How Do You Say Car Parts in Japanese? Lists for Japanese Language Learners

I compiled lists of Japanese words about car parts and related matters for Japanese learners who are interested in the automotive industry and who want to know more vocabularies. I also added the information about ETC for people who are planning to use a rental car in Japan in the future.

(目次=Table of contents)

American and British English and Wasei-eigo are all Mixed

和製英語わせいえいご(wasei-eigo) means Japanized English. There are a lot of Japanese words that may sound like English, but the meanings are not the same as that of English in practice. Those words are called 和製英語(wasei-eigo) in Japanese. “Wasei” literally means made in Japan or Japanese made and “eigo” means English. If you want to know more about wasei-eigo, please check this article as well.

A lot of Japanese words related to auto parts are written in katakana influenced by English. It is interesting that some words were derived from American English and some were derived from British English. I think トランク(toranku) and ボンネット (bonnetto) are good examples.トランク(toranku) is from the word, “trunk” that is mainly used in the U.S. and Canada but not in the UK, Australia and New Zealand where “boot” is the preferred term. On the other hand, ボンネット(bonnetto) is from the word, “bonnet” that is commonly used in the UK, but “hood” is used in the U.S. and Canada instead of bonnet.

If all car parts in Japanese were from either American or British English, it might have been easier for English speakers to memorize those Japanese words. However, there are also wasei-eigo for some car parts, and many Japanese people believe those are English words because they sound like English (at least to the Japanese). For example, フロントガラス (furonto garasu=front glass) means windshield in American English and windscreen in British English.

Vocabularies List of Car Parts in Japanese

Exterior parts (Front side)

Exterior Parts (Rear side)

Interior Parts

Parts in Engine Compartment

Related to Car Systems Including Instrumental Panel

Car Types and Related Words

Fuel, Car Damages, Traffic Violations, and etc.

Bicycle, Motorcycle, and etc.

What is ETC and an ETC Card?

If you have traveled in Japan by using a rental car, you might have been asked if you needed an ETC card at a car rental shop. ETC stands for Electronic Toll Collection System that is installed at an entrance and exit of highway in Japan. Japanese rental car shops have cars with ETC equipped. It is not necessary if you are not going to use the highway during your trip. Only people who are planning to drive a long distance by highway need to consider whether to rent an ETC card* at a car rental shop or not. Personally, I recommend you rent an ETC card since the payment of tolls is easier and you can also save time.

*Even if your rental car has ETC equipment, you cannot use ETC lanes at an entrance and exit of the highway without an ETC card. The toll of the highway is recorded in the ETC card, and you need to pay the amount at the rental car shop when you return the car to them.

What is the Merit of Using ETC ?

Before addressing the merits of using ETC, let me explain about the gates of the highway in Japan. There are two different types of gates for an entrance and exit at the highway. One is 一般(いっぱん)レーン which means regular lane or general lane in English, and the other is ETCレーン which means ETC-only lane. Over 90% of drivers in Japan use ETC in order to save time. Here are the differences between using the regular lane and ETC-only lane.

In case of using a regular lane

Drivers who use a regular lane need to stop their cars temporarily at the entrance and take a ticket. You need to submit the ticket when you exit the highway so keep it safe. Drivers who have passed the regular lane when they entered the highway must also use the regular lane again when they exit. Drivers have to stop again at the exit and pay a toll with the ticket. You can usually choose the payment method, cash or credit card, but you need to be careful because some areas of the highway, toll road, or express way are cash only.

In case of using an ETC-only lane

Drivers need to slow down driving speed to 20km/h (approximately 12.5mph) before entering the ETC lane on the highway and go forward with the same speed. They confirm your ETC equipment and card so that the gate bar will open automatically while you are driving.

You need to do the same thing when you exit the highway. Slow down driving speed to 20km/h before entering the ETC lane and go forward with the same speed. They confirm the information of your driving distance and toll. The gate bar will open automatically while you are driving.

Merits of using ETC are as follows:

• (1) You can save time since you don’t need to stop temporarily at the gates.
• (2) You don’t need to prepare cash or credit card when you exit the highway.
• (3) There are some toll discounts depending on what time you drive (usually at midnight and weekends).
• (4) There are ETC-only toll plazas*² that only drivers with ETC can pass through.
• *² ETC-only toll plazas only have ETC lanes, there are no regular lanes included. The number of ETC-only toll plazas has been increasing since highway companies in Japan are trying to save costs and alleviate traffic congestion.

What is the Demerit of Using ETC?

You usually need to pay ￥300～1,100 yen when you rent an ETC card at a car rental shop in Japan. Some rental car companies lend you an ETC card for free of charge, so it’s better to check before making a reservation.
This is not a demerit, but you need to remember that you cannot use ETC at some toll roads and express ways and you need to pay the toll by cash.

This is a tip for people who rent an ETC card. ETC equipment can be seen from outside of a car, so there is a possibility that your ETC card will be stolen. In general, Japan is well known to be a safe country, but you need to know that there were 22,934 cases of car break-in theft in 2024 according to Criminal Investigation Bureau of National Police Agency in Japan. I recommend you remove your ETC card from ETC equipment and take it with you when you leave your rental car for a long time just in case. (>_<)!

If you are curious about driving in Japan and want to learn traffic rules, these books are also helpful for you. The book titles are linked with Amazon.com.

Driving In Japan: A Book About The Road Culture, Rules Of The Road, And Ways Of Driving A Car In Japan, Avoiding Accidents, Satisfying Fellow Road Users, … On The Left. (Japan – What To Expect) by Wisterian Watertree

LEARN JAPAN´S TRAFFIC RULES: WITH VIDEO LESSONS

References

East Nippon Expressway Company Limited (in Japanese) https://www.driveplaza.com/etc/etc_guide/

National Police Agency (in Japanese) https://www.npa.go.jp/publications/statistics/index.html