List of gairaigo and wasei-eigo terms
This is a selected list of gairaigo, Japanese words originating or based on foreign language (generally Western) terms, including wasei-eigo (Japanese pseudo-Anglicisms).
Many of these words derive from Portuguese, due to Portugal's early role in Japanese-Western interaction; Dutch, due to the Netherlands' relationship with Japan amidst the policy of sakoku during the Edo period; and from French and German, due to France and Germany's cultural and scientific prominence during Japan's modernization in the Meiji period.
However, most come from English, the dominant world language today. Due to the large number of western concepts imported into Japanese culture during modern times, there are thousands of these English borrowings. These English words are informally referred to as having been "Nipponized".
Japanese vocabulary also includes large numbers of words from Chinese, borrowed at various points throughout history. However, since the Japanese language has such strong historical ties to the Chinese language, these loans are not generally considered gairaigo. Many loan words are in fact pseudo-borrowings: despite their links to foreign language words, the word forms as used in modern Japanese are not used in the same way in their languages of origin. In fact, many such terms, despite their similarity to the original foreign words, are not easily understood by speakers of those languages (e.g. left over as a baseball term for a hit that goes over the left-fielder's head, rather than uneaten food saved for a later meal as in English—or famikon ファミコン from "Family computer", which actually refers to the Nintendo Entertainment System).
See the list of Japanese terms mistaken for gairaigo for details of words or terms mistaken for foreign loan words and false cognates.
- Note:
- US = American English
- UK = British English
Examples
Due to the extent of Japanese borrowings, particularly from English, this list focuses mainly on pseudo-borrowings and commonly used loan words from languages other than English (which are often mistaken for English words in Japan). Most loan words (and all modern loans) are transcribed in Katakana, a kana (Japanese syllabary) whose usage approximates English italics. Older loans may be written using Ateji, with Kanji used to represent their phonetic readings without necessarily inheriting their meaning. In words composed of both a loan and native Japanese, the Japanese can function as a morpheme within a compound (and would generally be written in Kanji if possible), or can be attached to the foreign word to inflect or otherwise modify it, as if it were okurigana (which is written in Hiragana).
| Japanese | Hepburn romanization | Origin | Meaning | Language of origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| アベック | abekku | avec (meaning 'with') | romantic couple | French |
| アフターサービス | afutā sābisu | after service | customer service, user support, after care, service | English |
| アイドル | aidoru | idol | (teen) idol, pop star | English |
| アイス | aisu | ice/Eis | ice, also used as a shortened form of ice cream | English/German |
| アイスクリーム | aisu kurīmu | ice cream | ice cream | English |
| アイゼン | aizen | (Steig)eisen (meaning 'climbing iron' or 'crampon') | crampons | German |
| アメフト | amefuto | Ame(rican) foot(ball) | American football | English |
| アメリカンドッグ | amerikan doggu | American dog | corn dog | English |
| アニメ | anime | anima(tion) | animation, animated cartoons or films (although anime has been reborrowed into English with a meaning of "Japanese animation", in Japanese the term refers to all animation) | English |
| アニソン | anison | ani(me) + son(g) | an anime song, most often the theme | English |
| アンケート | ankēto | enquête | questionnaire, survey | French |
| アンニュイ | annyui | ennui | ennui, boredom | French |
| アンサー | ansā | answer | reply to a question, solution to a problem | English |
| アパート | apāto | apart(ment) | apartment (US), flat (UK), though apāto are usually in small two-story wood-structure buildings, not multistory complexes as in the US usage | American English |
| アポ | apo | appo(intment) | appointment | English |
| 〜アップ | ~appu | up(grade) | to upgrade or improve (something). Coupled with English or pseudo-English nouns that indicate what that something is; e.g., version-up: upgrade (software), buy the next-better version or model of something, improve the appearance of something; image-up: improve the image of, improve one's outward appearance; "weight-up": to gain weight; manner-up: improve one's manners, learn (proper/better) manners or etiquette; power-up: an object that instantly benefits or adds extra abilities to a video game character; base-up, level-up: take to the next or a higher (basic) level of quality; also base-up (frequently abbreviated bea): to raise the base wage of the workers | English |
| アロエ | aroe | Aloë | aloe | Dutch |
| アルバイト or バイト | arubaito or baito | Arbeit (meaning 'work') | part-time job | German |
| アールブイ | ārubui | RV | truck, van, SUV, Recreational Vehicle | English |
| アルコール | arukōru | alcohol, álcool | alcohol, alcoholic beverage | Dutch |
| アウトコース | autokōsu | out course | outside | English |
| バーゲン | bāgen | bargain | a sale at a store | English |
| バイキング | baikingu | viking | smorgasbord, buffet. It is said that this originated from the restaurant "Imperial Viking" in the Imperial Hotel, which was the first restaurant in Japan to serve buffet-style meals, named after the 1958 American film The Vikings. | English |
| バイク | baiku | bike | a motorcycle, but not a bicycle | English |
| バカンス | bakansu | vacances | holiday, vacation | French |
| ブックカバー | bukku kabā | book cover | dust jacket | English |
| バックミラー | bakku mirā | back mirror | rear-view mirror | English |
| バックナンバー | bakku nanbā | back number | back issue | English |
| バックネット | bakku netto | back net | a backstop (in baseball) | English |
| バリアフリー | baria furī | barrier free | Accessible facilities for handicapped persons | English |
| バリカン | barikan | Bariquand et Marre (French) | Hand or electric operating hair trimmer | French |
| バスジャック | basu jakku | bus (hi)jack | a bus hijacking (possibly based on the English term "carjack") | English? |
| バター | batā | butter | butter, sometimes used on food packaging to refer to margarine | English |
| バッティング | battingu | batting or butting | Swing the bat in baseball; or, to project forward or propose competitively on business or others by two or more parties, like "butting heads" by animals. | English |
| ベビーカー | bebī kā | baby car | stroller (US), pushchair or pram (UK) | English |
| ベッドタウン | beddo taun | bed town | bedroom suburbs, bedroom community, dormitory suburb, commuter town | English |
| ビー玉 | bīdama | vi(dro) (glass) + 玉 (dama, ball) | marbles | Portuguese + Japanese |
| ビジネスホテル | bijinesu hoteru | business hotel | budget hotel | English |
| ビロード | birōdo | veludo | velvet | Portuguese |
| ビル | biru | buil(ding) | building (especially modern steel / concrete buildings) | English |
| ビール | bīru | bier | beer | Dutch |
| ボンベ | bonbe | Bombe | a steel canister for storing pressurized gas, such as a propane tank | German |
| ボールペン | bōru pen | ball(point) pen | a ballpoint pen | English |
| ボタン | botan | botão | button | Portuguese |
| ブランコ | buranko | balanço | a swing | Portuguese |
| ブラセラ or ブルセラ | burasera or burusera | bloo(mer) sailor | panty fetishism, especially with teenage girls wearing school outfits ("sailor suits") and bloomers. | English |
| ブレザー | burezā | blazer | blazer, or a Japanese school uniform that includes that garment. It usually has buttons down the front and a vest under it with a white collared shirt. | English |
| ブルマ | buruma | bloomers | short pants worn for exercise by girls, usually in PE class in high school | English |
| キャビンアテンダント | kyabin atendanto (Sometimes shortened to "CA") | Cabin attendant | A flight attendant | English |
| チェリーボーイ | cherī bōi | cherry boy | A male virgin | English |
| チアガール | chia gāru | cheer girl | (female) cheerleader | English |
| チアマン | chia man | cheer man | (male) cheerleader | English |
| チアリーダー | chiarīdā | cheerleader | cheerleader | English |
| チアリーディング | chiarīdingu | cheerleading | cheerleading | English |
| チケット | chiketto | ticket | ticket | English |
| チンキ | chinki | tinktuur | tincture | Dutch |
| チューハイ or 酎ハイ | chūhai | (焼)酎 ((Shō)chū) + high(ball) | a kind of alcoholic drink originating from Japan | Japanese + English |
| コラボ | korabo | Collab(orations) | A term for when two separate entities come together and make something | English |
| コンピューター or コンピュータ | konpyūtā or konpyūta | computer | computer | English |
| ダブル(noun), ダブる(intransitive verb). Sometimes "W" | daburu | double | (noun and adjective) double; double-breasted (jacket), or turn-ups (cuffs) on trousers; (verb) to be redundant or doubled | English |
| ダンプカー | danpu kā | dump car | dump truck (US), dumper (UK) | English |
| ダストボックス | dasuto bokkusu | dust box | rubbish bin (UK), garbage can (US) | English |
| ダウンロードオンリーメンバー | daunrōdo onrī menbā | download only member | a computing leech | English |
| 〜ティック or 〜チック | ~tikku or ~chikku | the "-tic" suffix, as in (roman)tic, (drama)tic | ~esque, attached to a noun. For example, a product with cute character illustrations may be considered "Akihabara-chikku". | English |
| デッドボール | deddo bōru | dead ball | hit by a pitch | English |
| デコレーションケーキ | dekorēshon kēki | decoration cake | a fancy cake | English |
| 電子レンジ or レンジ | denshi renji or renji | 電子 (denshi, electronic) + range | a microwave oven | Japanese + English |
| デパート | depāto | depart(ment store) | department store | English |
| デパ地下 | depa chika | de(partment store) + 地下 (chika, underground)[1] | a shopping area, often focused on food and located adjacent to train stations, found in major cities in Japan | English + Japanese |
| デリバリーヘルス | deribarī herusu | delivery health | a form of prostitution, essentially a call girl or escort service | English |
| デッサン | dessan | dessin | drawing | French |
| デスク | desuku | desk | an editor for a certain section of a publication, derived from the English custom of calling the job a desk, as in "the sports desk" | English |
| ドイツ | doitsu | Duits(land), Deutsch(land) | Germany | Dutch, German |
| ドクター ストップ | dokutā sutoppu | doctor stop | when the doctor tells a patient to stop doing something | English |
| ドンマイ | donmai | don('t) mi(nd) | "don't worry about it", "don't pay (that) any mind", "it's/I'm OK", "no problem". Frequently used when something goes wrong | English |
| ドライバー | doraibā | driver | a screwdriver, motor vehicle driver | English |
| ドライブイン | doraibuin | drive in | rest area, motor lodge, drive-in | English |
| ドラマ | dorama | drama | TV drama, soap opera | English |
| ドリフト | dorifuto | drift | drifting, in the sense of a car in the controlled skid used in drifting | English |
| エアコン | eakon | air con(ditioning) or air con(ditioner) | air conditioning or air conditioner | English |
| AV | ēbui or ēvui | wasei-eigo AV | adult video, audio visual (audio video) | English |
| エキス | ekisu | ex(tract) | extract | Dutch |
| エネルギッシュ | enerugisshu | energisch | energetic | German |
| エンスト | ensuto | en(gine) sto(p) | stall (as in an automobile engine) | English |
| エレベーター | erebētā | elevator | elevator (American English), lift (British English) | American English |
| エロ | ero | ero(s) | erotic | English |
| エログ | erogu | ero(tic) + (b)log | erotic / adult oriented blog | English |
| エログロ | eroguro | ero(tic) gro(tesque) | a loosely defined artistic movement featuring "erotic grotesque nonsense" that emerged in Japan in the early 20th century | English |
| エール | ēru | yell | (1) to cheer on a player in a sports competition; (2) to express support for a candidate in an election | English |
| LLC | eruerushī | acronym for "long life coolant" | antifreeze coolants | English |
| エスカレーター | esukarētā | escalator | escalator | English |
| エステ | esute | esthé(tique) | beauty salon, esthetic clinic | French |
| エッチ | etchi | H (likely from the first letter of hentai) | dirty, naughty; sex (the etymology of etchi is still debated by Japanese linguists) | English |
| ファイナル | fainaru | final | last | English |
| ファイト | faito | fight | often used to mean "Do your best!" or "I'll do my best." | English |
| ファミコン | famikon, Famicom | fami(ly) com(puter) | the Nintendo Entertainment System. Also used as a catch-all term by the older generation for any gaming console. | English |
| ファンファーレ | fanfāre | Fanfare | a musical fanfare | German |
| ファンタジック | fantajikku | fantasy + -ic | fantastic | English |
| ファッションヘルス | fasshon herusu | fashion health | a form of brothel | English |
| フェッチ | fetchi | fetch | (Computer Jargon) To fetch an instruction from main memory when a microprocessor executes a command | English |
| ～フェチ | fechi | feti(sh) | fetish (typically a sexual fetish but sometimes just referring to a distinctive preference) | English |
| フォアボール | foabōru | four ball | walk, base on, ball four | English |
| フライ | furai | fly | fly ball (baseball term) | English |
| フライ | furai | fry | Deep frying | English |
| フライドポテト | furaido poteto | fried potato | french fries (US), chips (UK) | English |
| フライング(スタート) | furaingu (sutāto) | flying (start) | premature start, breakaway | English |
| フリーダイアル or フリーダイヤル | furī daiaru or furī daiyaru | free dial | toll free call | English |
| フリーサイズ | furī saizu | free size | one-size-fits-all | English |
| フリーター | furītā | free + contraction of Arbeiter (or free + time) | underemployed young adults, people who opt to work (a series of) part-time jobs rather than engage in permanent employment | English + German |
| フロント | furonto | front (desk) | the reception desk, e.g. at a hotel or a sentō | English |
| フロントガラス | furonto garasu | front glass | windshield (US), windscreen (UK) | English |
| ガードマン | gādo man | guard man | a (private) security guard, a person who directs traffic around work sites | English |
| ガラス or 硝子 | garasu | glas or glass | glass (material) | Dutch or English |
| ガソリンスタンド | gasorin sutando | gasoline stand | gas station (US), petrol station (UK) | English |
| ガッツポーズ | gattsu pōzu | guts pose | fist pump, victory pose | English |
| ガーゼ | gāze | Gaze | gauze | German |
| ゲームセンター or ゲーセン | gēmu sentā or gēsen | game centre | video arcade | English |
| ゲレンデ | gerende | Gelände (meaning 'site; ground; premises') | ski slope | German |
| ギブ(アップ) | gibu(appu) | give (up) | To give up | English |
| ギプス or ギブス | gipusu or gibusu | Gips | cast (sometimes gipusu means a plaster cast, while gibusu refers to a plastic brace) | German |
| ゴム | gomu | gom | rubber, eraser, rubber band | Dutch |
| ゴールデンアワー or ゴールデンタイム | gōruden awā or gōruden taimu | golden hour or golden time | prime time in Japanese television | English |
| ゴールデンウィーク or ゴールデンウイーク | gōruden wīku or gōruden uīku | golden week | A week of holidays in Japan, Golden Week. | English |
| ググる | guguru | goog(le) + -ru (Japanese verb ending) | to google | English + Japanese |
| グラス | gurasu | glass | drinking glass | English |
| グロ | guro | gro(tesque) | grotesque | English |
| ギャラリー | gyararī | gallery | an art gallery, audience, or a pool of celebrities on a program. | English |
| ハイカラ | haikara | high colla(r) | In 1920s slang, "haikara" referred to a person who was devoted to Western fashions, trends and values. See also the popular 1970s manga and anime, Haikara-san ga Tōru ("Here Comes Miss High-Collar"). | English |
| ハイネック | hainekku | high neck | A turtleneck style shirt or sweater | English |
| ハイタッチ | haitatchi | high touch | High five | English |
| ハッカー | hakkā | hacker | refers specifically to a computer black hat | English |
| ハッピーエンド | happī endo | happy end | a happy ending | English |
| ハモる | hamoru | harmo(ny) + -ru (Japanese verb ending) | to harmonize (when singing) | English + Japanese |
| ハンバーグ | hanbāgu | hamburg(er steak) | Salisbury steak, (culinary term) | English |
| ハンチング帽 | hanchingu-bō | hunting + 帽 (bō, hat, cap) | hunting cap | English + Japanese |
| ハンドル | handoru | handle | steering wheel or bicycle handlebars | English |
| ハンドルキーパー | handoru kīpā | handle keeper | designated driver | English |
| ハンドルネーム | handoru nēmu | handle name | handle, screen name | English |
| ハンカチ | hankachi | han(d)kerchie(f) | handkerchief | English |
| ハンスト | hansuto | hun(ger) st(rike) | hunger strike | English |
| ハウス | hausu | (vinyl) + house | greenhouse or glasshouse | English |
| ヘアピンカーブ | heapin kābu | hairpin curve | hairpin turn | English |
| ヘルスメーター | herusu mētā | health meter | bathroom scales, scales | English |
| ヒステリー | hisuterī | Hysterie | loss of (self) control | German |
| ヒップ | hippu | Hips | buttocks, butt | English |
| ホルモン | horumon | Hormon | hormone; also offal when served for yakiniku or hotpot | German |
| ホース | hōsu | hoos | a hose | Dutch |
| ホッチキス | hotchikisu | Hotchkiss | stapler (a genericized trademark of the E. H. Hotchkiss company, also used in Korea) | English |
| ホットケーキ | hotto kēki | hotcake | a pancake, (also called hotcake in English) | English |
| ホーム | hōmu | (plat)form | a railway platform | English |
| ホワイトデー | howaito dē | White + Day | White Day, a month after Valentine's Day | English |
| イエス | iesu | Jesus | Jesus | Reconstructed from Ancient Greek |
| イギリス | igirisu | inglês or inglés | English, England or the United Kingdom | Portuguese and Spanish |
| イクラ | ikura | икра (ikra) (meaning 'caviar') | salmon roe | Russian |
| イメージ | imēji | image | an image, often used to indicate an artist's rendering or a graphic intended to provide a conceptual image of a situation; especially in advertising and design, a conceptual description intended to conjure a mental image of an abstract situation; (the public's) impression or perception of an entity. | English |
| インフレ | infure | infla(tion) | inflation | English |
| イン・キー | in kī | in key | locking one's car keys inside of one's car | English |
| イラスト | irasuto | illust(ration) | an illustration | English |
| イヤー・オブ・ザ・コーチ | iyā obu za kōchi | year of the coach | coach of the year (a title given to coaches by Asahi Shimbun and the Japan High School Baseball Federation from 2003-2005; corrected to the Japanese name 育成功労賞 from 2006; now known as the Training Achievement Award) | English |
| ジャンパー | janpā | jumper | jacket, jumper (Ski jumping athletes) | English |
| ジェンダーフリー | jendā furī | gender free | gender equality, gender blind | English |
| ジェットコースター | jetto kōsutā | jet coaster | roller coaster | English |
| ジンギスカン | jingisukan | Genghis Khan | Mongolian style barbecue with cut lamb and vegetables | Mongolian |
| ジーパン | jīpan | jea(ns) + pan(ts) | jeans | English |
| ジュース | jūsu | juice | often used to refer to soda or energy drinks, regardless of whether they contain any juice | English |
| カメラマン | kameraman | cameraman | photographer | English |
| カモン or カモーン | kamon or kamōn | come on | An invitation to join an activity or event. | English |
| カン or 缶 | kan | kan | can (beverage can or tin can) | Dutch |
| カンニング | kanningu | cunning | cheating | English |
| カッパ or 合羽 | kappa | capa (de chuva) | (rain) coat | Portuguese |
| カラン | karan | kraan | faucet | Dutch |
| カラオケ | karaoke | 空 (kara, empty) + orche(stra) | karaoke | Japanese + English |
| カリウム or カリ or 加里 | kariumu or kari | kalium | potassium | Dutch |
| カルキ | karuki | kalk | lime (mineral) | Dutch |
| カルピス | karupisu | cal(cium) + सर पिस (sar)pis (Sanskrit for "good taste") | Calpis (a milky soft drink) | English + Sanskrit |
| カルタ | karuta | carta | karuta (Japanese playing cards) | Portuguese |
| カルテ | karute | Karte | (a patient's) medical record | German |
| カシューナッツ | Kashū nattsu | cashew nut | cashew | English |
| カステラ | kasutera or Castella | (pão de) Castela (bread from Castile) | a kind of sponge cake popular at festivals and as a street food in Japan | Portuguese |
| カチューシャ | kachūsha | Katyusha | Alice band; horseshoe-shaped hairband made of metal or plastic (often covered with cloth). However, in Russian it is called "ободок" ("obodók"). | Russian |
| キーホルダー | kī horudā | key holder | key ring or key chain | English |
| キリスト or 基督 | kirisuto | Cristo | Christ | Portuguese |
| キスマーク | kisu māku | kiss mark | hickey | English |
| キッチンペーパー | kitchin pēpā | kitchen paper | paper towel | English |
| コーヒー or 珈琲 | kōhī | koffie | coffee | Dutch |
| コインランドリー | koin randorī | coin laundry | laundromat (US), launderette (UK) | English |
| コインロッカー | koin rokkā | coin locker | type of locker | English |
| コック | kokku | kok | a cook | Dutch |
| コミカライズ | komikaraizu | comic + -alize | to make a comic strip (manga) version of an originally non-comic strip title, such as a novel, movie, or TV show. | English |
| コンビニ | konbini | conveni(ence store) | convenience store | English |
| コンビナート | konbināto | комбинат (kombinat) (meaning 'combine') | Combine (enterprise) | Russian |
| コンクール | konkūru | concours | a contest, a competition | French |
| コンセント | konsento | concent(ric plug) | power outlet | English |
| コント | konto | conte | a short comedy | French |
| コップ | koppu | copo | a glass or tumbler | Portuguese |
| コラーゲン | korāgen | Kollagen | collagen | German |
| コロッケー | korokke | croquette | croquette, a small fried roll | English |
| コスプレ | kosupure | cos(tume) play | cosplay (a subculture involving dressing up in costumes, especially from manga, anime and video games) | English |
| クラブ or 倶楽部 | kurabu | club | a club or society | English |
| クラクション | kurakushon | Klaxon | horn (on an automobile) | English |
| クランケ | kuranke | Kranker | patient | German |
| クレーム | kurēmu | claim | a complaint | English |
| クリスタル | kurisutaru | crystal | shiny or clear | English |
| キーボード | kībōdo | keyboard | a keyboard | English |
| キャベツ | kyabetsu | cabbage | cabbage | English |
| キャンペーン | kyanpēn | campaign | a sales campaign or sweepstakes | English |
| キャンピングカー | kyanpingu kā | Camping-car | a recreational vehicle | French-made English |
| キャッチボール | kyatchi bōru | catch ball | the game of catch | English |
| キャッチホン | kyatchi hon | catch phone | call waiting | English |
| キャッチコピー | kyatchi kopī | catch copy | tagline | English |
| キャップ | kyappu | cap | cap | English |
| マグカップ | magu kappu | mug cup | mug | English |
| マイナスドライバー | mainasu doraibā | minus driver | (flathead) screwdriver | English |
| マイ〜 | mai~ | my | Someone's own. Common examples include mai būmu: personal taste; mai kã: one's own car; mai waifu : one's wife; mai hōmū: one's own house; mai pēsu: doing things at one's own (leisurely) pace, taking one's time (often somewhat derogatory). Confusingly for English speakers, this can be used to refer to someone else's car, wife, home, etc. | English |
| マジックインキ | majikku inki | Magic Ink (a registered trademark of Uchida Yoko Co., Ltd.) | Permanent marker | English |
| マジックテープ | majikku tēpu | magic tape | Velcro | English |
| ママ | mama | mamá | mom | Spanish/Portuguese |
| マンダラ | mandara | मण्डल (Mandala) | circle | Sanskrit |
| マニア | mania | mania | enthusiasm, enthusiast | English |
| マンション | manshon | mansion | modern concrete apartment / condominium block | English |
| 満タン | mantan | 満 (man, full) + tan(k) | full tank (as in the fuel tank of an automobile) | Japanese + English |
| マロン | maron | marron | chestnut, metaphor for brown eyes | French |
| マスコミ | masukomi | mass communication | mass media, the media, the press | English |
| マザコン | mazakon | mother com(plex)[2] | Oedipus complex, or a strong attachment, formed in childhood, to one's mother, often used derogatorily; "girly man" | English |
| マゾ | mazo (sometimes shortened to "M") | masochiste | masochist | French |
| メーカー | mēkā | maker | manufacturer | English |
| メール | mēru | English | ||
| メールマガジン | mēru magajin | mail magazine | e-mail newsletter, ezine | English |
| ミイラ or 木乃伊 | mīra | mirra (myrrh: an oil used in preservation) | a mummy | Portuguese |
| ミルク | miruku | milk | milk, non-dairy creamer | English |
| ミシン | mishin | (sewing) machine | sewing machine | English |
| モバイル | mobairu | mobile | mobile communications, mobile communications capability, or mobile communications devices, esp. PDAs and personal computers with wireless communications capabilities | English |
| モボ | mobo | mo(dern) bo(y) | 1920s slang for young men adopting western styles and behaviours | English |
| モガ | moga | mo(dern) gi(rl) | 1920s slang for young women adopting western styles and behaviours, flapper | English |
| モーニングコール | mōningu kōru | morning call | wake-up call | English |
| モーニングコート or モーニング | mōningu kōto or mōningu | morning coat | morning coat | English |
| モーニングサービス or モーニング | mōningu sābisu | morning service | breakfast special, complimentary toast, hard-boiled egg et al. that is served at cafes when a cup of coffee is ordered (only seen in some parts of Japan) | English |
| モラトリアム人間 | moratoriamu ningen | moratorium + 人間 (ningen, person, human being) | a person who, having completed education and other preparations, delays the transition from student to productive member of society, staying in an uncertain limbo of continued education, part-time work, and parental support (similar to freeter) | English + Japanese |
| モーテル | mōteru | motel | recently called as "love hotel". Does not have meaning of English "motel" used by tourists with their own vehicles. | English |
| ムーディ | mūdi | moody | nice | English |
| ムーンサルト | mūnsaruto | moon + Salto | an artistic gymnastics maneuver. Also used to describe a professional wrestling maneuver. | English and German |
| ナイター | naitā | night + -er | a night game | English |
| ナンバーディスプレイ | nanbā disupurei | number display | caller ID | English |
| ナンバープレート | nanbā purēto | number plate | BrE number plate, AmE license plate | English |
| ナトリウム | natoriumu | Natrium | sodium (Na) | Latin via German |
| ニート or NEET | nīto | Not in Employment, Education or Training | underemployed young adults, akin to "フリーター” | English |
| ノイローゼ | noirōze | Neurose | neurosis | German |
| ノークレームノーリターン | nō kurēmu nō ritān | no claim, no return | sold "as is" | English |
| ノルマ | noruma | норма (norma) (meaning 'standard; norm') | quota, minimum requirement (tasks) | Russian |
| ノート | nōto | note | a notebook | English |
| ニューハーフ | nyūhāfu | new-half | A transgender individual that has undergone a sex change operation. | English |
| オージー | ōjī | orgy | an orgy | English |
| オーバー | ōbā | over | overreaction to a situation or the end of a dating relationship | English |
| オードブル | ōdoburu | hors-d'œuvre (literally 'out of work') | hors-d'œuvre | French |
| OB, OG | ōbī, ōjī | old boy, old girl | alumnus, alumna, former student; furthermore used for former sport team members, employees, politicians etc., for former members of any kind of organisation likewise | English |
| オーディエンス | ōdiensu | audience | group of people who participate in a show | English |
| OL | ōeru | O.L. (office lady) | female office worker, usually in a clerical or support job | English |
| オフ | ofu | off | a sale at a store; e.g., a "big summer off" (=big summer sale) | English |
| オナニー | onanī | Onanie | masturbation (see Onan) | German |
| オンリーワン | onrīwan | only one | (adjective) one of a kind or unique; e.g., オンリーワン技術 (~gijutsu: "only one technology") or オンリーワン商品 (~shōhin: "only one products") meaning one of a kind technology or products | English |
| オペ | ope | OP (short for Operation) | surgical operation, minor surgery | German |
| オープンカー | ōpun kā | open car | convertible (automobile) | English |
| オーライ | ōrai | a(ll) righ(t) | all right, OK | English |
| オルゴール | orugōru | orgel | a music box or any instrument that operates off of a music roll such as a calliope | Dutch |
| オートバイ | ōtobai | auto bi(cycle) | motorcycle, motorbike | English |
| パイン | pain | pine(apple) | pineapple | English |
| パーマ | pāma | perma(nent wave) | perm | English |
| パン | pan | pão, pan | bread | Portuguese/Spanish |
| パネリスト | panerisuto | panelist | panelist | English |
| パンク | panku | punc(ture) | flat tire | English |
| パンスト | pansuto | pan(ty) + sto(cking) | pantyhose | English |
| パソコン | pasokon | perso(nal) com(puter) | PC | English |
| パーソナルコンピューター | pāsonaru konpyūtā | personal computer | personal computer | English |
| パンツ | pantsu | pants | underpants (American English), pants (British English) | British English |
| パパ | papa | papà | dad | Italian or Spanish |
| ペチカ | pechika | печка (pechka) (meaning 'little oven') | Russian oven | Russian |
| ペアルック | pea rukku | pair look | matching outfits (usually between a couple) | English |
| ペニス | penisu | penis | the penis | Latin |
| ペンション | penshon | pension | a resort hotel / chalet / cottage | French |
| ペーパーカンパニー | pēpā kanpanī | paper company | dummy company, shell company | English |
| ペーパードライバー | pēpā doraibā | paper driver | a person who has a driver's license but does not usually drive (i.e.: a driver only on paper) | English |
| ペーパーテスト | pēpā tesuto | paper test | written examination/test | English |
| ピエロ | piero | pierrot | a clown | French |
| ピーマン | pīman | piment | sweet bell pepper | French |
| ピッケル | pikkeru | (Eis)pickel (meaning 'ice axe') | ice axe | German |
| ピンチ | pinchi | (in a) pinch | potentially disastrous situation | English |
| ピンセット | pinsetto | pincet | tweezers | Dutch |
| ポエマー | poemā | poem + -er | a poet | English and Spanish |
| ポケベル | pokeberu | pocke(t) bell | beeper, pager | English |
| ポケモン | Pokémon | pocke(t) mon(ster) | Pokémon | English |
| ポンプ | ponpu | pomp | pump | Dutch |
| ポシェット | poshetto | pochette | a small bag | French |
| ポスト | posuto | post | a mailbox (US), a postbox (UK) | English |
| プラスアルファ | purasu arufa | plus alpha (in Greek: Άλφα) (a misreading of "+ X") | in addition, a little bit more, with something else | English and Greek |
| プラスドライバー | purasu doraibā | plus driver | Phillips screwdriver | English |
| プレイガイド | purei gaido | play + guide | (theater) ticket agency | English |
| プリクラ | purikura | Print Club (trademark) | photo booth#purikura | English |
| プロ | puro | professional | describes a business professional or professional sports | English |
| プロフィール | purofīru | profil | a profile | French |
| プロレス | puroresu | pro(fessional) wrest(ling) | professional wrestling | English |
| プッシュホン | pusshu hon | push phone | touch-tone phone | English |
| ラブホテル | rabu hoteru | love hotel | love hotel (hotel used as a private place for couples to have sexual contact) | English |
| ライバル | raibaru | rival | A fellow competitor or an enemy | English |
| ライブアクション | raibu akushon | live action | animated or comic form stories made into TV shows/movies involving real actors. It's the opposite of komikarizu | English |
| ライブハウス | raibu hausu | live house | club with live music, rock bar | English |
| ライフライン | raifurain | lifeline | infrastructure | English |
| ラッコ | rakko | rakko | a sea otter | Ainu |
| ラムネ | ramune | lemona(de) | Ramune (a lemon-lime soft drink; hard, powdery candy like Rockets or Smarties) | English |
| ランドセル | randoseru | ransel | a hard schoolbag, worn on the back, carried by young children to school | Dutch |
| ランニングホームラン | ranningu hōmu ran | running home run | an inside-the-park home run | English |
| ランニングシャツ | ranningu shatsu | running shirt | a sleeveless T-shirt | English |
| レジュメ | rejume | résumé | a resume, an outline | French |
| レントゲン | rentogen | Röntgen | X-ray, X-ray medical imaging | German |
| レストラン | resutoran | restaurant | restaurant | French |
| リベンジ | ribenji | revenge | return match, rematch, chance for redemption after a failed attempt | English |
| リーチ | rīchi | reach | One step away from winning. Usually used in bingo. | English |
| リードオンリーメンバー | rīdo onrī menbā | read-only member | an internet lurker, thought to be a pun on "read-only memory" | English |
| リフォーム | rifōmu | reform | remodel, renovation (as in a building) | English |
| リモコン | rimokon | remo(te) con(trol) | remote control | English |
| リンクフリー | rinku furī | link free | free to link | English |
| リニューアル | rinyūaru | renewal | remodeling | English |
| リサイクルショップ | risaikuru shoppu | recycle shop | secondhand shop (selling used or unwanted furniture, household appliances, housewares, and clothes; slightly different from non-profit or charity thrift shops in that they are fundamentally for-profit shops and perceived as one way to help reduce trash) | English |
| リストラ | risutora | restru(cturing) | (noun) restructuring, but with emphasis on lowering headcounts as in downsizing, termination as a redundancy; (verb) to downsize, lay off or terminate as a redundancy. When used in the passive (〜される: ~sareru), to get or have been made redundant, downsized (out of a job) | English |
| ロードショー | rōdo shō | roadshow (theatrical release) | premiere, especially of a film | English |
| ロケーションハンティング, ロケハン | rokēshon hantingu, rokehan | location hunting | location scout | English |
| ロマン | roman | roman | novel, something that rouses one's dreams / longings | French |
| ロマンスグレー | romansu gurē | romance grey | silver-gray hair | English |
| ロマンスカー | romansu kā | romance car (first used as a trademark by the Odakyu Electric Railway) | deluxe train | English |
| ロンパリ | ronpari | Lon(don) + Paris | slang for Strabismus (crosseyed, wandering eye), derived from the image of one eye looking toward London, and the other eye looking toward Paris | English, French |
| ロープウェー | rōpuwē | ropeway | ropeway | English |
| ロリコン | rorikon | Loli(ta) com(plex) | sexual attraction to fictional and real underage girls, or ephebophilia. (reborrowed into English to refer a genre of manga-style sexual artwork involving childlike female characters) | English |
| ロスタイム | rosu taimu | loss time | added time, additional time | English |
| ルー | rū | roux | roux, most commonly used in describing the sauce of the popular dish, curry rice | French |
| ルポ | rupo | repo(rtage) | Reportage | French |
| リュックサック | ryukkusakku | Rucksack | backpack, Rucksack | German |
| サービス | sābisu | service | service, often used to describe something as being free of charge | English |
| サボる | saboru | sabo(tage) + -ru (Japanese verb ending) | to slack off, to shirk one's duties | French and Japanese |
| サド | sado (sometimes shortened to "S") | sadiste | sadist | French |
| サイドブレーキ | saido burēki | side brake | hand brake, parking brake, emergency brake | English |
| サイダー | saidā | cider | a kind of soda unrelated to actual cider | English |
| サイン | sain | sign | signature, autograph | English |
| サインペン | sainpen | sign pen | marker, Trade name of Pentel's | English |
| サンドイッチ or サンド | sandoitchi, sando | sand(wich) | sandwich | English |
| サンドバッグ | sandobaggu | sandbag | punching bag | English |
| サラダ | sarada | salada or salad | salad | Portuguese or English |
| サラリーマン | sararīman | salaried man | salaryman: a salaried office/white collar worker | English |
| セックス | sekkusu | sex | sexual intercourse | English |
| セフレ | sefure | se(x) + frie(nd) | casual sexual partner | English |
| セクハラ | sekuhara | sex(ual) hara(ssment) | sexual harassment | English |
| セメダイン | semedain, Cemedine | ceme(nt) dyne | glue, adhesive. A genericized trademark of Cemedine Co., Ltd. | English |
| センス | sensu | sense | understanding of subtleties | English |
| セレブ | serebu | celeb(rity) | used to refer to a rich person, whether or not they are famous | English |
| セツナ | setsuna | क्षण (ksana) | moment | Sanskrit |
| シャボン玉 | shabondama | Old Spanish xabon + Japanese 玉 (tama, ball) | soap bubble | Spanish + Japanese |
| シャープペンシル or シャーペン | shāpu penshiru or shāpen | shar(p) pencil or shar(p) pen(cil) (referring to Sharp Corporation, a manufacturer of mechanical pencils) | mechanical pencil | English |
| シーエム | shīemu | C.M. (Commercial Message) | television commercial | English |
| シール | shīru | seal | sticker, decal | English |
| シルバーシート | shirubā shīto | silver seat (referring to the silver hair of elderly passengers) | priority seating on public transportation | English |
| シュークリーム | shūkurīmu | chou (à la) crème | a cream puff | French, English |
| ソフト | sofuto | soft(ware) | video game console or computer software; also used to describe tasks or work (such as design) requiring imagination, foresight, and intuition | English |
| ソフトクリーム | sofuto kurīmu or softcream | soft (ice) cream | soft serve (ice cream) | English |
| ソーラーシステム | sōrā shisutemu | solar system | a solar battery | English |
| すべた or スベタ | subeta | espada | unattractive woman (spade) | Portuguese |
| スイートルーム | suīto rūmu | suite room | a suite in a hotel | English |
| スカイ | sukai | sky | a bib, said to come from the name of an American clothing maker who sold bibs | English |
| スケボー | sukebō | ska(te)bo(ard) | skateboard | English |
| スケルトン | sukeruton | skeleton | translucent | English |
| スキー | sukī | ski | used as a noun to refer to skiing | English |
| スキンシップ | sukinshippu | skin + -ship | skinship (bonding through physical contact) | English |
| スコップ | sukoppu | schop | trowel, spade, shovel | Dutch |
| スマート | sumāto | smart | slim, stylish, well-dressed, cool, handsome | English |
| スマホ | sumaho | sma(rt) + (p)ho(ne) | smartphone | English |
| スムーズ | sumūzu | smooth (transaction) | When a plan or transaction happens without incident | English |
| スーパー | sūpā | super(market) | supermarket | English |
| スパッツ, スパッツタイツ | supattsu, supattsu taitsu | spats, spats tights | tights (US), leggings | English |
| スペル | superu | spell | used as a noun to mean "spelling" | English |
| スピン | supin | spin | a ribbon or tassel on a book | English |
| スポイト | supoito | spuit | syringe, dropper | Dutch |
| スリーサイズ | surī saizu | three size | three primary female body measurements (bust, waist, hips) | English |
| ストライキ or スト | sutoraiki or suto | strike or st(rike) | labor strike | English |
| ストレートティー | sutorēto tī | straight tea | black tea without milk or lemon | English |
| ストーブ | sutōbu | stove | space heater | English |
| スーツアクター | sūtsu akutā | suits actor | suit actor, an actor who performs wearing a cartoon-character costume | English |
| タバコ, たばこ or 煙草 | tabako | tabaco | tobacco, cigarette | Portuguese |
| タイムオーバー | taimu ōbā | time over | when a time limit has been reached | English |
| タイムリー | taimurī | timely (hit) | a clutch hit (in baseball), on time | English |
| タオルケット | taoru ketto | towelket (towel + (blan)ket) | a type of blanket made of a material similar to a beach or bath towel | English |
| タレント | tarento | talent | TV personality/celebrity | English |
| テーマ | tēma | Thema | theme | German |
| テンキー | tenkī | ten key | numeric keypad | English |
| てんぷら or 天ぷら | tenpura | tempura | Apparent conflation of Portuguese tempero ("seasoning") and tempora ("Ember days", a Catholic holiday). See also Tempura#Etymology. | Portuguese |
| テンション | tenshon | tension | a state of excitement | English |
| テレビ | terebi | televi(sion) | television | English |
| テレビゲーム | terebi gēmu | televi(sion) game | video game | English |
| テレフォン | terefon | telephone | a system that converts acoustic vibrations to electrical signals in order to transmit sound, over a distance using wire or radio. | English |
| テレカ | tereka | tele(phone) ca(rd) | prepaid card for using public telephones | English |
| ティーンエージャー | tīn'ējā | Teenager | A person in their teens | English |
| トーチカ | tōchika | точка (tochka) (meaning 'point') | bunker | Russian |
| トイレ(ット) | toire(tto) | toile(t) | toilet, bathroom, washroom, restroom | English |
| トンカツ | tonkatsu | "ton," the on'yomi reading for 豚 (pork) + "katsu" from the English word "cutlet" | pork cutlet | English |
| トラブル(noun), トラブる(verb) | toraburu | trouble | (noun) (legal) trouble, a dispute or altercation; (verb) to encounter or experience trouble, to break down or not function as expected (e.g., a device) | English |
| トランプ | toranpu | trump(s) | playing cards | English |
| トレーナー | torēnā | trainer | a sweat shirt | English |
| トレーニングパンツ | torēningu pantsu | training pants | pants for toddlers or babies; diaper | English |
| ウィンカー or ウインカー | winkā or uinkā | winker | turn signal, a.k.a. blinker or indicator on an automobile | English |
| ウーパールーパー | ūpārūpā or WuperRuper | (s)uper | an axolotl | English |
| ヴァージンロード | vājin rōdo | virgin road | the aisle (in a Western-style or Christian wedding ceremony, as followed by the bridal procession) | English |
| ワイドショー | waido shō | wide show | talk show | English |
| ワイシャツ or Yシャツ | wai shatsu | Y shirt (modification of "white shirt") | dress shirt (of any color) | English |
| ワンパターン | wan patān | one pattern | of (artificial or boring) uniformity or conformity, lacking of (spontaneous) variation. Used to describe behavior and responses as well as objects. Being "in a rut" | English |
| ワンピース | wan pīsu | one piece | (a single-piece) dress | English |
| ワープロ | wāpuro | wor(d) pro(cessor) | word processor | English |
| ウォシュレット | woshuretto | washlet (wash+(toi)let) | a toilet with a built-in bidet (a genericized trademark of TOTO Ltd.) | English |
| ヨット | yotto | yacht | a sailboat or yacht | English |
| ヤンエグ | yan egu | youn(g) ex(ecutive) | young executive | English |
| ヨード | yōdo | Jod | iodine | German |
| ヨードチンキ | yōdo chinki | Jodtinktur | tincture of iodine | German |
| ユニットバス | yunitto basu | unit bath | modular bath, prefabricated bath | English |
| Uターンラッシュ | yūtān rasshu | u-turn rush | the rush of traffic and people, and attendant traffic jams and crowding of transportation facilities, that occurs as everyone returns home after extended holidays, esp. New Year's, Golden Week, and the summer o-bon week. | English |
| ザイル | zairu | Seil (meaning 'rope') | rope (used in a climbing context, in preference to the general term 'rōpu') | German |
| ゼミナール or ゼミ | zemināru or zemi | Seminar or Semi(nar) | seminar | German |
| ゼン | zen | ध्यान (Dhyāna) | a meditation | Sanskrit |
| ゼロ | zero | zéro | zero | French |
| トマト | tomato | tomatl | tomato | Nahuatl |
| ズボン | zubon | jupon (meaning petticoat) | trousers (British English), pants (American English) | French |
See also
- List of Japanese Latin alphabetic abbreviations
- List of Japanese terms mistaken for gairaigo
- List of English words of Japanese origin
- Engrish
- Japanese abbreviated and contracted words
- Japanese words of Portuguese origin
- Japanese words of Dutch origin
- False cognates
Notes
- ^ "Depachika". Japan National Tourism Organization. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
- ^ Takie Sugiyama Lebra; Henshall, Kenneth G. (November 2000). "Review of Dimensions of Japanese Society: Gender, Margins and Mainstream by Kenneth G. Henshall". The Journal of Asian Studies. 59 (4). The Journal of Asian Studies, Vol. 59, No. 4: 1019–1020. doi:10.2307/2659245. JSTOR 2659245.
References
- Takashi Ichikawa, et al. (1998). Sanseidō New Modern Dictionary (三省堂現代新国語辞典, Sanseidō-gendai-shin-kokugo-jiten), Tokyo, Japan: Sanseido Co., Ltd. ISBN 4-385-14034-0.