16 English words that come from Japanese: karaoke, origami, tsunami, tofu...

Improve your English vocabulary with these 16 words that come from Japanese! It is common for languages to borrow words from each other, especially when the word represents something that is found originally in a different culture. For example, the word “futon” in English is borrowed from the Japanese language to represent a folding bed. We use many words that are borrowed from Japanese without even knowing it. In this lesson, I will teach you 16 words that are originally Japanese but that we frequently use in English, like “karaoke”, “emoji”, “katana”, “kamikaze”, “bonsai”, “haiku”, “sensei”, “tycoon”, “panko”, “tofu”, “zen”, and more. Then, test your knowledge with the quiz at This vocabulary lesson is for everyone regardless of level.