ズボン

Japanese

Etymology

Borrowed from French jupon (“petticoat, underskirt”),[1][2][3] from French jupe (“skirt”), from old Italian jupa, from Arabic جُوبَّة‎ (jūbba, “long garment”).

Note that the meaning has changed from “underskirt” to “trousers/pants”, and the second consonant has changed from /p/ to /b/, possibly influenced by native Japanese onomatopoeia ずぼん (zubon), describing the action of something sliding into place, as when one puts on or takes off trousers.

Pronunciation

Noun

ズボン (rōmaji zubon)

  1. trousers (UK), pants (AUS, Canada, US), strides (AUS), generally refers specifically to mens' pants.

Synonyms

Derived terms
Derived terms
  • 鳶 (とび)ズボン (tobi zubon): “hawk trousers” → trousers with a wide flare that then gathers again at the ankle, vaguely similar in appearance to cargo pants and commonly worn by construction workers in Japan
  • 長 (なが)ズボン (naga zubon)
  • 半 (はん)ズボン (han zubon)

References
  1. 1988, 国語大辞典（新装版） (Kokugo Dai Jiten, Revised Edition) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan
  2. 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
  3. 1998, NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 (NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: NHK, →ISBN
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