List 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 2=蘭学, or "Dutch learning", where the in comes from, the Japanese word for Holland; 2=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 Japanese term original Dutch termEnglish translation of DutchMeaning of Japanese termDetails
arukariアルカリalkalialkalialkaliFrom Arabic, through Dutch.
arukōruアルコールalcoholalcoholalcohol (chemistry), alcoholic drinkFrom Arabic, through Dutch.
asubesutoアスベストasbestasbestosasbestosFrom Greek, through Dutch.
bīruビール, 麦酒bierbeerbeer
bisukettoビスケットbeschuitbiscuitbiscuitReinforcement of Portuguese biscoito.
bōruボールboorboredrill, boreAfter 1720.
burikiブリキbliktin (can)tinplate
chifusuチフスtyfustyphustyphusFrom Greek, through Dutch.
chinkiチンキtinctuurtincturetinctureShortened from 2=チンキテュール.
doitsuドイツDuitsGermanGermany
dokkuドックdokdockdry dockAlso a contraction of.
dontakuドンタクzondagSundaySundayAlso occasionally found as 2=ゾンタク. Appears from the early Meiji period, after 1868.
usage reduced to specific terms e.g. Hakata Dontaku.
doronkenドロンケンdronkendrunkdrunkobsolete
ekisuエキスextractextractextractShortened from 2=エキストラクト.
erekishiteitoエレキシテイトelektriciteitelectricityelectricityObsolete, replaced by.
erekiteruエレキテルcorruption of elektriciteitelectricityelekiterA type of electrostatic generator used for electric experiments in the 18th century.
ēteruエーテルetheretherether, aetherFrom Greek, through Dutch.
"Ethernet" is pronounced from English.
garasuガラス, 硝子glasglass glass
gasuガス, 瓦斯gasgasgas
giyamanギヤマンdiamantdiamonddiamond,
glass 		Obsolete.
From Greek, through Dutch.
gomuゴムgom, gumrubberrubber
gorofukurenゴロフクレン, 呉絽服連grofgreingrosgraingrosgrainObsolete
hamuハムhamhamham
handon半ドン, ハンドンdagSundayhalf-day; holidayCompound of Japanese [wikt:半|] and [wikt:ドンタク|]. This word is no longer commonly used in Japanese.
hatoronハトロン, パトロンpatrooncartridge (firearms)cartridge case (firearms)Obsolete. Only remain in.
henrūdaヘンルーダwijnruitcommon ruecommon rue
hettoヘットvetfatbeef tallowCognate with English fat.
hisuteriiヒステリーhysteriehysteriahysteria
hokkuホックhoekhookhookCognate with English hook.
infuruenzaインフルエンザinfluenzainfluenzainfluenzaAfter 1720. More likely borrowed from English. The term originated in Italian, and became common worldwide in the 18th century via English.
inkiインキinktinkink
kamitsureカミツレkamillecamomilecamomileFrom Greek, through Dutch and Chinese. The medial -tsu appears due to the Japanese reading of the Chinese spelling 加密列. After 1720; first imported in 1818, and first attested in 1822.
kanteraカンテラkandelaarcandlestickkerosene lamp
kapitanカピタン, 甲比丹kapiteincaptain, chief of Dutch East India Company's post in JapanMore likely derived from Portuguese capitão.
karanカランkraantap / faucet tap / faucet Cognate with English crane, from the resemblance of the bird's neck to a faucet pipe.
kariカリ, カリウムkali, kaliumpotassiumpotassium
karukiカルキkalklime, chlorinated limelime, chlorinated limeCognate with English chalk.
katēteruカテーテルkathetercathetercatheterFrom Greek, through Dutch.
kechinケチンkettingchainchainAfter 1720. Now obsolete.
keido珪土keiaardesilicasilicaCalque. The initial element kei is a phonetic borrowing from the kei in the Dutch term keiaarde, and the do in the Japanese is a translation of the aarde of the Dutch term. First appears in 1877. Now obsolete, replaced by from English silica.
kiruku / korukuキルク / コルクkurkcorkcork
kōhīコーヒー, 珈琲koffiecoffeecoffeeFrom Arabic, through Dutch.
kokkuコックkokcookchef
koppuコップkopcupcupReinforcement of Portuguese copo.
konpasuコンパスkompascompasscompass
koreraコレラcholeracholeracholeraFrom Greek, through Dutch.
kureosōtoクレオソートcreosootcreosotecreosote
madorosuマドロスmatroossailorsailor
masutoマストmastmastmast
mesuメスmesknifescalpelAfter 1720.
moruhineモルヒネmorfinemorphinemorphineAfter 1720.
morumottoモルモットmarmotmarmotGuinea pig
nisuニスvernisvarnishvarnish
oburātoオブラートoblaatwaferoblaatAlso listed in some Japanese sources as deriving from the cognate German term Oblate.
orugōruオルゴール muziekdoos music box music box
penkiペンキpek, pikhouse painthouse paint
pesutoペストpestblack deathblack deathAfter 1720.
pintoピントpuntfocusfocusShortened from the longer term brandpunt.
pisutoruピストルpistoolpistolpistol
ponpuポンプpomppumppumpAfter 1720.
ponzuポン酢ponsponzuThe Dutch term pons for the beverage was already obsolescent by 1864, and was eventually superseded by the term punsch or punch.
randoseruランドセルranselbackpackrandoseruFrom German Ränzel or Low German rensel, through Dutch.
ranpuランプ, 洋灯lamplamplampFrom Greek, through Dutch.
retorutoレトルトretortretortretort, retort pouch
renzuレンズlenslenslens
safuranサフランsaffraansaffronsaffron
satenサテンsatijnsatinsatin
seimiセイミ, 舎密chemiechemistrychemistryNow obsolete, replaced by.
shianシアンcyaancyancyan
shiroppuシロップsiroopsyrupsyrup
sukoppuスコップschoptroweltrowelCognate with English scoop.
supoitoスポイトspuitsyringesyringeCognate with English spout.
tarumomētoruタルモメートルthermometerthermometerthermometerFrom French, through Dutch. After 1720. Now obsolete; replaced by.
teresukoppuテレスコップtelescooptelescopetelescopeFrom Italian and Modern Latin, through Dutch. After 1720. Replaced by.
yojiumuヨジウムjodiumiodineiodineNow transformed into.
zukkuズックdoekcanvascanvas,
canvas shoes		Both Japanese and English duck are borrowings from Dutch doek.