Ateji 当て字

ateji · from Japanese

What is ateji?

Ateji are kanji used for their sound or meaning regardless of etymology, often to write loanwords or for playful effect.

Before katakana became standard for loanwords, many foreign words were written with sound-alike kanji. Some survive in everyday use, others only as abbreviations, such as 米 for America. Ateji also appear in names, band names and wordplay.

Examples

寿司 sushi; 珈琲 kōhī (coffee); 倶楽部 kurabu (club); 亜米利加 Amerika (America, hence 米国 Beikoku)

Kungfucius says: Japan wrote coffee with two jewel characters. That is not translation, it is branding.