Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

Get the Kotomora apps for iOS and Android.

Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides About Support Privacy

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

ペーパードライバー (peepaadoraibaa) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

ペーパードライバー

also: ペーパードライバ · ペーパー・ドライバー · ペーパー・ドライバ

ペ

ー

パ

ー

ド

ラ

イ

バ

ー

Meanings

1

paper driver; licensed but inexperienced driver

Wasei-eigo term for someone who holds a driver's license but rarely or never drives, and thus lacks practical experience.

wasei-eigo (Japanese-coined English), from paper driver

彼かの女じょはペーパードライバーなので、運うん転てんするのが怖こわい

と

言い

っ

て

いる

。

She says she's a paper driver, so she's scared to drive.

ペーパードライバー向むけの講こう習しゅうを受うけて、久ひさしぶりに運うん転てんした。

I took a refresher course for paper drivers and drove for the first time in a long while.

Related words

運うん転てん免めん許きょ
Refers to the driver's license itself, not the person.
初しょ心しん者しゃマーク
The beginner driver sticker; a paper driver may still need to display it if they are a new driver, but the term focuses on lack of experience rather than being a new license holder.

Built from

ペーパー+ドライバー

Written forms

ペーパードライバ
Variant without the long vowel mark; less common but seen.
ペーパー・ドライバー
Spelling with interpunct; sometimes used for clarity.
ペーパー・ドライバ
Rare variant combining interpunct and missing long vowel mark.

Etymology

Wasei-eigo (Japanese-made English) from 'paper' and 'driver', implying a driver who exists only on paper (i.e., has a license but no real driving experience).