The Dutch East India Company started trading in Japan from the factory of Hirado in 1609. In 1640, they were transferred to Dejima, and from then on until 1854 remained the only Westerners allowed access to Japan. Numerous exchanges occurred, leading to a branch of Western learning in Japan known as rangaku, or "Dutch learning". In the process, a number of terms were adopted from Dutch into the Japanese language:
| Japanese rōmaji | Japanese (kanji or kana) | Dutch (origin) | English meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| arakku | アラック | arak | arrack or arak | |
| arukari | アルカリ | alkali | alkali | |
| arukōru | アルコール | alcohol | alcohol | (originally Arabic) |
| asubesuto | アスベスト | asbest | asbestos | |
| bīkā | ビーカー | beker | beaker | (as used in laboratory) |
| bīru[1] | ビール, 麦酒 | bier | beer | |
| buriki | ブリキ | blik | tin, tin plate | |
| dansu | ダンス | dans | dance | |
| dekki | デッキ | dek | deck | |
| dokku | ドック | dok | (dry) dock | |
| dontaku | ドンタク | zondag (Sunday) | day off, holiday | See also handon. Obsolete. |
| erekiteru,ereki | エレキテル、エレキ | electriciteit | electricity | |
| garasu[1] | ガラス, 硝子 | glas | window glass | |
| gasu | ガス | gas | gas | |
| gomu | ゴム | gom | rubber, gum | |
| handon | 半ドン | zondag (sunday) | half-day holiday | Compound of Japanese han (half) and dontaku. Now obsolete. |
| hisuterī | ヒステリー | hysterie | hysteria | |
| hoppu | ホップ | hop | hop | |
| inki / inku | インキ / インク | inkt | ink | inku(インク) is common now. Inki(インキ) is obsolescent. |
| kaban | カバン | kabas | bag | |
| kanfuru | カンフル | kamfer | camphor | |
| karan | カラン, 下欄 | kraan | tap (faucet) | Could have come from German "Kran". |
| kinīne | キニーネ | kinine | quinine | |
| kokku | コック | kok | cook | |
| konpasu | コンパス | kompas | compass | Could have come from Portuguese "compasso". |
| kōhī[1] | コーヒー, 珈琲 | koffie | coffee | |
| koppu | コップ | kop | drinking glass | Could have come from Portuguese "copo". |
| koruku | コルク | kurk | cork (material) | |
| madorosu | マドロス | matroos | sailor | |
| manto | マント | mantel | cloak, mantle | Could have come from Portuguese "manto". |
| marariya | マラリヤ | malaria | malaria | |
| masuto | マスト | mast | mast (of a ship) | Could have come from Portuguese "mastro". |
| mesu | メス | mes | (knife) scalpel | |
| moruhine | モルヒネ | morfine | morphine | |
| nikkeru | ニッケル | nikkel | nickel | |
| orugōru[1] | オルゴール | orgel | (organ) music box | |
| otenba[1] | お転婆 | ontembaar | (untameable) a tomboy | The derivation is not certain and could be coincidental. |
| pen | ペン | pen | pen | |
| pinsetto | ピンセット | pincet | tweezers | |
| pisutoru[1] | ピストル | pistool | pistol | |
| ponpu | ポンプ | pomp | pump | |
| poruda | ポルダ | polder | low lying land reclaimed from the sea | |
| ranpu | ランプ | lamp | lamp | |
| randoseru | ランドセル | ransel | knapsack/backpack | |
| ransetto | ランセット | lancet | lancet | |
| renzu | レンズ | lens | lens | |
| ryukkusakku | リュックサック | rugzak | rucksack. | |
| sāberu | サーベル | sabel | sable | |
| safuran | サフラン | saffraan | saffron | |
| siroppu | シロップ | siroop | syrup | |
| supoito | スポイト | spuit | pipet | |
| tarappu | タラップ | trap | stairs (for plane, boats) | |
| yōdo | ヨード | jodium | iodine | May have come from Portuguese "iodo". |
| zukku | ズック | doek | canvas cloth; could be German tuch |