ボールペン

also: ボール・ペン

ボ

ー

ル

ペ

ン

Common wordJLPTN5Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

ballpoint pen

A common writing instrument using a tiny rotating ball to dispense ink. The term is a wasei-eigo (Japanese-made English) from 'ball pen'.

wasei-eigo (Japanese-coined English), from ball pen

書しょ類るいにボールペンで署しょ名めいしてください。
Please sign the document with a ballpoint pen.
このボールペンはインクがかすれてきた。
This ballpoint pen is running out of ink.

See all 20 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈物もの〉をボールペンで書かくto write something with a ballpoint pen
名な前まえをボールペンで書かいてください。
Please write your name with a ballpoint pen.
ボールペンのインクが出でないa ballpoint pen won't write (the ink won't come out)
このボールペン、インクが出でないよ。
This ballpoint pen won't write, the ink isn't coming out.

Related words

ペンN5
ボールペン specifically means a ballpoint pen, whereas ペン is the general term covering any kind of pen.
万まん年ねん筆ひつN5
ボールペン is the everyday ballpoint pen used for casual writing, while 万年筆 is a fountain pen often associated with formal writing, calligraphy practice, or as a gift.

Don't confuse with

万まん年ねん筆ひつN5
万年筆 is a fountain pen that uses a nib and liquid ink, while ボールペン uses a rolling ball and thicker oil-based ink.
シャープペンシルN5
シャープペンシル is a mechanical pencil using graphite leads, unlike the ink-based ボールペン.
鉛えん筆ぴつN5
鉛筆 writes with graphite that can be erased, whereas ボールペン uses ink and is permanent.

Counted with

本ほんN5
Pens are long, thin objects, counted with 本 (ボールペン二本).

Built from

ボール+ペン

Etymology

Wasei-eigo (Japanese-made English) from 'ball pen', with the English 'ballpoint pen' being the standard term outside Japan.