金平糖状 vs confectionery shape

“Substances shaped like Konpeito” is an expression I came across in #translating a chemical #patent from Japanese into English recently. While searching for this word in PCT applications readily accessible on the Internet, I came across a great variety of terms:
"konpeito" (pointed sugar candy ball), sugar-plum-shaped particle, confetti....

Confetti? Only then, I learn that the Japanese word Konpeito has its origin in a Portuguese word "confeito". The #Portuguese were the first Europeans to trade with the Shogunate government of 16th century Japan and this resulted in new Japanese words for things not known before in this corner of the world such as:

PT→JA
castella → kasutera (honey cake)
caramelo → carumera (caramel)
tempera → tempura (the Japanese national dish!)
carta → karuta (playing card)

It is kind of amusing to note that the German “Karte" was turned into a Japanese word for medical records (= Karute) while the Portuguese counterpart found its way to Japan as a playing card.

In my translations, I opted for a rather detailed explanation of Konpeito’s shape:

Konpeito Candy (small ball-shaped rock sugar with horn-like prongs)

If you look at a picture of this sweet (top), aren’t you be reminded of something else? Hopefully you will not say “COVID-19-form" now!