11 English Words That Were Originally Japanese

If you're a native English speaker, you may know more Japanese than you think. For example, the word "tycoon" has come to mean in English a wealthy and powerful business leader, such as the above pictured Howard Hughes. But originally, taikun (大君) referred to the shoguns of Japan, who dominated that nation for centuries until the Meiji Restoration in 1868.

This is one of 11 English words of Japanese origin described by Michelle Lynn Dinh of Rocket News 24. Among them is, of course, anime. But as Dinh explains, the history of that word is a bit complex.