Did you know that some Japanese words actually come from Portuguese? This Luso influence dates back to the 1500s, when the Portuguese established trade with Japan, the first Europeans to manage the journey. Through traders and missionaries, the Portuguese brought new words and products to Japan, and thus a lasting cultural influence.
Let’s check out some of the words:
Japanese English definition Portuguese
bīdoro – a type of glass – vidro
birōdo – velvet – veludo
furasuko – flask – frasco
jōro – watering can – jarro
kappa – raincoat – capa
koppu – cup – copo
manto – cloak – manto
pan – bread – pão
shabon – soap – sabão
tabako – tobacco – tabaco
One of the most surprising words: tempura, the famous Japanese fried seafood and vegetables dish, comes from the Portuguese word tempero and temporar, which means seasoning and to season, respectively. Some say it comes from the word têmpora, a period when Catholics abstain from eating meat. Another interesting caveat: the Portuguese introduced European cooking oil in Japan, which is used to make this fried dish.
For a complete list of Japanese words of Portuguese origin, see here.
Comments:
willem rabbeljee:
Yes, makes sense. The Portuguese missionaries were there already for a long time, till the Japanese traded them for the Dutch who arrived there -by accident- on the ship “Liefde” (Love)
And, living on an island close to Nagasaki, the Japanese copied a lot of Dutch words.
arakku arak
arukooru alcohol
asubesuto asbest
biiru bier (beer)
buriki blik (tin)
dansu dans(dance)
dokku dok
dontaku zondag(sunday)
erikuteru electriciteit
garasu glas
gasu gas
gomu gom (gum)
hisuterii hysterie
hoppu hop
inki inkt
kaban kabas
kanfuru kamfer (camphora)
karan kraan (tap)
kiniine kinine
kokku kok (cook)
konpasu kompas
koohii koffie
koppu kop (cup)
koruku kruk (crutch)
madorosu matroos (sailor)
manto mantel coat)
marariya malaria
masuto mast
mesu mes (knife)
moruhine morfine
nikkeru nikkel
orugooru orgel
pen pen
pinsetto pincet
pisutoru pistool
pompu pomp
poruda polder
rampu lamp
randoseru ransel (knapzak)
ransetto lancet
renzu lens
ryukkusaku rugzak (mochilla)
saaberu sabel
safuran saffraan
siroppu siroop
supoitu spuit (syringe)
yoodo jodium
zukku doek (cloth)
Viva:
I’ve heard about it but have never seen a list of words. How interesting!
Adir Ferreira:
This is great, Rachel! I had no idea! Great post.
Jane Glasman:
Está, “de cara”, faltando uma fundamental: arigato – obrigado!
Regina:
What about the omnipresent arigato? I heard more than once that it derives from obrigado.
Josh M:
With regard to the supposed arigatou/ obrigado correlation, there is clear evidence that there is no correlation. In o Vocabvlario da Lingoa de Iapam (“Nippo Jisho” in Japanese), the first European Japanese dictionary composed by the Jesuits in Japan, the term “arigatai” is listed with one of its derivative forms being “arigatou.” The dictionary, as a whole, was produced before linguistic borrowing occurred in Japan, so there are zero loanwords from Portuguese that I found in its pages. “Arigatou” (and its more predominant form at the time, “arigatai”) are likely loan words from Chinese, but this is, as well, just a theory.
Filipa:
Excuse me Willem rabbeljee.
The words Koppu, arukooru and Kompasu are from portuguese origin. Koppu is copo in portuguese, Kompasu is compasso in portuguese and arukooru is álcool also. Is not correct misunderstood words. Please search a little for the true facts. We portuguese have been early, in fact we were the first foreign people to arrive in Japan.
Also Arigato for those who are confuse, is not from portuguese origin, is trully japanese.
Regards from a portuguese woman
Filipa:
One more word that i read in Willem rabbeljee list that is from portuguese origin.
Manto means manto in portuguese and is for us a cloak or coat.
The german languages that include the dutch language have some latin origins, but this words are obviously from portuguese origin, because we have been earlier then dutch or americans. Is very normal that still exist words and gastronomy from portuguese origin, like Kastera or tempora that are from our gastronomy.
Regards
Willem Rabbeljee:
Olá Filipa,
‘Manto’ can be both lent from Portuguese missionaries or from the Dutch. The word itself is from Latin origin. There’s no doubt. By the time the Dutch came to Japan the word was already for 4 centuries part of their vocabulary:’mantel’ For the Portuguese it most probably was much longer part of their language. But, that’s not the issue. The point is from whom did the Japanese hear and borrow the word. This can be from both. The Portuguese being there earlier is not absolutely proving that the Japanese borrowed the word from them. They might have borrowed the word as well from the Dutch who came there not so long after the Portuguese but, who stayed much longer. In fact a few centuries, and, the interaction between Dutch culture and science and the Japanese culture was quite intensive. So, they might have been the ones who introduced the quite some words of latin origin. Or not.
Actually it’s not a game of ‘who brought more words to the Japanese language…’
Till now I didn’t manage to find any material, sources to prove anything as to the origin of the loanwords in Japanese.
And, for instance, I don’t have an etymologigal dictionary of Portuguese: just one of Dutch and Middle Dutch. Would be nice to have both and compare things to come a bit closer to the truth! Have to study a bit harder on my (Brazilian) Portuguese and try to find a etymological dictionary of Portuguese. Could be nice to work on this one day.
Believe me, like you I adore to ‘search for true facts’ but…this posting was not meant to have any strictly scientifical value. It was just a ‘posting’ a ‘comment’ in a nice blog!
Abraços,
Willem
Peras:
Fact:
– On the 1998 World Expo en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expo_’98 the Japanese pavilion had an exhibition showing the Portuguese influence on them. The expressions “Arigato” (Obrigado = Thank you) and “Domo Arigato” (Muito Obrigado = Thank you Very much) were clearly spelled.
Détours du monde:
Very interesting! Many thanks for sharing this list. Cheers, Sabrina