Glossary of Japanese words of Dutch origin
Japanese words of Dutch origin started to develop when the Dutch East India Company initiated trading in Japan from the factory of Hirado in 1609. In 1640, the Dutch were transferred to Dejima, and from then on until 1854 remained the only Westerners allowed access to Japan, during Japan's "sakoku" seclusion period.
Numerous exchanges occurred, leading to a branch of Western learning in Japan known as rangaku (蘭学), or "Dutch learning" where the "ran" (蘭) in rangaku comes from "Oranda" the Japanese word for Holland, and means Dutch while "gaku" (学) is of Sino-Japanese origin and means "Learning".[1] In the process, a number of terms were adopted from Dutch into the Japanese language. At one point, some 3,000 words are thought to have been used, especially in the areas of technical and scientific vocabulary.[1] About 160 such words of Dutch origin remain in use today in standard Japanese.[1]
Japanese transliteration (rōmaji) | Japanese term (kanji or kana) | Dutch term | English term(s) | Details |
---|---|---|---|---|
arukari [2] | アルカリ | alkali | alkali | From Arabic, through Dutch. |
arukōru [1] | アルコール | alcohol | alcohol | From Arabic, through Dutch. |
asubesuto [2] | アスベスト | asbest | asbestos | From Greek, through Dutch. |
bīru [3] | ビール, 麦酒 | bier | beer | |
bisuketto [1] | ビスケット | beschuit | biscuit | Reinforcement of Portuguese biscoito. |
bōru [1] | ボール | boor | drill, bore | After 1720. |
buriki [2] | ブリキ | blik | tin | |
chifusu [2] | チフス | tyfus | typhus | From Greek, through Dutch. |
dansu | ダンス | dans | dance | |
doitsu | ドイツ | Duits | German | |
dokku | ドック | dok | (dry) dock | |
dontaku [1] | ドンタク | zondag | sunday | Means "sly dog" in Tottori, "stupid" in Hiroshima.[1] |
doronken [2] | ドロンケン | dronken | drunk | |
ekisu [2] | エキス | extract | extract | |
erekishiteito [1] | エレキシテイト | electriciteit | electricity | Obsolete (replaced by 電気). |
erekiteru [2] | エレキテル | elekiter | A type of generator of static electricity used for electric experiments in the 18th century | |
ēteru [1] | エーテル | ether | ether | From Greek, through Dutch. |
garasu [3] | ガラス, 硝子 | glas | window glass | |
gasu [2] | ガス | gas | gas | |
giganjima [1] | ギガンジマ | gingang | gingham | |
giyaman [1] | ギヤマン | diamant | diamond | From Greek, through Dutch. |
gomu [1] | ゴム | gom, gum | rubber | |
gorofukuren [2] | ゴロフクレン | grofgrein | grosgrain | |
hamu [1] | ハム | ham | ham | |
handon | kanji: 半ドン, kana: ハンドン | zondag | half-day; holiday | Compound of Japanese han (half) and dontaku. This word is no longer commonly used in Japanese. |
hatoron [2] | ハトロン | patroon | pattern | |
henrūda [2] | ヘンルーダ | wijnruit | Common Rue | |
hetto [2] | ヘット | vet | tallow | |
hisuterii | ヒステリー | hysterie | hysteria | |
hukku [1] | フック | haak | hook | |
infuruenza [1] | インフルエンザ | influenza | influenza | After 1720 |
inki [2] | インキ | inkt | ink | |
kamitsure [1] | カミツレ | kamille | camomile | From Greek, through Dutch. After 1720. |
kantera [2] | カンテラ | Candela | candela | |
kapitan [1] | カピタン | kapitein | captain | |
karan | カラン | kraan | tap (UK) / faucet (Am.) | |
kari [2] | カリ | Kalium | potassium | |
karuki [2] | カルキ | Calcium | calcium | |
katēteru [2] | カテーテル | katheter | catheter | From Greek, through Dutch. |
kechin [1] | ケチン | ketting | chain | After 1720. Now obsolete (replaced by 鎖). |
kiruku [2] | キルク | kurk | cork | |
kōhī [3] | コーヒー, 珈琲 | koffie | coffee | From Arabic, through Dutch. |
kokku [2] | コック | kok | cook | |
koppu [1] | コップ | kop | cup | Reinforcement of Portuguese copo. |
konpasu [1] | コンパス | kompas | compass | |
korera [2] | コレラ | cholera | cholera | From Greek, through Dutch. |
kureosōto [2] | クレオソート | creosoot | creosote | |
koruku [2] | コルク | kurk | cork | |
madorosu [1] | マドロス | matroos | sailor | |
masuto [1] | マスト | mast | mast | |
mesu [1] | メス | (mes) scalpel | scalpel | After 1720 |
moruhine [1] | モルヒネ | morfine | morphine | After 1720. |
morumotto[4] | モルモット | marmot | Guinea pig | |
oburāto [2] | オブラート | oblaat | oblate | |
orugōru [3] | オルゴール | (orgel) muziekdoos | (organ) music box | |
penki [4] | ペンキ | (pek) verf, teer | house paint | |
pesuto [1] | ペスト | pest | black death | After 1720 |
pinto [4] | ピント | punt | focus | |
pisutoru [3] | ピストル | pistool | pistol | |
ponpu [1] | ポンプ | pomp | pump | After 1720. |
randoseru [2] | ランドセル | ransel | backpack | From German Ränzel or Low German rensel, through Dutch |
ranpu [2] | ランプ | lamp | lamp | From Greek, through Dutch. |
retoruto [2] | レトルト | retort | retort | |
renzu [2] | レンズ | lens | lens | |
safuran [2] | サフラン | saffraan | saffron | |
saten [2] | サテン | satijn | satin | |
seimi [2] | セイミ | chemie | chemistry | Now obsolete, replaced by 化学 |
shian [2] | シアン | cyaan | cyan | |
shiroppu [2] | シロップ | siroop | syrup | |
sukoppu [4] | スコップ | schop | spade, shovel | |
supoito [2] | スポイト | spuit | syringe | |
tarumomētoru [1] | タルモメートル | thermometer | thermometer | From French, through Dutch. After 1720. Now obsolete (replaced by 体温計) |
teresukoppu [1] | テレスコップ | telescoop | telescope | From Italian and Modern Latin, through Dutch. After 1720 |
yojiumu [2] | ヨジウム | jodium | iodine | |
zukku [2] | ズック | doek | canvas |
See also
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 Language contact in Japan: a socio-linguistic history by Leo Loveday, p.54-55
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 Sanseido dual dictionary
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Dutch-Japanese Relations," Netherlands Consulate General at Osaka-Kobe
- 1 2 3 4 Gleeson Introduction to written Japanese, katakana p.36