sci.lang.japan FAQ / 4. Words from other languages

4.4. Which Japanese words come from Dutch?

The Dutch, like the Portuguese (see 4.2. Which Japanese words come from Portuguese?), were one of the first nations to trade with Japan. During Japan's closed period from the 17th to 19th century, only the Dutch were allowed to come to Japan via the southern port of Nagasaki. At this time, western learning was known as rangaku (蘭学), from the 蘭 kanji used to represent Holland. During this time, many words were adopted from Dutch into Japanese. Many of these words, such as koohii (コーヒー) "coffee", and biiru (ビール), are still used in modern-day Japanese.

Here is a list of some of the more important words. Some of these words have kanji forms, but all of the kanji forms are ateji. See 1.2.6. Why do some gairaigo words have kanji?

Japanese (roomaji)	Japanese (kanji)	Dutch (origin)	Meaning of Japanese word	Notes
arakku		arak	arack
arukooru		alcohol	alcohol	The origin is disputed. This may have come from Portuguese.
asubesuto		asbest	asbestos
biiru	麦酒	bier	beer
buriki	錻力, 鉄葉, 錻	blik	tin, tin plate
dansu		dans	dance
dokku		dok	(dry) dock
dontaku		zondag (sunday)	day off, holiday	See also handon. This word is no longer common in Japanese.
erikuteru		electriciteit	electricity	This word is no longer common in Japanese.
garasu	硝子	glas	window glass
gasu		gas	gas
gomu		gom	rubber, gum.	Also used to mean "condom".
handon	半ドン	zontag (sunday)	half-day holiday	Compound of Japanese han (half) and dontaku. This word is no longer commonly used in Japanese.
hisuterii		hysterie	hysteria
hoppu		hop	hop
inki		inkt	ink
kaban	鞄	kabas	bag
kanfuru		kamfer	camphor
karan	下欄	kraan	tap, faucet	The origin is disputed. This may have come from German "Kran".
kiniine		kinine	quinine
kokku		kok	cook
konpasu		kompas	compass (drawing instrument)
koohii	珈琲	koffie	coffee
koppu		kop	drinking glass	The origin is disputed. This may have come from Portuguese "copo".
koruku		kurk	cork
madorosu		matroos	sailor
manto		mantel	cloak
marariya		malaria	malaria
masuto		mast	mast (of a ship)
mesu		mes (knife)	scalpel
moruhine		morfine	morphine
nikkeru		nikkel	nickel
oburaato		oblaat	Thin disc of starch used for wrapping sweets or as a medicinal wafer.	May come from German Oblate. See 4.3. Which Japanese words come from German?.
orugooru		orgel (organ)	music box
otenba	お転婆	ontembaar (untameable)	a tomboy	This is a dubious derivation and may just be a coincidence.
pen		pen	pen
pinsetto		pincet	tweezers
pisutoru		pistool	pistol
pompu		pomp	pump
poruda		polder	low lying land reclaimed from the sea
rampu		lamp	lamp
randoseru		ransel	knapsack	Used only for the school satchels worn by Japanese elementary school children.
ransetto		lancet	lancet
renzu		lens	lens
retoruto		retort (glass vessel used for distillation)	sealed bag used to contain food for reheating
ryukkusaku		rugzak	rucksack
saaberu		sabel	sable
safuran		saffraan	saffron
siroppu		siroop	syrup
supoito		spuit	syringe; fire engine
yoodo		jodium	iodine	Many sources claim this is from German "Jod".
zukku		doek	canvas cloth; plimsolls

Web links

Search WWWJDIC for Japanese words of Dutch origin

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Ger de Groot, Gert Kok, Jim Breen, Rob Dieters, and Tanaka Tomoyuki for additions to this list

sci.lang.japan FAQ / 4. Words from other languages

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