With globalization and the ubiquity of the internet, it’s easier than ever for countries to exchange ideas and information. One result of this interplay is the boom of loanwords.
Loanwords are words taken from one language and adapted into another language’s vocabulary. There are innumerable Japanese loanwords, and around 90% are adapted from English. This means you can quickly learn hundreds of Japanese words!
When learning English loanwords in Japanese, the writing system of katakana in the Japanese alphabet is your ally because the main purpose of katakana is to indicate a loanword. This guide introduces you to 280 Japanese loanwords for food, shopping, clothing, travel, and more!
Table of Contents
How are Japanese loanwords different from English?
There are sounds in English that don’t exist in Japanese, which affects the pronunciation. The ones you see the most are “l” and “v.” Because Japanese doesn’t include these letters, “l” becomes “r” and “v” becomes “b.” In addition, vowels often adjust between the two languages.
Sometimes the logic behind Japanese words borrowed from English isn’t obvious at first glance. Words that vary considerably from the original English are referred to as wasei eigo. However, many Japanese loanwords are simply abbreviations that are different from how we abbreviate in English. For example, Japanese shortens the word “television” to become terebi.
Whether you’re wanting to know how to order food in Japanese or need to learn some basic Japanese words for travel, the following loanwords can make your language learning journey so much easier!
Japanese loanwords for food and drinks
Food is such a fundamental part of our everyday lives, which makes food-related vocabulary important to master.
We’re fortunate that rāmen and sushi have crossed over from Japanese cuisine, and because they’ve kept their original names, you already know these two Japanese words! Japan has likewise received delicious food from other countries. Countless food items are loanwords in Japanese, and the list only keeps growing as more dishes come over from other locales.
If you go to a Western-inspired restaurant in Japan, you’re sure to see katakana scattered throughout the menu. By sounding out the characters, you can figure out what something means, even without officially learning the word!
| Japanese | Romanization | English |
| メニュー | menyū | menu |
| セット | setto | set (meal) |
| ファストフード | fasuto fūdo | fast food |
| チーズ | chīzu | cheese |
| ソーセージ | sōsēji | sausage |
| ピザ | piza | pizza |
| パスタ | pasuta | pasta |
| ハンバーガー | hanbāgā | hamburger |
| ホットドッグ | hotto doggu | hot dog |
| フライドポテト | furaido poteto | French fries |
| ステーキ | sutēki | steak |
| バーベキュー | bābekyū | barbecue |
| サラダ | sarada | salad |
| ポテトチップス/ポテチ | poteto chippusu/potechi | potato chips |
| サンド | sando | sandwich |
| スープ | sūpu | soup |
| カレー | karē | curry |
| ヨーグルト | yōguruto | yogurt |
| バター | batā | butter |
| マヨネーズ/マヨ | mayonēzu/mayo | mayonnaise |
| チキン | chikin | chicken |
| フライドチキン | furaido chikin | fried chicken |
| ビーフ | bīfu | beef |
| ポーク | pōku | pork |
Beef and pork are more often called by their purely Japanese names (gyūniku and butaniku, respectively), but bīfu and pōku are also accepted.
Fruit loanwords
Fruit has historically been a major trading good. Consequently, fruits not native to Japan have developed loanword names.
| Japanese | Romanization | English |
| オレンジ | orenji | orange |
| バナナ | banana | banana |
| レモン | remon | lemon |
| メロン | meron | melon |
| マンゴー | mangō | mango |
| ブルーベリー | burūberī | blueberries |
| パインアップル/パイン | painappuru/pain | pineapple |
| グレープフルーツ | gurēpufurūtsu | grapefruit |
Vegetable loanwords
Japan has exported some of its own vegetables, such as shītake mushrooms, daikon radishes, and edamame. As vegetables from other countries come from overseas into Japan, the names of the veggies are often loanwords.
| Japanese | Romanization | English |
| コーン | kōn | corn |
| トマト | tomato | tomato |
| レタス | retasu | lettuce |
| キャベツ | kyabetsu | cabbage |
| ブロッコリー | burokkorī | broccoli |
| アボカド | abokado | avocado |
| オクラ | okura | okra |
Loanwords for sweets
Did you know that many of the photo-worthy sweets you see on social media come from Japan? These delicious treats also have names that are loanwords.
| Japanese | Romanization | English |
| デザート | dezāto | dessert |
| クッキー | kukkī | cookies |
| ケーキ | kēki | cake |
| チーズケーキ | chīzu kēki | cheesecake |
| チョコレート/チョコ | chokorēto/choko | chocolate |
| クレープ | kurēpu | crepes |
| プリン | purin | pudding |
| アイスクリーム/アイス | aisu kurīmu/aisu | ice cream |
| ドーナツ | dōnatsu | donut |
| パンケーキ | pankēki | pancake |
| キャンディ | kyandi | candy |
| グミ | gumi | gummies |
| ガム | gamu | (chewing) gum |
Tableware and utensils loanwords
As Japanese people in the past only ate with hashi (箸; chopsticks), Western-style utensils are typically loanwords.
| Japanese | Romanization | English |
| コップ | koppu | cup |
| マグカップ | magu kappu | mug |
| ボウル | bōru | bowl |
| スプーン | supūn | spoon |
| フォーク | fōku | fork |
| ナイフ | naifu | knife |
| ストロー | sutorō | straw |
Loanwords for drinks
If you want something beyond mizu (水; water), most drink names are English-derived loanwords.
From Japanese, English adopted the loanwords matcha and sake. However, when o-sake is said in Japan, it refers broadly to any kind of alcohol.
| Japanese | Romanization | English |
| ボトル | botoru | bottle |
| ソフトドリンク | sofuto dorinku | soft drink |
| ジュース | jūsu | juice |
| ソーダ | sōda | soda |
| コーラ | kōra | Coca-Cola |
| ファンタ | fanta | Fanta |
| スプライト | supuraito | Sprite |
| ジンジャーエール | jinjā ēru | ginger ale |
| ビール | bīru | beer |
| ワイン | wain | wine |
| ウィスキー | wisukī | whiskey |
Loanwords at a cafe
If you’d like something with caffeine to perk you up, there are plenty of great cafes in Japan. They often sell seasonal drinks you can’t find elsewhere, such as cherry blossom lattes in the spring!
| Japanese | Romanization | English |
| アイス___ | aisu ___ | iced [drink] |
| ホット___ | hotto ___ | hot [drink] |
| コーヒー | kōhī | coffee |
| ラテ | rate | latte |
| チャイラテ | chai rate | chai latte |
| カプチーノ | kapuchīno | cappuccino |
| アメリカーノ | amerikāno | Americano |
| ホットココア | hotto kokoa | hot cocoa |
| アイスティー | aisutī | iced tea |
| ミルクティー | miruku tī | milk tea |
| タピオカ | tapioka | bubble tea (based on “tapioca pearls”) |
Japanese loanwords for recreation
Many people develop an interest in Japanese through hobbies. Maybe you enjoy manga or anime, or do a sport that originated in Japan, such as karate or jūdō. These recreation-related Japanese loanwords can help you delve deeper into your interests.
| Japanese | Romanization | English |
| リラックス | rirakkusu | relax |
| テレビ | terebi | TV (television) |
| ネットフリックス | netto furikkusu | Netflix |
| タイトル | taitoru | title |
| シリーズ | shirīzu | series |
| エピソード | episōdo | episode |
| キャラクター/キャラ | kyarakutā/kyara | character |
| ユーチューブ | yūchūbu | YouTube |
| ビデオ | bideo | video |
| ニュース | nyūsu | news |
| フォトグラフィー | fotogurafī | photography |
| カメラ | kamera | camera |
| ゲーム | gēmu | games |
| テレビゲーム | terebi gēmu | video game (based on “TV game”) |
| トランプ | toranpu | card games (based on “trump card”) |
| イベント | ibento | event |
Loanwords for entertainment genres
Almost all genres, whether film, books, or otherwise, are loanwords in Japanese.
| Japanese | Romanization | English |
| ジャンル | janru | genre |
| ドラマ | dorama | drama |
| ノンフィクション | nonfikushon | nonfiction |
| コメディ | komedi | comedy |
| ロマンス | romansu | romance |
| アクション | akushon | action |
| サスペンス | sasupensu | suspense |
| ホラー | horā | horror |
| ファンタジー | fantajī | fantasy |
| ミュージカル | myūjikaru | musical |
Loanwords for music
Music is an important part of Japanese culture, including the popular pastime of karaoke. Some bands from Japan that are internationally recognized—such as One Ok Rock or Babymetal—even have loanwords in their names!
| Japanese | Romanization | English |
| バンド | bando | band |
| ライブ | raibu | (live) concert |
| マイク | maiku | microphone |
| ポップス | poppusu | pop (music) |
| ラップ | rappu | rap |
| ロック | rokku | rock (music) |
| メタル | metaru | metal (music) |
| クラシック | kurashikku | classical music |
| ジャズ | jazu | jazz |
| ピアノ | piano | piano |
| ギター | gitā | guitar |
| ドラム | doramu | drums |
Loanwords for sports and exercise
Sports are a major part of many people’s lives. The most popular sport in Japan is yakyū (野球; baseball), and most sports are loanwords in Japanese.
| Japanese | Romanization | English |
| スポーツ | supōtsu | sports |
| サッカー | sakkā | soccer |
| バスケットボール/バスケ | basukettobōru/basuke | basketball |
| テニス | tenisu | tennis |
| バレーボール | barēbōru | volleyball |
| スキー | sukī | skiing |
| スノーボード/スノボ | sunōbōdo/sunobo | snowboarding |
| ゴルフ | gorufu | golf |
| ボウリング | bōringu | bowling |
| ダンス | dansu | dance |
| ジャンプ | janpu | jump |
| サイクリング | saikuringu | cycling |
| ハイキング | haikingu | hiking |
| ジョギング | jogingu | jogging |
| ランニング | ranningu | running |
| マラソン | marason | marathon |
Japanese loanwords for shopping
Different parts of Tōkyō are famous for shopping. Ginza is where you’ll find high-end items, Shibuya is known for street fashion, and the area of Kichijōji has recently become popular for its large shopping street. These words associated with shopping are Japanese loanwords.
| Japanese | Romanization | English |
| プレゼント | purezento | present/gift |
| コスメ | kosume | cosmetics |
| クオリティ | kuoriti | quality |
| ブランド | burando | brand |
| レジ | reji | cash register |
| クレジットカード | kurejitto kādo | credit card |
| サイン | sain | sign (as in “please sign here”) |
| レシート | reshīto | receipt |
| スタッフ | sutaffu | staff |
Japanese loanwords for clothes
You can find great clothing deals in Japan, such as at thrift store chains Chicago and Mode Off!
Watch out for the word pantsu, though. You’d assume this means “pants,” but it doesn’t—at least not in American English. It’s based on the British English definition of “pants,” which is “underpants” or “underwear.”
| Japanese | Romanization | English |
| ファッション | fasshon | fashion |
| スタイル | sutairu | style |
| ポケット | poketto | |
| ボタン | botan | button |
| スーツ | sūtsu | suit |
| シャツ | shatsu | shirt (usually button-up) |
| ティーシャツ | tīshatsu | t-shirts |
| セーター | sētā | sweaters |
| ジャケット | jaketto | jacket |
| コート | kōto | coat |
| ジーンズ | jīnzu | jeans |
| ショートパンツ | shōto pantsu | shorts |
| スカート | sukāto | skirt |
| ワンピース | wanpīsu | casual dress (based on “one-piece dress”) |
| ドレス | doresu | fancy dress |
| パンツ | pantsu | underpants/underwear |
| スリッパ | surippa | slippers |
Loanwords for accessories
Japanese people are overall more conservative with their accessories, which may explain why accessory words tend to be loanwords. When you see dangly earrings sold in Japan, they’re probably clip-ons in order to avoid stretching.
| Japanese | Romanization | English |
| ネクタイ | nekutai | necktie |
| ベルト | beruto | belt |
| アクセサリー | akusesarī | accessories/jewelry |
| ネックレス | nekkuresu | necklace |
| ブレスレット | buresuretto | bracelet |
| ピアス | piasu | stud earrings (based on “piercing”) |
| イヤリング | iyaringu | clip-on earrings |
Japanese loanwords for technology
Modern words are especially likely to become Japanese loanwords. As a result, the majority of terms related to technology are loanwords.
| Japanese | Romanization | English |
| パソコン | pasokon | PC (personal computer) |
| キーボード | kībōdo | keyboard |
| ロボット | robotto | robot |
| スマートホン/スマホ | sumāto hon/sumaho | smartphone |
| バッテリー | batterī | battery |
| コンセント | konsento | electrical outlet (based on “concentric plug”) |
| ソフト | sofuto | software |
| アプリ | apuri | app (application) |
| ダウンロード | daunrōdo | download |
| イヤホン | iyahon | earphones |
| タブレット | taburetto | tablet |
| ネット | netto | internet |
| ウェブサイト | webusaito | website |
| パスワード | pasuwādo | password |
| メール | mēru | |
| メッセージ | messēji | messages/messaging |
Japanese loanwords for the home
Some of the things you interact with most on a daily basis are the things you find at home, many of which are loanwords in Japanese.
| Japanese | Pronunciation | English |
| ドア | doa | door |
| リビング | ribingu | living room |
| キッチン | kicchin | kitchen |
| シンク | shinku | sink |
| ストーブ | sutōbu | stove |
| トースター | tōsutā | toaster/toaster oven |
| エアコン | eakon | air conditioner |
| ランプ | ranpu | lamp |
| ティッシュ | tisshu | tissues (also often used as napkins) |
| テーブル | tēburu | table |
| ソファ | sofa | sofa |
| ベッド | beddo | bed |
| シャワー | shawā | shower |
| タオル | taoru | towel |
Japanese loanwords for locations
There are a variety of locations you’ll want to find in Japan, whether out of necessity or for fun.
| Japanese | Pronunciation | English |
| ビルディング or ビル | birudingu/biru | building |
| アパート | apāto | apartment |
| ホテル | hoteru | hotel |
| ホステル | hosuteru | hostel |
| トイレ | toire | bathroom (based on “toilet”) |
| スーパー | sūpā | grocery store (based on “supermarket”) |
| コンビニ | konbini | convenience store |
| デパート | depāto | department store |
| ショッピングセンター | shoppingu sentā | shopping mall (based on “shopping center”) |
| レストラン | resutoran | restaurant |
| カフェ | kafe | cafe |
| バー | bā | bar |
| ゲームセンター | gēmu sentā | arcade (based on “game center”) |
| テーマパーク | tēma pāku | theme park |
| ペットショップ | petto shoppu | pet shop |
| オフィス | ofisu | office |
| ジム | jimu | gym |
| プール | pūru | pool |
| エレベーター | erebētā | elevator |
| エスカレーター | esukarētā | escalator |
Loanwords for countries
Almost every country name is a Japanese loanword! The exceptions are countries that use kanji, namely China, Korea, and Taiwan. Fortunately, Taiwan essentially sounds the same in English and Japanese.
Some country names are loanwords from different languages. The most notable of these is the name for Germany, which is doitsu (ドイツ), based on the word “Deutschland.”
You may encounter country names when talking about food and immigrants. The majority of English-speaking immigrants who come to Japan are from the Philippines. Brazil also has strong ties with Japan, with the district of Liberdade containing the largest ethnically Japanese population outside Japan.
| Japanese | Romanization | English |
| アメリカ | amerika | United States |
| カナダ | kanada | Canada |
| メキシコ | mekishiko | Mexico |
| ブラジル | burajiru | Brazil |
| イングランド | ingurando | England |
| ポルトガル | porutogaru | Portugal |
| スペイン | supein | Spain |
| フランス | furansu | France |
| イタリア | itaria | Italy |
| インド | indo | India |
| タイ | tai | Thailand |
| ベトナム | betonamu | Vietnam |
| フィリピン | firipin | the Philippines |
| オーストラリア | ōsutoraria | Australia |
If you know country names, you can quickly multiply your vocabulary!
A country name plus jin (人) becomes a person from said country—an amerikajin is a “person from America.” Also, you can usually add go (語) to say the language that originated in that country. For example, supeingo is “Spanish.”
Finally, if you add ryouri (料理), you can talk about the food from that country, like itaria ryouri is “Italian food.” What kind of ryouri is your favorite?
Japanese loanwords for travel
One of the main reasons people learn Japanese is to travel the country. By knowing relevant Japanese loanwords and basic Japanese travel phrases, you open doors to more experiences in Japan!
| Japanese | Romanization | English |
| パスポート | pasupōto | passport |
| ビザ | biza | visa |
| スーツケース | sūtsukēsu | suitcase |
| チケット | chiketto | ticket |
| バス | basu | bus |
| タクシー | takushī | taxi |
| レンタカー | rentakā | rental car |
| フロント | furonto | front desk |
Japanese loanwords for work
If you’d like to spend more time in Japan, a possible option is working there. On the flip side, more Japanese companies are starting branches overseas, so you may have the opportunity to work with Japanese personnel without leaving your home country. If you have Japanese coworkers, it’s important to know the appropriate customs for referring to other people using Japanese pronouns.
| Japanese | Romanization | English |
| ビジネス | bijinesu | business |
| デザイン | dezain | design |
| スケジュール | sukejūru | schedule |
| プラン | puran | plan |
| ゴール | gōru | goal |
| アイデア | aidea | idea |
| レポート | repōto | report |
| パーセント | pāsento | percent |
| スキル | sukiru | skill |
| ストレス | sutoresu | stress |
Japanese loanwords for school
For many who want to learn about the Japanese language, a formal education helps. As Japanese has become more popular, many high schools and colleges now offer courses. If you’d like an immersive language learning experience, there are also language schools in Japan tailored to foreigners who want to live there long-term.
| Japanese | Romanization | English |
| クラス | kurasu | class |
| クラスメイト | kurasumēto | classmate |
| クイズ | kuizu | quiz |
| テスト | tesuto | test |
| チェック | chekku | check, confirm |
| ミス | misu | mistake |
| テキスト | tekisuto | textbook/text (on a screen) |
| ノート | nōto | notebook |
| ファイル | fairu | file |
| ペン | pen | pen |
| シャープペンシル/シャーペン | shāpu penshiru / shāpen | mechanical pencil (based on “sharp pencil”) |
| マーカー | mākā | markers |
| スピーチ | supīchi | speech |
| プレゼンテーション | purezentēshon | presentation |
| ポスター | posutā | poster |
General loanwords in Japanese
The loanwords in this list are applicable to a variety of situations.
| Japanese | Romanization | English |
| アドバイス | adobaisu | advice |
| アレルギー | arerugī | allergy |
| チャンス | chansu | chance/opportunity |
| グループ | gurūpu | group |
| イメージ | imēji | image/imagine |
| レベル | reberu | level |
| ラッキー | rakkī | lucky |
| マナー | manā | manners |
| オッケー | okkē | OK |
| ルール | rūru | rule |
| ポイント | pointo | point (of a story, as a score, etc.) |
| サイズ | saizu | size |
| スピード | supīdo | speed |
| テーマ | tēma | theme/topic |
| タイプ | taipu | type/kind |
With Japanese loanwords, it’s quick and easy to add new vocabulary to your Japanese repertoire! The next step is applying your new knowledge and putting these words into sentences using Japanese grammar rules.
No matter where you are on your language-learning journey, you can always benefit from immersive learning and the feedback of a tutor. Rosetta Stone offers bite-sized lessons in 25 languages and language tutoring with expert instructors, including Japanese. Don’t miss out on this chansu!
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