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This is a selected list of gairaigo, words originating or based on foreign language (generally Western) terms, including wasei-eigo (pseudo-Anglicisms). Many derive from Portuguese, due to that country's early role in Japanese-Western interaction, or from French and German, due to those countries' cultural and scientific prominence during Japan's modernization in the Meiji Era. However, most come from English, perhaps the dominant world language today. Due to the large number of western concepts imported into Japanese culture during modern times, there are thousands, possibly tens of thousands of these English borrowings.

Nonetheless, many 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).

It should be noted that the Japanese phrase arigato ("Thank you") does not derive from Portuguese (obrigado), as is erroneously claimed by some, but is instead a regularly-derived Japanese form.

Note:
US = American English
UK = British English


Gairaigo from languages other than English

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This section contains examples of gairaigo from languages other than English.

Gairaigo with notable etymologies or subtleties

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Wasei-eigo that are direct borrowings with modified meanings

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Wasei-eigo that are new constructions

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Examples

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Katakana Romaji Origin Meaning Language of origin
アベック abekku avec (meaning 'with') romantic couple French
アイドル aidoru idol (teen) idol, pop star English
アイ・ラブ・ユー airabuyū I love you I love you English
アメフト amefuto Ame(rican) foot(ball) American football English
アメリカンドッグ amerikandoggu American dog corn dog English
アニメ anime anima(tion) animation, animated cartoons/films English
アンケート ankēto enquête questionnaire, survey French
アンニュイ annyui ennui ennui, boredom French
アパート apāto apart(ment) apartment (US), flat (UK), though Japanese apāto are usually in small two-story wood-structure buildings, not multistory complexes as in the American usage. 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 appeareance of something; image-up: improve the image of, improve one's outward appearance; manner-up: improve one's manners, learn (proper/better) manners or ettiquette: 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, a frequent goal of the shunto English
アルバイト arubaito Arbeit, meaning 'work' part-time job German
アルコール arukōru alcohol alcohol, alcoholic beverage Dutch
バイバイ baibai bye-bye good-bye English
バイキング baikingu viking smorgasbord, buffet English
バージンロード bājinrōdo virgin road the aisle (in a Western-style or Christian wedding ceremony, as followed by the bridal procession) English
バージョンアップ bājonappu version up upgrade (software), to improve or enhance English
バカンス bakansu vacances holiday, vacation French
バックミラー bakkumirā back mirror rearview mirror English
バリカン barikan Bariquand et Marre electric hair trimmer French
ベッド beddo bed A Western-style bed (as opposed to a futon) English
ベースボール bēsubōru baseball baseball English
ビー玉 bīdama vi(dro) (glass) + 玉 (dama, ball) marbles Portuguese + Japanese
ビロード or 天鵞絨 birōdo veludo velvet Portuguese
ビル biru buil(ding) building (especially modern steel / concrete buildings) English
ボンベ bonbe Bombe A steel canister for storing pressurized gas, such as a propane tank German
ボタン botan botão button Portuguese
ブラ bura bra brassiere English
ブランコ buranko balanço a swing Portuguese
ブラセラ or ブルセラ burasera or burusera bloomer/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
チャンス chansu chance chance; opportunity English
〜チック ~chikku romantic, dramatic ~esque, attached to a noun. For example, a product with cute character illustrations may be considered "Akihabara-chikku". English
ダビング dabingu dubbing dubbing English
ダブル(noun), ダブる(intransitive verb). Sometimes "W" daburu double (noun and adjective) double; (verb) to be redundant or doubled up English
ダストボックス dasutobokkusu dust box rubbish bin (UK), garbage can (US) English
デパート depāto depart(ment store) department store English
デスク desuku desk a 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
ドクター ストップ dokutāsutoppu 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
ドライブイン doraibuin drive-in rest area English
ドラマ dorama dorama TV drama English
ドリドリ doridori wasei-eigo dorifuto drifting, in the sense of a car in the controlled skid used in drifting modification of existing wasei-eigo
ドリフト dorifuto drift drifting English
エアコン eakon air con(ditioning) air conditioning English
AV ēbui wasei-eigo AV (Adult Video) adult video English
エッチ etchi H (likely from the first letter of hentai) dirty, naughty (Note: the etymology of etchi is still debated by Japanese linguists) English
エキス ekisu ex(tract) extract Dutch
エネルギッシュ enerugisshu energisch energetic German
エロ ero ero(s) erotic English
エロエロ eroero eros see ero English
エログロ eroguro ero(tic) gro(tesque) ero-guro 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
エステ esute esthé(tique) beauty salon, esthetic clinic French
エンスト ensuto en(gine) sto(p) stall (as in an automobile engine) English
ファミコン famikon fami(ly) com(puter) the Nintendo Entertainment System English
ファンタジック fantajikku fantasy + -ic fantastic English
フェッチ fecchi fetch fetch English
~フェチ fechi feti(sh) fetish (typically a sexual fetish but sometimes just referring to a distinctive preference) English
フォーチュン・クッキー fōchunkukkī fortune cookie fortune cookie English
フォーク fōku fork fork English
フォーク fōku fōlk Western folk music English
フライドポテト furaidopoteto fried potato french fries (US), chips (UK) English
フリーダイヤル furīdaiyaru free dial toll free call 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
ガードマン gādoman guard man a (private) security guard, a person who directs traffic around work sites English
ガム gamu gum chewing gum English
ガラス garasu glas glass (material) Dutch
ガソリンスタンド gasorinsutando gasoline stand gas station (US), petrol station (UK) English
ゲームセンター or ゲーセン gēmusentā or gēsen game centre video arcade 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 gōrudenawā golden hour prime time English
グラス gurasu glass drinking glass English
グロ guro gro(tesque) grotesque English
ハンドル handoru handle steering wheel or bicycle handlebars 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
ヒステリー hisuterī Hysterie loss of (self) control German
ホッチキス hocchikisu Hotchkiss stapler English
ホーム hōmu (plat)form a railway platform English
ホワイトデー howaitodē White Day March 14, a month after Valentine's day English
イエス iesu Jesus or yes Jesus Christ or yes Portuguese or English
イクラ ikura икра (ikra), meaning roe 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
ジェットコースター jettokōsutā jet coaster roller coaster English
ジーパン jīpan jea(ns) + pan(ts) jeans English
カード kādo card English
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
カルタ karuta carta karuta (Japanese playing cards) Portuguese
カルテ karute Karte (a patient's) medical record German
キリスト or 基督 kirisuto Christo Christ, Christian Portuguese
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
コンセント konsento concent(ric plug) power outlet English
コスプレ kosupure cos(tume) play cosplay English
クラクション kurakushon Klaxon horn (on an automobile) English
クランケ kuranke Kranker patient German
キャッチボール kyacchibōru catch ball the game of catch English
キャッチコピー kyacchikopī catch copy tagline English
キャンピングカー kyanpingukā camping car Recreational vehicle English
マイナスドライバー mainasudoraibā minus driver (flathead) screwdriver English
マイペース maipēsu my pace doing things at one's own (leisurely) pace, taking one's time (often somewhat derogatory) English
マンション manshon mansion modern concrete apartment / condominium block English
マロン maron marron Chestnut, metaphor for brown eyes French
マザコン mazakon mother com(plex) Oedipus complex, or a strong attachment, formed in childhood, to one's mother, often used derogatorily; "girly man" 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
モーニングコール mōningukōru morning call wake-up call English
ナトリウム natoriumu Natrium sodium (Na) German
オーダーメード ōdāmēdo order made custom made English
オードブル ōdoburu hors-d'œuvre hors-d'œuvre French (though probably from English, which uses the same term)
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
オン・ザ・ロック onzarokku on the rock(s) on the rocks English
オープンカー ōpunkā open car convertible (automobile) English
オランダ oranda Holanda The Netherlands, Holland Portuguese
パン or 麺麭 or 麪包 pan pão bread Portuguese
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) personal computer (PC) English
パンツ pantsu pants pants (UK), underpants British English
ペアルック pearukku pair look matching outfits (usually between a couple) English
ペンション penshon pension a resort hotel / chalet French
ペーパードライバー pēpādoraibā paper driver a person who has a driver's license but does not usually drive (ie: a driver only on paper) English
ピーマン pīman piment Sweet bell pepper French
ピンセット pinsetto pincet tweezers Dutch
ポケモン pokemon pocke(t) mon(ster) pokémon English
プラスアルファ purasuarufa plus alpha (a misreading of "+ X") in addition, a little bit more, with something else. English
プラスドライバー purasudoraibā plus driver Phillips screwdriver English
プレーガイド purēgaido play + guide (theater) ticket agency English
プリクラ purikura pri(nt) clu(b) purikura English
ラブホテル rabuhoteru love hotel love hotel (hotel used as a private place for couples to have sexual contact) English
ランドセル randoseru ransel A hard schoolbag, worn on the back, carried by young Japanese children to school Dutch
リフォーム rifōmu reform remodel, renovation (as in a building) English
リサイクルショップ risaikurushoppu 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 rōdoshō roadshow premiere, especially of a film English
ロマン roman roman novel, something that rouses one's dreams / longings French
ロープ ウェー rōpuuē rope way ropeway English
ロリコン roricon Loli(ta) com(plex) sexual attraction to fictional and real underage girls, or ephebophilia. English
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
サイン sain sign signature, autograph English
サンド sando sand(wich) sandwich English
サラダ sarada salada salad Portuguese
サラリーマン sararīman salary + man salaryman: a salaried office/white collar worker English
セックス sekkusu sex sexual intercourse English
セクハラ sekuhara sex(ual) hara(ssment) sexual harassment English
センス sensu sense (aesthetic) taste; e.g., センスがいい(~gaii: having good taste) English
シャボン玉 shabondama sabão + 玉 (dama, ball) soap bubble Portuguese + Japanese
シャーペン shāpen sha(rp) + pen(cil) mechanical pencil English
シーエム shīemu C.M. television commercial English
シール shīru seal sticker, decal English
シルバーシート shirubāshīto silver seat priority seating on public transportation English
ソフト sofuto soft(ware) computer software; also used to describe tasks or work (such as design) requiring imagination, foresight, and intuition English
すべた or スベタ subeta espada unattractive woman (spade) Portuguese
スケボー sukebō ska(te)bo(ard) skateboard English
スキンシップ sukinshippu skin + -ship see: skinship English
スマート sumāto smart slim, stylish, well-dressed, cool, handsome English
スーパー sūpā super(market) supermarket English (international)
スリーサイズ surīsaizu three size three primary female body measurements (bust, waist, hips) English
スト suto st(rike) labor strike English
ストーブ sutōbu stove space heater English
タバコ, たばこ or 煙草 tabako tabaco tobacco, cigarette Portuguese
タオルケット taoruketto 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
テーブル tēburu table Western-style table English (cf. French table)
てんぷら tenpura tempero tempura (culinary term) Portuguese
テレビ terebi televi(sion) television English
テレビゲーム terebigēmu TV game video game English
テレカ tereka tele(phone) ca(rd) prepaid card for using public telephones 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 trumps playing cards English
ウインカー uinkā winker turn signal, a.k.a. blinker on an automobile English
ワープロ wāpuro wor(d) pro(cessor) word processor English
Yシャツ waishatsu Y shirt (modification of "white shirt") dress shirt English
ワンパターン wanpatān 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 wanpīsu one piece (a single-piece) dress English
ヤンエグ yan'egu youn(g) ex(ecutive) young executive English
Uターンラッシュ yūtānrasshu 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
ズボン zubon jupon pants (US), trousers French

See also

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