In Japanese class, our vocabulary for this week includes a number of words for common things you'd find around your apartment or your neighborhood. In Japanese, you can easily tell a word that is considered a "Japanese" word, and one that has been imported from another language. "Japanese" words are written in Hiragana and "foreign" words are written in Katakana. I am totally fascinated by the words that are "foreign". I am assuming that the foreign words represent items that the Japanese didn't use until somewhat recently.
"Japanese" words in Hiragana
refrigerator: れいぞうこ (reizo-ko)
window: まど (mado)
park: こうえん (ko-en)
battery: でんち (denchi)
box: はこ (hako)
shelf: たな (tana)
coffeeshop: きっさてん (kissaten)
bookstore: ほんや (honya)
"Foreign" words in Katakana
light switch: スイッチ (suicchi)
bed: ベッド (beddo)
door: ドア (doa)
building: ビル (biru)
table: テーブル (te-buru)
mailbox: ポスト (posuto)
coffee: コーヒー (ko-hi-)
Fresh from Japanese class,
-Bre (and Kyle)
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