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Japanese Loanwords

Guess these Japanese words that have sneaked into the English language.
The definition is the meaning of the word in ENGLISH, not necessarily in Japanese
Quiz by Quizmaster
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Last updated: June 5, 2020
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First submittedMay 6, 2012
Times taken79,834
Average score71.4%
Rating4.50
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Definition
Word
Miniaturized tree
Bonsai
17 syllable poem
Haiku
Suicide bomber
Kamikaze
Japanese comic book
Manga
Artistic paper folding
Origami
Formal Japanese robe
Kimono
Box lunch
Bento
Asian radish
Daikon
Fresh green soybeans
Edamame
Crescent-shaped dumpling
Gyoza
Rice wine
Sake
Definition
Word
Vinegared rice and raw fish
Sushi
Green condiment used with the above
Wasabi
Lightly battered fried veggies, etc...
Tempura
Military ruler of feudal Japan
Shogun
Japanese wrestling style
Sumo
Thin mattress on a foldable frame
Futon
Sing-along with pre-recorded backup music
Karaoke
Large sea wave caused by seismic shifts
Tsunami
Ornamental carp
Koi
9x9 number puzzle
Sudoku
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99 Comments
Kvkq
+10
Level 72
Jun 28, 2012
Couldn't rice wine also be mirin?
Sadmin
+14
Level 37
Apr 4, 2015
I'm mirin
JPayo
+4
Level 63
Jul 6, 2020
Mirin works now :)
JoshHrvy
+6
Level 62
Sep 30, 2021
u 'mirin brah?
bezz
+2
Level 70
Nov 14, 2024
Tempura is a Portuguese word.
mal
+4
Level 64
Jul 10, 2012
Good quiz, but could you be a little more forgiving on the spelling please. I knew several more than I got but just couldn't get the right spelling.
lollypop
+3
Level 26
Jul 10, 2012
im with you on that. i wouldve gotten at least 5 or 6 more if spelling wouldve been more lenient
Quizmaster
+5
Level ∞
Jul 10, 2012
Which ones? I do take a lot of alternate spellings!
ooftownroad
+12
Level 64
Oct 12, 2023
rare moment of quizmaster being happy
JackintheBox
+1
Level 80
Mar 11, 2025
@oof wdym?
tschutzer
+2
Level 93
Jul 10, 2012
I tried spelling koi a few different ways starting with c. Sadly, none worked.
mountainsong
+5
Level 30
Jan 7, 2013
How about some different spellings for kamikaze? Like kamakaze and kamikazi and kamakazi, etc. Thanks, quizmaster!
plattitude
+2
Level 95
Apr 2, 2013
Banzai/bansai, saki, and jiaozi were variants I tried before getting them right. (Though I think the last may be a Romanisation from the Mandarin pronunciation... same characters, though.)
bonkbonkbonk
+3
Level 57
Mar 2, 2023
Actually, jiaozi and gyoza have different characters in Japanese and Chinese.
MrMack
+1
Level 56
Mar 14, 2025
they don't
TheWombat
+6
Level 73
May 30, 2014
Banzai/bansai is a different word, isn't it? I always thought it was a sort of battle cry, but I may just be basing that on the British TV programme of that name.
lisachristine
+1
Level 65
Mar 12, 2025
Yes, banzai is a battle cry. Bonsai is a miniature tree.
ander217
+4
Level 75
Mar 25, 2015
I missed sake because I spelled it saki.
tom88
+2
Level 75
Apr 20, 2016
I always take a moment to figure out where the Us and Os go in sudoku
Nytebreid
+3
Level 37
Apr 19, 2014
The only one I missed on spelling was karaoke. The way it's usually pronounced had me trying karioke and karioki.
Sifhraven
+5
Level 73
Jan 14, 2019
yea we say it kara-oke. But I have heard it being said like kari-oki in english ( is that in both british and american english or in one? pretty sure america says it like that. well, maybe more like karee yokee)
iCloudSucks
+6
Level 22
Apr 5, 2020
In american english its pronounced karee yokee, so Sifhraven is right about that
johanna9
+3
Level 43
Aug 6, 2020
yes, it tends to be pronounced karee-yokee in british english too, i'm afraid.
zoidberg
+2
Level 40
Jul 10, 2012
Surprisingly easy. Didn't get futon though.
buck1017
+1
Level 78
Aug 23, 2013
I only got it because i remember it from another quiz about loan words. I always thought fouton was french. If you pronounce it FOU-tahn, it does sound Japanese, but if you say fou-TONE (minus the pronunciation of the 'NE' of course) it sounds french.
Sifhraven
+2
Level 73
Jan 15, 2019
I think you might be confused with fauteuil which is a big luxury chair
Zefyrinus
+6
Level 72
Jul 10, 2012
I think you should accept obento. :/
HighFidelity
+1
Level 58
Aug 14, 2013
Agree!
iCloudSucks
+1
Level 22
Apr 5, 2020
Heyyy I thought it was just me who put obento instead of bento at first!
lilig48
+11
Level 20
Jul 13, 2012
I hate when I know the answer until I read the question and then the word escapes my brain
ZacG
+1
Level 58
Jul 13, 2012
100% boo ya
Sifhraven
+2
Level 73
Jan 15, 2019
lack of punctuation there threw me for a second, haha ( and not a second hahah ;) )

I thought, you got a 100% of what??

RedLightning
+1
Level 47
Aug 6, 2019
*booyah
gravyfury
+1
Level 22
Jul 16, 2012
this is a tough quiz because alternate spellings and incorrect spellings will kill you. saki is another accepted spelling. but moreover the kamakazzi type stuff.
englishsystem
+8
Level 67
Mar 25, 2015
Saki means "previous" in Japanese. Unlike English where we can read vowels multiple different ways, Japanese vowels (when romanized) can only be read one way: a = ah, e = eh?, i = Eat (minus the t) , o=oh?, u = ooooooooooooo. Saki and Kamikaze are two perfect examples of English mispronunciation.
Jezilly
+3
Level 80
Dec 10, 2012
I'm hungry.
Lukutiss1324
+3
Level 45
Apr 18, 2013
I disagree with the clue for kamikaze as suicide bomber.
NekroNeko
+1
Level 26
Jul 5, 2013
I couldn't get past the word Yukata for formal dress :(
englishsystem
+3
Level 67
Mar 25, 2015
Yukata is the informal garb often worn in summer time.
Susie222
+1
Level 59
Oct 17, 2013
I do not like sushi and therefore couldn't think of that answer or wasabi. Oh well.
slkrr9
+3
Level 33
May 9, 2014
Anybody else just type "sushi" as soon as the quiz started before looking at the clues? LOL ... then I tried "samurai" and it didn't work, so I figured I'd better start reading.
vmajzlik
+2
Level 55
Nov 30, 2014
I didnt think sushi was raw fish.... that that was actually the rice??? I thought Sushimi (probably spelt wrong, sorry) indicated raw fish???
Sifhraven
+1
Level 73
Jan 15, 2019
all my life I have heard sushi. Now suddenly since about a year I started hearing about sushimi also in reference to raw fish, I still have to figure out exactly what it means ( and what the difference with sushi is, are they two different terms, or is this a british/american thing again) But never bothered to look it up haha.
CapitalAce
+1
Level 57
Nov 25, 2019
When Japanese raw fish first started appearing on menus in the west, people in general did not want to eat it. It was generally referred to as 'sushi.' Technically the raw fish dish is sashimi. As we as a society became more knowledgeable about Japanese food, the term 'sashimi' became more common.
jennraven
+1
Level 67
Jul 6, 2020
Raw fish alone is sashimi. Raw fish on top of bite sized rice is sushi. Raw fish with rice rolled into seaweed is a sushi roll.
Shokki
+1
Level 69
Dec 26, 2022
Slices of raw fish is sashimi, raw fish on top of rice is nagiri, and raw fish wrapped in rice and seaweed is sushi
kalbahamut
+3
Level 81
Dec 25, 2019
sushi is a type of seasoned rice with various toppings or other ingredients rolled with it, most often raw fish. Raw fish by itself is sashimi. Sushi technically does not have to have fish.
stevediverse
+1
Level 88
Feb 5, 2020
I concur. Sushi is anything made with (the) vinegared rice preparation. It does not have to include seafood, and if it does, the seafood does not have to be raw.
ander217
+1
Level 75
Jul 6, 2020
I make sushi at home and I use all kinds of fillings - cooked shrimp, crab, veggies - even one with ham, avocado and cream cheese. I don't do raw fish at home, though, I leave that to the experts who have had training in how not to kill their customers.
GreatDane
+3
Level 63
Feb 3, 2022
The clue on rice and raw fish seems to confuse, or better said, combine wrapped rice rolls which are "sushi" and raw fish which are "sashimi." The author needs to fix this.
jennraven
+2
Level 67
Dec 5, 2022
The wrapped rice rolls (which may or may not contain raw fish - though often does) are called sushi rolls, not just sushi. The only sushi know of that does not have raw fish (or other sea creature, like eel) is cooked egg. Sushi looks like this -> 🍣
Shokki
+1
Level 69
Dec 26, 2022
That is not sushi, that is nagiri
dunkinggandalf2
+1
Level 71
Mar 11, 2025
It's nigiri, which is a type of sushi.
MajorFangirl
+5
Level 28
Jan 20, 2015
Those 500+ episodes of anime have served me well XD

And my brother had a futon when I was younger XD

And that book in A Series of Unfortunate Events where they used wasabi as a cure XD

And my siblings were really into origami when I was super young, so I kinda grew up with it XD

OHMYGOSH MY WHOLE LIFE HAS BEEN PREPARING ME FOR THIS QUIZ!!!

Chutney
+13
Level 62
Jul 6, 2020
weeb
LarryLovage
+1
Level 55
Mar 25, 2015
Without actually being able to speak or understand Japanese, I pride myself on my knowledge of Japanese language and how it has been imported to Western culture. But I can not for the life of me ever remember the name of that damn radish!!
englishsystem
+3
Level 67
Mar 25, 2015
100%. I kept typing "daimyo" for military ruler, then samurai thinking the quiz had its terminology incorrect, then realized that shogun was the obvious answer : P #JapaneseHistoryMajor
Cleverer
+1
Level 61
Mar 25, 2015
I think "kamakaze" should be accepted too
ruudsje
+1
Level 69
Mar 27, 2015
started typing yakuza before the page was even loaded, but no. no.
berkley2
+1
Level 77
Apr 8, 2015
Gyoza is a chinese word borrowed by the Japanese language
PSTSCCH
+4
Level 46
Oct 15, 2015
Tempura is also borrowed first from Portuguese "tempero" or "temporas". Then English borrow this borrowed word from Japanese. Both tempura and gyoza can be called as "double-loanwords", at least in my words. :D
CapitalAce
+3
Level 57
Nov 25, 2019
Anime and karaoke are also double loanwords. Anime comes from the English word 'animation' and the 'oke' comes from 'orchestra.'
DiscoBayGolfer
+1
Level 79
May 6, 2015
I couldn't get passed anime and never, ever thought of manga.
AlexaStone
+1
Level 34
Mar 12, 2025
That's your problem, as I am an avid manga reader and have seen more than three episodes of only one anime: Dragon Ball Z. Love that show!
haha1019
+1
Level 39
Mar 14, 2016
Box lunch can also be obento obento is in a more polite way
burntfrost
+1
Level 47
Nov 24, 2016
Gyoza is Chinese.
Findlay
+3
Level 81
Mar 5, 2019
Jiaozi is Chinese. Gyoza - the actual loanword in English - is most certainly Japanese.
LarryLovage
+2
Level 55
Oct 29, 2017
To try to get other answers, I tried Tofu and Samurai, and was surprised they are not the answers to anything!
kalbahamut
+2
Level 81
Oct 29, 2017
I tried goyoza for gyoza...
kalbahamut
+2
Level 81
Jan 5, 2019
and I keep missing Bento and Daikon
jharvi
+1
Level 40
Feb 13, 2019
Actually, tempura was introduced to Japan by the Portuguese in Nagasaki during the mid-16th century...
kalbahamut
+4
Level 81
Feb 24, 2019
but did the word come to English via Portuguese or Japanese?
Findlay
+2
Level 81
Mar 5, 2019
Yeah, as someone above pointed out - it's a double loanword. It may have originate from Portuguese, but it comes to English via Japanese.
Findlay
+2
Level 81
Mar 5, 2019
For those not familiar with Japanese spelling and pronunciation, I can see how getting some these could be difficult. Many of the common English pronunciations are woefully off. I think this is most true of karaoke, which seems to usually be pronounced in English as "carry-oak-y" despite that being very hard to arrive at from the spelling. Gyoza often gets rendered as three syllables (Guy-or-za) not two (the letter 'y' is always a consonant in Japanese). There's also the issue of English pronunciation usually transforming the 'e' sound, especially at the end of words, into what would be represented as 'i' in standard transliteration. For the uninitiated 'e' should be pronounced as in 'net' (always) and 'i' should be pronounced like the 'y' in 'baby'.
blackholexsun
+2
Level 64
Jun 19, 2019
"Tenpura" should be accepted for tempura. While the latter is the more common spelling in the US, the character used in tempura (ん) is modernly transliterated as an 'n', instead of an 'm' as used in the past.
RedLightning
+1
Level 47
Aug 6, 2019
I agree, てんぷら (tenpura) is how it's spelled in Japanese, but ん (n) sounds like an m before a b, p, or m.
PitifulExcuse
+2
Level 66
Jun 21, 2024
But there's no English word 'tenpura'. The word in English is 'tempura', regardless of what you think of the quality of the transliteration.
GrammarBeane1
+4
Level 83
Jun 22, 2020
I've never heard of Bento. I was so confused because all I could think of was "lunchables"
Dthnte
+2
Level 16
Jul 7, 2020
I've heard it as the phrase 'bento box' which is a little box with separations for the different food items
ander217
+4
Level 75
Jul 6, 2020
We were at a hotel in Kansas City that had a kitchen, and we decided to cook our supper meal. My MIL and I walked down the street to an open market to look for fresh veggies. We saw the biggest parsnips I'd ever seen and we decided to cook them as part of our meal. We scrubbed them and cut them up into a pan, added some water, covered them and waited for them to cook. The room was suddenly engulfed in a terrible smell which we traced to the parsnips. We dumped them in the trash. My husband had gotten off the elevator and he said the odor was strong out in the hall and asked what it was. I told him it was the parsnips. He looked at them in the trash and started laughing as he said, "Those aren't parsnips, those are daikon radishes." I've never lived it down. I felt sorry for housekeeping the next day as they tried to rid that room of the pungent odor. So I had no trouble getting daikon on this quiz.
jplarsen
+2
Level 59
Jul 6, 2020
1) very few of these are loan words. tsunami, karaoke, and futon are probably the only real "loan words."

2) this is basically sourced from a sushi menu, and the remainder are basic pop culture references.

Findlay
+2
Level 81
Aug 2, 2021
Yeah, I kinda agree. Most of these are Japanese words used to describe things specific to Japan, not true loanwords. I'd add kamikaze to your list of true loanwords, as I've frequently seen it used generically as a term for any attack that takes down the attacker along with it. Tempura... arguably. I've certainly seen it used as a battering technique outside of a Japanese cuisine context.

Better examples might be: typhoon, emoji, tofu, dojo and zen. And in the more unfortunate corners of the English-speaking internet: senpai, kawaii and otaku.

Azerk
+1
Level 65
Sep 26, 2022
I hate when people mispronounce kawaii - you're not cool by saying it
Dthnte
+1
Level 16
Jul 7, 2020
'Ornamental carp' had me thinking of some sort of mounted fish, as opposed to a pretty patterned one ;P
SpartanLlama
+1
Level 74
Jun 1, 2021
Didn't realize edamame, tempura, and futon were Japanese. Sudoku was obvious but yet I somehow never realized it was Japanese either
elbuho86
+2
Level 83
Jan 18, 2022
Surprised not to see katana.
bentshaggyoil
+1
Level 62
Sep 20, 2022
AH I MISSED SUSHI
Jacktheguy
+1
Level 91
Dec 6, 2022
No Samurai?
MalyJacus
+1
Level 59
Dec 6, 2022
Add "Sensei" for a teacher or a guru, it would help to make the numbers of word right & left even out.
Neodymium
+2
Level 63
Dec 13, 2022
You should include Honcho
PitifulExcuse
+1
Level 66
Jun 21, 2024
Good one.

Don't think shogun is really a loan word as, to the best of my knowledge, it's only used to refer to, you know, shoguns in Japan and has no extended use in English. Honcho and Tycoon are different as they really have been borrowed and applied in English.

KeymyYukiEN
+1
Level 17
Feb 7, 2025
I'm not good in Japanese...
Minecraftyoshi2
+1
Level 57
Mar 11, 2025
What about umami?
GomezFigueroa
+1
Level 62
Mar 11, 2025
These mostly really aren't "loan words." They're just the word for that thing.
GollossalKitty
+1
Level 43
Mar 11, 2025
that's what a loan word can be. we didn't have a word so we are loaning a word from Japanese until we come up with our own

I get what you mean, that we didn't have these concepts in the English speaking world in the first place, but New concepts are given new names for a language new to the concept, so it's still a loan word.

mizu
+1
Level 59
Mar 14, 2025
actually a loan word is a word that had a specific meaning in another language but that meaning took on a more generic use over time.

Take google for instance these days people use it to discribe any search for something on the internet and even though the word is english it has become used in almost every language without change to spelling or pronounciation.

Karaoke is a loan word since it is often used in multiple languages to mean singing along to a song for fun in a group, not just the specific meaning of a japanese entertainment activity of singing aload in a booth.

Manga on the other hand is not a loan word as it strictly applies to a specific type of book using a specfic japanese style of art and story telling. Which differs from the english loan word of comic which applies to any book using primarily art with speech and narration held in bubbles.

As such manga is a type of comic book, but comic books are not manga.

hiandbye
+1
Level 35
Mar 11, 2025
dont know how well my Japanese history is or where words come from, but karaoke is spelled in katakana as カレオケ(Ka re o ke). Any words in Katakana do not originate in Japanese and take root from another language, in this case, English. The same thing can be said for anime, which is spelled アニメ (A ni me) and is not Japanese originated
GollossalKitty
+1
Level 43
Mar 11, 2025
You should add sayonara and umami
husaniboii
+1
Level 45
Mar 13, 2025
what about ninja :^)
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