{"id":27050,"date":"2021-09-08T15:00:51","date_gmt":"2021-09-08T15:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/?p=27050"},"modified":"2023-05-31T02:18:30","modified_gmt":"2023-05-31T02:18:30","slug":"japanese-loanwords","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/blog\/japanese-loanwords\/","title":{"rendered":"Japanese loanwords you already know"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s true! You already know some Japanese even if you\u2019ve never studied the language before. From emojis to zen, Japanese culture is a global influence that is a part of daily life everywhere. You might be surprised at how many Japanese loanwords already exist in English. This list of 13 words below is just a small sampling – read on to find out which Japanese words you already know!<\/span><\/p>\n

Karaoke<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Karaoke <\/span><\/i><\/a>(\u30ab\u30e9\u30aa\u30b1) is a term that originated in the 1970s. It directly translates to \u201cempty orchestra,\u201d music without the main vocal melody. This is a hugely popular pastime all over Asia and Japan is no exception. Drummer <\/span>Inoue Daisuke<\/span><\/i> (<\/span>\u4e95\u4e0a \u5927\u4f51) coined the term after <\/span>creating a device to let his clients sing without live music – the very first karaoke machine.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Tsunami<\/p>\n

Tsunami<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The common Japanese loanword <\/span>Tsunami <\/span><\/i>(\u6d25\u6ce2) is what pretty much everybody calls massive ocean waves during a natural disaster. But, the word is technically wrong in both English <\/span>and<\/span><\/i> Japanese. In English, the word spread around 1896 when a massive earthquake wave struck the coast of Japan. There was no word in English for this phenomenon so the word was borrowed. In Japanese it\u2019s not quite right either though! Tsunami translates to \u201charbor wave,\u201d a place where these waves never start.<\/span><\/p>\n

Typhoon<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Today, typhoon (\u53f0\u98a8) is accepted everywhere as a Japanese loanword in English, but how it earned that place is unclear to historians. Etymologists agree that the word originates from the similar <\/span>d\u00e0f\u0113ng<\/span><\/i> (\u5927\u98a8), meaning big wind in Chinese. Mentions of the word also appear as far back as 1560 in a Portuguese text. Whether the mystery ever gets solved or not, add this one to this list of Japanese loanwords you already know!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Japanese<\/p>\n

Emoji<\/strong><\/h2>\n

When words just won\u2019t do, you can always count on the faithful <\/span>emoji<\/span><\/i><\/a> (\u7d75\u6587\u5b57) to get the message across. Most people think \u201cemo\u201d is short for \u201cemotion.\u201d But, the first character <\/span>e<\/span><\/i> (\u7d75) actually just means picture, while \u201cmoji\u201d means character. This mistake gives this Japanese loanword an English feeling but Japan is the emoji capital of the world. It can\u2019t be overstated how often emojis are used in Japan. You\u2019ll find thousands of designs available to have fun with on popular messaging apps.<\/span><\/p>\n

Origami<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Origami<\/span><\/i> (\u6298\u308a\u7d19), the art of paper folding<\/a>, is as direct as it gets among Japanese loanwords. <\/span>Ori,<\/span><\/i>\u00a0to fold, meets <\/span>gami,<\/span><\/i>\u00a0paper. This relaxing art form has been around since the Edo period (1603 – 1867) but was popular worldwide by the 1900s, when it became the standard loanword. You\u2019re probably most familiar with paper cranes, but origami lotuses, frogs, fortune tellers, butterflies, and plenty more are popular projects too.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tofu<\/strong><\/h2>\n

In the west, Tofu (\u8c46\u8150) is often one of the go-to proteins for vegetarians. But in the east, it\u2019s a staple ingredient in a huge variety of dishes that meat-eaters love too. You\u2019ll find it in plenty of delicious Japanese cuisine including the pub classic, <\/span>agedashi tofu<\/span><\/i> (\u63da\u3052\u51fa\u3057\u8c46\u8150) This word originates from the Chinese word for bean curd, <\/span>d\u00f2ufu<\/span><\/i>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Karate<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Before the rise of brazilian jiu jitsu and other MMA forms, <\/span>karate<\/span><\/i> (\u7a7a\u624b) was one of the most popular Asian fighting styles to learn in the west. This Japanese loanword translates to <\/span>empty hand<\/span><\/i>. In the late 1300s, Okinawans observed and adopted Chinese fighting styles while trading with the Ming Dynasty. They made the style their own where it slowly evolved into modern day karate, a martial art still practiced all over the world.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"teacher<\/p>\n

Sensei<\/strong><\/h2>\n

There\u2019s a certain level of respect that comes with being a teacher. In the west, we attach the honorific Mr., Mrs., or Ms. before asking a question. But if you feel a certain reverence when you call someone <\/span>sensei<\/span><\/i>(\u5148\u751f), you\u2019re dialed in to the true meaning of this Japanese loanword word. It translates to \u201cone who came before,\u201d someone who teaches from mastered wisdom of experience.<\/span><\/p>\n

Samurai<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Thinking of samurai(\u4f8d) conjures up images of heavily-armed, heroic warriors bravely rushing into battle. These Japanese fighters are comparable to feudal knights in some ways. They both protected the upper echelons of society, and both enjoyed special rights that their high status granted. And the best of both followed <\/span>bushido<\/span><\/i> (\u6b66\u58eb\u9053) in one form or another, a strict code of chivalry and honor.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ninja<\/strong><\/h2>\n

While samurai held high esteem and respect in Japanese society, <\/span>ninja <\/span><\/i>(\u5fcd\u8005) were feared or hated. Ninja were expert mercenaries and spies skilled at espionage. This Japanese loanword was originally pronounced <\/span>shinobi<\/span><\/i>. The word translates to something like \u201cto steal away,\u201d or \u201cto hide.\u201d That gives a clue why most Japanese people of the past considered them villains or thugs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Zen<\/strong><\/h2>\n

In the west, we call any state of mental clarity, stillness, and peace <\/span>zen <\/span><\/i>(\u7985). You might consider a morning run, doing a hobby, or even chopping vegetables your moment of zen. Technically, that\u2019s the correct way to use this Japanese loanword. But in Japan, the word is reserved for deeply religious or spiritual rituals and practices.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Haiku<\/strong><\/h2>\n

A blocked writer aches. It\u2019s so simple, yet so hard. It must be haiku (\u4ff3\u53e5). These poems in a 5,7,5 syllable structure first appeared in the 17th century. Western poets learned of and popularized the form by the 1900s. In Japanese haiku have a very specific vibe and structure including a <\/span>kireji <\/span><\/i>(\u5207\u308c\u5b57), a cutting word that adds finality. But they\u2019re a lot of fun to write loosely in English too.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Futon<\/p>\n

Futon<\/strong><\/h2>\n

This Japanese loanword might make you think of a couch that turns into a bed. But, <\/span>futons<\/span><\/i><\/a> (\u5e03\u56e3) are a traditional form of Japanese bedding with few similarities to the western version. Futons are a thin, frameless, cotton mattress that is unrolled on the floor to sleep on. Their main purpose was to save space in typically small living areas in Japan.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Go beyond Japanese loanwords<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Ready to get started on your Japanese learning journey but not sure where to begin? We can guide your way to picking up this beautiful language. Contact us<\/a> to learn more about reaching your language goals. <\/span><\/p>\n

Follow our blog<\/a> for more articles about real Japanese life, culture, and society.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s true! You already know some Japanese even if you\u2019ve never studied the language before. From emojis to zen, Japanese culture is a global influence that is a part of daily life everywhere. You might be surprised at how many Japanese loanwords already exist in English. This list of 13 words below is just a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":117,"featured_media":26486,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[404],"tags":[666],"class_list":["post-27050","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-learn-japanese","tag-language"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27050","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/117"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27050"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27050\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26486"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27050"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27050"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27050"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}