1.
loanword, borrowed word, word of foreign origin
A word adopted from a foreign language into Japanese. In practice, this term usually refers to words borrowed from Western languages (especially English), which are written in katakana. Words borrowed from Chinese (漢語) are generally not called 外来語.
日本語には外来語が多い。
There are many loanwords in Japanese.
「コンピュータ」は英語からの外来語だ。
"Konpyuuta" is a loanword from English.
最近は外来語が増えすぎて、年配の人には分かりにくいという声もある。
Some say that loanwords have increased so much recently that they are hard for older people to understand.
USAGE:
Japanese vocabulary is classified into three categories: 和語 (native Japanese words), 漢語 (Sino-Japanese words from Chinese), and 外来語 (loanwords from other languages). Despite Chinese being technically "foreign," 外来語 conventionally excludes 漢語 and refers mainly to Western borrowings written in katakana.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 外来語を使う: use a loanword
- 英語からの外来語: loanword from English
- 外来語辞典: loanword dictionary
- 外来語の乱用: overuse of loanwords
SIMILAR WORDS:
外来語 is the standard linguistic term. カタカナ}{語 (katakana word) is a casual synonym. 借用語 (borrowed word) is the more technical linguistic term.