List of gairaigo and wasei-eigo terms
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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 derive from Portuguese, due to Portugal's early role in Japanese-Western interaction; from Dutch, due to the Netherlands' relationship with Japan amidst the policy of sakoku during the Edo Period; or 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, perhaps 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. 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).
It should be noted that the Japanese phrase arigatō ("Thank you") does not derive from Portuguese (obrigado), as is erroneously claimed by some[citation needed], but is instead a regularly-derived Japanese form. See the list of Japanese terms mistaken for gairaigo for more details.
- Note:
- US = American English
- UK = British English
Contents |
[edit] Examples
As a complete list of foreign loan words in Japanese would fill a whole dictionary, 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).
| Katakana | Romaji | Origin | Meaning | Language of origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| アベック | abekku | avec (meaning 'with') | romantic couple | French |
| アフターサービス | afutāsābisu | 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 | 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 | amerikandoggu | American dog | corn dog | English |
| アニメ | anime listen | anima(tion) | animation, animated cartoons/films (note: although anime has been reborrowed into English with a meaning of "Japanese animation", in Japanese the term refers generically to all animation) | 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 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 appearance of something; image-up: improve the image of, improve one's outward appearance; 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, a frequent goal of the shuntō | English |
| アロエ | aroe | aloe | aloe | Dutch |
| アルバイト | arubaito | 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 or Portuguese |
| 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 Imperial Hotel naming a smorgasbord after the 1958 American film The Vikings. | English |
| バイク | baiku | bike | a motorcycle, but not a bicycle | 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 |
| バカンス | bakansu | vacances | holiday, vacation | French |
| ブックカバー | bukkukabā | book cover | dust jacket | English |
| バックミラー | bakkumirā | back mirror | rear-view mirror | English |
| バックネット | bakkunetto | back net | a backstop (in baseball) | English |
| バリアフリー | bariafurī | barrier free | Accessible facilities for handicapped persons | English |
| バリカン | barikan | Bariquand & Marre | Hand or electric operating hair trimmer | French |
| バスジャック | basujakku | 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 "butt heads" by animals. | English |
| ベビーカー | bebīkā | baby car | stroller (US), pushchair or pram (UK) | English |
| ベッドタウン | beddotaun | bed town | bedroom suburbs, bedroom community, dormitory suburb, commuter town | English |
| ビー玉 | bīdama | vi(dro) (glass) + 玉 (dama, ball) | marbles | Portuguese + Japanese |
| ビロード or 天鵞絨 | 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 | bōrupen | 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 | English |
| チェリーボーイ | cherībōi | cherry boy | A male virgin | English |
| チアガール | chiagāru | cheer girl | cheerleader | English |
| ～チック | ~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 |
| チンキ | chinki | tinktuur | tincture | Dutch |
| チューハイ or 酎ハイ | chūhai | 焼酎 (Shōchū) + highball | a kind of alcoholic drink originating from Japan | Japanese + 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 | danpukā | dump car | dump truck (US), dumper (UK) | English |
| ダストボックス | dasutobokkusu | dust box | rubbish bin (UK), garbage can (US) | English |
| ダウンロードオンリーメンバー | daunrōdoonrīmenbā | download only member | a computing leech | English |
| デッドボール | deddobōru | dead ball | hit by a pitch | English |
| デコレーションケーキ | dekorēshonkēki | decoration cake | a fancy cake | English |
| 電子レンジ | denshirenji | 電子 (denshi) (meaning 'electron') + range | a microwave oven | Japanese + English |
| デパート | depāto | depart(ment store) | department store | English |
| デリバリーヘルス | deribarīherusu | delivery health | a form of prostitution, essentially a call girl or escort service | English |
| 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, Deutsch(land) | Germany | Dutch, German |
| 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 |
| ドライバー | doraibā | driver | a screwdriver, motor vehicle driver | English |
| ドライブイン | doraibuin | driver's inn | rest area, motor lodge | English |
| ドラマ | dorama | drama | TV drama | English |
| ドリフト or ドリドリ | dorifuto or doridori | drift | drifting, in the sense of a car in the controlled skid used in drifting | English |
| エアコン | eakon | air con(ditioning) | air conditioning | English |
| AV | ēbui | wasei-eigo AV | adult video, 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 |
| エロ or エロエロ | ero or eroero | 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 |
| エルエルシー ロングライフクーラント | eruerushī ronguraifukūranto | LLC long life coolant | antifreeze coolants | 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 (Note: the etymology of etchi is still debated by Japanese linguists) | 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 listen | fami(ly) com(puter) | the Nintendo Entertainment System | English |
| ファンファーレ | fanfaare | fanfare | a musical fanfare | English |
| ファンタジック | fantajikku | fantasy + -ic | fantastic | English |
| ファッションヘルス | fasshonherusu | fashion health | a form of brothel | English |
| フェッチ | fetchi | fetch | fetch | English |
| ～フェチ | fechi | feti(sh) | fetish (typically a sexual fetish but sometimes just referring to a distinctive preference) | English |
| フォアボール | foabōru | four ball | walk, base on balls, ball four | English |
| フライドポテト | furaidopoteto | fried potato | french fries (US), chips (UK) | English |
| フライングスタート | furaingusutāto | flying start | premature start, breakaway | English |
| フリーダイヤル | furīdaiyaru | free dial | toll free call | English |
| フリーサイズ | furīsaizu | 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 | the front desk at a hotel | English |
| フロントガラス | furontogarasu | front glass | windshield (US), windscreen (UK) | English |
| ガードマン | gādoman | guard man | a (private) security guard, a person who directs traffic around work sites | English |
| ガラス | garasu | glas or glass | glass (material) | Dutch or English |
| ガソリンスタンド | gasorinsutando | 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 | gēmusentā or gēsen | game centre | video arcade | English |
| ゲレンデ | gerende | Gelände (meaning 'site; ground; premises') | ski slope | German |
| 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 | gōrudenawā or gōrudentaimu | golden hour or golden time | prime time in Japanese television | English |
| 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 collar" | In 1920s slang, "haikara" referred to a person who was a slave 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 |
| ハッカー | hakkā | hacker | refers specifically to a computer black hat | English |
| ハモる | hamoru | harmo(ny) + -ru (Japanese verb ending) | to harmonize (when singing) | English + Japanese |
| ハンドル | handoru | handle | steering wheel or bicycle handlebars | English |
| ハンドルネーム | handorunēmu | 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 |
| ヘルスメーター | herusumētā | health meter | bathroom scales, scales | English |
| ヒステリー | hisuterī | Hysterie | loss of (self) control | German |
| ホルモン | horumon | Hormon | hormone | German |
| ホルモン焼き | horumonyaki | Hormon + 焼き(yaki to roast or grill).[1] | grilled organ meats (yakiniku-style) | German + Japanese |
| 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 | Jesus | Portuguese |
| イェス | yesu | yes | yes | English |
| イギリス | igirisu | inglês | English, England or the United Kingdom | Portuguese |
| 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 | inkī | 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 (a title given to coaches by Asahi Shimbun and the Japan High School Baseball Federation) | coach of the year | English |
| ジェンダーフリー | jendāfurī | gender free | gender equality, gender blind | English |
| ジェットコースター | jettokōsutā | 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 |
| カーモン | kāmon | 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 listen | 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) + (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 |
| キーホルダー | kīhorudā | key holder | key ring | English |
| キリスト or 基督 | kirisuto | Cristo | Christ | Portuguese |
| キッチンペーパー | kitchinpēpā | 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 |
| コンクール | konkūru | concours | a contest, a competition | French |
| コンセント | konsento | concent(ric plug) | power outlet | English |
| コップ | koppu | kop | a glass or tumbler | Dutch |
| コラーゲン | korāgen | Kollagen | collagen | German |
| 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 |
| クリスタル | kurisutaru | crystal | shiny or clear | English |
| キャンペーン | kyanpēn | campaign | a sales campaign or sweepstakes | English |
| キャンピングカー | kyanpingukā | Camping-car | a recreational vehicle | French-made English |
| キャッチボール | kyatchibōru | catch ball | the game of catch | English |
| キャッチホン | kyatchihon | catch phone | call waiting | English |
| キャッチコピー | kyatchikopī | catch copy | tagline | English |
| マグカップ | magukappu | mug cup | mug | English |
| マイナスドライバー | mainasudoraibā | minus driver | (flathead) screwdriver | English |
| マイ～ | mai~ | my | one's own. Common examples include my boom: personal taste; my car: one's own car; my home: one's own house; my pace: doing things at one's own (leisurely) pace, taking one's time (often somewhat derogatory) | English |
| マジックインキ | majikkuinki | Magic Ink (a registered trademark of Uchida Yoko Co., Ltd.) | marker | English |
| マジックテープ | majikkutēpu | magic tape | Velcro | English |
| 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 |
| メール | mēru | English | ||
| メールマガジン | mērumagajin | mail magazine | e-mail newsletter, ezine | English |
| ミイラ | miira | mirra (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 | mōningukōru | morning call | wake-up call | English |
| モーニングコート or モーニング | mōningukōto or mōningu | morning coat | morning coat | English |
| モーニングサービス | mōningusābisu | morning service | breakfast special | English |
| モラトリアム人間 | moratoriamuningen | 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 |
| 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 | nanbādisupurei | number display | caller ID | English |
| ナンバープレート | nanbāpurēto | number plate | BrE number plate, AmE license plate | English |
| ナトリウム | natoriumu | Natrium | sodium (Na) | German |
| ノークレイムノーリターン | nōkureimunōritān | no claim, no return | sold "as is" | English |
| ノルマ | noruma | норма (norma) (meaning 'standard; norm') | quota | Russian |
| ノート | nōto | note | a notebook (It is used with this meaning in the title of the manga series Death Note) | English |
| ニューハーフ | nyūhāfu | new-half | A man that has undergone a sex change operation. | 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 | 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 |
| オープンカー | ōpunkā | open car | convertible (automobile) | English |
| オーライ | ōrai | alrigh(t) | alright, OK | English |
| オランダ | oranda | Holanda | The Netherlands, Holland | Portuguese |
| 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 |
| パン or 麺麭 or 麪包 | pan | pão | bread | Portuguese |
| パネラー | panerā | panel + -er | 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) | personal computer (PC) | English |
| パンツ | pantsu | pants | underpants (American English), pants (British English) | 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 |
| ペーパーカンパニー | pēpākanpanī | paper company | dummy company, shell company | English |
| 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 |
| ペーパーテスト | pēpātesuto | 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 |
| ポケベル | pokeberu | pocke(t) bell | beeper, pager | English |
| ポケモン | pokemon | pocke(t) mon(ster) | pokémon | English |
| ポンプ | ponpu | pomp | pump | Dutch |
| ポスト | posuto | post | a mailbox (US), a postbox (UK) | 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 and Greek |
| 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 |
| 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 | pusshuhon | push phone | touch-tone phone | English |
| ラブホテル | rabuhoteru | love hotel | love hotel (hotel used as a private place for couples to have sexual contact) | English |
| ライバル | raibaru | rival | A fellow competitor or an enemy | English |
| ライブアクション | raibuakushon | 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 | raibuhausu | 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 | ranninguhōmuran | running home run | an inside-the-park home run | English |
| ランニングシャツ | ranningushatsu | running shirt | a sleeveless T-shirt | English |
| 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 |
| リードオンリーメンバー | rīdoonrīmenbā | 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 | rinkufurī | 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 | 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 |
| ロケーションハンティング, ロケハン | rokēshonhantingu, 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 | romansugurē | romance grey | silver-gray hair | English |
| ロマンスカー | romansukā | 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 | rōpuuē | rope way | 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 | rosutaimu | 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 |
| 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 | saidoburēki | 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 | 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 | salary + 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 |
| シャボン玉 | shabondama | sabão + 玉 (dama, ball) | soap bubble | Portuguese + Japanese |
| シャーペン | shāpen | sha(rp) + 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 | shirubāshīto | 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 | sofutokurīmu or softcream | soft (ice) cream | soft ice cream | English |
| ソーラーシステム | sōrāshisutemu | 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 | suītorūmu | 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 |
| スムーズ | sumūzu | smooth (transaction) | When a plan or transaction happens without incident | English |
| スーパー | sūpā | super(market) | supermarket | English (international) |
| スパッツ, スパッツタイツ | supattsu, supattsutaitsu | 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 | 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 |
| スーツアクター | sūtsuakutā | 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 | taimuōbā | 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 | 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 |
| テーマ | tēma | Thema | theme | German |
| テンキー | tenkī | ten key | numeric keypad | English |
| てんぷら | tenpura | tempero | tempura (culinary term) | Portuguese |
| テンション | tenshon | tension | a state of excitement | English |
| テレビ | terebi, TV | televi(sion) | television | English |
| テレビゲーム | terebigēmu | televi(sion) game | video game | English |
| テレカ | tereka | tele(phone) ca(rd) | prepaid card for using public telephones | English |
| トナカイ | tonakai | tunakkay | reindeer/caribou | Ainu |
| 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 |
| トレーナー | torēnā | trainer | a sweat shirt | English |
| トレーニングパンツ | torēnīngupantsu | training pants | sweat pants | English |
| ウインカー | uinkā | winker | turn signal, a.k.a. blinker on an automobile | English |
| ウーパールーパー | ūpārūpā or WuperRuper | (s)uper | an axolotl | English |
| Yシャツ | waishatsu | Y shirt (modification of "white shirt") | dress shirt (of any color) | 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 |
| 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 | 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 | yōdochinki | Jodtinktur | tincture of iodine | German |
| ユニットバス | yunittobasu | unit bath | modular bath, prefabricated bath | 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 |
| 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 | zemināru | Seminar | seminar | German |
| ゼロ | zero | zéro | zero | French |
| ズボン | zubon | jupon | trousers (British English), pants (American English) | French |
[edit] See also
- 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
[edit] Notes
- ^ Sometimes horumonyaki is mistakenly given a Japanese origin (放（ほお）るもん hōrumon, from the Kansai dialect, meaning "discarded things"), but the word horumon was chosen because it was a buzzword that gave an image of good health.
- ^ Takie Sugiyama Lebra (November 2000). "Review of Dimensions of Japanese Society: Gender, Margins and Mainstream by Kenneth G. Henshall". The Journal of Asian Studies 59 (4): 1019.
[edit] References
- Takashi Ichikawa, et al (1998). Sanseidō New Modern Dictionary (三省堂現代新国語辞典 sanseidōgendaishinkokugojiten?), Tokyo, Japan: Sanseido Co., Ltd. ISBN 4-385-14034-0.
