ベルト

• Reading: ベルト
• Romaji: beruto
• Pronunciation: /be.ɾɯ.to/

Meaning

Belt; a strip of material worn around the waist to hold up clothing.

A katakana loanword from English 'belt.' Primarily refers to a waist belt for Western-style clothing. Also used in other contexts: シートベルト (shiito beruto, seatbelt), ベルトコンベアー (beruto konbeaa, conveyor belt), グリーンベルト (guriin beruto, green belt). Distinguished from 帯 (obi), which refers to the traditional Japanese kimono sash.

Examples

1. ズボンが緩いので新しいベルトを買った。 My pants are loose, so I bought a new belt.
2. 車に乗ったらまずシートベルトを締めてください。 Please fasten your seatbelt as soon as you get in the car.
3. 革のベルトが古くなったので交換した。 My leather belt got old, so I replaced it.

Usage Guide

Context: clothing, driving, fashion

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Borrowed from English 'belt,' which derives from Old English and ultimately from Latin balteus (girdle). Entered Japanese with Western clothing culture in the Meiji era.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal