45 English Words from Japanese: Loanwords You Didn’t Know Were Japanese

Hello, I’m Kodak.

You already use more Japanese words in English than you may realize.

Some are obviously connected with Japan, such as sushi, samurai, and karate. Others are much more surprising:

45 English Words from Japanese: Quick List

What Is a Japanese Loanword in English?

A loanword is not a temporary foreign quotation. It is a word that one language adopts and begins using as part of its own vocabulary.

10 English Words You May Not Know Came from Japanese

1. Tycoon Comes from 大君 (Taikun)

Modern English uses tycoon for an extremely wealthy and powerful businessperson.

The word entered English during nineteenth-century diplomatic contact with Japan. It quickly broadened beyond the Japanese political title. Abraham Lincoln was even referred to informally as “the Tycoon” by his secretary John Hay.

2. Honcho Comes from 班長 (Hanchō)

Honcho means a boss, leader, or person in charge. It is especially familiar in the phrase head honcho.

The word spread through English-speaking military personnel in East Asia around and after World War II. English changed both its pronunciation and its range of meaning.

Read the full article: Does “Honcho” Come from Japanese? The Origin of “Head Honcho”

3. Skosh Comes from 少し (Sukoshi)

In informal American English, a skosh means a small amount or a little bit.

U.S. servicemen shortened the three-mora Japanese word su-ko-shi into the one-syllable English form skosh.

Read the full article: Does “Skosh” Come from Japanese “Sukoshi”?

4. Rickshaw Comes from 人力車 (Jinrikisha)

English rickshaw is a shortened form of Japanese jinrikisha.

5. Ginkgo Preserves a Transcription Error

The tree name ginkgo came through Japanese ginkyō, associated with the written form 銀杏 and the idea “silver apricot.”

Merriam-Webster explains that the second g in English ginkgo resulted from an erroneous transcription that became permanently established in scientific and general English.

6. Emoji Means “Picture Character”

Emoji has no etymological connection with the English word emotion.

The word became internationally associated with the pictographic characters developed in Japanese mobile-phone culture.

Read the full article: Is Emoji a Japanese Word? Emoji vs Emoticon

7. Karaoke Means “Empty Orchestra”

Karaoke is a particularly interesting mixed-history word.

The complete word was created in Japanese and then borrowed by English, but one of its parts had originally come from English.

8. Futon Does Not Mean Exactly the Same Thing in English

In English, a futon often means a thick mattress placed on a folding frame that functions as both a bed and a sofa.

Japanese 布団 is broader. It refers to traditional bedding, including the mattress laid on the floor and, in compound words, the covering placed over the sleeper.

9. Tsunami Literally Means “Harbor Wave”

The name reflects the destructive effects that become especially obvious as long waves enter shallow coastal water, including ports and bays. It does not mean that every tsunami begins in a harbor.

Read the full article: Is Tsunami a Japanese Word? Why It Means “Harbor Wave”

10. Sudoku Is a Japanese Name for a Puzzle with American Roots

The number puzzle itself was not invented under the name sudoku in ancient Japan. A related modern puzzle appeared in an American puzzle magazine as Number Place.

After the puzzle became popular in Japan, it received the shortened name 数独 (sūdoku), traditionally explained from a phrase meaning that the numbers must remain single.

Japanese Pop-Culture Words in English

Anime

Japanese アニメ is a shortening of アニメーション (animēshon), which came from English animation.

Manga

In Japanese, 漫画 can refer broadly to comics. In English, manga normally means Japanese comics or works presented in a closely related style.

Cosplay

Cosplay is another round-trip word. Japanese combined and shortened the English words costume and play into コスプレ (kosupure). English then borrowed the Japanese creation back as cosplay.

Otaku

English often uses otaku for a highly dedicated anime, manga, gaming, or technology fan. Japanese usage is broader and its tone can range from neutral self-description to criticism of obsessive or socially withdrawn interests.

Kawaii

Kawaii means cute or adorable. In English, it often refers not only to cuteness but to a recognizable Japanese-inspired aesthetic involving bright colors, childlike shapes, mascots, fashion, and character design.

Japanese Food Words Used in English

Sushi

Sushi centers on seasoned vinegared rice. It does not literally mean “raw fish.” Raw sliced fish without sushi rice is generally called sashimi.

Ramen

English borrowed ramen from Japanese ラーメン. The Japanese dish and name developed from Chinese noodle traditions, so this word has a layered history rather than a purely native Japanese origin.

Bento

Bento refers to a prepared meal packed for one person, often in a compartmented box. English frequently says bento box, although Japanese bentō can refer to the meal itself.

Tofu

English received tofu through Japanese 豆腐 (tōfu), but the food and term have deeper Chinese origins. It is another example of Japanese serving as the immediate route into English.

Teriyaki

In English, teriyaki may refer to a sauce, flavor, dish, or cooking style. Japanese usage places more emphasis on the glossy cooking method and result.

Tempura

Tempura is the Japanese name for lightly battered and fried seafood or vegetables. Its deeper etymology is debated and is often connected with early Portuguese contact, so it should not be presented as a transparently native Japanese compound.

Umami

Umami names the savory taste associated with glutamate and certain other compounds. The word comes from Japanese and is related to ideas of savoriness or delicious taste.

Matcha

Matcha is powdered green tea. In modern English it can also modify products such as matcha latte, matcha cake, and matcha ice cream.

Sake

Japanese Art and Traditional-Culture Words

Origami

Bonsai

Bonsai literally means “tray planting.” It refers to both the cultivated miniature plant and the art of growing it.

Haiku

Haiku is an English name for the Japanese poetic form. English-language haiku often adapts the tradition rather than reproducing every rule of Japanese sound units, seasonal reference, and cutting structure.

Kimono

The parts of 着物 (kimono) originally express the broad idea of a “thing to wear.” In modern Japanese and English, the word normally refers to the traditional robe-like garment.

Kabuki

Kabuki is the name of a Japanese theatrical tradition. English also occasionally uses it metaphorically for elaborate political theater, a figurative use that can flatten the original art form.

Geisha

A geisha is a trained professional entertainer in traditional arts. The word does not mean prostitute.

Japanese History and Martial-Arts Words

Samurai

Samurai originally referred to a member of Japan’s warrior class and is historically connected with the idea of serving or attending a superior.

Ninja

Shogun

Shōgun means general and is best known in English as the title of Japan’s historical military rulers.

Karate

Judo

Jūdō is commonly explained as the “gentle way”: 柔 relates to softness or flexibility, and 道 means way or path.

Aikido

Aikidō combines ideas of harmony or joining, energy or spirit, and the way or path.

Sumo

Sumo is the Japanese wrestling tradition and the English name for it.

Dojo

Dōjō literally relates to a “place of the way.” English often uses it for a martial-arts training hall, while Japanese usage can extend to other disciplines and practice settings.

Sensei

Japanese Words in Business, Religion, Photography, and Everyday English

Zen

English received Zen through Japanese. The deeper history runs through Chinese Chan and ultimately Sanskrit dhyāna, referring to meditation.

In casual English, zen is sometimes used to mean calm, simple, or relaxed. That everyday adjective is much broader and less precise than the name of the Buddhist tradition.

Kaizen

Japanese 改善 (kaizen) ordinarily means improvement or making something better.

In English business language, kaizen usually refers more specifically to a Japanese-associated system of continuous, incremental workplace improvement involving employees.

Bokeh

Photography uses bokeh for the visual character of out-of-focus areas in an image. The English spelling was adapted from Japanese boke, related to blur or lack of focus.

Hibachi

Yakuza

Yakuza refers to Japanese organized-crime groups or their members. The name is traditionally connected with the losing card combination 8-9-3 in the game oicho-kabu.

Kudzu

English kudzu comes from Japanese kuzu, the name of the vine. English inserted a d into the spelling, probably reflecting an attempt to represent the sound as heard by English speakers.

Five Ways Japanese Words Change after Entering English

1. The Pronunciation Changes

2. The Meaning Becomes Narrower

3. The Meaning Becomes Broader

4. English Adds New Grammar

Japanese nouns do not normally create plural forms by adding English -s. After borrowing, English may create forms such as:

Other words frequently remain unchanged in the plural, or allow more than one plural pattern. Dictionary and style-guide preferences may differ.

5. English Creates New Expressions

Not Every Japanese Loanword Is “Purely Japanese”

Are These Words Pronounced the Same in Japanese and English?

Usually not exactly.

Japanese generally uses evenly timed morae, while English uses stronger and weaker syllables. English speakers may also shorten long vowels, change consonants, or place stress differently.

Common Mistakes with Japanese Loanwords

Mistake 1: Assuming Sushi Means Raw Fish

Sushi is defined by its seasoned rice. Raw fish without sushi rice is sashimi.

Mistake 2: Assuming Emoji Means Emotion Icon

Emoji comes from Japanese 絵 (picture) + 文字 (character). Emoticon is the word formed from emotion + icon.

Mistake 3: Using Anime with the Same Range as Japanese

In English, anime normally refers specifically to Japanese animation. Japanese アニメ can refer to animation more generally.

Mistake 4: Calling Teppanyaki “Hibachi” in Japanese

A Japanese hibachi is traditionally a brazier. Restaurant griddle cooking is teppanyaki.

Mistake 5: Assuming Otaku Is Always a Positive Compliment

Its tone depends heavily on language, speaker, community, and context.

Mistake 6: Thinking Every Loanword Has a Simple Literal Translation

Some words have disputed origins, historical sound changes, or multiple stages of borrowing. Etymology is a record of a word’s development, not always a simple equation.

FAQ About English Words from Japanese

What are some common English words borrowed from Japanese?

Common examples include sushi, tsunami, emoji, karaoke, anime, manga, futon, haiku, bonsai, origami, samurai, ninja, karate, judo, and ramen.

What English words do people not realize are Japanese?

Especially surprising examples include tycoon, honcho, skosh, rickshaw, ginkgo, kudzu, and emoji.

Is emoji a Japanese word?

Yes. It comes from 絵文字: 絵 means picture and 文字 means character or written symbol.

Is tycoon a Japanese word?

English tycoon comes from Japanese taikun, meaning a great lord or prince. Its modern business meaning developed in English.

Does honcho come from Japanese?

Yes. It comes from 班長 (hanchō), meaning a group or squad leader.

Does skosh come from sukoshi?

Yes. American military slang shortened Japanese 少し (sukoshi), meaning “a little,” to skosh.

Is rickshaw a Japanese word?

It is shortened from Japanese 人力車 (jinrikisha), literally a human-powered vehicle.

Is anime originally English or Japanese?

The history goes both ways. Japanese anime is shortened from a Japanese pronunciation of English animation. English later borrowed anime back with the narrower meaning of Japanese animation.

Is cosplay a Japanese word?

The form cosplay comes from Japanese kosupure, which was created by shortening the English expression costume play.

Is ramen a Japanese or Chinese word?

English borrowed ramen through Japanese. The Japanese dish and term have deeper Chinese roots.

Why do Japanese loanwords change meaning in English?

English often borrows a word for one specific Japanese cultural object or context. Speakers then adapt its pronunciation, grammar, and meaning to their own needs.

Are Japanese loanwords italicized in English?

Fully established loanwords such as sushi, tsunami, emoji, and karaoke are normally written without italics. A specialized or newly introduced Japanese term may be italicized depending on the publication’s style guide.

Summary: Japanese Loanwords in English

References

• Merriam-Webster: 17 English Words That Come from Japanese — tycoon, honcho, skosh, ramen, futon, sudoku, rickshaw, anime, manga, origami, yakuza, ginkgo, poetry terms, emoji, sushi, and other loanword histories.
• Merriam-Webster: Loanword — definition of a loanword as a word taken from another language and at least partly naturalized.
• Merriam-Webster: Where Do New Words Come From? — how dictionaries trace borrowing and word histories.
• Merriam-Webster: Karaoke — Japanese kara “empty” + ōke, short for orchestra.
• Merriam-Webster: Cosplay — the English-to-Japanese-to-English history of costume play.
• Merriam-Webster: Umami — the Japanese origin and savory taste meaning.
• Merriam-Webster: Hibachi — Japanese origin and charcoal-brazier meaning.
• Merriam-Webster: Bento Box — Japanese bentō, meaning a box lunch.
• Merriam-Webster: Bonsai — Japanese literal meaning “tray planting.”
• Merriam-Webster: Ninja — Japanese components related to concealment and person.
• Merriam-Webster: Zen — English use of the Japanese religious term.
• Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary: Zen — Japanese, Chinese, and Sanskrit stages of the term’s history.
• Cambridge Dictionary: Kaizen — the English business meaning of continuous workplace improvement.
• Online Etymology Dictionary: Tycoon — nineteenth-century Japanese political title and later English business meaning.
• Online Etymology Dictionary: Rickshaw — shortening of Japanese jinrikisha.
• Online Etymology Dictionary: Futon — Japanese origin and early English record.