コンデンサ

Japanese

Alternative spelling
コンデンサー

Etymology

Borrowed from English condenser.^[1]^[2]^[3]

Originally spelled コンデンサー (kondensā). As with other imported words ending in long "ā", the final vowel has shortened in more common usage, resulting in the current spelling.

Pronunciation

(Tokyo) コンデンサ [kòńdéꜜǹsà] (Nakadaka – [3])
(Tokyo) コンデンサー [kòńdéꜜǹsàà] (Nakadaka – [3])
IPA^(key): [kõ̞ndẽ̞ɰ̃sa̠]
IPA^(key): [kõ̞ndẽ̞ɰ̃sa̠ː]

(Osaka) コンデンサ

Noun

コンデンサ • (kondensa)

(electronics) a capacitor
Though called capacitors in modern English, these electronic devices were originally called condensers from as far back as 1782. The Japanese term is based on this older terminology.
(optics) an optical condenser, such as a lens or mirror
(mechanics, physics) a condenser, a device or unit used to condense vapor into liquid

Usage notes

Japanese has also borrowed the modern English term capacitor for the electronic component, as キャパシタ (kyapashita). However, the term コンデンサ (kondensa) is used much more commonly.

Synonyms

(electronics): 蓄電器(ちくでんき) (chikudenki)
(electronics): キャパシタ (kyapashita) (rare)
(optics): 集光器(しゅうこうき) (shūkōki)
(physics): 復水器(ふくすいき) (fukusuiki)
(physics): 凝縮器(ぎょうしゅくき) (gyōshukuki)

References

^ Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典（新装版） [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
^ Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
^ Matsumura, Akira, editor (1995), 大辞泉 [Daijisen] (in Japanese), First edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, →ISBN

[KDJ-1] Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典（新装版） [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN

[DJR-2] Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN

[DJS-3] Matsumura, Akira, editor (1995), 大辞泉 [Daijisen] (in Japanese), First edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, →ISBN

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