イメージ is the transliteration of the English word “image” but with a slightly different meaning. Also, although “Image” doesn’t have a long vowel, it’s written with ー. This post explains why.
デモ
デモ is the transliteration of the English word “demo” which is a shortened form of “demonstration.” However, “demo” cannot always be translated with デモ. See examples here.
マーガリン
マーガリン is the transliteration of “margarine.” If you forget “ga” in “margarine” is pronounced like “ge,” “margarine” follows the transliteration rule perfectly. Read the explanation to see of these rules make sense to you.
ドライブ
The Katakana word ドライブ is used quite differently from the original English word, “drive.” This post explains how to use ドライブ as well as how to say “drive (a vehicle)” in Japanese.
クラクション
クラクションの音で目が覚めた。
I woke up at the sound of クラクション.
Do you think it was a pleasant wake up call? Find out here.
テンション
テンション in Japanese is quite different from its origin “tension.” This post explains what it actually means and how it is used in the Japanese language.
コンプレックス
みんな なにかに コンプレックスがあります。
What does コンプレックス mean?
コンプレックス is originally a German word. Read on to find out what it means.
ネイティブ
ネイティブ is the Katakana transliteration of the English word “native” but what it means is quite different from what Australian people think of “native.”
リベンジ
It seems the word リベンジ seems to have obtained a citizenship in Japanese. It is a transliteration of the English word, revenge, but do you know how it’s used in Japanese?
コマーシャル
I haven’t written about Katakana words for a while but what our prime minister, Mr Suga, said the other day…
トマトソース
he word トマトソース comes from the English phrase “tomato sauce” and in Australia (as well as the Commonwealth of Nations)…
ダイヤ
During the typhoon season, you hear たいふうでダイヤがみだれた a lot on television. If you hear it often enough, you would know…
ワンピース
ワンピース is the transliteration of the English phrase “one piece” but ワンピース only refers to a one-piece “dress” for women…
レンジでチン
When I googled ”レンジでチン,” I got nearly 5 million hits. It is a very common expression in Japanese. What does…
シール
Have you ever been asked シールでよろしいでしょうか? at a checkout of a shop? Do you know what that means? If you…
レア
Today’s Katakana Tuesday and today’s word is レア. It’s a short word and easy to work out the sound. It…
ステッキ
Not many people use ステッキ any more, but can you work out what it is from the sound Katakana letters…
ファーストフード？ファストフード？
マクドナルドはファーストフード？それともファストフード？ The other day, one of may translation colleagues wrote about this in her blog. I used to think, and…
ポーチ
Suppose you are somewhere in this picture and if your Japanese friend asks you “ポーチ(は)どこ？(Where is ポーチ?)” Where would you…
ホッチキス
When I first went to America as an exchange student, I believed ホッチキス was an English word, so when I…
