Posts tagged with "japanese"

Japanese Words of Portuguese Origin

Posted by Rachel No Comments
Feb 4 2010

Did you know that some Japanese words actually come from Portuguese? This Luso influence dates back to the 1500s, when the Portuguese established trade with Japan, the first Europeans to manage the journey.  Through traders and missionaries, the Portuguese brought new words and products to Japan, and thus a lasting cultural influence.

Let’s check out some of the words:

Japanese English definition Portuguese

bīdoro – a type of glass -  vidro

birōdo – velvet – veludo

furasuko – flask – frasco

jōro  – watering can – jarro

kappa – raincoat – capa

koppu – cup – copo

manto – cloak – manto

pan – bread – pão

shabon – soap – sabão

tabako – tobacco – tabaco

One of the most surprising words: tempura, the famous Japanese fried seafood and vegetables dish, comes from the Portuguese word tempero and temporar, which means seasoning and to season, respectively. Some say it comes from the word têmpora, a period when Catholics abstain from eating meat. Another interesting caveat: the Portuguese introduced European cooking oil in Japan, which is used to make this fried dish.

For a complete list of Japanese words of Portuguese origin, see here.

100 Years of the Japanese in Brazil: Part II

Posted by Transparent Language No Comments
Jun 16 2008

Today, we’re going to look at the second half of the list of Japanese influences in Brazilian culture, since this year is the centennial of the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants in Brazil. There are now 1.3 million people of Japanese descent all over the country, with the largest concentration in São Paulo.

Let’s take a look at some of the things the Japanese brought to Brazil:

  • Pastel de feira, a type of meat or cheese pastry popular all over Brazil, invented by the Chinese and popularized by the Japanese 
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  • Radish
  • Ramen noodles (known as miojo in Portuguese)
  • Rock, paper, scissors game, which is called jan-ken-pon in Japanese
  • Soy, which was used by small farmers in Brazil until the Japanese introduced large-scale production and consumption; soy is now a major Brazilian export
  • Soy sauce, known as shoyu in Brazil, used with both sushi and Brazilian foods
  • Sushi, which is considered to be a “food of the elite,” like French food in the U.S.
  • Sweet caqui (persimmon), since before Brazilians only ate a bitter type of the fruit
  • Yakult, a type of yogurt popular in Brazil, invented by a Japanese doctor
  • Yakisoba, a fried noodle dish eaten all over Brazil, created by the Chinese and popularized by the Japanese
  • Zen, a word used by Buddhists to describe calm, it has become a Portuguese word (Você está muito zen — you’re very chill/relaxed)

100 Years of the Japanese in Brazil: Part I

Posted by Transparent Language No Comments
Jun 9 2008

This year marks the centennial of the arrival of the first boat of Japanese immigrants in Brazil, which started a wave of immigration. Brazil is now the home of the largest Japanese population outside of Japan.

Let’s take a look at the legacy of the Japanese in Brazil to see how they’ve contributed to Brazilian culture and society, based on VEJA magazine’s A-Z list:

  • Aji-no-moto, a Japanese spice now used frequently in Brazilian recipes
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  • Bean sprouts, known as moyashi, which are very popular in Brazilian salads
  • Cherry trees, which are grown especially in São Paulo
  • Chinelos (flip-flops), known as zori, inspired the world-famous Havaiana brand
  • Green belt of São Paulo, the largest agricultural belt in the country started by Japanese immigrants
  • Gateball, a cricket-like game played by 15,000 in Brazil
  • Hashi (chopsticks), called palitinhos in Portuguese
  • Karaoke, with 117 karoake bars alone in São Paulo
  • Mestiços (Portuguese) which means people of mixed race, since 27% of Japanese descendants are now of mixed descent
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