Last Updated on September 13, 2024
Japanese is one of the most common languages in the world, with some 128 million speakers. Out of this number, up to 124 million live in Japan as well as in the island group of Okinawa. That makes Japanese the second-most unique language in terms of geographical concentration, coming only after China.
The Japanese language is also noted for its numerous cool words, many of which have been loaned to various other languages. Words like Karate, Sumo, Judo, Tsunami, etc. are all Japanese words that have since been mainstreamed into the English language.
In this post, we highlight the 50 coolest Japanese words ever, along with their meanings and pronunciations.
Why Would You Want To Learn the Japanese Language?
Japanese is ranked the ninth most popular language in the world, after English, Spanish, Chinese, French, Portuguese, Russian, Arabic, and Hindi. Another interesting fact about the Japanese language, as we’ve already pointed out, is that over 90% of its speakers live in and around Japan. That makes learning Japanese a priority for travelers considering a long trip or vacation in this Far East country.
As a tourist, mastery of local languages can go a long way in helping you develop a rapport with indigenous communities. That’s especially true for a country like Japan where English speakers are hard to come by.
The following are other reasons to consider learning the Japanese language;
1. Career Growth
It doesn’t matter whether you’re planning to work in a Japan-based company or not, certain career paths may require you to master the Japanese language.
Examples include most careers in the hospitality industry, including air hostess, waiter/waitress, tour guide, event planner, etc. You might also consider studying Japanese if you’re interested in becoming a translator or tutor.
2. Dating and Relationships
Japanese people are noted for their charming personality. Japanese women, in particular, are considered some of the most beautiful in the world. They’re characterized by their long legs, fine facial features, and petite bodies.
So, if you’re looking for a soul mate, you might want to look in the direction of Japan.
But the chances that your love interest speaks English are less than 10%. Therefore, the only way to up your odds of winning their heart is to master a few Japanese words.
Also, remember that the Japanese culture can be somewhat dramatic. So, there may be a few cultural trade-offs and concessions while considering dating a Japanese.
Is Japanese Easy To Learn?
Unfortunately, Japanese is considered one of the most difficult languages to learn. Not as difficult as other common languages like Mandarin, but fairly difficult for non-native speakers.
What makes the Japanese language difficult to master is the fact that the language’s written form is made up of three different alphabets. They include Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji.
Differences in pronunciation is another factor that makes Japanese difficult to learn. Dropping pronouns, a complex writing system, and the fact that Japanese is spoken relatively faster than English makes the language all the more difficult to master.
However, Japanese has way too many cool words to pass up an opportunity to learn the language. Some Japanese terms are so cool you’d think they represent a person’s name.
That, coupled with the fact that the language has only five vowels and thirteen consonants, makes it reasonably easier to learn than other popular languages like Mandarin and Arabic. For comparison’s sake, the English language has twelve vowels and twenty-four consonants.
What’s more, Japanese has no gendered words. Plus, there are fewer categories of verbs, adverbs, and adjectives compared to English and other popular languages.
50 Cool Japanese Words and Their Meanings
1. ??
Pronunciation: Betsu bara
Meaning: The mysterious extra room that people have in their stomach for desserts even after consuming a heavy meal.
2. ??? (???
Pronunciation: Emoji
Meaning: Picture, character, or letter.
3. ????
Pronunciation: Furusato
Meaning: One’s hometown or heart’s desires.
4. ?? (???)
Pronunciation: Haiku
Meaning: Poem.
5. ???
Pronunciation: Hanafubuki
Meaning: Cherry blossom blizzard.
6. ??
Pronunciation: Hanami
Meaning: Cherry blossom viewing.
7. ????
Pronunciation: Hikikomori
Meaning: Modern-day hermit.
8. ????
Pronunciation: Ikigai
Meaning: The reason for being.
9. ???
Pronunciation: Irusu
Meaning: A situation when somebody you’re trying to avoid rings your doorbell and you have to pretend that nobody’s home.
10. ????
Pronunciation: Jigabachi
Meaning: Red-banded sand wasp.
11. ???? (????)
Pronunciation: Karaoke
Meaning: Empty.
12. ???
Pronunciation: Kar?shi
Meaning: Death from overwork.
13. ??
Pronunciation: Kazahana
Meaning: Flurry of snow in a clear sky.
14. ?? (???)
Pronunciation: Kimono
Meaning: Something to wear.
15. ????
Pronunciation: Kogarashi
Meaning: Chilly, wintry wind.
16. ? (??)
Pronunciation: Koi
Meaning: Carp.
17. ????
Pronunciation: Komorebi
Meaning: Sunlight as it filters through the trees.
18. ?????
Pronunciation: Kuchar?
Meaning: A person who chews with their mouth open.
19. ????
Pronunciation: Kuidaore
Meaning: To eat yourself bankrupt or simply to go bankrupt.
20. ????
Pronunciation: Mamori Tai
Meaning: A phrase that means ‘I will always protect you,’ often said to a loved one.
21. ?? (???)
Pronunciation: Manga
Meaning: Random or uncontrolled picture.
22. ?
Pronunciation: Murasaki
Meaning: Purple.
23. ??
Pronunciation: Nekojita
Meaning: Loosely translated as a ‘cat’s tongue,’ nekojita refers to people who have to blow their hot food before eating it. That’s in contrast to Japanese people who prefer their foods and drinks hot.
24. ????
Pronunciation: Nekokaburi
Meaning: Wolf in sheep’s clothing.
25. ?? (????)
Pronunciation: Ninja
Meaning: A spy or sneaky person.
26. ?????
Pronunciation: Omotenashi
Meaning: Japanese hospitality.
27. ??? (????)
Pronunciation: Origami
Meaning: Paper folding.
28. ?? (???)
Pronunciation: Otaku
Meaning: House.
29. ? (????)
Pronunciation: Samurai
Meaning: To serve or warrior.
30. ?? (????)
Pronunciation: Senpai.
Meaning: A comrade or companion who goes ahead of you.
31. ?? (????)
Pronunciation: Sensei
Meaning: A person born before you.
32. ?? (???)
Pronunciation: Shiatsu
Meaning: Finger pressure.
33. ???
Pronunciation: Shibui
Meaning: Used to describe someone who has aged gracefully.
34. ???
Pronunciation: Shinrinyoku
Meaning: Shinrinyoku literally translates to ‘forest bath’ and refers to taking a walk in the forest for therapeutic purposes.
35. ??????
Pronunciation: Shoganai
Meaning: Used to describe a situation that’s beyond help.
36. ???
Pronunciation: Sugoi
Meaning: Amazing or awesome.
37. ?? (??)
Pronunciation: Sushi
Meaning: Means ‘congratulations’ or ‘longevity.’
38. ? (???)
Pronunciation: Tatami
Meaning: Implies the tatami mat. It can also mean to shut or put away.
39. ???? (????)
Pronunciation: Teriyaki
Meaning: Grilled to shine.
40. ?? (???)
Pronunciation: Tofu
Meaning: Fermented beans.
41. ??
Pronunciation: Tsukimi
Meaning: Moon viewing.
42. ?? (???)
Pronunciation: Tsunami
Meaning: Tidal wave.
43. ???
Pronunciation: Tsundoku
Meaning: An avid book lover and collector.
44. ??
Pronunciation: Ukiyo
Meaning: Floating world.
45. ??
Pronunciation: Wabi-sabi
Meaning: Imperfect or incomplete beauty.
46. ?? (???)
Pronunciation: Wasabi
Meaning: Mountain.
47. ???
Pronunciation: Yabai
Meaning: Awesome or amazing.
48. ?????
Pronunciation: Wasuremono
Meaning: A forgotten thing.
49. ??? (???)
Pronunciation: Yakuza
Meaning: Useless people or gambling people.
50. ?? (???)
Pronunciation: Yukata
Meaning: To bathe or bask.
Wrap Up
There goes our collection of the coolest Japanese words to learn. To make the learning process smoother, you can consider using a language learning app. Better yet, you can engage the services of a professional Japanese translator to ensure that you get the pronunciations and spellings right.
