Words of Japanese origin have entered many languages. Some words are simple transliterations of Japanese language words for concepts inherent to Japanese culture, but some are actually words of Chinese origin that were first exposed to English via Japan. The words on this page are words which are listed in major English dictionaries and whose etymologies include Japanese. The reverse of this list can be found at List of gairaigo and wasei-eigo terms.
Arts
- anime
- アニメ
listen (help·info), Japanese animation; refers to animation in general in Japanese (derived from either the English "animation" or French "dessin animé")
- bonsai
- 盆栽 listen (help·info), "tray gardening"; the art of tending miniature trees (see the unrelated word "banzai" below)
- bokeh
- (from ぼけ, boke), subjective aesthetic quality of out-of-focus areas of an image projected by a camera lens
- bunraku[1]
- 文楽, a form of traditional Japanese puppet theatre, performed by puppeteers, chanters, and shamisen players
- haiku
- 俳句 listen (help·info), a very short poem consisting of three lines of 5, 7, and 5 morae (not syllables as commonly thought) each; see also tanka below
- ikebana
- 生花, flower arrangement
- imari[2]
- 伊万里, Japanese porcelain wares (made in the town of Arita and exported from the port of Imari, particularly around the 17th century)
- kabuki[3]
- 歌舞伎, a traditional form of Japanese theatre
- kakemono[4]
- 掛け物, a vertical Japanese scroll, of ink-and-brush painting or calligraphy, that hangs in a recess on a wall inside a room
- kakiemon[5]
- 柿右衛門, Japanese porcelain wares featuring enamel decoration (made in Arita, using the style developed in 17th century by 酒井田 柿右衛門 Sakaida Kakiemon)
- karaoke
- カラオケ listen (help·info), "empty orchestra"; entertainment where an amateur singer accompanies recorded music
- kirigami
- 切り紙, similar to origami, but involves cutting in addition to folding
- koto[6]
- 箏, a traditional stringed musical instrument from Japan, resembling a zither with 13 strings
- makimono[7]
- 巻物, a horizontal Japanese hand scroll, of ink-and-brush painting or calligraphy
- manga
- まんが or 漫画 listen (help·info), Japanese comics; refers to comics in general in Japanese
- netsuke[8]
- 根付, a toggle use to tie the sash of a kimono also to attach small items such as inro and kinchaku: sometimes beautifully carved.
- noh[9]
- 能, a major form of classical Japanese music drama
- origami
- 折り紙, artistic paper folding
- otaku
- オタク or おたく or ヲタク, a geeky enthusiast, especially of anime and manga
- senryu
- 川柳, a form of short poetry similar to haiku
- shamisen[10]
- 三味線, a three-stringed musical instrument, played with a plectrum
- tanka
- 短歌, "short poetry"; an older form of Japanese poetry than haiku, of the form 5-7-5-7-7 morae (not syllables; see also haiku above)
- ukiyo-e
- 浮世絵, a type of woodblock print art or painting
Clothing
- geta[11]
- 下駄, a pair of Japanese raised wooden clogs worn with traditional Japanese garments, such as the kimono
- inro[12]
- 印籠, a case for holding small objects, often worn hanging from the obi; (traditional Japanese wears didn't have pockets)
- kimono
- 着物, a traditional full-length robe-like garment still worn by women, men and children
- obi[13]
- 帯, a wide belt which is tied in the back to secure a kimono
- zori[14]
- 草履, sandals made from rice straw or lacquered wood, worn with a kimono for formal occasions
Culinary
- adzuki[15], azuki bean[16]
- あずき or 小豆 listen (help·info), type of bean grown in eastern Asia and the Himalayas, used in Chinese, Korean, and Japanese cuisines, usually served sweet
- arame
- 荒布, a type of edible seaweed
- bento
- 弁当, a single-portion takeout meal, box lunch
- daikon
- 大根, a kind of white radish
- dashi
- だし or 出汁, a simple soup stock considered fundamental to Japanese cooking
- edamame
- 枝豆, soybeans boiled whole in the green pod and served with salt
- enokitake, enoki mushroom
- えのきたけ or 榎茸, long, thin white mushrooms, used in Japanese, Korean and Chinese cuisines
- fugu
- 河豚 or フグ, the meat of the toxic pufferfish, must be prepared by specially trained chefs by law. Also means pufferfish itself.
- ginkgo
- 銀杏 or ぎんなん, a gymnospermous tree (Ginkgo biloba) of eastern China that is widely grown as an ornamental or shade tree and has fan-shaped leaves and yellow fruit (the word is derived from 17th Century Japanese 銀杏 ginkyō)
- gyoza
- ギョーザ or 餃子, Japanese name for Chinese dumplings, jiaozi (jiǎozi); may also be called pot stickers in English if they are fried
- hibachi
- 火鉢, a small, portable charcoal grill; used in North America to refer to a teppan or a small shichirin-like aluminium or cast iron grill
- hijiki
- ひじき or 鹿尾菜, a type of edible seaweed commonly found on rocky coastlines
- katsuo
- 鰹, a skipjack tuna
- katsuobushi
- かつおぶし or 鰹節, dried and smoked skipjack tuna (katsuo), which is shaved and then used in dashi
- Koji
- 麹, a fungus which is the active agent in the fermentation processes, of producing miso and soy sauce from soybeans, and of producing sake and shōchū from rice.
- kombu
- 昆布, dried kelp, which can be eaten or used as dashi
- matsutake
- 松茸, a type of edible mushroom, with a magnificently spicy aroma similar to cinnamon, considered to be a great delicacy and the most coveted mushroom in Japan
- mirin
- 味醂, an essential condiment of the Japanese cuisine, a kind of rice wine similar to sake with a slightly sweet taste
- miso
- 味噌, a thick paste made by fermenting soybeans with salt
- mizuna
- 水菜, an edible plant, with flavor akin to the mustard plant
- nappa, napa cabbage
- 菜っ葉, Chinese cabbage, (in Japan, it is a generic term for leaf vegetables.)
- nashi (pear)
- 梨, a species of pear native to eastern Asia, which are juicy, round and shaped like apples. Often simply referred to as "asian pear(s)".
- nori
- 海苔, food products created from the seaweed laver by a shredding and rack-drying process that resembles papermaking.
- panko
- パン粉, Japanese white bread flakes. Panko is made from bread without crusts, thus it has a crisper, airier texture than most types of breading found in Western cuisine.
- ramen
- ラーメン, the Japanese version of Chinese noodle soup, not limited to the instant variety
- sake
- 酒 listen (help·info), an alcoholic beverage, brewed from rice. In Japanese, the word can also refer to alcoholic drinks in general
- sashimi
- 刺身, a Japanese delicacy primarily consisting of the freshest raw seafoods thinly sliced and served with only a dipping sauce and wasabi.
- satsuma
- (from 薩摩 Satsuma, an ancient province of Japan), a type of mandarin orange (mikan) native to Japan
- shabu shabu
- しゃぶしゃぶ, a meal where each person cooks their own food in their own cooking pot from an assortment of raw ingredients
- shiitake mushroom
- しいたけ or 椎茸 listen (help·info), an edible mushroom typically cultivated on the shii tree
- shoyu
- Japanese soy sauce
- soba
- 蕎麦 or ソバ, thin brown buckwheat noodles
- soy
- from shoyu 醤油
- sukiyaki
- すき焼き or スキヤキ, a dish in the nabemono-style (one-pot), consisting of thinly sliced beef, tofu, konnyaku noodles, negi, Chinese cabbage (bok choy), and enoki mushrooms among others
- surimi
- すり身 or 擂り身, processed meat made from cheaper white-fleshed fish, to imitate the look of a more expensive meat such as crab legs
- sushi
- 鮨 or 鮓 or 寿司, a dish consisting of vinegared rice combined with other ingredients such as raw fish, raw or cooked shellfish, or vegetables
- takoyaki
- たこ焼, たこ焼き, or 章魚焼き, literally fried or baked octopus
- tamari
- たまり, liquid obtained by pressing soybeans
- tempura
- てんぷら or 天麩羅, classic Japanese deep fried batter-dipped seafood and vegetables
- teppanyaki
- 鉄板焼き, a type of Japanese cuisine that uses a hot iron griddle (teppan) to cook food
- teriyaki
- 照焼き or テリヤキ, a cooking technique where fish or meat is being broiled/grilled in a sweet soy sauce marinade
- tofu
- 豆腐 listen (help·info) bean curd. Although the word is originally Chinese, it entered English via Japanese.
- udo
- ウド or 独活, an edible plant found on the slopes of wooded embankments, also known as the Japanese Spikenard
- udon
- うどん or 饂飩, a type of thick wheat-based noodle
- umami
- 旨味 or うま味, the taste sensation produced by some condiments such as monosodium glutamate; a basic flavor in sea weed (昆布 kobu)
- umeboshi
- 梅干, pickled ume
- wakame
- ワカメ or 若布, a type of edible kelp, often used in miso soup (Japan), and salads
- wasabi
- わさび or 山葵, a strongly flavoured green condiment commonly known as Japanese horseradish
- yakitori
- 焼き鳥 or 焼鳥, a type of chicken kebab
Business
- kanban[17]
- 看板, literally a "signal" or "sign" signals a cycle of replenishment for production and materials and maintains an orderly and efficient flow of materials throughout the entire manufacturing process. Part of Six Sigma
- OffJT
- オフジェーティー, "off the job training", means "training outside the workplace"
- keiretsu
- 系列, a set of companies with interlocking business relationships and shareholdings
- salaryman
- サラリーマン (derived from English salary + man), a Japanese term for a white-collar worker
- tycoon
- (from 大君 "taikun"), "great prince" or "high commander", later applied to wealthy business leaders
- zaibatsu
- 財閥, a "money clique" or conglomerate
Government and politics
- daimyo[18]
- 大名, "great names"; the most powerful Japanese feudal rulers from the 12th century to the 19th century
- genro[19]
- 元老, retired elder Japanese statesmen, who served as informal advisors to the emperor, during the Meiji and Taisho eras
- mikado[20]
- 帝, a dated term for "emperor"; specifically for the Emperor of Japan
- shogun[21]
- 将軍 listen (help·info), the title of the practical ruler of Japan for most of the time from 1192 to the Meiji Era
Religion
- bonze[22]
- (from 凡僧 bonsō), a Buddhist monk
- koan[23]
- 公案, a paradoxial story or statement used during meditation in Zen Buddhism
- satori[24]
- 悟り, enlightenment in Zen Buddhism
- shinto[25]
- 神道, the native religion of Japan
- torii[26]
- 鳥居, traditional Japanese gates commonly found at the gateway to Shinto shrines
- zen
- 禅, a branch of Mahāyāna Buddhism
Other
- akita
- 秋田 (from 秋田犬, akitainu or akitaken), the Akita Inu, a large breed of Japanese dog
- domoic acid
- (from ドウモイ doumoi in the Tokunoshima dialect of Japanese: a type of red algae)
- geisha
- 芸者, traditional Japanese artist-entertainers
- hentai
- 変態 listen (help·info), Western usage: pornographic cartoons, usually either Japanese in origin or drawn in a Japanese style; Japanese usage: metamorphosis, transformation, abnormality, or perversion
- honcho[27]
- 班長, head, chief
- katsura (tree)
- 桂, large deciduous trees, native to eastern Asia
- koi
- 鯉, Western usage: ornamental varieties of the common carp (but in Japan this just means "carp" -- the ornamental variety are called "nishikigoi" 錦鯉)
- moxa
- もぐさ or 艾, mugwort or cotton wool or other combustible material, burned on skin during moxibustion
- moxibustion
- (from moxa + (com)bustion), an oriental medicine therapy which involves the burning of moxa (see above)
- rickshaw
- (from 人力車, jinrikisha), a human-pulled wagon
- sayonara
- さようなら the Japanese term for "goodbye" (note, though, that in Japanese, it has formal and final connotations: you wouldn't say it if you expect to meet again soon)
- sensei
- 先生, the Japanese term for "master", "teacher" or "doctor". It can be used to refer to any authority figure, such as a schoolteacher, professor, priest, or politician.
- shiatsu
- 指圧, a form of massage
- shiba Inu
- 柴犬, the smallest of the six original and distinct Japanese breeds of dog
- sudoku
- 数独 listen (help·info), a number placement puzzle, also known as Number Place in the United States.
- tanuki
- 狸, the Japanese name for the animal, Nyctereutes procyonoides, known as a raccoon dog in English
- tsunami
- 津波, literally "harbour wave"; Large wave caused by earthquakes or other underwater disturbances.
- urushiol
- (from うるし, a plant that gives a skin rash on contact) a chemical substance found in poison-ivy, used to make "Japanned" lacquer ware
References
- ^ Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary (Retrieved on April 16, 2009)
- ^ Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary (Retrieved on April 16, 2009)
- ^ Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary (Retrieved on April 16, 2009)
- ^ Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary (Retrieved on April 16, 2009)
- ^ Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary (Retrieved on April 16, 2009)
- ^ Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary (Retrieved on April 16, 2009)
- ^ Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary (Retrieved on April 16, 2009)
- ^ Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary (Retrieved on April 16, 2009)
- ^ Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary (Retrieved on April 16, 2009)
- ^ Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary (Retrieved on April 16, 2009)
- ^ Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary (Retrieved on April 16, 2009)
- ^ Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary (Retrieved on April 16, 2009)
- ^ Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary (Retrieved on April 16, 2009)
- ^ Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary (Retrieved on April 16, 2009)
- ^ Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary (Retrieved on April 16, 2009)
- ^ Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary (Retrieved on April 16, 2009)
- ^ Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary (Retrieved on April 16, 2009)
- ^ Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary (Retrieved on April 16, 2009)
- ^ Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary (Retrieved on April 16, 2009)
- ^ Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary (Retrieved on April 16, 2009)
- ^ Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary (Retrieved on April 16, 2009)
- ^ Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary (Retrieved on April 16, 2009)
- ^ Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary (Retrieved on April 16, 2009)
- ^ Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary (Retrieved on April 16, 2009)
- ^ Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary (Retrieved on April 16, 2009)
- ^ Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary (Retrieved on April 16, 2009)
- ^ Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary (Retrieved on April 30, 2009)
See also
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