List of English words of Japanese origin

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 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 listen^ⓘ, 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

盆栽ぼんさい listen^ⓘ, "tray gardening"; the art of tending miniature trees. Originated from Chinese 盆栽ぼんさい penzai

bunraku

文楽ぶんらく, a form of traditional Japanese puppet theatre, performed by puppeteers, chanters, and shamisen players.

haiku

俳句はいく listen^ⓘ, 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

生花せいか, flower arrangement.

imari

伊万里いまり, Japanese porcelain wares (made in the town of Arita and exported from the port of Imari, particularly around the 17th century).

isekai

異い世界せかい, "different world"; a subgenre of portal fantasy that features a protagonist being transported to or reincarnated in an alternate world

kabuki

歌舞伎かぶき, a traditional form of Japanese theatre; also any form of elaborate theatre, especially metaphorically.

kaiju

怪獣かいじゅう, Japanese genre of horror and science fiction films featuring giant monsters.

kakemono

掛かけ物もの, a vertical Japanese scroll, of ink-and-brush painting or calligraphy, that hangs in a recess on a wall inside a room.

kakiemon

柿かき右みぎ衛門えもん, Japanese porcelain wares featuring enamel decoration (made in Arita, using the style developed in the 17th century by 酒井田さかいだ 柿かき右みぎ衛門えもん Sakaida Kakiemon).

karaoke

カラオケ listen^ⓘ, (English IPA : [kæriːoʊkiː]) "empty orchestra"; entertainment where an amateur singer accompanies recorded music.

kirigami

切きり紙かみ, similar to origami, but involves cutting in addition to folding.

koto

琴きん, a traditional stringed musical instrument from Japan, resembling a zither with 13 strings.

makimono

巻物まきもの, a horizontal Japanese hand scroll, of ink-and-brush painting or calligraphy

manga

まんが or 漫画まんが listen^ⓘ, (English IPA : [mæŋgɜː]) Japanese comics; refers to comics in general in Japanese

netsuke

根付ねつけ, a toggle used to tie the sash of a kimono also to attach small items such as inro and kinchaku: sometimes beautifully carved.

noh

能のう nō, a major form of classical Japanese music drama

origami

折おり紙がみ, artistic paper folding. (British English IPA : [ɒrɪgɑːmiː])

otaku

オタク or おたく or ヲタク, a geeky enthusiast, especially of anime and manga.

senryu

川柳せんりゅう, a form of short poetry similar to haiku.

shamisen

三味線しゃみせん, a three-stringed musical instrument, played with a plectrum.

sumi-e

墨絵すみえ, a general term for painting with a brush and black ink.

tanka

短歌たんか, "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

単行本たんこうぼん, "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

特撮とくさつ, "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

浮世絵うきよえ, a type of woodblock print art or painting. (English IPA : [uːkiːoʊ.iː])

waka

和歌わか, "Japanese poetry"; a word used primarily to describe tanka (see above) written between the 9th and 19th centuries.

wabi-sabi

侘わび寂さび, a world view or aesthetic centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection.

Business

kaizen

改善かいぜん, 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

看板かんばん, 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

過労かろう死し, "death by overwork, stress death"

keiretsu

系列けいれつ, a set of companies with interlocking business relationships and shareholdings.

Poka-yoke

"mistake-proofing" or "inadvertent error prevention".

tycoon

大君おおきみ ("taikun"), "great prince" or "high commander", later applied to wealthy business leaders.

zaibatsu

財閥ざいばつ, a "money clique" or conglomerate

Clothing

geta

下駄げた, a pair of Japanese raised wooden clogs worn with traditional Japanese garments, such as the kimono

inro

印籠いんろう inrō, a case for holding small objects, often worn hanging from the obi; (traditional Japanese clothes didn't have pockets)

kimono

着物きもの, a traditional full-length robe-like garment still worn by women, men and children. (English IPA : [kɪmoʊnoʊ])

obi

帯おび, a wide belt that is tied in the back to secure a kimono

yukata

浴衣ゆかた, a casual or simplified summer style of kimono

zori

草履ぞうり zōri, sandals made from rice straw or lacquered wood, worn with a kimono for formal occasions

Culinary

adzuki, azuki bean

あずき or 小豆あずき listen^ⓘ, type of bean grown in eastern Asia and the Himalayas, used in Chinese, Korean, and Japanese cuisines, usually served sweet

arame

荒布あらめ, a type of edible seaweed

bento

弁当べんとう bentō, a single-portion takeout meal, box lunch

daikon

大根だいこん, a kind of white radish

dashi

だし or 出汁だし, a simple soup stock considered fundamental to Japanese cooking

edamame

枝豆えだまめ, soybeans boiled whole in the green pod and served with salt

enokitake, enoki mushroom

えのきたけ or 榎茸えのきだけ, long, thin white mushrooms, used in Japanese, Korean and Chinese cuisines

fugu

河豚ふぐ or フグ, the meat of the toxic pufferfish, must be prepared by specially trained chefs by law. Also means pufferfish itself.

ginkgo

銀杏いちょう 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 銀杏いちょう ginkyō)

gyoza

ギョーザ or 餃子ぎょうざ gyōza, Japanese name for Chinese dumplings, jiaozi (jiǎozi); may also be called pot stickers in English if they are fried

hibachi

火鉢ひばち, 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 鹿尾菜ひじき, 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. (English IPA : [kæt.suː])

katsuo

鰹かつお, a skipjack tuna

katsuobushi

かつおぶし or 鰹節かつおぶし, dried and smoked skipjack tuna (katsuo), which is shaved and then used in dashi

koji

麴 or 麹こうじ 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

昆布こぶ, dried kelp, which can be eaten or used as dashi

matsutake

松茸まつたけ, 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

味醂みりん, an essential condiment of the Japanese cuisine, a kind of rice wine similar to sake with a slightly sweet taste

miso

味噌みそ, a thick paste made by fermenting soybeans with salt

mizuna

水菜みずな, an edible plant, with flavor akin to the mustard plant

mochi

餅もち, sticky rice cake

napa cabbage

菜なっ葉ぱ, Chinese cabbage, (in Japan, it is a generic term for leaf vegetables.)

nashi (pear)

梨なし, a species of pear native to eastern Asia, which are juicy, round and shaped like apples. Often simply referred to as "asian pear(s)".

natto

納豆なっとう, traditional Japanese food made from fermented soybeans

nori

海苔のり, food products created from green laver seaweed species by a shredding and rack-drying process that resembles papermaking.

panko

パン粉ぱんこ, 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 : [rɑːmen])

sake

酒さけ listen^ⓘ,nihon-shu(日本酒にほんしゅ), an alcoholic beverage, brewed from rice. In Japanese, the word commonly refers to alcoholic drinks in general

sashimi

刺身さしみ, a Japanese delicacy primarily consisting of the freshest raw seafoods thinly sliced and served with only a dipping sauce and wasabi.

satsuma

(from 薩摩さつま 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 椎茸しいたけ listen^ⓘ, an edible mushroom typically cultivated on the shii tree

shoyu

醬油 or 醤油じょうゆshōyu, Japanese soy sauce

soba

蕎麦そば or ソバ, thin brown buckwheat noodles

soy

from shoyu 醤油じょうゆ

sukiyaki

すき焼やき 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

すり身み or 擂すり身み, processed meat made from cheaper white-fleshed fish, to imitate the look of a more expensive meat such as crab legs

sushi

鮨ずし or 鮓すし or 寿司ずし, a dish consisting of vinegared rice combined with other ingredients such as raw fish, raw or cooked shellfish, or vegetables

takoyaki

たこ焼しょう, たこ焼やき, or 章魚だこ焼やき, literally fried or baked octopus

tamari

溜たまり or たまり, liquid obtained by pressing soybeans

tempura

てんぷら or 天麩羅てんぷら, classic Japanese deep fried batter-dipped seafood and vegetables. The word may be from Portuguese tempêro/seasoning.

teppanyaki

鉄板焼てっぱんやき, a type of Japanese cuisine that uses a hot iron griddle (teppan) to cook food

teriyaki

照てり焼やき or テリヤキ, a cooking technique where fish or meat is being broiled/grilled in a sweet soy sauce marinade; in Japanese, it is used exclusively refer to poultry cooked in this manner.

tofu

豆腐とうふ tōfu listen^ⓘ bean curd. Although the word is originally Chinese, it entered English via Japanese.

udo

ウド or 独活うど, an edible plant found on the slopes of wooded embankments, also known as the Japanese Spikenard

udon

うどん or 饂飩うどん, a type of thick wheat-based noodle

umami

旨味うまみ or うま味み, the taste sensation produced by some condiments such as monosodium glutamate; a basic flavor in sea weed (昆布こぶ kombu)

umeboshi

梅干うめぼし, pickled ume

wakame

ワカメ or 若布わかめ, a type of edible kelp, often used in miso soup (Japan), and salads

wasabi

わさび or 山葵わさび, a strongly flavoured green condiment also known as Japanese horseradish

yakitori

焼やき鳥とり or 焼鳥やきとり, a type of chicken kebab.

Government and politics

daimyō

大名だいみょう daimyō, "great names"; the most powerful Japanese feudal rulers from the 12th century to the 19th century

genro

元老げんろう genrō, retired elder Japanese statesmen, who served as informal advisors to the emperor, during the Meiji and Taisho eras

mikado

帝みかど, a dated term for "emperor"; specifically for the Emperor of Japan

rōnin

浪人ろうにん, a samurai without a lord or master

shogun

将軍しょうぐん shōgun listen^ⓘ, the title of the practical ruler of Japan for most of the time from 1192 to the Meiji Era

tenno

天皇てんのう, a term for the Emperor of Japan

Martial arts

aikido

合気道あいきどう aikidō

dojo

道場どうじょう dōjō

judo

柔道じゅうどう jūdō, refers to the Olympic sport.

jujutsu

柔術じゅうじゅつ jūjutsu, alternately spelt, through mutation, as jiu-jitsu in English.

karate

空手からて 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

剣道けんどう kendō

sumo

相撲すもう sumō

Religion

bonze

(from 凡僧 bonsō), a Buddhist monk

koan

公案こうあん kōan, a paradoxical story or statement used during meditation in Zen Buddhism. Inspired the hacker koan tradition among computing circles.

satori

悟さとり, enlightenment in Zen Buddhism

shinto

神道しんとう shintō, the native religion of Japan

torii

鳥居とりい, traditional Japanese gates commonly found at the gateway to Shinto shrines

zen

禅ぜん, from Chinese 禪ぜん (Mandarin Chán), originally from ध्यान Sanskrit Dhyāna / Pali झान Jhāna, a branch of Mahāyāna Buddhism.

Other

ahegao

アヘ顔がお, a facial expression in pornographic animation and manga usually depicted when someone is having an orgasm

akita

秋田あきた (from 秋田あきた犬いぬ, akitainu or akitaken), the Akita Inu, a large breed of Japanese dog

baka

(馬鹿ばかげ, 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

絵文字えもじ, ideograms used in electronic messages and webpages.

futon

(from 布団ふとん, a flat mattress with a fabric exterior stuffed with cotton, wool, or synthetic batting that makes up a Japanese bed.)

gaijin

外人がいじん, 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

芸者げいしゃ, traditional Japanese artist-entertainers

hentai

変態へんたい listen^ⓘ, 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 引ひき籠こもり, a psychological condition where the affected individual lives an extremely socially isolated lifestyle by preference, not by default (compare NEET)

honcho

班長はんちょう hanchō, head, chief

kamikaze

神風かみかぜ, 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

katana

(from かたな literally sword) A Japanese sword that has been forged using traditional Japanese methods. This is referred to as 日本にっぽん刀がたな (nihontō) in Japanese.

katsura (tree)

桂かつら, large deciduous trees, native to eastern Asia

kawaii

可愛かわいい, cute and/or lovely. (English IPA ː [kəwaɪ])

koi

鯉こい, Western usage: ornamental varieties of the common carp (but in Japan this just means "carp" – the ornamental variety are called "nishikigoi" 錦鯉にしきごい)

kokoro

こころ, affectionate heart in the context of "spirit", "resolve", "courage", "sentiment", or "the heart of things"

kudzu

(from 葛かずら 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 艾もぐさ 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

rickshaw

(from 人力車じんりきしゃ jinrikisha/ninryokusha), a human-pulled wagon

sayonara

左様さようなら or さようなら sayōnara the Japanese term for "goodbye"

samurai

侍さむらい or 士し, Japanese knight

sensei

先生せんせい, 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

先輩せんぱい, the Japanese term for "upperclassman" or "senior".

shiatsu

指圧しあつ, a form of massage

shiba inu

柴犬しばけん, the smallest of the six original and distinct Japanese breeds of dog

shinro

しんろ, a logic puzzle related to sudoku

skosh

A small amount, from 少すこし or すこし sukoshi, meaning "a bit" or "a few"

sudoku

数かず独どく sūdoku listen^ⓘ, a number placement puzzle, also known as Number Place in the United States.

tanuki

狸たぬき, the Japanese name for the animal, Nyctereutes procyonoides, known as a Japanese raccoon dog in English

tsunami

津波つなみ, literally "harbor wave"; Large wave caused by earthquakes or other underwater disturbances. (English IPA ː [(t)suːnɑːmiː])

tsuresari

連つれ去さり, abducting or kidnapping a child by the parent while defying the rights of the other parent.

urushiol

(from 漆うるし 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

See also

• Glossary of anime and manga
• Japanese words of English origin
• Cuisine of Japan
  • Category:Japanese food preparation utensils
• Etiquette in Japan
• Japanese honorifics
• Aizuchi
• Japanese pronouns