In Japan, there are still many professional tofu makers. Tofu is a delicious addition to many sweet and savory Japanese dishes-as well as dishes in other countries. Kanji meaning: 豆 (とう) is “beans” and 腐 (ふ) means “ferment” or “rot.” It may sound a bit gross, but the Japanese have cleverly mastered several dishes involving fermenting various foods.Įnglish meaning: A soft, white, high-protein food made from curdled soymilk.Įxample usage: I’ll have the vegetarian ramen with tofu, please! (とうふ) – In Japanese, the “tou” sound is longer than the “fu,” which is very short. It comes in several forms, but English-speakers are most familiar with makizushi (rolled rice and seaweed with other ingredients inside) and nigirizushi (hand-pressed rice with one ingredient on top). There was no reason to rename this famous Japanese dish. Kanji meaning: 寿 (す) means “congratulations” or “longevity,” and 司 (し) is “official.” If you think about it, it’s quite sweet that the kanji for sushi is “official congratulations!”Įnglish meaning: A dish made from vinegared rice often wrapped with seaweed, and toppings such as raw fish or a type of raw or pickled vegetable.Įxample usage: To celebrate your promotion, let’s go out for sushi! In English, we sometimes say “koi carp,” but in Japanese, it’s just “koi.” They are largely featured in Japanese decorations as a symbol of love, friendship, or good fortune, and koi-shaped streamers are used in Japanese festivals such as Children’s Day in May. Kanji meaning: 鯉 (こい) just means “carp”-no surprises there!Įnglish meaning: Colored varieties of carp usually kept for ornamental purposes.Įxample usage: Please don’t throw pennies in the koi pond. We commonly use the Japanese word to describe these devastating natural disasters in English. Unfortunately, Japan has had more than its fair share of tsunamis. Kanji meaning: 津 (つ) is “harbor” or “port,” and 波 (なみ) means “wave.”Įnglish meaning: An unusually large, destructive ocean wave.Įxample usage: The town was almost wiped out when the tsunami hit. (つなみ) – In Japanese, the t is pronounced, unlike in English. Typhoons are common during late summer and early autumn in Japan, often causing minor damages in the southern Okinawa islands and disrupting transportation in large cities. Kanji meaning: 台 (たい) means “table” or “pedestal,” and 風 (ふう) means “wind.”Įnglish meaning: A tropical cyclone occurring in the northwestern Pacific Ocean.Įxample usage: Typhoon Surigae was the strongest tropical cyclone in 2021, but the costliest was Hurricane Ida. This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that youĬlick here to get a copy. You already know these words-add the Japanese meanings and pronunciations, and you’ll be 32 words closer to mastering this difficult but fascinating language! The original Japanese word, usually written in kanji, is included for each loanword (plus hiragana in parentheses). Here, we’ll introduce you to 32 words we use in English that come from Japanese. 32 Cool Japanese Words We All Use in Englishĭid you know we use lots of Japanese words in English? It’s true! If you’re learning Japanese, you already have a leg up.
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