ロボット

• Reading: ロボット
• Romaji: robotto
• Pronunciation: /ɾo.bot.to/

Meaning

Robot; a machine capable of carrying out complex actions automatically.

A loanword from Czech 'robota' (forced labor) via English 'robot.' Japan has a particularly strong cultural connection to robots, from industrial manufacturing to entertainment and caregiving. Common collocations include 産業用ロボット (industrial robot) and ロボット工学 (robotics).

Examples

1. 工場ではロボットが自動で製品を作っている。 In factories, robots automatically manufacture products.
2. 日本はロボット技術で世界をリードしている。 Japan leads the world in robot technology.
3. 介護用のロボットが開発されている。 Caregiving robots are being developed.

Usage Guide

Context: technology, manufacturing, daily life

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Borrowed from English 'robot,' which was coined by Czech writer Karel Capek in 1920 from Czech 'robota' meaning forced labor. The term entered Japanese in the early 20th century.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal