スポイト

1770 is an early printed point for スポイト: Seisenban Nihon Kokugo Daijiten cites Oranda Iji Mondo. The source is Dutch spuit, a word for an instrument that forces liquid through a narrow opening. Dutch still uses spuit for syringe, sprayer, and injection-related meanings. Japanese borrowed the word through Edo-period Dutch medicine and practical science. The 1770 example concerns putting medicinal liquid into the body, so the early field was medical technique, not school stationery. Over time, Japanese スポイト narrowed toward a small glass or plastic tube with a rubber bulb, used for ink, medicine, or laboratory drops. In present-day Japanese, スポイト usually means “dropper” or “pipette,” especially in science rooms, eyedrop bottles, and art tools. English does not use spuit as a normal word; it says dropper, pipette, or syringe depending on the object. Dutch spuit remains wider than Japanese スポイト. Example: スポイトで水を一滴落とす.