What are some tips for avoiding false friends when learning Japanese

Some tips for avoiding false friends when learning Japanese include:

• Learn the meaning and usage of loanwords (gairaigo) carefully, especially those written in katakana, as many words that sound like English have different meanings in Japanese. For example, マンション (manshon) means “apartment” in Japanese, not a large luxurious house as in English, and バイキング (Viking) means “buffet,” not the Scandinavian pirates. This helps avoid confusing or embarrassing situations. ^{1, 2}

• Use context and examples to understand words rather than relying on surface similarity alone. Cross-check words that look or sound familiar with reliable dictionaries or usage examples to confirm their true meaning in Japanese. ³

• Be especially cautious with wasei-eigo (Japanese-made English loanwords) which can have meanings quite different from the original English words. For instance, リバース (ribaasu) means “to vomit,” not “reverse”. ^{4, 5}

• Study common false friends systematically, including those between Chinese-Japanese kanji meanings, because some shared characters have different interpretations in the two languages. For example, 手紙 (tegami) means “letter” in Japanese but “toilet paper” in Chinese. ^{6, 7}

• Practice exposure to real Japanese language usage via conversation, reading, listening, and media rather than relying only on dictionaries or translation apps. The more you immerse in the actual language environment, the easier it becomes to internalize true meanings and avoid false assumptions. ⁸

• When encountering a new word that seems familiar, verify its meaning with multiple sources and try to see it in complete sentences to grasp nuances and differences.

These approaches collectively reduce confusion caused by false friends and improve overall Japanese language comprehension accuracy.

If needed, a curated list of common Japanese-English false friends can serve as a useful reference for learners. ^{2, 1}

This guidance is based on recent linguistic and language learning sources.

References

• 20 Japanese-English False Friends You Need to Know

• False friends between English and Japanese Pictures

• 10 Japanese-English False Friends

• Katakana, Part 2: Loan words and false friends - bijinjapan

• Wasei-eigo: False Friends in Japanese - WorkInJapan.today

• List of Chinese–Japanese false friends

• 35 Common False Friends in Chinese and Japanese

• False friends: Spotting and avoiding common linguistic traps

• False cognates and false friends : r/LearnJapanese

• The Concept of False Friends in Linguistics - Vasco Translator

• The Most Common Mistakes People Make When Learning …

• Learning A New Language? Avoid These “False Friends!”

• False cognates - Japanese Language

• What “false friends” are there between Japanese and English?

• 5 Japanese Loan words from English that got a completely …

• Japenglish / Wasei-Eigo: A List Of Japanese False Friends

• False friends in Japanese and English contrasting practice