A Comprehensive List of Japanese Loanwords in English




(Compiled by Prof. Dr. Isamu Hayakawa)



A   B   C   D   E   F   G   H   I   J   K   L   M   N   O   P   Q   R   S   T   U   V   W   X   Y   Z  
   

































































































































 Japanese Word Simple Explanation [Etymology]   [trdn]→trade name
A  
abukumalite[Abukuma (a plateau in Fukushima Prefecture) + -lite]
abura-bozua large fish of the northern Pacific
abura-hayea Japanese cyprinoid fish
aburachan seed[abura (oil) + chan (pitch)]
aburagiria thung (oil) tree
adsuki (bean)adzuki
adzuki (bean), azukia dark red edible bean
ahyuayu
ai ayu
aikidoa Japanese art of self-defence
aikuchia dagger, a dirk
AinoAinu
ainokoa person of mixed blood
Ainuan indigenous Caucasoid people of Japan
akaboa hand-baggage porter at a Japanese railway station
akaganeite[aka (red) + gane < kane (metal) + -ite]
akaharaa Japanese cyprinoid fish
akamatsu[aka (red) + matsu (pine)]
akamebukusame as kitamakura
akamushi (mite)tsutsugamushi mite
akebian eastern Asiatic vine
Akebia akebi, a small genus of woody vine
akekihiba arborvitae
akenobeite[Akenobe (a district of western Japan) + -ite]
Akita (dog)[Akita (a district of northern Japan) + dog]
amaa woman diver
amadoone of a set of shutters on the outer side of a Japanese house
amakudarithe entry by retired bureaucrats into private companies
amanori the laver
Amaterasu(-Omikami)the Sun-Goddess, the central deity of Shinto
amea dextrose or glucose manufactured from rice paste
amemasua trout
AmidaAmitabha, one of the five Buddhas
Amidism[Amida (Amitabha) + -ism]
Amidist[Amida (Amitabha) + -ist]
anagoa conger eel
andona paper-framed lamp
ansuan apricot
aogirithe sultan’s parasol
aoi tsubaa kind of Japanese sword-guard
Aoyama’s fluidafter Fumio Aoyama, 20th century Japanese anatomist
aragotoa play featuring exaggerated posture, makeup, and costume
arakawaite[Arakawa (a mine in Akita Prefecture) + -ite]
arigatoThank you very much.
arisaka (rifle)after Col. Nariakira Arisaka (1852-1915)
Arita (ware)[Arita (a town on the island of Kyushu) + ware]
Atari Democrat[atari (success, hit) + democrat]
Atari Socialism[atari (success, hit) + socialism]
Atarize[atari (success, hit) + -ize]
Atom Boy[trdn]
aucuba, A-a well known hardy evergreen shrub
aucuba greena light olive that is greener and stronger than citrine
aucuba mosaica mosaic of the potato and other plants of the family Solanaceae
awabian abalone, an ear shell
Awaji warea coarse stone-ware made in Awaji Province
Awata warepottery and porcelain made at Awata, near Kyoto
ayu, ahyu, aia small salmonlike anadromous fish of Japan
Azuchi-Momoyama (era)from 1568 to 1600, a period of Japanese art
azuki (bean)adzuki
B  
baiyellow sands blown in the air 霾
baishubribery
bai-u(a season of) rainfall in early summer
baka (bomb)a Japanese rocket-propelled bomb-carrying airplane guided by a suicide pilot in World War II
Bakanae Disease[baka (idiot) + nae (young rice plant)]
bakufuthe government of the shoguns, the Shogunate
Bakumatsuthe last days of the Shogunate
bancha (tea)coarse Japanese tea
bandaite[Baindai (a volcano on Honshu Island) + -ite]
Banko pottery, a thin Japanese ware, named after Nunami Banko, the original
 Banko-ware, b-maker
banzai (interj.)[ban (ten thousand) + zai < sai (years)]
banzai (n.)a shout or cheer used by the Japanese in greeting the emperor
banzai attackUS slang, a reckless desperate mass attack
banzai chargeUS slang, a reckless desperate mass attack
Banzai CliffUS slang
banzai partyUS slang
banzukea list of sumo wrestlers
barena pad used in wood block printing
bashoa sumo tournament
bashofua fabric woven from the fiber of the plantain
beddo, bettoa rolling bed installed in love hotels
Beef Bowl[trdn]
bekkotortoise shell
bekko-warea kind of pottery anciently made in Japan, imitating tortoise-shell
benia hardy shrub cultivated for its late summer bloom
benimasu[beni (red) + masu (salmon)]
Benihana of Tokyo[trdn]
Bententhe goddess of fortune and happiness
bentoa lunch, a box lunch
Betamaxa proprietary name for the videocassette format developed by Sony
bettakua second house
betto (1)a small pony carriage
betto (2)beddo
Bishamon, b-[< Beishamon-ten (the god of treasure)]
biwa a 4-stringed Japanese lute
biwa a loquat
Bizen warefine, hard, unglazed pottery made in Okayama Prefecture (formerly Bizen Province)
Boechothe Defense Agency
bomban-wakomban-wa, good evening
Bona Buddhist festival held annually in August to honour the dead
bon en kaia year-end party
Bonin IslandsOgasawara Jima [bonin < bunin < munin (unmanned) + islands]
boninite[bonin + -ite]
bonsai(the technique for cultivating) a potted plant or small tree
bon-sekia miniature landscape of sand and stones
bonsoa Buddhist monk of Japan
bonze, bonzee, bonzia Buddhist monk of Japan [probably < French bonze < Portuguese bonzo < Japanese bozu]
bonzery, bonzary[bonze + -ery]
bonzessa female bonze [bonze + -ess]
bonzian (adj.)[bonze + -ian]
botea deep-bodied shiner, found in the waters of Japan
buan old Japanese rectangular coin made of silver
bua Japanese unit of length equal to 0.1 inch
buchothe head director
budomilitary arts
Bugaku, b-a stately classical court dance and music
buke, Buk a military family in the feudal system of Japan
BukkioBuddhism
bunraku, B-a kind of traditional puppetry, named after Uemura Bunrakuken (1737-1810), who organized the puppet theater troupe
BuppoBuddhism
burakua community, a town
bushido, B-in feudal Japan, the ethical code of the Samurai
Busshu kaze[Bush + kaze (a cold)]
butoh, B-a dance, dancing
butsu, B-Buddha, a representing of the Buddha
butsudana small household Buddhist altar shelf
Butsudothe teaching of Buddha, Buddhist doctrines
Butsudoist[butsu (Buddha) + do (way) + -ist]