Support This Site ☕Think you know katakana words? Think again!
Many katakana words sound like English but mean something completely different — like シュークリーム (a cream puff, not “shoe cream”!). Test your knowledge of these tricky “false friends” (often called wasei eigo) with everyday words from home life in Japan.
- Type your answer in hiragana or katakana, or say it with 🎤
- Includes native Japanese audio and clear explanations
- Perfect for JLPT N4–N3 learners
Fill in the blank with the right katakana word. Type your answer, or tap 🎤 and say it in Japanese!
Q1
You’re at a café. You want to charge your laptop.
すみません、＿＿＿をお借りできますか。
Excuse me, may I use an outlet?
コンセント (konsento) = electrical outlet
In Japanese, an electrical outlet is コンセント. アウトレット means an outlet mall.
Q2
Your friend lives on the 12th floor of a tall building near the station.
駅の近くの＿＿＿の12階に住んでいます。
I live on the 12th floor of an apartment building near the station.
マンション (manshon) = apartment / condo building
In Japan, マンション is an apartment or condo building. It is not a big, luxurious house like the English word “mansion.”
マンション vs アパート — there is no strict rule, but people usually use them like this:
- マンション: a taller building with strong concrete walls. It often has an elevator and an auto-lock door.
- アパート: a small building with 2–3 floors and lighter walls. It usually has no elevator.
Both are “apartments” in English. マンション is usually more expensive and quieter.
Q3
There are leftovers from last night in the fridge.
残り物を＿＿＿で温めて食べようよ。
Let’s heat up the leftovers in the microwave and eat them.
レンジ（電子レンジ） (renji) = microwave
レンジ means microwave. In American English, a range is a cooking stove.
Q4
Your friend’s kitchen was old and hard to use.
台所が古くて使いにくかったので、＿＿＿したんですよ。
The kitchen was old and hard to use, so we renovated it.
リフォーム (rifōmu) = home renovation
In Japanese, リフォーム means renovating a home. In English, reform means changing a system, like a law.
Q5
You took your baby to the park.
赤ちゃんを＿＿＿に乗せて、公園へ散歩に行きました。
I put my baby in the stroller and went for a walk in the park.
ベビーカー (bebīkā) = stroller
A stroller is ベビーカー in Japanese. It’s not a “baby car.”
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シシャモが選びましたPicked by Shisyamo
Words in this quiz (answers inside!)
- コンセント (konsento) — electrical outlet
- マンション (manshon) — apartment / condo building
- レンジ（電子レンジ） (renji) — microwave
- リフォーム (rifōmu) — home renovation
- ベビーカー (bebīkā) — stroller
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