Vietnamese has many words of Chinese, French, Japanese origin... but English also borrows words from other languages.
However, because they have been widely used for so long, people sometimes "forget" where they originated. EnglishTop Introducing to you 12 English words that you have definitely "heard" in other languages, not English.
- Ballet /bæˈleɪ/
This world-famous art form originated in French. So its pronunciation is somewhat different from the usual English.
For example:
- Cafe /ˈkæfeɪ/
In English, the word "café" is often used for small, popular restaurants that only have small tables inside and outside the store. This word is written in 2 ways: with the mark “café” hoOr without the sign "coffee".
“Cafe” is often confused with “cafeteria”, which also means a small restaurant. However, cafeterias are restaurants and bars located in factory centers, offices, buildings or schools and only serve people working in that area.
For example:
- Entrepreneur /ˌɑːntrəprəˈnɜːr/
“Entrepreneur” is the founder of a certain company. Some familiar word forms of “entrepreneur” are “entrepreneurship” (noun) and “entrepreneurial” (adjective).
For example:
- Fest /fest/
“Fest” is a celebration or festival with a bustling and joyful atmosphere. In both English and German, “-fest” is often used as a suffix.
For example:
- Kindergarten /ˈkɪndərɡɑːrtn/
Literally translated from German, “kindergarten” means “children’s garden.” In English, it means “kindergarten.”
For example:
- Waltz /wɔːls/
“Waltz” both refers to the dance and also refers to the type of music used when dancing.
For example:
- Rucksack /ˈrʌksæk/
This is another name for backpack in English. “Ruck” comes from the German word “Rücken”, meaning “back” and “sack” meaning “bag”.
For example:
- Square /ˈplæzə/
This word is used to refer to public, crowded areas in the city, sometimes, “plaza” is also used to mean “square”.
In addition, in English, "plaza" is also used to refer to shopping centers, complex buildings or large areas.
For example:
- Tsunami /tsuːˈnɑːmi/
“Tsunami” means tsunami, referring to giant waves, after an earthquake, with heavy destructive power.
The word “tsunami” became popular after the 2004 tsunami in East Asia and 2011 in Japan.
For example:
- Tofu /ˈtoʊfuː/
This is a word derived from the word “dou fu” which means “tofu” in Chinese. However, before “spreading” to English-speaking countries, it was popular in Japan and was read as “tofu”.
For example:
- Typhoon
The origin of this word is still very vague. Some people believe that "typhoon" is derived from the Chinese word "taifeng", meaning "big wind".
“Typhoon” is the word used to refer to storms or tornadoes
For example:
- Yin and yang
In Chinese culture, “yin” represents femininity, darkness, and night. Meanwhile, “yang” represents the opposite: masculinity, light, and day. In English, this phrase is used to refer to opposites. In Vietnamese, it means “yin and yang.”
For example:
EnglishTop We have compiled for you 12 English words originating from other countries. We hope you will be able to use these words more flexibly and interestingly. Wishing you success in conquering English!