ペンキ

• Reading: ペンキ
• Romaji: penki
• Pronunciation: /peɴ.ki/

Meaning

Paint; a coloured liquid applied to surfaces for protection or decoration.

A katakana loanword from Dutch 'pek' (paint/pitch). Refers to house paint or industrial paint applied to walls, fences, and objects. Key expressions: ペンキを塗る (penki wo nuru, to paint), ペンキ塗りたて (penki nuritake, wet paint). Distinguished from 絵の具 (enogu, art paint/pigment for drawing). ペンキ is specifically for coating surfaces, not for artistic painting.

Examples

1. 週末に家の壁にペンキを塗った。 I painted the walls of the house over the weekend.
2. ペンキ塗りたてなので触らないでください。 Wet paint — please don't touch.
3. 白いペンキが服についてしまった。 White paint got on my clothes.

Usage Guide

Context: home improvement, construction, DIY

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Borrowed from Dutch 'pek' (pitch/paint), introduced during the Edo period when the Netherlands was Japan's primary Western trading partner. The kanji 番瀝青 is an archaic ateji rarely used today.

Cultural Context

Era: Edo period

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal