List of English words of Japanese origin explained

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

Arts

anime : アニメ , hand-drawn and computer animation originating from or associated with Japan.
  • bokeh : (from ぼけ boke), subjective aesthetic quality of out-of-focus areas of an image projected by a camera lens.
  • bonsai : 盆栽 , "tray gardening"; the art of tending miniature trees. Originated from Chinese 盆栽 penzai
  • bunraku:[1] 文楽, a form of traditional Japanese puppet theatre, performed by puppeteers, chanters, and shamisen players.
  • haiku : 俳句 , 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).
  • isekai : 異世界, "different world"; a subgenre of portal fantasy that features a protagonist being transported to or reincarnated in an alternate world
  • kabuki:[3] 歌舞伎, a traditional form of Japanese theatre; also any form of elaborate theatre, especially metaphorically.[4]
  • kaiju: 怪獣, Japanese genre of horror and science fiction films featuring giant monsters.
  • kakemono:[5] 掛け物, a vertical Japanese scroll, of ink-and-brush painting or calligraphy, that hangs in a recess on a wall inside a room.
  • kakiemon:[6] 柿右衛門, Japanese porcelain wares featuring enamel decoration (made in Arita, using the style developed in the 17th century by 酒井田 柿右衛門 Sakaida Kakiemon).
  • karaoke : カラオケ , (English IPA : pronounced as /[kæriːoʊkiː]/) "empty orchestra"; entertainment where an amateur singer accompanies recorded music.
  • kintsugi : 金継ぎ, the artisanry of repairing broken pottery using urushi lacquer and dusted with powdered gold, silver, or platinum, to emphasise the damage. lit. "golden joinery". Also known as kintsukuroi 金繕い, "golden repair".[7] Also in extended use: an aesthetic or world view highlighting imperfection and healing as an essential part of human experience.[8]
  • kirigami: 切り紙, similar to origami, but involves cutting in addition to folding.
  • koto:[9] 琴, a traditional stringed musical instrument from Japan, resembling a zither with 13 strings.
  • makimono:[10] 巻物, a horizontal Japanese hand scroll, of ink-and-brush painting or calligraphy
  • manga : まんが or 漫画 , (English IPA : pronounced as /[mæŋgɜː]/) Japanese comics; refers to comics in general in Japanese
  • noh:[11] 能 nō, a major form of classical Japanese music drama
  • origami : 折り紙, artistic paper folding. (British English IPA : pronounced as /[ɒrɪgɑːmiː]/)
  • otaku : オタク or おたく or ヲタク, a geeky enthusiast, especially of anime and manga.
  • sakura: (桜 or 櫻; さくら or サクラ) is the Japanese term for the Cherry Blossom and can either mean the tree or its flowers (see 桜).
  • senryu : 川柳, a form of short poetry similar to haiku. It is satiric. [12]
  • shamisen:[13] 三味線, a three-stringed musical instrument, played with a plectrum.
  • sumi-e : 墨絵, a general term for painting with a brush and black ink.
  • tanka : 短歌, "short poetry"; an older form of Japanese poetry than haiku, of the form 5-7-5-7-7 morae (not syllables; see also haiku above).
  • tankōbon :単行本, "independent/standalone book"; term for a book that is complete in itself and is not part of a series or corpus. In modern Japan, though, it is most often used in reference to individual volumes of a single manga, as opposed to magazines.
  • tokusatsu :[14] 特撮, "special photography", term for films or television shows that feature an abundant usage of special practical effects; the term is most commonly associated with Japanese science fiction and giant monster franchises
  • ukiyo-e :浮世絵, a type of woodblock print art or painting. (English IPA : pronounced as /[uːkiːoʊ.iː]/)
  • waka :和歌, "Japanese poetry"; a word used primarily to describe tanka (see above) written between the 9th and 19th centuries.
  • wabi-sabi :侘び寂び, a world view or aesthetic centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection.

    • Business

    kaikaku: 改革, Japanese term for 'radical change', used in contradistinction to kaizen which is used for continuous improvement.
  • kaizen:[15] 改善, literally "change for the better." In practice, a Japanese business philosophy of continuous improvement of working practices, personal efficiency, etc. Initially made famous by the 1986 book of same name.
  • kanban:[16] 看板, literally a "signal" or "sign" signals a cycle of replenishment for production and materials and maintains an orderly and efficient flow of materials throughout the entire manufacturing process.
  • karoshi : 過労死, "death by overwork, stress death"
  • keiretsu : 系列, a set of companies with interlocking business relationships and shareholdings.
  • Poka-yoke : "mistake-proofing" or "inadvertent error prevention".
  • tycoon : 大君 ("taikun"), "great prince" or "high commander", later applied to wealthy business leaders.
  • zaibatsu : 財閥, a "money clique" or conglomerate

    • Clothing

    geta:[17] 下駄, a pair of Japanese raised wooden clogs worn with traditional Japanese garments, such as the kimono
  • inro:[18] 印籠 inrō, a case for holding small objects, often worn hanging from the obi; (traditional Japanese clothes didn't have pockets)
  • kimono: 着物, a traditional full-length robe-like garment still worn by women, men and children. (English IPA : pronounced as /[kɪmoʊnoʊ]/)
  • netsuke
  • [19] 根付, a toggle used to tie the sash of a kimono also to attach small items such as inro and kinchaku: sometimes beautifully carved.
    obi:[20] 帯, a wide belt that is tied in the back to secure a kimono
  • yukata: 浴衣, a casual or simplified summer style of kimono
  • zori:[21] 草履 zōri, sandals made from rice straw or lacquered wood, worn with a kimono for formal occasions

    • Culinary

    adzuki,[22] azuki bean:[23] あずき or 小豆 , type of bean grown in eastern Asia and the Himalayas, used in Chinese, Korean, and Japanese cuisines, usually served sweet. Sometimes simply referred to as red bean or red bean paste in English.
  • arame : 荒布, a type of edible seaweed
  • bento : 弁当 bentō, a single-portion takeout meal, box lunch
  • daikon : 大根, a kind of white radish
  • dashi : だし or 出汁, a simple soup stock considered fundamental to Japanese cooking
  • edamame : 枝豆, soybeans boiled whole in the green pod and served with salt
  • enokitake, enoki mushroom : えのきたけ or 榎茸, long, thin white mushrooms, used in Japanese, Korean and Chinese cuisines
  • fugu : 河豚 or フグ, the meat of the toxic pufferfish, must be prepared by specially trained chefs by law. Also means pufferfish itself.
  • ginkgo : 銀杏 or ぎんなん ginnan, a gymnospermous tree (Ginkgo biloba) of eastern China that is widely grown as an ornamental or shade tree and has fan-shaped leaves and yellow fruit (the word is derived from 17th Century Japanese 銀杏 ginkyō)
  • gyoza : ギョーザ or 餃子 gyōza, Japanese name for Chinese dumplings, jiaozi (jiǎozi); may also be called pot stickers in English if they are fried
  • hibachi : 火鉢, a small, portable charcoal grill; used in North America to refer to a teppan or a small shichirin-like aluminium or cast iron grill
  • hijiki : ひじき or 鹿尾菜, a type of edible seaweed commonly found on rocky coastlines
  • katsu
  • カツ, Japanese term for cutlets in general; in English, typically refers to the dish chicken katsu, a type of breaded chicken cutlet served with rice and sauce.[24] (English IPA : pronounced as /[kæt.suː]/)
    katsuo :鰹, a skipjack tuna
  • katsuobushi :かつおぶし or 鰹節, dried and smoked skipjack tuna (katsuo), which is shaved and then used in dashi
  • koji :麴 or 麹 kōji, a fungus that is the active agent in the fermentation processes, of producing miso and soy sauce from soybeans, and of producing sake and shōchū from rice.
  • kombu :昆布, dried kelp, which can be eaten or used for dashi
  • matsutake :松茸, a type of edible mushroom, with a magnificently spicy aroma similar to cinnamon, considered to be a great delicacy and the most coveted mushroom in Japan
  • mirin :味醂, an essential condiment of the Japanese cuisine, a kind of rice wine similar to sake with a slightly sweet taste
  • miso :味噌, a thick paste made by fermenting soybeans with salt
  • mizuna :水菜, an edible plant, with flavor akin to the mustard plant
  • mochi
  • 餅, sticky rice cake
    napa cabbage :菜っ葉, Chinese cabbage, (in Japan, it is a generic term for leaf vegetables.)
  • nashi (pear) :梨, a species of pear native to eastern Asia, which are juicy, round and shaped like apples. Often simply referred to as "asian pear(s)".
    nasubi :なすび, a nightshade vegetable, popularized by the reality TV icon natto :納豆, traditional Japanese food made from fermented soybeans
  • nori :海苔, food products created from green laver seaweed species by a shredding and rack-drying process that resembles papermaking.
  • okonomiyaki
  • お好み焼き, listenⓘ is a Japanese teppanyaki, savory pancake dish consisting of wheat flour batter and other ingredients (mixed, or as toppings) cooked on a teppan (flat griddle).
    omakase
  • お任せ, is a phrase used when ordering food in restaurants that means 'I'll leave it up to you'
    panko :パン粉, Japanese white bread flakes. Panko is made from bread without crusts, thus it has a crisper, airier texture than most types of breading found in Western cuisine.
  • ramen :ラーメン rāmen, the Japanese version of Chinese noodle soup, not limited to the instant variety. (British English IPA : pronounced as /[rɑːmen]/)
  • sake :酒 ,nihon-shu(日本酒), an alcoholic beverage, brewed from rice. In Japanese, the word commonly refers to alcoholic drinks in general
  • sashimi :刺身, a Japanese delicacy primarily consisting of the freshest raw seafoods thinly sliced and served with only a dipping sauce and wasabi.
  • satsuma :(from 薩摩 Satsuma, an ancient province of Japan), a type of mandarin orange (mikan) native to Japan
  • shabu shabu :しゃぶしゃぶ, a meal where each person cooks their own food in their own cooking pot from an assortment of raw ingredients
  • shiitake :しいたけ or 椎茸 , an edible mushroom typically cultivated on the shii tree
  • shoyu :醬油 or 醤油shōyu, Japanese soy sauce
  • soba :蕎麦 or ソバ, thin brown buckwheat noodles
  • soy :from shoyu 醤油
  • sukiyaki :すき焼き or スキヤキ, a dish in the nabemono-style (one-pot), consisting of thinly sliced beef, tofu, konnyaku noodles, negi, Chinese cabbage (bok choy), and enoki mushrooms among others
  • surimi :すり身 or 擂り身, processed meat made from cheaper white-fleshed fish, to imitate the look of a more expensive meat such as crab legs. In Japan surimi is the term for processed fish paste itself, that was traditionally ground in a suribachi mortar.
  • 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
    taiyaki
  • 鯛焼き, a Japanese fish-shaped cake, commonly filled with red bean paste that is made from sweetened adzuki beans
    tamari :溜まり or たまり, liquid obtained by pressing soybeans
  • tempura :てんぷら or 天麩羅, classic Japanese deep fried batter-dipped seafood and vegetables. The word may be from Portuguese tempêro/seasoning.[25]
  • teppanyaki :鉄板焼き, a type of Japanese cuisine that uses a hot iron griddle (teppan) to cook food
  • teriyaki :照り焼き, translating as 'shiny grill'. a cooking technique where fish or meat is being broiled/grilled with a sweet soy sauce and mirin marinade. The mirin will give the protein a luster, shine.
  • tofu :豆腐 tōfu bean curd. Although the word is originally Chinese, it entered English via Japanese.
  • udo :ウド or 独活, an edible plant found on the slopes of wooded embankments, also known as the Japanese Spikenard
  • udon :うどん or 饂飩, a type of thick wheat-based noodle
  • umami :旨味 or うま味, the taste sensation produced by some condiments such as monosodium glutamate; a basic flavor in sea weed (昆布 kombu)
  • umeboshi :梅干, pickled ume
  • wakame :ワカメ or 若布, a type of edible kelp, often used in miso soup (Japan), and salads
  • wasabi :わさび or 山葵, a strongly flavoured green condiment also known as Japanese horseradish
  • yakitori :焼き鳥 or 焼鳥, a type of chicken kebab.

    • Government and politics

    daimyō:[26] 大名 daimyō, "great names"; the most powerful Japanese feudal rulers from the 12th century to the 19th century
  • genro:[27] 元老 genrō, retired elder Japanese statesmen, who served as informal advisors to the emperor, during the Meiji and Taisho eras
  • mikado:[28] 帝, a dated term for "emperor"; specifically for the Emperor of Japan
  • rōnin:[29] 浪人, a samurai without a lord or master
  • seppuku: 切腹, lit. 'cutting [the] belly', also called harakiri (腹切り, lit. 'abdomen/belly cutting', a native Japanese kun reading), is a form of Japanese ritualistic suicide by disembowelment. It was originally reserved for samurai to die within their code of honour, with their honour relating to themselves or their families. It was occasionally used capital punishment for serious offences or shameful activity.
  • shogun:[30] 将軍 shōgun , the title of the practical ruler of Japan for most of the time from 1192 to the Meiji Era
  • tenno:[28] 天皇, a term for the Emperor of Japan

    • Martial arts

    aikido:[31] 合気道 aikidō
  • dojo: 道場 dōjō
  • judo:[32] 柔道 jūdō, refers to the Olympic sport.
  • jujutsu:[33] 柔術 jūjutsu, alternately spelt, through mutation, as jiu-jitsu in English.
  • karate:[34] 空手 a fighting style which includes the use of hands and feet to strike the opponent, without any weapon, and is also a popular international sports event. Literally means "empty handed".
  • kendo:[33] 剣道 kendō
  • sumo:[35] 相撲 sumō

    • Religion

    bonze:[36] (from 凡僧 bonsō), a Buddhist monk
  • koan:[37] 公案 kōan, a paradoxical story or statement used during meditation in Zen Buddhism. Inspired the hacker koan tradition among computing circles.
  • matsuri:祭, is the Japanese word for a festival or holiday.
  • satori:[38] 悟り, enlightenment in Zen Buddhism
  • shinto:[39] 神道 shintō, the native religion of Japan
  • torii:[40] 鳥居, traditional Japanese gates commonly found at the gateway to Shinto shrines
  • zen : 禅, from Chinese 禪 (Mandarin Chán), originally from ध्यान Sanskrit Dhyāna / Pali झान Jhāna, a branch of Mahāyāna Buddhism.

    • Other

    ahegao
  • アヘ顔, a facial expression in pornographic animation and manga usually depicted when someone is having an orgasm
    akita 秋田 (from 秋田犬, akitainu or akitaken), the Akita Inu, a large breed of Japanese dog
  • baka
  • (馬鹿, ばか in hiragana, or バカ in katakana) means "fool", "silly", "stupid", or "foolish" and is the most frequently used pejorative term in the Japanese language.
    bukkake :ぶっかけ, a sex act portrayed in pornographic films, in which several men ejaculate on a woman, or another man. Note that in Japanese it has a broader meaning of "to pour" or "to splash".
  • domoic acid :(from ドウモイ doumoi in the Tokunoshima dialect of Japanese: a type of red algae)
  • emoji :絵文字, ideograms used in electronic messages and webpages.
  • futon :(from 布団, a flat mattress with a fabric exterior stuffed with cotton, wool, or synthetic batting that makes up a Japanese bed.)
  • gaijin :外人, lit. outsider/alien is a Japanese word for foreigners and non-Japanese. The word is typically used to refer to foreigners of non-Asian ethnicities.
  • geisha :芸者, traditional Japanese artist-entertainers
  • hanami :花見, lit. "flower viewing" is the Japanese traditional custom of enjoying the transient beauty of flowers; flowers (花, hana) in this case almost always refer to those of the cherry (桜, sakura) or, less frequently, plum (梅, ume) trees.
  • hentai :変態 , Western usage: pornographic Anime, usually either Japanese in origin or drawn in a Japanese style; Japanese usage: metamorphosis, transformation, abnormality, or perversion
  • hikikomori :ひきこもり or 引き籠もり, a psychological condition where the affected individual lives an extremely socially isolated lifestyle by preference, not by default (compare NEET)
  • honcho:[41] 班長 hanchō, head, chief
  • ikigai :生き甲斐, lit. 'a reason for being'
    kamikaze:[42] 神風, the literal meaning is "divine wind"; used to refer to a Japanese soldier in World War II who crashed an airplane into a target, committing suicide; also refers to the airplane used in the suicide crash. Can also refer to someone committing a reckless or potentially self-destructive action.
  • katana : (from かたな literally sword) A Japanese sword that has been forged using traditional Japanese methods. This is referred to as 日本刀 (nihontō) in Japanese.
  • katsura (tree) : 桂, large deciduous trees, native to eastern Asia
  • kawaii : 可愛い, cute and/or lovely. (English IPA ː pronounced as /[kəwaɪ]/)
  • koi : 鯉, Western usage: ornamental varieties of the common carp (but in Japan this just means "carp" – the ornamental variety are called "nishikigoi" 錦鯉)
  • kokoro : こころ, affectionate heart in the context of "spirit", "resolve", "courage", "sentiment", or "the heart of things"
  • kudzu : (from 葛 or クズ kuzu) A climbing vine found as an invasive species in the south-eastern US, which is native to Japan and south-eastern China
  • moxa : もぐさ or 艾 mogusa, mugwort or cotton wool or other combustible material, burned on skin during moxibustion
  • moxibustion : (from moxa + (com)bustion), an oriental medicine therapy which involves the burning of moxa (see above)
  • ninja : Japanese covert agent of the feudal era
  • puff-puff : ぱふぱふ pafupafu, an onomatopoeic neologism coined by Akira Toriyama to convey a woman's breasts being rubbed in someone's face
  • rickshaw : (from 人力車 jinrikisha/ninryokusha), a human-pulled wagon
  • sayonara : 左様なら or さようなら sayōnara the Japanese term for "goodbye"
  • samurai : 侍 or 士, Japanese knight
  • sensei : 先生, the Japanese term for "master", "teacher" or "doctor". It can be used to refer to any authority figure, such as a schoolteacher, professor, priest, or politician.
  • senpai : 先輩, the Japanese term for "upperclassman" or "senior".
  • shiatsu : 指圧, a form of massage
  • shiba inu : 柴犬, the smallest of the six original and distinct Japanese breeds of dog
  • shinobi : 忍び, literally "one who sneaks".
  • shinro: しんろ, a logic puzzle related to sudoku
  • skosh:[43] A small amount, from 少し or すこし sukoshi, meaning "a bit" or "a few"
  • sudoku : 数独 sūdoku , a number placement puzzle, also known as Number Place in the United States.
  • tanuki : 狸, the Japanese name for the animal, Nyctereutes procyonoides, known as a Japanese raccoon dog in English
  • tsunami : 津波, literally "harbor wave"; Large wave caused by earthquakes or other underwater disturbances. (English IPA ː pronounced as /[(t)suːnɑːmiː]/)
  • tsuresari :連れ去り, abducting or kidnapping a child by the parent while defying the rights of the other parent.
  • urushiol : (from 漆 or うるし urushi, a plant that gives a skin rash on contact) a chemical substance found in poison-ivy, used to make lacquer-ware
  • -zilla : (from ゴジラ Godzilla, a fictional creature from Japanese film) a suffix denoting large size or monster-like qualities

    • See also

    Notes and References

    1. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bunraku Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
    2. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/imari Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
    3. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kabuki Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
    4. It's time for pundits to stop using the word "kabuki.". Slate . 14 April 2010 . Lackman . Jon .
    5. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kakemono Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
    6. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kakiemon Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
    7. Web site: 9 November 2020 . Object Lesson: Kintsugi reflects beauty in flaws, strength in healing . 8 December 2024 . New Orleans Museum of Art.
    8. Web site: 2008 . Kintsugi . 8 December 2024 . Oxford English Dicstionary.
    9. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/koto Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
    10. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/makimono Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
    11. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/noh Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
    12. Web site: Senryu Japanese, Poem, Haiku, & Examples Britannica . 2024-12-08 . www.britannica.com . en.
    13. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shamisen Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
    14. Web site: Words from the land of the rising sun: new Japanese borrowings in the OED . 2024-03-29 . Oxford English Dictionary.
    15. http://www.investopedia.com/terms/k/kaizen.asp
    16. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kanban Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
    17. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/geta Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
    18. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inro Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
    19. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/netsuke Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
    20. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obi Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
    21. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zori Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
    22. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adzuki Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
    23. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adzuki%20bean Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
    24. News: Chicken katsu curry. The Independent. 2020-01-23. en-GB.
    25. Web site: Home : Oxford English Dictionary.
    26. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/daimyo Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
    27. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/genro Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
    28. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mikado Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
    29. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ronin Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
    30. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shogun Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
    31. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aikido Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
    32. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/judo Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
    33. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jujutsu Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
    34. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/karate Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
    35. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sumo Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
    36. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bonze Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
    37. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/koan Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
    38. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/satori Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
    39. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shinto Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
    40. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/torii Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
    41. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/honcho Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
    42. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kamikaze Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
    43. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/skosh Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary

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