カード

• Reading: かーど
• Romaji: kaado
• Pronunciation: /kaː.do/

Meaning

Card. A flat, usually rectangular piece of material used for identification, payment, or games.

A katakana loanword from English 'card.' Extremely versatile in Japanese, appearing in many compounds: クレジットカード (credit card), ポイントカード (point/loyalty card), カードゲーム (card game), 名刺 is 'business card' but メッセージカード is 'message card.' One of the most commonly used katakana words in daily life.

Examples

1. カードで払ってもいいですか。 Can I pay by card?
2. ポイントカードはお持ちですか。 Do you have a loyalty card?
3. 誕生日にカードを書いて送った。 I wrote a card and sent it for their birthday.

Usage Guide

Context: shopping, payment, games

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Borrowed from English 'card,' which derives from Latin 'charta' (sheet of papyrus). Widely adopted in Japanese as cashless payment and loyalty programs became ubiquitous.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal