janpu) – jump/ skip levels

kiosk (kiyosuku) – kiosk/ station shop (i.e. also something you can walk into)

knob (nobu) – any kind of door handle, not just a circular one

macaroni (makaroni) – macaroni/ pasta generally

merit (meritto) – merit/ advantage (and so used more in Japanese than in English, e.g. to say “There’ no point”)

minus (mainasu) – minus/ disadvantage

miss (misu) – miss/ error/ mistake/ typo (and so used more in Japanese than English)

napkin (napukin) – napkin/ panty liner

neat (niito) – neat/ cool

overhaul (oobaahooru) – overhaul/ any kind of medical check up

pack (pakku) – pack/ carton

pants (pantsu) – seems to have both the British and American meaning, although usually the former (= underpants)

pass (pasu) – pass/ skip (school)

pick up (pikku appu) – pick up (in your car)/ select

robot (robotto) – robot/ figurehead

rucksack (ryukkusakku) – rucksack/ knapsack (i.e. can be small)

sack (sakku) – sack/ fingerstall (protective covering for finger)

scrap (sukurappu) – scrap/ (newspaper) clippings

sign (sain) – sign/ signature/ autograph

snack (sunakku) – snack or, more commonly, a kind of small bar

sofa (sofaa) –sofa/ armchair

step up (suteppu appu) – step up/ be promoted

summertime (samaataimu) – summertime/ daylight saving time

terrace (terasu) – terrace/ balcony

trainer (tureina) – sweatshirt/ tracksuit

trump (toranpu) – playing cards (not just one game you can play with them)

unit (yunitto) – unit/ prefabricated (e.g. all-in-one fitted bathrooms)

Viking (baikingu) – buffet/ smorgasbord/ eat all you like

vinyl (biniiru) – any kind of flexible plastic, as in biniiru bukurou (plastic bag), not just records and fake leather jackets and sofas as in English

wagon – cart/ wagon/ station wagon/ estate (car)

yacht (yotto) – any kind of sailing boat, however small

6. Other changed meanings

One similarity is when the word is used to describe something that doesn’t quite exist in the other country. For example, there are no sofa beds made of wooden slats in Japan, and a futon is just a thin mattress that lies directly on the floor. In the same way the abbreviation apart (apaato) would be considered a kind of apartment in English speaking countries, but the specific meaning of wooden two storey building doesn’t exist outside Japan. A talent (tarento) also describes a kind of professional TV celebrity that doesn’t really exist outside Japan, hence the borrowing of the Japanese spelling back into English to talk about that job in Japan.

Another similarity is the use of place names to refer to things that come from there. In English we have satsuma from the Japanese region for the fruit that they call mikan, and in (rather old-fashioned) Japanese they have Saville Row (sebiro) for a suit.

A more general and confusing one is tycoon, which comes from taikun, one title for the shogun in Japan and so in no way originally connected to business. Here are some of the many examples of these other changes in Japanese:

accent (akusento) – word and sentence stress (not the way you speak that shows where you come from)

almighty (oorumaitii) – supreme/ dominating (and so used more than the English word, e.g. in sports)

at home (atto hoomu) – relaxed atmosphere, as in “make yourself at home”, but used as an adjective

attack (atakku) – take on a challenge/ go for it

barracks (barakku) – decrepit buildings

boy (booi) – bell boy/ porter

cabaret (kabaree) – part of the sex industry, stripshow

challenge (charenji suru) – undertake something difficult

charming (chaamingu) – (physically) attractive

cider (saidaa) – soda/ lemonade

claim (kureimu) – a complaint, especially meaning one demanding a refund etc

classic (kurashikku) – classical music (not classic rock etc)

condenser (kondensaa) – capacitor (so nothing to do with condensation, unlike the English meaning)

cooler (kuura) – an air conditioner that only cools the air and doesn’t heat (unlike Japanese air con)

co-op (koopo) – one step better than an apaato, looking the same but having thin concrete walls

cunning (kunningu) – cheating, e.g. in exams

dead ball (deddo booru) – hit by a pitched baseball

feminist (feministo) – gentleman, i.e. treating a lady like a lady

fireman (faiaman) – relief pitcher (in baseball)

flying (furaingu) – false start

free pass (furii pasu) – all day ticket (to a theme park, meaning you can go on all rides)

gown (gaun) – dressing gown

gravure (gurabia, short for photogravure) – girls in bikinis (A/V being girls without bikinis)

ground (guraundo) – playground (school or park)

half (haafu) – mixed race, one parent being Japanese

heights (haitsu) – a medium-ranking apartment block, similar to a co-op

hire (haiyaa) – limousine

jumper (janpaa) – zip up jacket (not sweater)

klaxon (kurakushon) – (car) horn

lynch (rinchi) – beating up

madam (madamu) – proprietress of bar

mania (mania) – a fanatic, rather than his obsession. Also notice the short first vowel sound

mansion (manshon) – a modern apartment block, usually (but no always) fairly high rise, and made from reinforced concrete

mind (maindo) – intention

mother com (mazaa con, short for mother complex) – Oedipus complex

on parade (on pareedo) – on display (e.g. in a shop window)

post (posto) – mailbox

premium (puremiamu) – additional charge, for example for not sharing a room. Note the vowel sounds

propose (puropoozu) – proposal

reform (rifoomu) – house renovation or mending clothes

rinse (rinsu) – (hair) conditioner

road show (roodo shoo) – first run of movies

sales point (seerusu pointo) – selling point/ USP

skyline (sukairain) – mountain highway

smart (sumaato) – slim

spats (supattsu) – Lycra shorts

stamp (sutampu) –postmark/ date stamp/ etc (not a postage stamp)

tenant (tenanto) – to let (often seen in shop windows)

wet (wetto) – overly sentimental, with dry (dorai) as the opposite

7. Words that are less used in the original language

One reason a word might be used less in one language is that it has a connotation that hasn’t gone into the other language. For example, yakuza comes from an insult and is never used in the more respectable press (it’s bouryoku-dan – violence gang), let alone to a yakuza’s face!

In a similar way, it is generally okay to say homo for homosexual, half (haafu) for mixed race/ half Japanese, les (lezu) for lesbian, and Indian for American Indian in Japanese – but very much to be avoided in modern English.

Shintou isn’t a taboo word, but the Japanese rarely talk about religion and might not even think of the local shrine as part of anything larger, so many Japanese are unaware of the word. Because of its WWII and post-war history, it could perhaps be considered a member of the next major group, which is words which have faded both from history and consciousness in the original country. Hotchkiss (hotchikisu) was apparently a famous brand of stapler before becoming the general word in Japan and Korea but disappearing from memory elsewhere. Taikun (the source of tycoon) is virtually unknown in modern Japanese. Mikado is slightly more common, but much less so than tennou. Netsuke (things that used to hang off kimonos) were always more popular as collectors’ items in the West, and have died out completely as part of a kimono.

The terms issei, nissei and sansei (first, second and third generation Japanese-Americans/ Japanese Brazilians etc) are more used outside Japan, simply because that is there they live!

More articles on “Japanese English”

How the Japanese Chop Up English

Made-in-Japan English words and expressions

Pronunciation Changes in Japanese English

How Japanese English Works

Did you know that you already know a little Japanese? It’s true! 

Think of karaoke. Emoji. Karate. 

In fact, there are tons of words we use in English that are actually Japanese. That’s why we thought it might be fun to take a look at some of the many Japanese words in English, called loanwords.

But what exactly is a loanword? 

Basically, it’s when a language decides that the term another language uses for something will work just fine. 

There’s no unique English word for sushi, for example – what would be the point in coming up with a different name? Saying sushi is understandable to more people, makes it clear what you’re referring to, and just… works. 

When a language has a pre-existing word for a thing or concept because it existed in the culture or area where the language developed, you’ll have a different word. 

For example, just about every language has a word for water or the sun. But something new or unique to another culture will tend to be introduced with its original name. Ramen. Ukulele. Tango.

In fact, English as a language, being more flexible and having no governing linguistic academy, uses a particularly large number of loanwords. (Like, tens of thousands of loanwords!) 

How many Japanese words are there in the English language? At latest count, Japanese had roughly a modest 150 words from Japanese roots appearing in the English lexicon, but that number is growing. 

That said, we thought we’d showcase the Japanese words we use most in English – and 49 seems like more than enough, don’t you think?

 Without further ado, here’s everything you need to know about our 49 favourite Japanese words in English. 

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But wait, you already know these words!

Why spend time poring over English words you’re already familiar with when you could start learning new and exciting Japanese words right now with Busuu’s award-winning online language course?

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Here are 49 common Japanese words in English

1. Anime – fun fact, anime is really a loanword of a loanword! “Animation” became anime (アニメ) in Japanese, which became the English word for Japanese animation. Whew!
2. Bonsai – from the Japanese bonsai (盆栽), literally “tray planting”
3. Daikon – from the Japanese daikon (大根), literally “big root”
4. Dojo  – from the Japanese dōjō (道場),  literally “place of the Way”
5. Edamame – from the Japanese edamame (枝豆), literally “stem bean” or “branch bean”
6. Emoji – from the Japanese e (絵, ‘picture’) and moji (文字, ‘character’), originally meaning a pictogram
7. Futon – from the Japanese futon (布団), meaning a meditation cushion or Japanese-style bedding set up on the floor; itself a loanword from Middle Chinese bu-dwan (蒲團), meaning “meditation cushion”
8. Geisha – from the Japanese geisha (芸者), used to refer to geishas but meaning, more literally, artisan or performing artist
9. Haiku – from the Japanese haiku (俳句)
10. Hibachi – from the Japanese hibachi (火鉢) coming from hi (火, “fire”) and‎ hachi (鉢, “bowl”)
11. Honcho (as in head honcho) – from the Japanese hanchō (班長), meaning ‘group leader’ or ‘squad leader’
12. Judo – from the Japanese jūdō (柔道) literally “gentle way”
13. Jujutsu (a.k.a. jiu jitsu) – from the Japanese jūjutsu (柔術)
14. Kamikaze – from the Japanese kamikaze (神風), literally “divine wind” or “spirit wind”
15. Kanban – from the Japanese kanban (看板), meaning “signboard” or “billboard”
16. Karaoke – from the Japanese karaoke (カラオケ), from the Japanese kara (空, “empty”) and ōkesutora (オーケストラ, “orchestra”)
17. Karate – from the Japanese karate (空手)
18. Katana – from the Japanese katana (刀), which simply means “single-edged sword”
19. Kimono – from the Japanese kimono (着物) literally, “thing to wear (on the shoulders)”
20. Koi (fish) – from the Japanese koi (鯉)
21. Manga – from the Japanese manga (漫画), formed from man (漫, whimsical) and ga (画, “pictures”)
22. Miso – from the Japanese miso (味噌)
23. Mochi – from the Japanese mochi (餅)
24. Napa cabbage – from the Japanese nappa (菜っ葉), meaning the leaves of a vegetable as food (the Japanese name for this cabbage is actually hakusai (白菜)!
25. Ninja – from the Japanese ninja (忍者)
26. Origami – from the Japanese origami (折り紙), from ori (折り, “to fold”) and kami (紙, “paper”)
27. Panko – from the Japanese panko (パン粉), from pan (パン, bread – a loanword from the Portuguese pão!) and ko (粉, flour. crumb, or coating)
28. Ramen – from the Japanese rāmen (拉麺)
29. Rickshaw – from the Japanese jinrikisha (人力車), literally “human-powered vehicle”
30. Sake – from the Japanese sake (酒), which in Japanese refers to any alcoholic drink
31. Samurai – from the Japanese samurai (侍)
32. Sayonara – from the Japanese sayōnara (さようなら), which, FYI, is more of a “farewell” than a casual goodbye
33. Sensei – from the Japanese sensei (先生), meaning “elder” or “teacher”
34. Shiatsu (massage) – from the Japanese shiatsu (指圧), literally “finger pressure”
35. Shiba Inu – from the Japanese shiba inu (柴犬), which means “brushwood dog”
36. Skosh (as in just a skosh) – from the Japanese sukoshi (少し), pronounced like “sko-shi”, which means “just a little bit”
37. Soy – from the Japanese shoyu (醤油), the Japanese name for soy sauce
38. Sudoku – from the Japanese sūdoku (数独), which literally translates to something like “single digit”
39. Sumo – from the Japanese sumō (相撲), literally “striking one another”
40. Sushi – from the Japanese sushi (寿司)
41. Tempura – from the Japanese tenpura (天麩羅), itself likely borrowed from Portuguese or Spanish
42. Teriyaki – from the Japanese teriyaki (照り焼き)
43. Tofu – from the Japanese tōfu (豆腐)
44. Tsunami – from the Japanese tsunami (津波), meaning “harbour wave”
45. Tycoon – from the Japanese taikun (大君), meaning a lord, imperial prince, or shōgun
46. Umami – from the Japanese umami (旨味), a term coined by a chemist in the early 1900s combining umai (うまい, “delicious”) and mi (味, “taste”)
47. Wabi-sabi – from the Japanese wabi-sabi (侘寂)
48. Wasabi – from the Japanese wasabi (山葵)
49. Zen – from the Japanese zen (禅), which was an adaptation of a Chinese word, which was an adaptation of a Sanskrit word – what a wordy world!

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See? You learn lots of Japanese words just speaking English

And get this – it doesn’t end there. There are oodles of English loanwords (and loanwords from other European languages) in Japanese that might surprise you. Here are just a few examples of English words in Japanese: 

Katakana	Romaji	English
ビール	bīru	beer
アンサー	ansā	answer
バーゲン	bāgen	bargain
コインランドリー	koin randorī	coin laundry
ポスト	posuto	post – a mailbox (US), a postbox (UK)

Learn anything new? We sure hope so! Let us know your favourite Japanese loan words in English (or vice versa!) in the comments.

Now that you’ve gotten a taste of learning Japanese, why not keep this learning train rolling? With Busuu, you get award-winning course content and help from native Japanese speakers at your fingertips.

So what do you say?

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• No, Japanese isn’t that hard to learn, and here’s why

The Japanese language can be very difficult for English speakers to learn as these two languages are completely different in every aspect: origin, writing system, grammar, and phonetics. But when it comes to vocabulary, you may be surprised to hear that this isn’t really the case. There are actually quite a few English loanwords in Japanese!

There’s even a name for the mixing of these two languages: Japanglish. 

Some of the English words used in Japanese have the same meaning as the original ones, while others have been localized and modified (often shortened), combined with Japanese words, and/or used with a completely different meaning. 

In this article, we’ll introduce English words that are commonly used in Japanese. Although you may find some of them very weird, learning Japanglish is one of the easiest parts of learning Japanese and it will be helpful in your language studies.

There is a lot of Japanglish vocabulary used in Japan.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction to Japanglish
2. Typical English Loanwords in Japanese
3. Japanglish Wasei Eigo
4. How to Say These Names in Japanese
5. English Words Borrowed From Japanese
6. How JapanesePod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

1. Introduction to Japanglish

There are two types of English words used in the Japanese language: loanwords and Wasei-Eigo. Let’s take a closer look at each group. 

Loanwords Used in Japanese

Loanwords, or 外来語 (gairai-go), are commonly used in modern Japanese. After two centuries of isolation, called 鎖国 (Sakoku), Japan became “open” to foreign countries in the mid-nineteenth century. This new status brought with it influences from Western cultures, and many of the first loanwords in Japan came from Portuguese, Dutch, French, and German. English loanwords started to gain prevalence during the post-World War II period. Since then, Japanglish has continued to evolve and grow in popularity. 

While the younger Japanese generations often use loanwords without even realizing they’re originally from foreign languages, the older population hardly uses or understands them.

The most basic loanwords are English words used in Japanese with the same meaning, but with Japanese pronunciation. Examples include: 

• カメラ (kamera) – “camera”
• タクシー (takushī) – “taxi”
• クリック (kurikku) – “click”

You have to keep in mind that loanwords are normally written with カタカナ (Katakana) letters and follow Japanese pronunciation rules. Also, when they’re written in alphabet form using ローマ字 (Roma-ji), or the romanization of Japanese, the spelling is often different from that of the original English words. This is because they’re transcribed according to how the Japanese read and pronounce words.

For example, all of the consonants in Japanese end with a vowel (あ a, い i, う u, え e, お o). In addition, since there’s no particular distinction between L and R in Japanese, all of the “L” sounds in English are expressed using “R” in Japanese. Thus, “click” is expressed as kurikku in Japanese.

To learn more about Japanese pronunciation, please see our “Japanese Pronunciation” article!

カタカナ (Katakana) characters are used to write loanwords.

Japanglish Wasei-Eigo: English Made in Japan 

There are also English words used in Japanese that have been more fully integrated into the language. These are called 和製英語 (Wasei Eigo), or literally, “English made in Japan.”

Wasei Eigo refers to English words adopted into Japanese with unique meanings, word combinations, and/or abbreviations only used in Japan. Examples include:

• サラリーマン (sararīman) 
  • from “salaryman,” meaning “businessman who works at a company and gets a monthly salary”
• シャーペン (shāpen) 
  • short for “sharp pencil,” meaning “mechanical pencil”

サラリーマン (sararīman), or “salaryman” meaning “businessman,” is one of the most typical Japanglish words.

2. Typical English Loanwords in Japanese

These loanwords have the same meaning as their English counterparts and are commonly used in daily Japanese conversations.

Loanword	Roma-ji / Reading	English Word
グラス	gurasu	glass
スプーン	supūn	spoon
フォーク	fōku	fork
ナイフ	naifu	knife
ビール	bīru	beer
ワイン	wain	wine
バス	basu	bus
バイク	baiku	(motor) bike
コンピューター	conpyūtā	computer
インターネット	intānetto	internet
ウェブサイト	webusaito	website
ホテル	hoteru	hotel
レストラン	resutoran	restaurant
テーブル	tēburu	table
サービス	sābisu	service
エレベーター	erebētā	elevator
ドア	doa	door
サイズ	saizu	size
シャツ	shatsu	shirt
ネクタイ	nekutai	necktie
サンダル	sandaru	sandal
サングラス	sangurasu	sunglasses
テスト	tesuto	test

Words that are associated with Western-style restaurants are often used as loanwords in Japanese. These include レストラン (resutoran) – “restaurant” / ナイフ (naifu) – “knife” /ワイン (wain) – “wine.”

3. Japanglish Wasei Eigo

Learning Wasei-Eigo may be a bit more difficult, as these words and phrases have undergone alterations during their journey into the Japanese language. In this section, we’ll give you several Japanglish examples and explain them in more detail as needed.

English Words Used With Different Meanings

Wasei Eigo	Roma-ji / Reading	English Word	Meaning
マンション	manshon	mansion	apartment (bigger building than アパート)
アパート	apāto	apart	apartment (smaller building than マンション)
コンセント	consento	consent	electrical outlet Many Japanese people use the word “consent” to mean “electrical outlet.” It is said that it originates from the word “concentric plug.”
メイク	meiku	make	makeup
リンス	rinsu	rinse	hair conditioner
アイス	aisu	ice	ice cream
ホットケーキ	hotto kēki	hot cake	pancake
スーパー	sūpā	super	supermarket
レジ	reji	register	It originally comes from “cash register,” meaning “checkout counter” or “cashier.”
ファイト!	faito!	fight	This word is used to cheer someone up. It can mean “Hang in there,” “You can do it,” or “Do your best.”
ハイテンション	hai tenshon	high tension	very excited / hyper
テキスト	tekisuto	text	textbook / school manual
カンニング	kanningu	cunning	cheating on an exam
タレント	tarento	talent	television personality / entertainer

Examples

• 次の試合は必ず勝つよ！ファイト！
  
  Tsugi no shiai wa kanarazu katsu yo! Faito!
  
  “You will definitely win the next match! Do your best!”

• 彼は昨日なぜかとてもハイテンションでした。
  
  Kare wa kinō naze ka totemo hai tenshon deshita.
  
  “He was very excited yesterday for some reason.”

• あなたの一番好きなタレントは誰ですか。
  
  Anata no ichi-ban suki na tarento wa dare desu ka.
  
  “Who is your most favorite TV personality?”

 ホットケーキ (hotto kēki), or “hot cake,” means “pancake” in Japan.

Abbreviated Word Combinations

In Japanese, it’s common for two or more English words to be shortened into one word (usually with four syllables). Let’s see some examples.

Wasei Eigo	Roma-ji / Reading	English Word	Meaning / Description
リモコン	rimokon	remote controller	remote controller In Japanese, the first syllables from each word are combined.
マスコミ	masukomi	mass communication	mass communication / mass media / the press / journalism
エアコン/ クーラー	eakon / kūrā	air conditioner / cooler	air conditioner クーラー (kūrā), or “cooler,” is also commonly used to mean “air conditioner.”
パソコン	pasokon	personal computer	computer Along with コンピューター (conpyūtā), パソコン (pasokon) is also commonly used when talking about computers.
コンビニ	konbini	convenience store	This word refers to convenience stores that are open 24 hours a day and seen everywhere throughout Japan.
イメチェン	imechen	image change	This refers to changing one’s image, especially in terms of one’s hairstyle or clothing.
OL (オーエル）	ōeru	office lady	Similar to “salaryman,” this word refers to a woman who works at an office. This word is also an abbreviation.
CM (シーエム）	shīemu	commercial message	commercial This abbreviation is used to mean “commercial” in Japanese.
BGM (ビージーエム)	bījīemu	background music	This refers to background music, especially when it’s played in a store, cafe, restaurant, etc.

Examples

• 昨日私の古いパソコンが壊れました。
  
  Kinō watashi no furui pasokon ga kowaremashita.
  
  “Yesterday, my old computer broke.”

• イメチェンしたいなら髪型を変えるのが一番だよ！
  
  Imechen shitai nara kamigata o kaeru no ga ichi-ban da yo!
  
  “If you want to change your image, it’s best to change your hairstyle!”

• あのカフェのBGMはジャズがかかっていておしゃれです。
  
  Ano kafe no bījīemu wa jazu ga kakatte ite oshare desu.
  
  “That cafe plays jazz as background music and it’s fashionable.”

リモコン (rimokon) is an abbreviation of “remote controller.”

Words That Combine English and Japanese

Wasei Eigo can also get creative, with some words being a combination of an English loanword and a Japanese word. 

Wasei Eigo	Roma-ji / Reading	Composition of Words	Meaning
省エネ	shōene	省 (Kanji that represents “save”)　＋ energy	energy-saving
軽トラ	keitora	軽 (Kanji that represents “light”) + truck	light (engine) truck / small truck
ガス欠	gasuketsu	gas + 欠 (Kanji that represents “lack”)	running out of gasoline (petrol)
懐メロ	natsumero	懐 (Kanji that represents “nostalgic”) + melody	nostalgic song / all-time favorite song
ドタキャン	dotakyan	土壇場 (dotanba), meaning “last moment” + cancellation	cancellation at the last moment
イタ飯	itameshi	Italian + 飯 (meal/food)	Italian food
猛ダッシュ	mōdasshu	猛 (Kanji that represents “fierce” / “intense” / “acute”) + dash	sprint / run as fast as one can

Examples

• 新しい冷蔵庫は省エネモデルです。
  
  Atarashii reizōko wa shōene moderu desu.
  
  “The new refrigerator is an energy-saving model.”

• ガス欠により道の真ん中で車が止まった。
  
  Gasuketsu ni yori michi no mannaka de kuruma ga tomatta.
  
  “The car stopped in the middle of a road due to running out of gasoline.”

• まりこはいつもデートをドタキャンする。
  
  Mariko wa itsumo dēto o dotakyan suru.
  
  “Mariko always cancels a date at the last moment.”

Loanwords Turned Into Japanese Verbs

By adding the Japanese word する (suru), or “to do,” after a loanword (whether it’s a noun or a verb), it becomes a verb in Japanese.

Wasei Eigo	Roma-ji / Reading	Composition of Words	Meaning
ドライブする	doraibu suru	drive + suru	to go for a drive
ノックする	nokku suru	knock + suru	to knock
キャンセルする	kyanseru suru	cancel + suru	to cancel
ジョギングする	jogingu suru	jogging + suru	to jog
リラックスする	rirakkusu suru	relax + suru	to relax
ジャンプする	janpu suru	jump + suru	to jump
キスする	kisu suru	kiss + suru	to kiss
メイクする	meiku suru	make + suru	to put on makeup
パーティーをする	pātī o suru	party + o + suru	to party
ギャンブルする	gyanburu suru	gamble + suru	to gamble

Examples

• 私はお風呂に入ってリラックスするのが好きです。
  
  Watashi wa o-furo ni haitte rirakkusu suru no ga suki desu.
  
  “I like to take a bath and relax.”

• 私たちは週末に誕生日パーティーをする予定です。
  
  Watashi-tachi wa shūmastu ni tanjōbi pātī o suru yotei desu.
  
  “We plan to have a birthday party over the weekend.”

• 入る前にドアをノックしてください。
  
  Hairu mae ni doa o nokku shite kudasai.
  
  “Please knock on the door before entering.”

To learn all about conjugation in Japanese, please see our article on Japanese Verb Conjugations.

パーティーをする (pātī o suru) – “to party”

4. How to Say These Names in Japanese

In Japan, world-famous brand names are pronounced according to Japanese pronunciation rules and are sometimes called something different. Here are a few examples.

• Google: グーグル (Gūguru)

• Apple: アップル (Appuru)

• Starbucks: スターバックス (Sutābakkusu)

   A shortened version, スタバ (Sutaba), is commonly used in daily conversations.

• Kentucky Fried Chicken: ケンタッキー フライド チキン (Kentakkī furaido chikin)

  There are also a couple of shortened versions often used in daily conversations: ケンタッキー (Kentakkī) and ケンタ (Kenta).

• McDonald’s: マクドナルド (Makudonarudo)

  Depending on the region of Japan, there are different shortened versions for this brand name.

  ➢ Kanto (Tokyo, Chiba, Saitama, Kanagawa) and other regions: マック (Makku)
  ➢ Kansai region (around Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Hyogo, etc.): マクド (Makudo)

There are even different dialect forms for “McDonald’s” in Japanese!

5. English Words Borrowed From Japanese

Due to globalization, there are also plenty of popular Japanese words in English! Let’s look at a few of these borrowed words: 

Food-Related Words	Kanji / Hiragana	Meaning / Description
Sushi	寿司 / すし	Sushi is a famous Japanese food, consisting of vinegared rice and raw and/or cooked seafood.
Teriyaki	照り焼き / てりやき	Teriyaki is a Japanese cooking technique and flavor. Foods are broiled or grilled with a glaze of sauce made of soy sauce, mirin, and sugar. 照り(teri) refers to a shine/luster and 焼き (yaki) means “grill.”
Tofu	豆腐 / とうふ	Tofu is bean curd made of soybeans. The Japanese word Tofu originates from the Chinese word 豆腐 (dòufu), which literally means  豆 (“bean”) + 腐(“curdled” or “fermented”).
Edamame	枝豆 / えだまめ	Edamame is a dish of immature soybeans, usually boiled and salted.
Sake	酒 / さけ	Sake literally means “alcoholic drink” in Japanese, but it often refers to Japanese rice wine, or 日本酒 (Nihonshu).
Matcha	抹茶 / まっちゃ	Matcha refers to green tea leaves that have been finely ground into a powder. Green tea leaves for Matcha are grown and processed using a specific method.
Bento	弁当 / べんとう	Bento is a reusable lunch box that can contain a single-portion meal, usually consisting of rice and some sides.

Culture-Related Words	Kanji / Hiragana	Meaning / Description
Bonsai	盆栽 / ぼんさい	Bonsai is an artform of planting that uses cultivation techniques to produce small trees in containers. Bonsai literally means “tray planting.”
Origami	折り紙 / おりがみ	Origami is the art of folding papers, usually done with square papers that have color on one side and white on the other side. Origami breaks down as: 折り(ori) – “fold”  +  紙 (kami/gami) – “paper”
Emoji	絵文字 / えもじ	Emoji is a type of pictograph that is used in electronic messages, originally invented in Japan. Emoji breaks down as: 絵 (e) – “picture” +  文字 (moji) – “character”
Manga	漫画 / まんが	Manga refers to Japanese-style comics that are often animated.
Cosplay (Kosupure)	コスプレ	The word コスプレ (Kosupure) comes from “costume play.” It is a type of performance art in which participants (cosplayers) dress up as characters from their favorite manga or anime.
Karaoke	カラオケ	Karaoke is a shortened version of 空 (kara), meaning “empty,” and オーケストラ (ōkesutora), meaning “orchestra.”  It is a form of entertainment where an amature sings popular songs using a microphone, following along with the instrumental music/melody and lyrics displayed on a video screen.
Sudoku	数独 / すうどく	Sudoku is a logic-based number-placement puzzle. The word 数独 (Sudoku) is an abbreviation that means “number” + “single,” coming from the rule of this puzzle: “the digits must be single” or “the digits are limited to one occurrence.”

Other Famous Words	Kanji / Hiragana	Meaning / Description
Kaizen	改善 / かいぜん	改善 (Kaizen) is literally translated as “improvement.” Kaizen in English often refers to “continuous improvement” in business atmospheres. It became known as the Japanese way of doing business to optimize processes and produce better results.
Karoshi	過労死 / かろうし	過労死 (Karoshi) literally means “death of overwork.” It refers to death as the result of mental and/or physical illness from working too much or being under too much pressure.
Tsunami	津波 / つなみ	津波 (Tsunami) literally means “port wave.” It is a series of huge waves, usually in an ocean. A Tsunami can be caused by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and other underwater explosions.
Typhoon	台風 / たいふう	A Typhoon is a huge tropical cyclone that can be seen in the Northern Hemisphere, in the region called the Northwestern Pacific Basin. The Japanese word 台風 (taifū) became the English “typhoon.”

Tsunami (津波) is one of the most famous Japanese words that was adapted into English.

How JapanesePod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

In this article, we introduced English words used in Japanese. We covered the history of loanwords in Japan and how Japanglish developed, basic loanwords from English and various types of Wasei Eigo, as well as famous Japanese words in English. While some Japanglish terms sound funny and weird, they are definitely helpful to learn and can help you understand Japanese better!

Did you learn anything new about Japanese today? Are there any important words or terms you know about that we didn’t include? Let us, and your fellow language learners, know in the comments! 

If you would like to learn more about the Japanese language and culture, you’ll find a lot more helpful content on JapanesePod101.com. We provide a variety of free lessons to help you improve your Japanese language skills. For example, you can view the following vocabulary lists to learn the very basics of Japanese: 

• 100 Most Common Nouns
• 50 Most Common Verbs
• 50 Most Common Adjectives

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We often assume that languages are unique and different from each other, and this (false) assumption leads to our fear of learning new languages. We overlook the fact that there are several ‘Borrowed Words’ in every language, which makes learning a new language easier and a fun thing to do. If you already speak English fluently and interested in learning Japanese, you will be glad to know that there are several words in English that have been borrowed from the Japanese language.

Here we take a look at 10 English words of Japanese origin.

1) Tsunami

In English, it means a long, high sea wave caused by an earthquake or other disturbance. The word ‘Tsunami’ comes from the two kanji words 津 (tsu) meaning “harbor” and 波 (nami), meaning “wave”.

2) Sake

In English, it means, for the purpose of or for the interest of in order to achieve something. However, in Japanese, it means something completely different. In Japanese sake 酒 (さけ) literally means “alcohol.”

3) Typhoon

In English, it means a tropical storm. The word ‘Typhoon’ comes from the two kanji words 台 (たい) means “table” or “pedestal,” and 風 (ふう) means “wind.”

4) Origami

In English ‘Origami’ folding paper into decorative shapes and figures. While in Japanese 折 (おり) means “to fold,” and 紙 (がみ) is “papers”.

5) Zen

According to the Cambridge dictionary, the exact English meaning of the word Zen is “not to worry”. While the Kanji Meaning: 禅 (ぜん) literally means “silent meditation”.

6) Emoji

In English “emoji” is a small digital image used to express an idea or emotion in electronic communication. The Kanji Meaning: 絵 (え) means “picture” and 文字 (もじ) is “character” or “letter”.

7) Futon

This word is originally a Japanese word, which has the same English meaning as well. In English, it means a type of mattress that can be rolled up or a bed or seat made from such a mattress. Kanji Meaning: 布 (ふ) means “linen” or “cloth” and 団 (とん) is “group”.

Rickshaw

People often think the word Rickshaw came from China, however it was first used in Japan in 1869, which literally meant “human-powered vehicle.” In English there is a slight change in meaning, it means a light two-wheeled passenger vehicle drawn by one or more people.

9) Tofu

English meaning of Tofu is, a soft white substance made from soya beans. While the Kanji Meaning: 豆 (とう) is “beans” and 腐 (ふ) means “ferment” or “rot”.

10) Haiku

It’s a Japanese way of writing a poem of seventeen syllables. Kanji Meaning: 俳 (はい) means “poem”. The meaning of the word doesn’t change in English.

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Now that you know some of the most popular English words borrowed from Japanese, why not increase your understanding of doing business in Japan with our Japanese Business Etiquette Guide. 

Japanese Words	Pronunciation	Meaning
Aikido	ahy-kee-doh	Japanese martial arts
Anime	an-uh-mey	Animation
Bento	ben-taw	A home-packed meal
Banzai	bahn-dzah-ee	Cheer of enthusiasm or triumph
Bonsai	bon-sahy	Miniature tree grown in a tray or shallow pot
Dashi	dah-shee	Soup stock; fundamental to Japanese cooking
Dojo	doh-joh	Any physical training facility
Futon	foo-ton	A type of mattress
Geisha	gey-shuh	Traditional Japanese female entertainers
Haiku	hahy-koo	Short poem of 3 lines
Harakiri	hahr-uh-keer-ee	A ritual suicide carried out by cutting the belly
Hibachi	hi-bah-chee	Traditional Japanese heating device
Ikebana	ee-ke-bah-nah	Japanese art of flower arrangement
Imari	ee-mari	Plates and cups made of multicolored porcelain
Judo	joo-doh	A sport adapted from jujitsu and similar to wrestling
Jujitsu	joo-jit-soo	Martial art form
Kabuki	kah-boo-kee	Traditional Japanese theater
Kanji	kahn-jee	Japanese writing using Chinese characters
Kamikaze	kah-mi-kah-zee	Divine wind or a pilot trained and willing to cause a suicidal crash
Kakemono	kah-ke-maw-naw	A vertical hanging scroll containing either text or a painting
Karaoke	kar-ee-oh-kee	Singing popular songs along with recorded music
Karate	kuh-rah-tee	Type of Japanese martial art
Kendo	ken-doh	Martial art form
Koto	kaw-taw	Traditional musical instrument
Kimono	kuh-moh-nuh	Outer garment, generally made of silk
Koi	koi	A colorful, ornamental carp fish
Manga	mahng-guh	Comics
Makimono	mah-kee-maw-naw	Horizontal hand scroll containing either text or a painting
Miso	mee-saw	Paste made from fermenting rice, soybean, koji and sea salt
Noh	noh	Stylized classic drama of Japan
Ninja	nin-juh	A skilled warrior
Obi	aw-bee	A long, broad sash used over a kimono
Origami	awr-i-gah-mee	Paper-folding art
Pachinko	puh-ching-koh	A Japanese pinball game
Ramen	rah-muhn	A variety of Japanese noodle dish
Ronin	roh-nin	A samurai without a master
Rickshaw or Jinrihisha	rik-shaw/jin-rik-shaw	Human-pulled vehicle
Sake	sah-kee	Alcoholic beverage made from fermented rice
Samurai	sam-oo-rahy	Japanese warrior
Sashimi	sah-shee-mee	Thinly sliced, fish or raw meat
Satsuma	sah-tsoo-mah	A kind of mandarin orange
Sayonara	sah-yaw-nah-rah	Goodbye
Sensei	sen-sey	Master, teacher
Seppuku	se-poo-koo	A ritual suicide carried out by cutting the abdomen
Shoyu	shoh-yoo	Japanese soy sauce
Shamisen	sæmɪ-sen	Three-stringed musical instrument
Shiatsu	shee-aht-soo	Acupressure massage
Shogun	shoh-guh	A military commander
Surimi	soo-ree-mee	Minced fish flavored in imitation of lobster or crabmeat
Sudoku	soo-doh-koo	Literally means ‘single number’, but now associated with a number puzzle
Sumo	soo-moh	A Japanese form of wrestling
Sushi	soo-shee	Vinegared rice topped with raw fish, shellfish and rarely vegetables
Tanka	tahng-kuh	Short poem form consisting of five lines with 31 syllables
Tatami	tuh-tah-mee	Straw matting
Teriyaki	ter-uh-yah-kee	Cooking technique in which fish or meat is grilled in soy marinade
Tofu	toh-foo	Bean curd
Tsunami	tsoo-nah-mee	Large waves as a result of underwater earthquakes or other disturbances
Tycoon or Taikun	tahy-koon	A businessperson of great wealth and power; magnate
Typhoon	tahy-foon	Violent tropical storm or cyclone
Ukiyo-e	oo-kee-yaw-e	Painting and printmaking developed in Japan
Wasabi	wah-suh-bee	Green paste similar to horseradish
Zaibatsu	zahy-bah-tsoo	Business Conglomerate
Zen	zen	Branch of Mahayana Buddhism
Zori	zawr-ee	A Japanese sandal; formally worn with kimono on special occasions