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". 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. About 160 such words of Dutch origin remain in use today in standard Japanese.
| Japanese transliteration (rōmaji) | Japanese term (kanji or kana) | Dutch term | English term(s) | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| arukari | アルカリ | alkali | alkali | From Arabic, through Dutch. |
| arukōru | アルコール | alcohol | alcohol | From Arabic, through Dutch. |
| asubesuto | アスベスト | asbest | asbestos | From Greek, through Dutch. |
| bīru | ビール, 麦酒 | bier | beer | |
| bisuketto | ビスケット | beschuit | biscuit | Reinforcement of Portuguese biscoito. |
| bōru | ボール | boor | drill, bore | After 1720. |
| buriki | ブリキ | blik | tin | |
| capitan | カピタン | kapitein | captain | |
| chifusu | チフス | tyfus | typhus | |
| doitsu | ドイツ | Duits | German | |
| dontaku | ドンタク | zondag | sunday | Means "Sly dog" in Tottori, "Stupid" in Hiroshima. |
| doronken | ドロンケン | dronken | drunk | |
| ekisu | エキス | extract | extract | |
| erekishiteito | エレキシテイト | electriciteit | electricity | Obsolete (replaced by 電気). |
| erekiteru | エレキテル | elekiter | A type of generator of static electricity used for electric experiments in the 18th century | |
| ēteru | エーテル | ether | ether | From Greek, through Dutch. |
| garasu | ガラス, 硝子 | glas | window glass | |
| gasu | ガス | gas | gas | |
| giganjima | ギガンジマ | gingang | gingham | |
| giyaman | ギヤマン | diamant | diamond | |
| gomu | ゴム | gom, gum | rubber | |
| gorofukuren | ゴロフクレン | grofgrein | grosgrain | |
| hamu | ハム | ham | ham | |
| hatoron | ハトロン | patroon | pattern | |
| henrūda | ヘンルーダ | wijnruit | Common Rue | |
| hetto | ヘット | vet | tallow | |
| hukku | フック | haak | hook | |
| infuruenza | インフルエンザ | influenza | influenza | After 1720 |
| inki | インキ | inkt | ink | |
| kamitsure | カミツレ | kamille | camomile | After 1720. |
| kantera | カンテラ | Candela | candela | |
| karan | カラン | kraan | tap (UK) / faucet (Am.) | |
| kari | カリ | Kalium | Potassium | |
| karuki | カルキ | Calcium | Calcium | |
| katēteru | カテーテル | katheter | catheter | From Greek through Dutch |
| kechin | ケチン | ketting | chain | After 1720. Now obsolete (replaced by 鎖). |
| kiruku | キルク | kurk | cork | |
| kōhī | コーヒー, 珈琲 | koffie | coffee | |
| kokku | コック | kok | cook | |
| koppu | コップ | kop | cup | Reinforcement of Portuguese copo. |
| konpasu | コンパス | kompas | compass | |
| korera | コレラ | cholera | cholera | |
| kureosōto | クレオソート | creosoot | Creosote | |
| koruku | コルク | kurk | cork | |
| madorosu | マドロス | matroos | sailor | |
| masuto | マスト | mast | mast | |
| mesu | メス | (mes) scalpel | scalpel | After 1720 |
| moruhine | モルヒネ | morfine | morphine | After 1720. |
| morumotto | モルモット | marmot | Guinea pig | |
| oburāto | オブラート | oblaat | oblate | |
| orugōru | オルゴール | (orgel) muziekdoos | (organ) music box | |
| otenba | お転婆 | ontembaar | (untameable) tomboy | |
| penki | ペンキ | (pek) verf, teer | house paint | |
| pesuto | ペスト | pest | black death | After 1720 |
| pinto | ピント | punt | focus | |
| pisutoru | ピストル | pistool | pistol | |
| ponpu | ポンプ | pomp | pump | After 1720. |
| randoseru | ランドセル | ransel | backpack | |
| ranpu | ランプ | lamp | lamp | |
| retoruto | レトルト | retort | retort | |
| renzu | レンズ | lens | lens | |
| safuran | サフラン | saffraan | saffron | |
| saten | サテン | satijn | satin | |
| seimi | セイミ | chemie | chemistry | Now obsolete, replaced by 化学 |
| shian | シアン | cyaan | cyan | |
| shiroppu | シロップ | siroop | syrup | |
| sukoppu | スコップ | schop | spade, shovel | |
| supoito | スポイト | spuit | syringe | |
| tarumomētoru | タルモメートル | thermometer | thermometer | From Greek, through Dutch. After 1720. Now obsolete (replaced by 体温計) |
| teresukoppu | テレスコップ | telescoop | telescope | From Greek, through Dutch. After 1720 |
| yojiumu | ヨジウム | jodium | iodine | |
| zukku | ズック | doek | canvas |
Famous quotes containing the words japanese, words, dutch and/or origin:
“I am a lantern—
My head a moon
Of Japanese paper, my gold beaten skin
Infinitely delicate and infinitely expensive.”
—Sylvia Plath (1932–1963)
“I came to explore the wreck.
The words are purposes.
The words are maps.
I came to see the damage that was done
and the treasures that prevail.”
—Adrienne Rich (b. 1929)
“‘Tis probable Religion after this
Came next in order; which they could not miss.
How could the Dutch but be converted, when
The Apostles were so many fishermen?
Besides the waters of themselves did rise,
And, as their land, so them did re-baptize.”
—Andrew Marvell (1621–1678)
“We have got rid of the fetish of the divine right of kings, and that slavery is of divine origin and authority. But the divine right of property has taken its place. The tendency plainly is towards ... “a government of the rich, by the rich, and for the rich.””
—Rutherford Birchard Hayes (1822–1893)