When we were talking yesterday about using muscle memory to improve your English vocabulary spelling, we referenced the standard Japanese language learning technique of “stroke order” that helps students correctly remember how to write the Japanese characters called kanji. That reminded us of a list of words we came across recently of Japanese words that we now use as part of our everyday English vocabulary. How many of these words do you know?

bonsai
Literally translated as “tray/pot cultivated,” this word refers both to the art of pruning and miniaturizing trees into highly stylized shapes, and to those trees themselves.

haiku
A short poem, traditionally with a theme of or reference to nature, in the form of three non-rhyming lines of 5, 7, and 5 syllables. Matsuo Basho (1644-1694) is one of the most well-known poets who wrote haiku.

karaoke
An invented word made up of the Japanese word kara (meaning “empty”) and the first part of the English word orchestra (which would be pronounced by a Japanese speaker as oh-KAY-su-toh-rah), this is a popular pastime in which one or more people sing along with prerecorded instrumental versions of popular songs.

manga
Although this form of art has been around since the 1800s, these “whimsical pictures” now usually refer to comics and comic books; when the comics are animated, they’re called anime.

origami
The art form of “folding paper” developed in the 17th century in Japan. A thousand origami cranes strung together on a thread is a gift that is said to bring good luck and good health to the recipient.

tycoon
The Japanese word taikun means “great person” and was used as a form of address to the shogun, the ruler of Japan during the 1850s when Japan opened its harbors to ships from the West. When the word migrated to the English-speaking world, it became a reference to any successful person, particularly in business, and generally implies that the person has a lot of wealth and power.

karate
The martial art done without weapons (from kara, “empty,” and te, “hand”) that was developed in the early 20th century, based on traditional fighting methods of the residents of the (now) Japanese islands in the East China Sea.

kudzu
This word for a fast-growing vine that can be highly invasive in warm-climate areas comes from the Japanese name for the plant, kuzu. The starchy root of the plant is edible and is a traditional ingredient in many Japanese dishes.

shiatsu
A type of massage that involves “finger pressure” at specific points on the body where the energy flow can be adjusted. Another term for this technique is acupressure.

tsunami
A potentially destructive “harbor wave” usually caused by earthquakes, volcanoes, or underwater landslides. Tsunami measure up to 100 feet (30 metres) in height and travel at speeds reaching 600 miles (966 kilometres) per hour.

Korekaramo ganbatte kudasai!