外 来 語(がいらいご)

がいらいご

noun

loanword, word of foreign origin

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(かんご)) are generally not called 外来語(がいらいご).

日本語(にほんご)には外来語(がいらいご)が多(おお)い。

There are many loanwords in Japanese.

「コンピュータ」は英語(えいご)からの外来語(がいらいご)だ。

"Konpyuuta" is a loanword from English.

最近(さいきん)は外来語(がいらいご)が増(ふ)えすぎて、年配(ねんぱい)の人(ひと)には分(わ)かりにくいという声(こえ)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(わご) (native Japanese words), 漢語(かんご) (Sino-Japanese words from Chinese), and 外来語(がいらいご) (loanwords from other languages). Despite Chinese being technically "foreign," 外来語(がいらいご) conventionally excludes 漢語(かんご) and refers mainly to Western borrowings written in katakana.

Common collocations

外来語(がいらいご)を使(つか)う: use a loanword
英語(えいご)からの外来語(がいらいご): loanword from English
外来語(がいらいご)辞典(じてん): loanword dictionary
外来語(がいらいご)の乱用(らんよう): overuse of loanwords

Similar words

外来語(がいらいご) is the standard linguistic term. カタカナ語(ご) (katakana word) is a casual synonym. 借用語(しゃくようご) (borrowed word) is the more technical linguistic term.

Related Words

Compare: 和語(わご) (native Japanese word)

Compare: 漢語(かんご) (Sino-Japanese word)

general

Added 2026.2.20 13:58 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01

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