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About Japanese words in English (response to Maciamo)

Zauriel

The Angel of Justice
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Excuse me but I have found another borrowed Japanese word that is not related to Japanese culture.

Homework Help and Textbook Solutions | bartleby
 
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And let us not forget "honcho"

Main Entry: hon·cho
Pronunciation: 'hän-(")chO
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural honchos
Etymology: Japanese hanchO squad leader, from han squad + chO head, chief
: BOSS, BIG SHOT; also : HOTSHOT

and "rickshaw"


and "hara kiri."


That's all for now.
 
This looks like fun!

One contribution from Japanese culinary science:

uma·mi
Pronunciation: ü-'mä-mE
Function: noun
: a taste sensation that is meaty or savory and is produced by several amino acids and nucleotides (as aspartate, inosinate, and glutamate) ツ―umami adjective
Source: Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.

Contribution from Japanese manufacturing (specifically Toyota Motor):

kaizen
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: Japanese for continuous and incremental improvement, a business philosophy about working practices and efficiency; improvement in productivity or performance
Etymology: Japanese `change for the better'
Source: Webster's New Millennium™ Dictionary of English, Preview Edition (v 0.9.5)
Copyright © 2003, 2004 Lexico Publishing Group, LLC

kanban
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: in manufacturing, a written set of specifications and requirements for production of a commodity and inventory control of the components needed; a manufacturing system or assembly line using such written specifications; also called just-in-time (another Toyota coinage)
Etymology: Japanese `sign, poster'
Usage: Japanese
Source: Webster's New Millennium™ Dictionary of English, Preview Edition (v 0.9.5)
Copyright © 2003, 2004 Lexico Publishing Group, LLC

In the world of finance:

kei·ret·su
Pronunciation Key (k-rts)
n. pl. keiretsu or kei·ret·sus
A network of businesses that own stakes in one another as a means of mutual security, especially in Japan, and usually including large manufacturers and their suppliers of raw materials and components.
[Japanese, series, affiliation : kei, system + retsu, row, line.]
Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

In the world of animation, of course:

an·i·me
Pronunciation Key (n-m)
n.
A style of animation developed in Japan, characterized by stylized colorful art, futuristic settings, violence, and sex.
[Japanese, short for animeishon, animation, from English animation.]
Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Japanimation
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: a style of cartoon or animation made in Japan that focuses on futuristic themes and robotlike characters; also called anime
Etymology: Japan + (an)imation
Source: Webster's New Millennium™ Dictionary of English, Preview Edition (v 0.9.5)
Copyright © 2003, 2004 Lexico Publishing Group, LLC

 
There is about 800 "Japanese which turned into English." RASII

This word was got to know here.
"ONSEN"
 
What about "skosh," as in "a little bit?" I'd always wondered if it came from "sukoshi." I just thought to check the online Oxford English Dictionary, and it does come from Japanese! I think hardly any American users of this word know that it comes from Japanese.

I also know people who use "zori" to refer to any thong-type sandal (flip-flops), completely outside of a Japanese context.
 
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