In Japanese there are many words made from English. In order to make them, there are various patterns. Examples that omit the latter parts of long words: building → ビル (biru = buil) (cash) register → レジ (reji = regi) celebrity → セレブ (serebu = celeb) infrastructure → インフラ (infura = infra) maniac→ マニア (mania = mania) professional → プロ (puro = pro) restructure → リストラ (risutora = restru) supermarket → スーパー (su-pa- = super) television → テレビ (terebi = televi) Examples that omit the former or latter words of compound nouns: apartment house → アパート (apa-to = apart) classical music → クラシック (kurashikku = classic) convenience store → コンビニ (konbini = conveni) department store → デパート (depar-to = depart) ice cream → アイス (aisu = ice) sewing machine →ミシン (mishin = machine) Examples of shortened words created by combining shortened parts of compound nouns: air conditioner → エアコン (eakon = air con) patrol car → パトカー (patoka- = pat car) personal computer → パソコン (pasokon = perso com) sexual harassment → セクハラ (sekuhara = sex hara) Examples of English words that differ from the original word: autograph → サイン (sain = sign) cards →トランプ (toranpu = trump) casual → ラフ (rafu = rough) cheating → カンニング (kannningu = cunning) complain → クレーム (kure-mu = claim) conditioner → リンス (rinsu = rinse) condominium → マンション (manshon = mansion) expert → ベテラン (beteran = veteran) figure → スタイル (sutairu = style) go for it → ファイト (faito = fight) microwave → (電子) レンジ (renji = range) outlet / socket → コンセント (konsento = consent) product tester → モニター (monita- = monitor) reception desk → フロント (furonto = front) sensitive → ナイーブ (nai-bu = naive) slim → スマート (suma-to = smart) steering wheel → ハンドル (handoru = handle) sticker →シール (shi-ru = seal) TV personality → タレント (tarento = talent) Examples of words that resemble English vocabulary: additional time → ロスタイム (rosu taimu = loss time) alumnus → オービー (OB / old boy) blender → ジューサー (jusa- = juicer) body search → ボディーチェック (bodhi chekku = body check) close personal contact →スキンシップ (sukinnshippu = skinship) convertible car →オープンカー (o-pun ca- = open car) custom-made →オーダーメイド (o-da- meido = order made) customer service → アフター サービス (afuta- sa-bisu = after service) electric carpet → ホットカーペット (hotto ca-petto = hot carpet) gas station → ガソリンスタンド (gasorin sutando / gasoline stand) gig venue → ライブハウス (raibu hausu = live house) guard → ガードマン (ga-doman = guardman) key ring / key chain → キーホルダー (ki- horuda- = key holder) laptop computer → ノートパソコン (no-to pasokon / note personal computer) marker → サインペン (sainn pen = sign pen) media → マスコミ (masukomi = mass communication) motorbike → オートバイ (o-tobai = auto bi) night game → ナイター (naita- = nighter) office worker → サラリーマン (sarari-man = salaryman) /オーエル (OL = office lady) on-line shopping → ネットショッピング (netto shoppingu = net shopping) panty hose / tights → パンスト (pansuto = panty stocking) plastic bottle → ペットボトル (petto botoru = pet bottle) priority seat → シルバーシート (siruba- shi-to = silver seat) renovation → リフォーム (rifo-mu = reform) roller-coaster → ジェットコースター (jetto ko-suta- = jet coaster) slogan → キャッチコピー (kyattchi copi- = catch copy) stroller → ベビーカー (bebi- ka- = baby car) studio (apartment) → ワンルームマンション (wan ru-mu manshon = one room mansion) ticket agency → プレイガイド (purei gaido = play guide) transvestite → ニューハーフ (nyu-ha-fu = new half) Examples of words taken from languages other than English or from a different concept: buffet → バイキング (baiking = Viking / said to originate from the Swedish style of eating) part time job → アルバイト (arubaito = from the German ‘arbeit’ ) / パート(pa-to / part) rumor → デマ (dema / from the German ‘demagogie’) stapler → ホチキス (hochikisu / from the Hotchikiss brand who first imported staplers to Japan) These words are used daily in Japanese. ( From August issue, 2014 / 2014年8月号より)
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