サインペン
さいんぺん
noun
felt-tip pen; marker pen
1.
felt-tip pen; marker pen; fiber-tip pen
A pen with a felt or fiber tip, used for writing, drawing, or signing. Originally a brand name by Pentel, it became the generic Japanese word for this type of pen.
サインペンで名前を書く。
Write your name with a felt-tip pen.
赤いサインペンで丸をつける。
Mark it with a circle using a red felt-tip pen.
子どもがサインペンで壁に絵を描いてしまった。
The child drew pictures on the wall with a felt-tip pen.
A wasei-eigo blend of "sign" + "pen." Originally a registered trademark of Pentel Corporation (1963), it became the generic term in Japanese for felt-tip pens.
USAGE:
サインペン is the everyday word for a fine- to medium-tip felt pen in Japan. It is distinct from a 油性マーカー (permanent marker) in that サインペン typically refers to water-based felt-tip pens. The name comes from the pen being marketed as ideal for signing documents.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 水性サインペン: water-based felt-tip pen
- 油性サインペン: oil-based felt-tip pen
- サインペンで書く: to write with a felt-tip pen
- 細字サインペン: fine-point felt-tip pen
SIMILAR WORDS:
- マーカー: marker — often refers to thicker, bolder markers including highlighters
- 蛍光ペン: highlighter — a fluorescent marker for highlighting text
- ボールペン: ballpoint pen — uses a rolling ball mechanism, not a felt tip
- 万年筆: fountain pen — uses liquid ink with a nib